Recent stage success of Sen and Chihiro (Spirited Away) in Seoul highlights that far more Studio Ghibli titles have been adapted for stage than some reports claim. At least eight Ghibli-related works have been staged worldwide in forms including plays, musicals, and kabuki. Examples: Kiki’s Delivery Service — adapted repeatedly in Japan and the UK from the original children’s book; Grave of the Fireflies — staged as a musical by youth troupe Popura after TV and film adaptations; Only Yesterday (Omohide Poro Poro) — adapted into a musical tied to 2011 earthquake relief tours; Princess Mononoke — adapted by UK’s Whole Hog Theater and later planned as a “super kabuki” in Tokyo; Porco Rosso-related short stories adapted into the play The Most Unlucky Front; Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind — adapted into kabuki by Shochiku; Spirited Away — John Caird’s acclaimed puppet-heavy stage version touring internationally; My Neighbor Totoro — RSC-produced stage musical with puppetry and score by Joe Hisaishi, now on the West End. Counts vary depending on whether source material, multiple distinct stage versions, or works produced before Studio Ghibli’s formal founding are included. (kabuki: traditional Japanese theater with stylized acting and elaborate costume/makeup)
