Demon Slayer Kimetsu no Yaibais getting a new Stage Play in Japan, here’s what you should know including story, character details, and whether the stage plays are canon or not.
Stage Plays in Japan are a common occurrence, as every popular franchise gets a least one. Moreover, while we call them Stage Plays, they are also akin to Musicals, as they always include several songs specifically made for the occasion. Lastly, actors and actresses portray the characters rather than their specific seiyuu (Japanese voice actors) from the anime.
Demon SlayerStage Play (Live Action) explained
Demon Slayerfirst received a Stage Play back in January 2020, titledKimetsu no Yaiba: The Stage. This newly announced Stage play isPart 2, directly following the first one. Kenichi Suemitsu and Shunsuke Wada are returning as director and composer respectively.
The stage play will be happening in August 2021 at the following dates and venues in Japan:
You might think this is an incredibly small number of dates and performances, but that’s the norm for Stage Plays, even for a series as big asDemon Slayer. The COvid-19 pandemic also negatively affected the industry. Usually however, more dates are announced as the Stage Play goes on. It’s possible livestream performances will happen as well.
Is theDemon SlayerStage Play coming west?
Sadly, it’s quite rare for Stage Plays to leave Japan. However, as I just explained, Stage Plays are often streamed on the net, sometimes for free on Nico Nico Douga. You should keep an eye on the officialKimetsu no Yaiba Stage PlayTwitter account, as it’s very likely they will announce more dates soon, some of which livestreamed.
Story, characters
The first stage play from 2020 only included Tanjiro, Nezuko, Zenitsu, Inosuke, Giyu, Muzan, and a few other characters from the beginning of the manga.
This brand new Part 2 will greatly expand the cast, adding all Hashira characters, and featuring Rui and Muzan as the villains. All of these characters are featured in a gorgeous key visual you’re able to find further below. Lastly, the Stage Play will focus on the Rehabilitation Training Arc, the arc right before theMugen Trainmovie.
Is the Stage Play canon?
The stage play will be retracing the story of the manga with a few differences, so it’s not canon. However, you shouldn’t expect any major changes, as it will still loosely follow the manga’s story.
TheDemon Slayer Mugen Trainmovie will be launching digitally in America onJune 22, 2021.
