It has been revealed that Studio Ghibli's animated film "Princess Mononoke" (directed by Hayao Miyazaki) will be adapted into a kabuki play, titled Super Kabuki "Princess Mononoke Mononoke," to be performed at the Shinbashi Enbujo Theater (Chuo Ward, Tokyo) from July to August 2026. The new production will be created in 2026, marking the 40th anniversary of the premiere of the first Super Kabuki production, Super Kabuki "Yamato Takeru." It has also been announced that Ichikawa Danko will play Ashitaka and Nakamura Ichitaro will play San. Joe Hisaishi will be in charge of the original music, Keiko Niwa and Kazuhisa Tobe will be in charge of the script, and Kensuke Yokouchi will be in charge of direction.
Dango, who plays Ashitaka, said, "When I received the news of my grandfather's passing, the song I listened to was 'Ashitaka Sekki' from ' Princess Mononoke Mononoke.' I still vividly remember the feeling of 'hope' I received in the midst of my sadness. This was before I was offered this role, and I can't help but feel that it was fate. Super Kabuki was created by my grandfather, with his eyes on the future of Kabuki, and with the aim of creating a fresh, energetic Kabuki that lives in the present. From that perspective, I feel that performing ' Princess Mononoke' as Super Kabuki is very meaningful. I would like to take on ' Princess Mononoke' with a clear eye, so that it will be a production that will satisfy not only Kabuki fans but also Ghibli fans, and above all, be enjoyed by everyone."
Ichitaro, who plays San, commented, "I am feeling very nervous and excited about the Super Kabuki ' Princess Mononoke' being performed next year. ' Princess Mononoke' was released when I was in elementary school, and I only had vague memories of it at the time, but when I saw it again as an adult, I remember feeling that the catchphrases were very Kabuki-like and left a lasting impression on me. And Joe Hisaishi's music is wonderful. I would like to make this grand, well-known work the start of a series that will lead to the future, and make us think, 'I'm glad we performed it in Super Kabuki!'"
"Princess Mononoke" explores the coexistence of humans and nature. Ashitaka, a young man cursed by a god, and San, a girl raised by an inugami, become embroiled in a battle between humans who seek to destroy nature and the gods who protect it. Matsuda Yoji plays Ashitaka, Ishida Yuriko plays San, and voice actors Tanaka Yuko, Kobayashi Kaoru, Mori Mitsuko, Miwa Akihiro, and Morishige Hisaya appear. The film broke the all-time box office record for a Japanese film when it was released in 1997. A re-release in 2020 drew an audience of approximately 15 million and grossed approximately ¥20.18 billion. A 4K digital remaster, released in theaters in October, has also been a hot topic.
