Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind Shares First Live-Action Cast

Studio Ghibli has created some of the most legendary, heartfelt classics in the world of anime during its number of decades in existence. Though none of these anime entries would exist without the property that is Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind! Studio Ghibli began its history as an animation house thanks in part to taking on the task of adapting the story of Nausicaa and creating its first critically acclaimed film as a result. Now, decades after the initial release, an upcoming live action stage play is looking to bring these characters to life and has just given fans their first look at the cast in question.

Twitter User OtakuCalendarJP shared the first details for the upcoming kabuki live action play that translates the events of Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind into a brand new medium, performing in the country of its origin, Japan:

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Kabuki-play adaptation revealed visual of and Nausicaä and Kushana. "After a thousand years of darkness, he will come, clad in blue and surrounded by fields of gold to restore mankind's connection of the Earth that was destroyed." pic.twitter.com/o23cKwyXA9

— otakujp (@otakucalendarjp) October 23, 2019

If you're unfamiliar with what Kabuki Plays are, they are ancient stage plays that have been a part of Japan's history for centuries. The Kabuki entails actors that are all male, with the actors portraying female parts when necessary, employing garish costumes as well as make up to express the events that are happening in whatever stories they are portraying. Considering the trappings and style of Nausicaa, it should definitely make for quite the show (with Kabuki shows usually lasting for around four hours), when this adaptation is brought to the stage.

What do you think of the first look at the cast of Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind's stage play? Feel free to let us know in the comments or hit me up directly on Twitter @EVComedy to talk all things comics, anime, and Studio Ghibli!

For those of you unfamiliar with Nausicaa, the story began under Miyazaki way back in 1982. The story was published under Tokuma Shoten and ran until 1984 when Miyazaki directed a film covering the series. Nausicaa tells the story of of its titular heroine who is the princess of a small kingdom. Living in a rather desolate world, Nausicaa tries to save the Valley of the Wind from disaster as ecological warfare wages around her, and the young princess discovers how the sins of her ancestors damned the world she must live in. After its movie was released, Nausicaa became a quick favorite with Studio Ghilbli fans thanks to its unforgiving commentary on sustainability and pollution. Now, Miyazaki's cult classic is getting re-imagined for an entirely new medium, and fans are eager to see how Studio Ghibli will fare on the live stage.