Performers: Mamoru Miyano, Yuichi Nakamura, Junichi Suwabe, Daisuke Namikawa, Akari Kito, Kenjiro Tsuda, Romi ParkFor the first time ever, the final performance will be streamed overseas at 18:00 on October 1, 2022 (JST)!
What You Need to Know:
- “YOUNG WIZARDS Onmyoji,” READING HIGH’s 5th anniversary music recitation drama, will be performed at the Pacifico Yokohama National Convention Hall on October 1, 2022.
- Tickets were sold out, and there were many requests to stream the event, so it was decided that the final performance would be streamed via PIA LIVE STREAM.
- READING HIGH’s first story set in Japan, “YOUNG WIZARDS Onmyoji” tells the tale of a young Abe no Seimei and Ashiya Doman, who later came to be known as the Great Onmyoji (yin-yang masters), featuring an all-star cast of Mamoru Miyano, Yuichi Nakamura, Junichi Suwabe, Daisuke Namikawa, Akari Kito, Kenjiro Tsuda, and Romi Park.
- Tickets will be available on PIA LIVE STREAM from 18:00 on August 25 (JST).
Performance Overview:
Title: Japanese Voice Actors’ Reading Stage “YOUNG WIZARDS Onmyoji”
Tagline: “The onmyoji child of a fox”
Time & Date: 18:00 on October 1 (Sat), 2022 (JST)
Venue: Pacifico Yokohama National Convention Hall
1-1-1 Minatomirai, Nishi Ward, Yokohama, Kanagawa 220-0012
Original Author / Screenwriter / Director: Bun-O Fujisawa
Music / Musical Director: Toshiyuki Muranaka
Performers: Mamoru Miyano (Abe no Seimei), Yuichi Nakamura (Ashiya Doman), Junichi Suwabe (Minamoto no Raiko), Daisuke Namikawa (Sakata no Kintoki), Akari Kito (Enju/Dojimaru), Kenjiro Tsuda (Fujiwara no Michinaga), Romi Park (Kuzunoha Fox/Tamamo no Mae)
Production: LIVE EXSAM
Organizer: room NB (*a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment)
Official website: https://readinghigh.com/youngwizards/
Official Twitter: https://twitter.com/ReadingHigh
PIA LIVE STREAM
Time & Date: 18:00 on October 1 (Sat), 2022 (JST)
Ticket Sales: 18:00 on August 25 to 21:00 on October 10 (JST)
Japan URL: https://w.pia.jp/t/rh09/
Overseas URL: https://w.pia.jp/a/rh09-engpls/
The stream will be viewable from October 4 until 23:59 on October 10, 2022 (JST)
Ticket Price: ¥4,300
*Please note that the video will not be subtitled.
For inquiries regarding tickets:
0570-02-9111 (PIA Ticket Information, 10:00 - 18:00 JST)
*For more details, please refer to the overseas page.
The Story
Our story takes place in the Heian Period, at a time when monsters roamed the land.
Envy, resentment, and jealousy—the darkness of man’s heart—gave rise to monsters who attacked those that spawned them.
Taking this situation most seriously, the Emperor ordered Kamo no Tadayuki, a great onmyoji, to wipe out the monsters in the capital. Kamo no Tadayuki gathered talented children from all over Japan and trained them as onmyoji to exterminate the monsters. Soon, two young men emerged from his numerous disciples who stood head and shoulders above the rest.
Their names were Abe no Seimei and Ashiya Doman.
However, Abe no Seimei’s detractors whispered that his powers were the result of being born from a fox spirit. And Ashiya Doman was isolated due to his ability to use monk techniques, for at the time, monks and onmyoji were bitter rivals.
The more monsters they killed, the more people avoided them. Only Minamoto no Raiko, the famous general who had vanquished Shuten-doji at Mt. Oe, was willing to defend them in both public and private.
Then, one day, fox spirits began to appear in Kyoto.
Fox spirits were sacred beasts who ate monsters, but they were also capable of swallowing the hearts of men. A man cannot defeat a fox. That is because when people fight, they create monsters in their hearts. It is the same with onmyoji. Onmyoji use monsters to power their spells. In that sense, their way is to fight poison with poison. As such, not even an onmyoji is capable of overcoming a monster-eating fox spirit. The moment he tried, a monster would be born in his heart, and the fox would swallow it whole.
However, one day, Abe no Seimei was able to kill a fox spirit. This cast an even darker shadow over him. People asked: “Is that man not the child of a fox?”
Introduction
READING HIGH is back for another year!
This performance marks the 5th anniversary of our recitation dramas, which use a combination of music, technology, and special effects.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the cast and crew, who have been working hard to prepare for this day, and our supportive audience.
With each successive performance, my collaboration with Toshiyuki Muranaka—our composer and a close friend of mine—has become more sophisticated and daring. Together with the staff who have helped to realize our visions, we have become more like a family than a team.
Working on stage to create these shows over the past five years has been a reward in and of itself. These days, all the cast members readily accept our offers even before the scripts are finalized. I am also grateful for the high expectations that we receive from our audience.
It’s been an incredible five years!
So, to celebrate our 5th anniversary, we wrote a new story.
Up until now, READING HIGH has mostly focused on Western stories, but this time, we decided to do a story set in Japan. What’s more, it takes place in the often revisited world of the onmyoji...
However, I think our long-time fans know by now: our story of the onmyoji is different in more ways than one! It is a completely original work inspired by the kabuki play Ashiya Doman Ouchi Kagami.
Our story isn’t about who has the stronger magic.
Rather, it’s a story about the strength of the human heart.
Please enjoy a tale of two young onmyoji before they were known as the Great Onmyoji!
Original Author, Screenwriter, Director: Bun-O Fujisawa
Cast / Character:
Mamoru Miyano / Abe no Seimei
https://miyanomamoru.com/
Yuichi Nakamura / Ashiya Doman
https://intention-k.com/profile/yuichi_nakamura
Junichi Suwabe / Minamoto no Raiko
https://twitter.com/MY_MURMUR?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
Daisuke Namikawa / Sakata no Kintoki
https://stay-luck.com/talent/namikawa-daisuke/
Akari Kito / Enju/Dojimaru
http://www.pro-fit.co.jp/talent_kito.html
Kenjiro Tsuda / Fujiwara no Michinaga
https://tsudaken.jp/
Romi Park / Kuzunoha Fox/Tamamo no Mae
https://www.lal-official.com/parkromi
Source: Official Press Release