Final Fantasy X is being turned into a kabuki play

[Dionysos]

This news actually broke during the summer, but I missed it at the time.

It has been announced that Final Fantasy X will be adapted into a kabuki play (a traditional Japanese theatre form). It'll be staged in Japan in about March 2023, though I am hoping it will be recorded and sold or streamed or something, because something like this should not be lost to the world after a single performance. Plus, I'll not be able to get to Japan!

I personally find this fascinating for a number of reasons. Firstly, kabuki is so very different to 'western' performance arts and I think it would be fascinating to see a plot I am already familiar with performed in this style. Secondly, I'm just trying to imagine how it would be adapted. Apparently it is going to be around five hours long, so there's space for more of the game to be represented than we might expect. That said, they'd still have to cut a lot out, and adapting it to the style of kabuki would require significant cuts. And I also wonder about the costumes, etc. I'd imagine that Yuna (presumably played by a man, if they're going traditional) could do some amazing movements during the sending scene in particular. I'd imagine they wouldn't want to waste replicating that.

Additionally, I like this because it once again covers new ground and opens up endless possibilities for the future. If Final Fantasy is being adapted for kabuki today, what is to stop people from adapting Final Fantasy for the stage in other formats? Like expanded/complete versions of FFIX's I Want To Be Your Canary, or FFVI's opera, or even FFVII's Loveless, for example?

Any thoughts on this?


The official website (in Japanese) can be viewed here:

『新作歌舞伎 ファイナルファンタジーX』公式サイト

名作ゲーム×歌舞伎×圧巻の映像！「ファイナルファンタジー」シリーズ屈指の人気作『ファイナルファンタジーⅩ』が2023年春、歌舞伎になる！

ff10-kabuki.com

 

[Miko]

I'm interested in the thought of adapting Final Fantasy stories into different visual artistic mediums like this, though I can't say I ever thought a Kabuki play would be one of them...

I don't really know anything about Kabuki beyond bare basic knowledge, is modern stories a common material for them to perform? Or would this be a first for the gaming industry? I would definitely be interested in FF content on stage/theater as a play or drama though, either like the mentioned above or some adaptation of some of the games. I've not attended many in my life, though I did see telling of A Midsummer Night's Dream in Chicago once and it was really, really cool. I think I would love to attend one of those like I would love attending Distant Worlds & I bet that would be an amazing money making opportunity there.

Back to Kabuki - not sure how I feel, but as mentioned, it's vastly different from a western perspective and I'm sure there is more to it than I'm even thinking it is. I do think it's interesting though & wonder if this will open the door for more possibilities for us in the future.

 

[Dionysos]

I don't really know anything about Kabuki beyond bare basic knowledge, is modern stories a common material for them to perform? Or would this be a first for the gaming industry?

I know there have been Kabuki adaptations of Shakespeare and other 'western' classics. In recent years there has been an increase in adapting modern popular material too. Miyazaki's anime Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, for example. But also modern 'western' media like Star Wars. Yes, there was a Kabuki adaptation of the Star Wars sequels (focusing on The Last Jedi it seems) with Kylo Ren as the central character.

(See 24 minutes in for a very interesting rendition of the Snoke throne room scene!)

But as far as I am aware this is the first time this has been done for Final Fantasy, and I'm not certain about any other video game before now.

Back to Kabuki - not sure how I feel, but as mentioned, it's vastly different from a western perspective and I'm sure there is more to it than I'm even thinking it is. I do think it's interesting though & wonder if this will open the door for more possibilities for us in the future.

It is a very different style that 'westerners' aren't typically used to. Like when a character does something they often strike an exaggerated pose, shake their head before pausing and pulling a face, which then prompts an applause from the audience. It is all part of the experience. And it is an experience. The actors have some serious technical skill, etc.

It is undoubtedly a very different way of telling the story, however.

So we should perhaps expect a lot of FFX's story and its characters to be cut from this version. But it could nevertheless be a fascinating thing to see.

I would definitely be interested in FF content on stage/theater as a play or drama though, either like the mentioned above or some adaptation of some of the games. I've not attended many in my life, though I did see telling of A Midsummer Night's Dream in Chicago once and it was really, really cool. I think I would love to attend one of those like I would love attending Distant Worlds & I bet that would be an amazing money making opportunity there.

Absolutely my thoughts on this. What this signals to me is an attempt to take Final Fantasy into new territory. And there is certainly potential there. There are several instances in Final Fantasy that contain plays or performance, and then there are endless possibilities in adapting the stories of the games themselves too, like this Kabuki is doing in its own way.

I'd even appreciate a 'Final Fantasy on ice' if it came to it.

I think Final Fantasy plays/musicals/etc would definitely get bums on seats.

 

[Dionysos]

Here's some new preview footage of the actor playing Yuna (Nakamura Yonekichi V). Here he is performing the sending scene. I said on my OP that I'd anticipated that scene would make it in. Nice to hear the music being adapted to suit it too.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1621011912392572928

So perhaps they'll record the whole thing for posterity. If not, at least clips like this will exist so it'll be enough for the rest of us to be aware of it.

 

[Dionysos]

Here is a poster! (Courtesy of Discord earlier today)

As people pointed out, the cast might look understandably strange to many eyes. At the end of the day, these are real people dressed up as Final Fantasy X characters, including Kimahri! And the female roles are also played by males, as is tradition. All of these costumes would be applauded if they had been cosplays, so I think they do a decent job of representing the characters.

But it'll be interesting to see them used in context (if we ever get to actually see any of this). I mean the fact that Kimahri is even in it makes me wonder about this because it means that they will be cutting less of the game's plot than I had initially presumed.