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Expanding Kabuki Audiences with ‘Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind' the Movie

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産経オンライン英会話 ニュースディスカッション教材
Expanding Kabuki Audiences with ‘Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind' the Movie

The curtain has closed on the one-month performance of the big hit kabuki adaptation of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, but the show will go on.

The relationship between humans and nature is the theme of this world famous animé story. However, the kabuki adaptation engaged in a deeper exploration of the tale and included scenes that were not portrayed in the animé, enabling the entire original story to be told.

There have been reports that many fans re-read the original comic books — all seven volumes — before going to see the play. This bit of information gives you a glimpse into the studious and rich inquiring minds of the Japanese people.

The adaptation is the long-pursued project of kabuki actor Kikunosuke Onoe, one that he has worked on for the past five years. Having thoroughly read the original story, Onoe embarked on a project that resulted in a lengthy and profoundly sophisticated play. It is also interesting that both Nausicaä and kabuki fans reacted rather differently to the ambitious production, which contained an abundance of kabuki's traditional stylistic beauty.

As I have previously written, like NARUTO and One-Piece, there has been an everincreasing number of new kabuki adaptation programs of comic stories recently. The kabuki adaptations of such animé works, which are known by many all over the world, provide a new platform to share and explore Japanese culture.

Kabuki, which has a history of over 400 years, is well and alive. Like the recent collaboration performance with a “Vocaloid” song, kabuki has been accepting challenges with innovative and timely projects incorporating other art forms, such as Noh theater, Ningyo Jyoruri, Rakugo, literature, and comics, providing performances that appeal to audiences across many age groups.

Only a handful of people are able to stay in a theater for nine hours straight during the month of December, when Japanese are usually extremely busy with end-of-year events. Yet, the play was so popular that the December performance sold out immediately.

Many who were unable to catch the show expressed disappointment. In response, the release of a “delayed viewing,” where the stage performance will be shown as a movie, has been announced. The news has been especially welcomed by kabuki fans residing outside of Tokyo.

In film will be shown in two parts at movie theaters across the country. The first part will be screened from February 14 to 20, and the second part from February 28 to March 5.

Although not a live stage performance, the film will provide a valuable opportunity for audiences to see the actors' facial expressions and stage settings in more detail. And it should be a great chance for more people to encounter the world of Nausicaä Kabuki.

Even though the run of this performance was short, I eagerly look forward to the film — and to more kabuki performances that brilliantly blends Nausicaä's message and the stylistic beauty of kabuki.

Source: Expanding Kabuki Audiences with ‘Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind' the Movie
https://japan-forward.com/expanding-kabuki-audiences-with-nausicaa-of-the-valley-of-the-wind-the-movie/
新作歌舞伎「風の谷のナウシカ」 映画館でも上映

新作歌舞伎「風の谷のナウシカ」、大人気の内に一か月の興行が終了した。

人間と自然の関係がテーマのこの作品は世界でも有名なアニメ作品だが、今回歌舞伎化されたのはアニメで描かれなかった部分も含む全ストーリー、改めて原作コミック本7巻を読んでから観劇した方も多かったという。まじめで探求心豊かな日本人の側面がここにも垣間見える。

歌舞伎俳優尾上菊之助が5年前から考えていた念願のプロジェクトだが、彼は原作をしっかりと読み込み、かなり深い内容を含め長時間の芝居に仕上げた。歌舞伎の様式美が随所にちりばめられた意欲作に、ナウシカファン、歌舞伎ファン、それぞれ異なる反応を示していたことも興味深い。

以前にも書いた「NARUTO」もそうだが、「ワンピース」、今回の「ナウシカ」、近年コミックが原作の新作の歌舞伎が増えている。多くの国の人が知っている日本アニメが歌舞伎になるとこうなるという、新しい日本文化発見の場が提供されている。

400年以上の歴史を持つ歌舞伎は生きている。最近ボーカロイドとの共演も話題になっているが、各時代それぞれの観客の楽しい時間を創出する為に、能楽、人形浄瑠璃、落語、文学、コミックなどを取り入れ、新しい挑戦がずっと続いている。

日本の年末は本当に忙しい時期であり、その12月に劇場に9時間も留まれるのはごく限られた人である。チケット発売即完売という大人気で、観られなかった人が多く、「残念」という声が多かったところに、ディレイビューイングという、舞台映画の公開が発表され、特に東京以外の歌舞伎ファンからも歓声があがった。

2月14日から20日まで前編、2月28日から3月5日まで後編が、日本国内の映画館で上映される。生の舞台ではないものの却って役者の表情や舞台セットのディテイルが確認できる貴重な映像が見られるであろうし、より多くの人にナウシカ歌舞伎の良さを知って貰う良い機会だと思う。

ナウシカのメッセージと歌舞伎の様式美が融合した場面が、短くても良いので、歌舞伎芝居としての再演を期待したい。

出典: 新作歌舞伎「風の谷のナウシカ」 映画館でも上映
https://japan-forward.com/japanese/新作歌舞伎「風の谷のナウシカ」 映画館でも上映」/