Spirited Away: Live on Stage

Spirited Away: Live on Stage is a theatre play based on the 2001 film Spirited Away.

Production
A stage adaptation of Spirited Away was announced in February 2021 with a world premiere in Tokyo on February 28, 2022. It ran until March 29, 2022. It was written and directed by John Caird, with Toho as the production company, with Studio Ghibli's blessing. The role of Chihiro is played by both Kanna Hashimoto and Mone Kamishiraishi.

Studio Ghibli had given its blessing with a statement by Toshio Suzuki saying "We, Hayao and I, both liked John’s vision; he is a person we can trust... I am looking forward to seeing Chihiro grow on stage under his direction,”

For a limited time release from November 11 to December 18 in 2022, the Imperial Theater performance of the play was available for rental in Japan in several streaming services such as ABEMA, Amazon Prime Video Japan, Docomo Anime Store, Fuji TV on Demand, Hulu Japan and U-NEXT. As part of GKIDS Films' annual Studio Ghibli Fest, the filmed performances were screened in US Cinemas in the Spring of 2023, with the performance starring Kanna Hashimoto screened on April 23 and 25, and the performance staring Mone Kamishiraishi on April 27 and May 2.

The play will make its European premiere at the London Coliseum beginning in April 2024 for a limited 12-week run, performed in Japanese with English captions. The original cast, including Hashimoto and Kamishiraishi, are due to reprise their roles.

Cast and characters
The production played with two casts, alternating between performances.

Trivia

 * Unlike the film, where they seem to lose their memories after turning into pigs, Chihiro's parents are briefly depicted as still being sentient in the stage version. Her father Akio audibly asks her in his pig form where she has been when she discovers them, and calls out for her as they are herded away.
 * Mari Natsuki, the original voice of Yubaba and Zeniba, reprised her roles for the stage play, alternating with actress Romi Park.