Gō Ueki will direct the stage adaptation of “Attack on Titan,” with Masafumi Hata penning the script. A super cinematic teaser for the musical accompanied the announcement, which you can check out above. The footage introduces major cast mates and ends with a rather epic shot of a titan’s hand reaching down towards the series’ protagonist, Eren (Kurumu Okamiya). It also ends with a pounding, equally epic score, but doesn’t give much of a hint about what the actual songs in the musical adaptation might sound like. The play’s musical director will be Ken the 390, a hip hop artist who’s also dabbled in anime himself as a voice actor on “Devilman Crybaby.” Kaori Miura, meanwhile, will craft the lyrics.
The announcement also includes an extensive cast list for the stage adaptation, including Okamiya as Eren, Sara Tataksuki as Mikasa, Eito Konishi as Armin, and Ryo Matsuda as Levi. The supporting cast includes Yū Fukuzawa, Mimi Maihane, Mitsuru Karahashi, Riona Tatemichi, Takurō Ōno, Yasue Kazuaki, Tomoya Nakanishi, Sena, Mitsu Murata, Takeshi Hayashino, and Masanori Tomita.
This isn’t actually the first time an “Attack on Titan” stage production has been mounted, but a previous attempt to adapt the manga ended in tragedy. In 2017, acrobatics director Kazutaka Yoshino died following a fall from a wire suspension device during training, according to ComicBook. The play was canceled soon after, before any live performances. Hopefully the new stage play won’t just do justice to the source material, but will also be a safe production for all involved.
“Attack on Titan: The Musical” is set to debut in Osaka and Tokyo in January 2023.
