It was revealed on January 24th that Ryoko Yamagishi's masterpiece manga "Hi Izuru Tokoro no Tenshi" will be adapted into a Noh and Kyogen play. Kyogen performer Mansai Nomura will direct and perform the play, and Living National Treasure Bunzo Otsuki will supervise. It will be performed in the summer of 2025 as "-Noh Kyogen- 'The Son of the Rising Sun'".
"Hi Izuru Tokoro no Tenshi" is a manga serialized in the manga magazine "LaLa" (Hakusensha) from 1980 to 1984. It tells the turbulent story of Prince Umayado (Prince Shotoku) and Soga no Emishi (Soga no Emishi). It won the 7th Kodansha Manga Award in the girls' category in 1983. It was published in 1994 as the inaugural issue of the Hakusensha Bunko series.
◇Comment from Ryoko Yamagishi
Manga, which is considered a subculture and pop culture, will be adapted into a stage play of Japan's oldest traditional performing arts, "Noh and Kyogen"! And it will be my work, "Hi Izuru Tokoro no Tenshi"! When I first heard about it, I was simply surprised, and then I was filled with great joy. How will it be performed on that stage, stripped down to the bare minimum? To be honest, I was nervous and excited, as I am a complete amateur in "Noh and Kyogen". "Noh" is a play that explores the world of yugen (profound and immeasurable), while "Kyogen" is a play that warmly laughs at the humor of human beings. I am deeply grateful to Otsuki Bunzo and Nomura Mansai, who are challenging themselves to express manga, which seems to be in a completely different industry, in "Noh and Kyogen", and I have no words of respect for them. I also have high expectations for the young actors who will play important roles alongside Otsuki Bunzo and Nomura Mansai in this new "Noh and Kyogen"!
◇Comment from Mansai Nomura
I was surprised and delighted to hear that "Hi Izuru Tokoro no Tenshi," a story I read with great interest when I was in junior high school, would be adapted for the stage. It is a magnificent historical drama, and presenting the greatest drama in the smallest space possible, such as the Noh stage, is both a challenge and a great pleasure. I would like to use all the wisdom of Noh and Kyogen to meet everyone's expectations. I believe that the supernatural quality of the entire story, or rather, the supernatural quality of the Noh and Kyogen techniques that embody it, will come into play.
