Spirited Away Stage Play Releases Gorgeous First-Look Photos

Toho is celebrating its monumental 90th Anniversary for their theatrical productions with a new live-action stage play adaptation of Studio Ghibli classic, Spirited Away, and the first look photos from the production have showcased just how stunning it really is! The new play for the 2001 classic was first announced to be in the works early last year, and has finally begun its run throughout Japan. Collaborating with Tony and Olivier Award-winning director from the Royal Shakespeare Company John Caird, the new Studio Ghibli play is a full-on production that showcases all kinds of masterful puppetry at work.

Toby Olié, who works as the Puppetry Designer and Director for the Spirited Away stage play, shared a few photos from the new play that showcases how much work went into bringing each of the fantastical creations from the Studio Ghibli anime classic to life. With such wild designs it might have seemed impossible at first to even adapt such a huge film, but it seems that those behind the play have gone to great lengths to showcase the film’s original work in an impressive new way. Check it out below as shared through Olié’s official Twitter account and website: 

First look: Spirited Away on stage

Adapting the limitless imagination of Hayao Miyazaki’s iconic animation for the stage was both a monumental joy & challenge.

More images in my online gallery: https://t.co/rLGZRBzamN#千と千尋の神隠し #SpiritedAway pic.twitter.com/05Dyf3H1Qc

— Toby Olié (@TobyOlie) March 3, 2022

Starring Kanna Hashimoto and Mone Kamishiraishi as Chihiro in alternating performances, the Spirited Away stage play ran in TOHO’s Imperial Theatre to this month before touring through the likes of Osaka, Fukuoka, Sapporo, and Nagoya throughout the remaining Spring and Summer months. Unfortunately, there have yet to be any plans revealed for a potential international run of this new play. 

John Caird, Tony Award winner for the likes of Les Miserables and more, directed and wrote the adaptation of the original Studio Ghibli anime film and had this to say about bringing the anime to life in this fashion, “I am very excited and honored to be involved in the first stage play of Spirited Away. For a long time, Hayao Miyazaki has been considered an outstanding genius in the film world and the greatest advocate in the field of animation. I am in tune with all the main themes of Miyazaki’s work. I’ve already spent thousands of hours on Spirited Away and I can’t wait to spend thousands of hours in the future.” 

What do you think? How do you feel about this first look at Spirited Away’s big stage play? Are you hoping for a chance to see it yourselves some day? Let us know all of your thoughts about it in the comments!