Oscar-winning Hayao Miyazaki’s ‘Spirited Away’ is set to get a theatrical production

Studio Ghibli is one of the most celebrated studios known for its critically and commercially acclaimed films. The studio’s greatest achievement to date, Oscar-winning Spirited Away, directed by Hayao Miyazaki, is set to get a stage adaptation. Toshio Suzuki, producer Studio Ghibli, announced, “We, Hayao and I, both liked John’s vision. He is a person we can trust. I am looking forward to seeing Chihiro grow on stage under his direction”.

Spirited Away follows Chihiro and her struggle to survive in a fantasy world full of spirits. Apart from the spiritual and realistic world beautifully blended by the master craftsman Miyazaki, this film is actually about Chihiro’s development (evolution), in the most realistic way!

This masterpiece is a universally appreciated Artcraft, won Oscar in 2003, and remained Japan’s highest-grossing film for 19 years until Haruto Sotozaki’s Demon Slayer: Mugen Train knocked it off.

Tony Award-winning director, John Caird will direct the play and is set to premiere in February 2022. He appears to cherish Hayao Miyazaki’s works as he said:

“I feel so excited and privileged to be working on the first-ever stage adaptation of Spirited Away. I have for many years now regarded Hayao Miyazaki as one of the preeminent geniuses of world cinema and the greatest ever proponent of the anime form. I share a belief in all the most dominant theme of Miyazaki’s work, a theme that is at the core of the Spirited Away world-care for the environment, reverence for nature, a belief in the form of the good spirits within us, and the empowerment of young women and men to change the world for the better”.

It has been confirmed that there will be double-casting for Chihiro, Mone Kamishiraishi is known for Your Name, and Kanna Hashimoto is known for Gintama live-action will be the performers.

The play is going to be presented from February to March next year across Tokyo followed by Oshaka (April) then Fukuoka (May), Sapporo (June), and at last Nagoya from June to July.