Studio Ghibli fans will be pleased as the famed Spirited Away stage play is coming to the U.S. Relive the lives of Chihiro, Haku, and everyone else through a live performance that captures the movie’s spirit.
Spirited Away is one of the best anime movies created by Studio Ghibli that captures the melancholy and beauty of nature, seen through the spirit world. Now, the stage play version of the movie is finally coming to the United States.
This comes a year after Spirited Away made its first live-action debut, which took place at the Imperial Theatre in Tokyo. While the play was famous in Japan, with many flocking to Tokyo to see it, the live performance is finally making its way to American audiences.
Spirited Away: Live on Stage is expected to get its theatrical release in the United States later this year.
Here’s why ‘Spirited Away’ is one of the best anime films ever
Some consider Spirited Away one of the best anime movies ever because it introduced beauty and mystery in a negative way that resonated with audiences.
The movie opened up audiences to an imaginary fantasy world with magic and witches in a world divided by Western influence, while maintaining traditional Japanese authority.
Most scenes were set in a traditional Japanese bathhouse where people could wash and relax. Like in real life, monsters and spirits in the movie flock to the bathhouse to cleanse themselves and relax.
Chihiro first seemed to be a character that was brought there by accident when her parents overstood their welcome and ate themselves entirely until they transformed into something else.
The movie follows Chihiro as she tries to make sense of the situation and not just survive, but also find a way to escape that world and return to where she belongs.
Studio Ghibli and why it is widely known
Studio Ghibli is known as one of the most famous producers of anime movies and other art forms in Japan. Hayao Miyazaki, its director, has maintained the respect of anime fans and others who didn’t like anime, but enjoyed the movie.
With much praise around Studio Ghibli and its works, a Ghibli park was opened, where fans can see different sets from Spirited Away and the studio’s other works in real life.
In celebration, a live-action stage play was also launched for fans of Spirited Away to enjoy the movie again, with actors on stage portraying the famed anime movie.
Because of its local success and international interest, Spirited Away’s live performance will go to the United States for American fans to enjoy the play.
Filmed version also gets a theatrical release
Die-hard fans of Spirited Away and Studio Ghibli’s work can enjoy the filmed version of the stage play as it also gets a theatrical release in the U.S. this spring.
Gkids, a North American distributor that acquired the rights to Spirited Away: Live on Stage, made the announcement. According to the announcement, two filmed performances of the production will come to theaters in the spring.
Should you watch Studio Ghibli’s ‘Spirited Away’ live performance?
If you’re a die-hard fan who loves the work of Hayao Miyazaki, especially Spirited Away, then yes.
However, if you live far from where the performance is expected, you might have to watch the recorded live performance instead.
So far, there has been no announcement as to where or when the live performance will take place, and what’s known as of the moment is just that the stage play has been confirmed in the U.S.
If you want to know more about when or where the performance will occur, following GKIDS Films socials is essential. GKIDS Films is a New York-based distributor of award-winning feature animation for adult and family audiences. So when the live performance is set to happen, you’ll hear about it from GKIDS Films.
