Kiki’s Delivery Service remains one of the most iconic films under Studio Ghibli, and it seems the title is getting a new kind of adaptation. After all, Eiko Kadono’s fantastical novels are heading for the real world, and the first live-action posters for its newest stage play have been set free. So if you have been eager to revisit this magical series, now is your chance!
A recent report confirmed Kiki’s Delivery Service was headed for a new adaptation when it was announced a stage play was on the way. The musical is slated to run from March to April in Japan. And as you can see below, Kiki and Tombo have been cast.
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Neo Inoue will play Kiki in all her carefree colors while Yลซto Nasu plays Tombo. The two stars can be seen in the play’s first poster, and we have to admit they look adorable. Inoue is seen pictured in a long black dress drawn straight from Kadono’s novel. With a broom in hand, Kiki is ready to go flying, so the only thing missing here is her cat companion.
As for Nasu, the actor is wearing a striped white-and-red shirt with a yellow cardigan tried around his shoulders. A pair of glasses complete the colorful look, and a set of balloons can be found grouped in the star’s hand.
For now, this musical is set to run in Nagoya before moving to Osaka. This is the third stage play developed for Kiki’s Delivery Service as the first was released in 2017. The second made its way across Japan in 2018, and Kiki will fly to fans around the country a third time this year.
If you have yet to experience the world of Kiki’s Delivery ServiceKiki’s Delivery Service, it is easier to do so now than ever before. You can watch Hayao Miyazaki’s take on the childhood heroine on HBO Max, and Kadono’s novels have been translated into English. You can read the official synopsis of Kadono’s first book here:
“Half-witch Kiki never runs from a challenge. So when her thirteenth birthday arrives, she’s eager to follow a witch’s tradition: choose a new town to call home for one year. Brimming with confidence, Kiki flies to the seaside village of Koriko and expects that her powers will easily bring happiness to the townspeople. But gaining the trust of the locals is trickier than she expected. With her faithful, wise-cracking black cat, Jiji, by her side, Kiki forges new friendships and builds her inner strength, ultimately realizing that magic can be found in even the most ordinary places.”
What do you make of this first-look at Kiki’s Delivery Service? Do you have faith in this adaptation…? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.
