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Princess Mononoke Film Gets Kabuki Stage Production Next Summer

The Super Kabuki production announced on Thursday that it is producing a kabuki stage play adaptation of Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli's Princess Mononoke film that will run at the Shinbashi Enbujō Theatre in Tokyo from July to August 2026. The new production celebrates the Super Kabuki production's 40th anniversary.

Danko Ichikawa will play Ashitaka, while Kazutarō Nakamura will play San.

Kensuke Yokouchi is directing the play. Keiko Niwa, who has written or assisted on scripts for such Studio Ghibli films as The Wind Rises, Arrietty, and When Marnie Was There, is co-writing the script with Kazuhisa Tobe, who is also directing and writing the Evangelion kabuki project. The production will use Joe Hisaishi's music.

The Super Kabuki production debuted in 1986, and is known for merging traditional kabuki staging with modern stage concepts.

GKIDS began screening a 4K restoration of the film exclusively in IMAX theaters in North America on March 26 to celebrate Studio Ghibli's 40th anniversary. The company describes the film's story:

Inflicted with a deadly curse, the young warrior Ashitaka heads west in search of a cure. There, he stumbles into a bitter conflict between Lady Eboshi, the proud people of Iron Town, and the enigmatic Princess Mononoke, a young girl raised by wolves, who will stop at nothing to prevent the humans from destroying her home and the forest spirits and animal gods who live there. Featuring the voice talents of Gillian Anderson, Billy Crudup, Claire Danes, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Billy Bob Thornton.

Sources: Princess Mononoke kabuki play's website, Shochiku Stage X/Twitter account, Mantan Web