The play "Satomi Hakkenden" will be revived for the first time in two years with a new cast. The opening performance is on Oct. 14 in Tateyama, Chiba Prefecture.
The play is based on the epic novel "Nanso Satomi Hakkenden" written by Takizawa Bakin in the final years of the Edo period (1603-1867). Set in the southern part of the Boso Peninsula -- where Tateyama is situated -- the action-packed adventure story revolves around eight young men who fight for the Satomi family that ruled the area. Each of the men owns an orb with a spiritual power and bearing a different kanji character.
You may have noticed that there are quite a few Japanese manga or anime works in which characters gain power by collecting orbs, such as in "Dragon Ball." Trace back the origin of such stories, and they all go back to this novel, often called just "Hakkenden." In that sense, it is not far-fetched to say the novel is the mother of the Japanese superhero and pop culture labeled "Cool Japan."
The eight kanji characters on their orbs are jin (benevolence), gi (virtue), rei (courtesy), chi (wisdom), chu (loyalty), shin (honesty), ko (filial piety) and tei (brotherhood).
This theatrical version is produced from a new interpretation of the novel. The production depicts how the young protagonists become bewildered or suffer at their fate, how they stand up against enormous evil and how they open the way to the future.
The forthcoming performances are the fourth revival of the production since the play premiered in 2012, and they will feature a completely new cast for the eight warriors. The lead role, Inuzuka Shino, will be played by 21-year-old Hayato Sano, a popular newcomer who has already starred in many films and is also a member of the vocal and dance group M!lk. This will be his first appearance in a big theatrical production as well as in a period drama, which requires theatrical combat and stylized movements. When I interviewed the cast for an article in the production's program, I saw him creating his own Shino with a refreshingly radiant air around him, despite his difficulties in dealing with the period drama setting.
Many of the other cast members are in their 20s as well, making the production look a lot younger than the previous one. Another characteristic of the new cast is that many of them formerly appeared in the Super Sentai Series tokusatsu superhero TV shows, such as Kosei Yuki in "Kaito Sentai Lupinranger vs Keisatsu Sentai Patranger;" Akihisa Shiono in "Juden Sentai Kyoryuger;" and Takumi Kizu in "Uchu Sentai Kyuranger."
The play has been directed by Kenta Fukasaku since the first production, which took place one year after the Great East Japan Earthquake. In telling the story, Fukasaku likened the characters, who bravely face a huge misfortune, to real-life people who have been reconstructing their lives since the disaster. Now that we are in the new Reiwa era, I look forward to seeing what he will bring to the new "Hakkenden" with the new cast.
The southern part of Chiba Prefecture, where the story unfolds, was devastated by Typhoon No. 15 last month. I await the opening of the play while praying that the production will spark a little light of encouragement in the hearts of the people who have been affected by the disaster. After the single performance in Tateyama, the production will tour Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka and Nagoya.
Suzuki is a Yomiuri Shimbun senior specialist and an expert on tokusatsu superhero films and dramas.
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