It has been announced that the sixth season of the TV anime " GeGeGe no Kitaro ," based on the manga by the late Shigeru Mizuki , will be adapted into a stage play titled "The Birth of Birth of Kitaro: The Mystery of GeGeGe: The Mystery of GeGeGe," which will be performed in Tokyo, Osaka, and Saga in January and February 2026. It has been announced that actor Hiroki Suzuki will play Kitaro's father, Ryodai Murai will play Mizuki, and idol group Nogizaka46 members Himena Okamoto, Yoko Sawami, Harumi Shuhama, and Mikiko Okauchi will also appear. A teaser visual featuring Suzuki as Kitaro's father and Murai as Mizuki has also been released.
The script is written by Nobuhiro Mori, who has worked on musicals such as "Black Butler" and "Hakuoki," and the play will be directed by Norito Nakayashiki, who has also worked on stage productions such as "Bungo Stray Dogs" and "World Trigger the Stage. " Kenji Kawai, who composed the music for the animated film "The Birth of Kitaro: The Mystery of GeGeGe," will also be composing the music for the play. The play will run from January Getsuku to 25th, 2026, at the Sunshine Theater in Tokyo, from January 29th to February 1st, at the Umeda Arts Theater Drama City in Osaka, and at the Tosu Civic Cultural Hall in Saga on February 7th and 8th.
Suzuki, who plays Kitaro's father, commented, "The film 'The Birth of Kitaro: The Mystery of GeGeGe', which was produced by Toei Animation and released in 2023, is being adapted into a stage play. I am very excited to be involved in this production. I will be playing the role of Kitaro's father, so I am looking forward to all the scenes I will be acting in with Mizuki, who becomes like a buddy to me. Personally, it has been a while since I last co-starred with Murai Ryodai, who plays Mizuki, so I am very much looking forward to that as well. I would like to deliver to the audience not only the performances of the two actors, but also the unique world view of this work that goes beyond just the bizarre horror and suspense, and the strangeness of the people in the village shrouded in mystery. I hope you will look forward to seeing the play."
Murai, who plays Mizuki, said, "I am honored to be appearing in the stage play 'The Birth of Kitaro: The Mystery of GeGeGe.' When I saw the movie 'The Birth of Kitaro: The Mystery of GeGeGe,' I was surprised to learn for the first time how Kitaro, whom I have known since childhood, came to be. I felt that various aspects, such as Mizuki's war experiences and his loathing for people in higher positions, come together to make Mizuki a fascinating character. I will work hard to create an image of Mizuki that is unique to me and that will be accepted by fans of the movie. I will be co-starring with Suzuki Hiroki for the first time in a while, and I hope to talk about various things on set and deepen our relationship so that we can create a good production. There are many intense scenes in the movie, so I am very much looking forward to seeing how they will be portrayed on stage."
Mori said, "I am truly happy to be able to take part in this project. The world is full of various problems. When I start thinking about them, I feel very sad and keenly aware of my own powerlessness. I'm sure the characters in this work feel the same way. At the core of this work is the sin and karma of humanity. Humans have been doing foolish things ever since the dawn of history. They can't stop or change... They continue to be at the mercy of their own karma. But, but! Even in such circumstances, they continue to live. Strong... I would be happy if I could convey to everyone the stern yet gentle gaze of humans and non-humans depicted in this work. As a screenwriter, I would like to put my heart and soul into this project."
Nakayashiki commented, "This is not a dream. This is reality. The film 'The Birth of Kitaro: The GeGeGe Mystery' is finally coming to the stage. The darkness and passion depicted on the screen are now vividly brought to life through the bodies of the actors. I now dive into that world that moved me as a member of the audience, but now I am diving into it as a director. What could be more stimulating? My heart is pounding. The cast is filled with experienced actors, including Suzuki Hiroki and Murai Ryodai. The script was written by theater world veteran Mori Nobuhiro. The music is by Kenji Kawai, who connects the world lines from the film. Please look forward to this new tale of birth woven by this cast. This story is neither simple horror nor simple tragedy. The darkness is deep, the despair is freezing cold. But deep within it, there is a small ray of hope pulsating. I hope that the audience and I can experience this for ourselves in the theater. I invite you to entrust all your five senses to this world and dive deeper and deeper into it. I'll be waiting for you at the theater."
"The Birth of Kitaro: The Mystery of GeGeGe" was released in November 2023 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Mizuki's birth. This marks the first theatrical release of "GeGeGe no Kitaro" in approximately 15 years since " GeGeGe no Kitaro: Japan Explodes!!," the fifth season of the TV anime, which was released in December 2008. Kitaro's father (formerly known as Medama Oyaji) and Mizuki are the main characters, and this is the first time the "story of Kitaro's fathers" has been told. It also garnered attention when it was selected for the Best Animated Feature Award at the 47th Japan Academy Awards. A "real version," which involved retaking and re-dubbing 327 cuts, was released in October 2024.
