It’s time to take a trip back to a simpler time, when big collars and bigger eyes were all the rage.
Earlier today, production company Odd Entertainment opened the official website for their upcoming Silent Möbius stage play. The show will have a five-day engagement at Tokyo’s Theatre Sunmall, which will run from March 29 through April 2, 2017. Nine shows will be held during the run.
Tickets will go on sale on January 15, 2017, though pricing has yet to be announced.
The Silent Möbius will be based on Kia Asamiya’s manga of the same name. Hiroshi Hosokawa (Bantam Class Stage) is writing the script for the production, which will be directed by Ichidai Matsuda (Re-Kan! stage adaptation).
Confirmed cast members include:
- Keren Iwata
- Rin Asuka (Kamen Rider W)
- Saki Suzuki
As of press time, specific roles have yet to be announced. Keren Iwata is a former member of idol unit AKB48.
Original creator Kia Asamiya was in charge of costume designs for the project. On to the artist’s Twitter account, though, he explained that “design” was a bit of a stretch, as he just made minor modifications for overall comfort.
「サイレントメビウス」舞台化に岩田華怜ら、制服デザインは原作者描き下ろし – ステージナタリー https://t.co/rNBBae9AHB
いや、そんな大事な（＾＾；）前のデザインを、少し演技しやすいようにデザイン変更しただけなんですけどね。（＾＾；）
— 麻宮騎亜™@【彼女のカレラGT3】リイドカフェで新連載配信中！ (@kia_asamiya) December 29, 2016
Rough Translation: I wasn’t so important; I used the previous designs, but I just had to change a few elements to make acting in them easier. (^^) (^ ^;;)
Asamiya’s Silent Möbius? manga first appeared in the pages of Fujimi Shobo’s Comic Dragon in 1989. The series ran for ten years, ending in 1999, and spans twelve collected volumes. Udon Entertainment currently holds the rights to the title in North America.
Silent Möbius spawned two films, as well as a 26-episode anime TV series.
Both films were produced by AIC. The first feature, which hit theaters in 1991, was directed by Kazuo Tomizawa (Usogui) with Kia Asamiya filling the roles of character designer, chief director, and storyboarder. Kei Shigema and Asamiya collaborated on the script.
The second film, which debuted in 1992, was directed by Yasunori Ide (Please Teacher!, Burn Up!), with Asamiya returning to provide character designs. Manabu Nakamura (Moldiver, Rayearth OVA) wrote the movie’s script.
The Silent Möbius TV series hit Japanese TV in the Spring 1998 broadcast season. Hideki Tonokatsu (Lupin III: Alcatraz Connection, Happy Lesson) directed the series at studio Radix, with the team of Seiki Tanaka (Corpse Party Missing Footage, Minami-ke: Betsubara) and Yasuhiro Moriki providing character designs.
Bandai Entertainment distributed both the Silent Möbius films and TV series in North America. The license has yet to be rescued since Bandai’s closure in 2012.
Sources: Twitter (Kia_Asamiya), Stage Natalie
