Saiyuki Kagekiden (stage series)

is a Japanese stage musical series based on the Saiyuki manga series by Kazuya Minekura. The series combines musical theatre, live action, choreography, and stage combat. It premiered in 2008 and has subsequently received multiple productions adapting stories from Saiyuki, Saiyuki Reload, Saiyuki Ibun, and Saiyuki Gaiden.

Stage musicals

Saiyuki has been adapted into a long-running series of Japanese stage musicals under the title Saiyuki Kagekiden (最遊記歌劇伝). The series began in 2008 with Saiyuki Kagekiden: Go to the West and subsequently produced further stage adaptations of Saiyuki and Saiyuki Reload, as well as productions based on Saiyuki Ibun and Saiyuki Gaiden. The stage-musical series includes Go to the West, Dead or Alive, God Child, Burial, Reload, Ibun, the Hazel Arc trilogy (Darkness, Oasis, and Sunrise), and Gaiden.

Early productions

The first production, Saiyuki Kagekiden: Go to the West, was staged at Tennoz Galaxy Theatre in Tokyo from September 13 to 21, 2008. Wataru Mori directed the production, with Hiroki Suzuki as Genjo Sanzo, Taizo Shiina as Son Goku, Atsushi Maruyama as Sha Gojyo, and Ryuji Sainei as Cho Hakkai.

The second production, Saiyuki Kagekiden: Dead or Alive, followed in 2009. It was performed at Sunshine Theatre in Tokyo from March 20 to 29 and at Theatre BRAVA! in Osaka on April 11 and 12. Megumi Toyota directed the production, while Wataru Mori and Fuyuka Tsuyama were credited as writers. The principal cast of the first production returned for the sequel.

The original Go to the West production was released on DVD in January 2009. The two early productions were subsequently reissued together in a limited-edition DVD set in 2017 as part of the franchise's twentieth-anniversary activities.

Revival and expansion

After a five-year interval, the stage series resumed in 2014 with Saiyuki Kagekiden: God Child. The production was staged at Zenrosai Hall/Space Zero in Tokyo from May 2 to 7, 2014. Kaori Miura served as writer and director, and the production adapted material from Saiyuki associated with the Kinkaku and Ginkaku and Kami-sama storylines. Hiroki Suzuki, Taizo Shiina, Taiyo Ayukawa, and Yuki Fujiwara returned as Genjo Sanzo, Son Goku, Sha Gojyo, and Cho Hakkai, respectively.

The revival continued with Saiyuki Kagekiden: Burial, staged in Tokyo at Theatre G-Rosso from January 8 to 12, 2015, and in Osaka at Theatre BRAVA! from January 23 to 25. Kaori Miura was responsible for the script, direction, and lyrics. The production focused on the pasts of the principal characters and material from the Burial storyline.

Later in 2015, Saiyuki Kagekiden: Reload was staged at Sunshine Theatre in Tokyo from September 17 to 23. The production continued the series' adaptations of Minekura's Saiyuki Reload material and featured Hiroki Suzuki, Taizo Shiina, Taiyo Ayukawa, and Yuki Fujiwara as Genjo Sanzo, Son Goku, Sha Gojyo, and Cho Hakkai, respectively.

Saiyuki Ibun

Saiyuki Kagekiden: Ibun, staged at Tokyo Dome City's Theatre G-Rosso from September 4 to 9, 2018, marked a departure from the main journey of Sanzo and his companions. It was based on Kazuya Minekura's Saiyuki Ibun, with Kaori Miura as writer and director and Sayaka Asai as composer. The production introduced a new cast rather than retaining the principal cast of the preceding main-story productions.

Hazel Arc trilogy

The stage series subsequently adapted the Hazel Arc through three connected productions: Saiyuki Kagekiden: Darkness, Saiyuki Kagekiden: Oasis, and Saiyuki Kagekiden: Sunrise. The official production history identifies these three works as the Hazel Arc trilogy, with Sunrise serving as its final production.

Darkness was staged at Hulic Hall Tokyo from June 6 to 14, 2019. Kaori Miura wrote and directed the production, with Sayaka Asai composing the music. Hiroki Suzuki, Taizo Shiina, Taiyo Ayukawa, and Ryuji Sainei played Genjo Sanzo, Son Goku, Sha Gojyo, and Cho Hakkai, respectively. The production also featured Kohei Hozuki as Hazel Grouse and Yoshihiko Narimatsu as Gato.

Oasis was staged at Kinokuniya Southern Theatre TAKASHIMAYA in Tokyo from February 2 to 9, 2020. Miura again served as writer and director, with Asai composing the music. Its principal Sanzo-group cast consisted of Taizo Shiina as Son Goku, Taiyo Ayukawa as Sha Gojyo, and Yuki Fujiwara as Cho Hakkai; Kohei Hozuki and Yoshihiko Narimatsu continued as Hazel Grouse and Gato.

The trilogy concluded with Sunrise, which was staged at COOL JAPAN PARK OSAKA WW Hall from February 11 to 14, 2021, and at Shinagawa Prince Hotel Stellar Ball in Tokyo from February 18 to 24. Kaori Miura wrote and directed the production, with Sayaka Asai composing the music. Hiroki Suzuki, Taizo Shiina, Yuki Hirai, and Yuki Fujiwara portrayed Genjo Sanzo, Son Goku, Sha Gojyo, and Cho Hakkai, respectively. The production also brought together Hazel Grouse, Gato, Philbert Grouse, Koumyo Sanzo, and Ukoku Sanzo, and was explicitly presented as the final chapter of the Hazel Arc.

Saiyuki Gaiden

In 2022, a new production based on Saiyuki Gaiden was announced for 2023. The production retained Kaori Miura as writer and director and featured a returning core cast from the stage-musical series alongside new performers.

Saiyuki Kagekiden: Gaiden was staged at Shinagawa Prince Hotel Stellar Ball in Tokyo from September 29 to October 12, 2023, and at COOL JAPAN PARK OSAKA WW Hall from October 19 to 23. Based on Minekura's Saiyuki Gaiden, the production cast Hiroki Suzuki as Konzen Doji, Taizo Shiina as Goku, Yuki Hirai as Kenren Taisho, and Yuki Fujiwara as Tenpou Gensui. The supporting cast included Ryo Kitamura as Nataku Taishi, Hiroki Sana as Ao Run, Masashi Yamazaki as Ritoten, Shungo Takasaki as Kanzeon Bosatsu, and Ujisuke as Jiroshin.

See also

• Saiyuki
• Saiyuki Reload
• Saiyuki Gaiden

External links

Official website