The beloved epic fantasy novel series The Twelve Kingdoms will be adapted into a musical for the first time ever. The stage production will premiere in December 2025 at Tokyo’s Nissay Theatre, followed by a national tour from January to February 2026, with performances in Fukuoka, Osaka, and Aichi.

A Landmark Adaptation of The Twelve Kingdoms

Written by Fuyumi Ono, The Twelve Kingdoms began in 1991 with The Demonic Child and became a full-fledged series with Shadow of the Moon, Sea of Shadow in 1992. Over the past three decades, it has garnered a dedicated fanbase, leading to its 2002 anime adaptation and the release of a new novel, The Silver Ruins, Black Moon, in 2019, which became a social phenomenon and topped Oricon’s 2020 Best-Selling Books list.

Now, this legendary fantasy series is making history with its first-ever stage adaptation.

Story & Cast

The musical tells the epic tale of Yoko Nakajima, a high school girl thrust from our world into a mysterious parallel realm. The role of Yoko will be uniquely shared by two actresses, each portraying her at different stages of her journey.

✨ Yoko (in the other world) – Played by Hikaru Yuzuka
Former Takarazuka Revue top star, Hikaru Yuzuka takes on her first leading role in a Toho musical as the transformed Yoko, who faces relentless trials in a foreign land.

✨ Yoko (before entering the other world) – Played by Ririka Kato
Known for her role as Cosette in Les Misérables, Ririka Kato will depict Yoko’s initial struggles as she grapples with self-doubt before her fate takes a dramatic turn.

🎭 Supporting Cast:
Rakushun – Motohiro Ota / Hikaru Makishima
Keiki – Hiroki Aiba

Creative Team & Vision

🎭 Direction: Kazuya Yamada
"The idea of a Twelve Kingdoms musical alone is thrilling! Fans of the series must be ecstatic. This is an original production built from scratch—script, music, everything! The choice to have two actresses portray Yoko is key to this adaptation. I can’t wait for audiences to experience this on stage."

🎼 Music: Erika Fukazawa
📝 Script & Lyrics: Yasutaka Motoyoshi

📖 Original Author Fuyumi Ono’s Thoughts
"When I first heard about adapting The Twelve Kingdoms into a stage play, I was shocked—let alone a musical! I initially struggled to see how it would work, but after thorough discussions with the production team, I now feel reassured. I trust this incredible team to bring the story to life."

Performance Schedule

📅 Tokyo Premiere: December 2025 | Venue: Nissay Theatre
📅 National Tour: January–February 2026 | Locations: Fukuoka, Osaka, Aichi

Source : ORICON NEWS