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One Piece Manga Inspires Kabuki Play Next Fall
posted on by Sarah Nelkin
A traditional Japanese kabuki stage play inspired by Eiichiro Oda's One Piece manga was announced at the Jump Festa event on Sunday. Tokyo's Shinbashi Enbujō theater will host the play throughout October and November 2015, and it will star Ennosuke Ichikawa IV (seen right) as the lead.
Ichikawa IV commented on the collaboration, saying, "The One Piece manga is supported by fans all over Japan — no, the world — and with so many fans you can't count. To try and adapt this work into kabuki will be difficult, but it's a challenge worth taking. It might be proper to say that this is a big adventure for me." Oda also expressed his approval for Ichikawa IV, saying that the actor performed the most beautiful kabuki he had ever seen, and that he felt at ease with him at the helm.
The play is one play in the Super Kabuki-gi II set of plays featuring Ichikawa IV as the lead. Cast and other details will be announced in Shueisha's Shonen Jump magazine at a later time.
Below is an illustration that Oda drew for the original manga:
Source: Comic Natalie
