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Hanasakeru Seishōnen Manga Gets Stage Adaptation

Natsumi Itsuki's 1990s shōjo romance manga Hana-sakeru Seishonen will be adapted for the stage for the first time in Tokyo this September. The play, like the manga, revolves around a wealthy half-Japanese, half-American teenager named Kajika, her three suitors, and her childhood friend Lee-leng. All five characters and their friends and families find themselves caught up not only in romantic tangles but also in global politics.

An official website for the play has launched with dates, cast and staff lists. The play will run in Tokyo from September 29 to October 6. 22-year-old Disacode vocalist and model Akira will play Kajika. Yuu Kubota, who has performed as Keigo Atobe in The Prince of Tennis musicals and Date Masamune in a stage production based on Sengoku Basara, will play the role of Lee-leng. Yūsuke Hirose (Eugene), Juri (Noei), and Takuya Yabuki (Sezun) have all also performed in Prince of Tennis productions, while Shuuji Hayashi (Quinza) played Byakuya Kuchiki in the stage production Rock Musical Bleach.

The original Hana-sakeru Seishonen manga ran in Hakusensha's shojo anthology LaLa from 1989 to 1994. A special one-shot sequel was published in Hakusensha's Melody. Studio Pierrot created an anime adaptation that aired on NHK from April of 2009 to February of 2010. Crunchyroll simulcasted the anime in the United States and Canada.

Other anime and manga titles to have stage adaptations running or upcoming include Yu Watase's Fushigi Yûgi, XEBEC's anime Fafner, Isao Takahata and Studio Ghibli film Only Yesterday, and Legend of the Galactic Heroes. Code Geass producer Yoshitaka Kawaguchi has said that a Code Geass stage production has been considered, but no formal announcement has been made.

Source: Sankei Sports via Tokyograph]

Image © Natsumi Itsuki / Hakusensha