A reading play based on “The Man with Twenty Faces” by Daisuke Sakuma x too many gorgeous Seiyu will be held in Tokyo and Osaka in 2025! Featuring Koichi Yamadera, Kappei Yamaguchi, Kazuhiko Inoue, Akio Otsuka, and Hiroki Kaji!
(Quote) Daisuke Sakuma and a cast of splendid voice actors will perform Nosakarabo Reading Echoes “Fiend/Friend in 20faces”, an original story based on the indomitable masterpiece of mystery! | Press Release by KYODO MEDIAS INC. (prtimes.jp)
An overly gorgeous reading play will be held!
From Thursday, January 30 to Sunday, February 2, 2025 at Theater Milanza in Tokyo and from Thursday, February 6 to Sunday, February 9 at Cool Japan Park WW Hall in Osaka, Nosakarabo Reading Echoes “Fiend/Friend in 20faces” (Reading Echoes ” Fiend/Friend in 20faces”) will be performed at Cool Japan Park WW Hall in Osaka, Japan.
This work is based on the motif of “The Phantom in Twenty Faces,” the first novel in the “Detective Boys” series byEdogawa Rampo, the founder of Japanese mystery novels, and features “Kogoro Akechi,” who is considered one of the three greatest Japanese detective characters in the work, his apprentice ” Yoshio Kobayashi, ” and the great thief “Phantom in Twenty Faces ” who confronts them, along with original This is Nosakarabo’s first original story reading play featuring the original characters.
The production is directed and composed by Minoru Nosaka, the head of Nosakalabo, a stage production company specializing in mysteries, and a director who has worked on such profound works as “Agatha Christie’s Works” and “Kyosuke Kozu Series” and also shows his skillful hand in situation comedy with elaborate foreshadowing. The script will be written by Hide Sugai, the leader of the theater unit “Mo’xtra” and the scriptwriter of the New National Theatre, Tokyo’s “My Month”.
Cast and Casting
| Character Name | Role | Cast |
| Heikichi Endo (The Phantom with Twenty Faces) | A great and terrible thief and master of disguise | Koichi Yamadera Kappei Yamaguchi *W cast |
| Kogoro Akechi | The great detective | Kazuhiko Inoue Akio Otsuka W Cast |
| Yoshio Kobayashi | Akechi’s excellent assistant | Yuki Kaji |
| ? | Original character in this reading play, wavering between Akechi and The Man with Twenty Faces. | Daisuke Sakuma |
Director/Composer: Minoru Nosaka Comment
I have not worked with Sakuma since I directed a stage performance of his six years ago. I fell in love with his personality so much that I decided to start this project because I really wanted to work with him. I was racking my brains trying to figure out what kind of casting would be most exciting for Nosakarabo, and I asked a number of wonderful and reliable voice actors whom I personally respect and have worked with many times before to be involved in this project. They were all willing to take on the project, and I am very grateful to them. I am also involved in the production of the script, and we have prepared a script that will be followed by a series of dondenrevenues. I believe we will be able to present reading plays as a new form of entertainment.
We are going to do something gorgeous with this group, so please look forward to it.
Performer’s Comment
Koichi Yamadera comment
From the side that chases after the thief to the side that is chased by the thief, “Arrest me! I have been aiming to become the “the Man with Twenty Faces” of the voice acting world (laugh), so I am really happy to be doing this reading play. However, the interesting thing about ”the Man with Twenty Faces” is that you don’t know who he is disguised as, and if I were to do that in a reading play, wouldn’t I be easily recognized because I am playing the role of the Man with Twenty Faces? If I were to do the reading, wouldn’t they immediately recognize me because I am playing the role of the Man with Twenty Faces? When I heard this story, I thought to myself, “How in the world am I going to realize this on stage? I am looking forward to seeing how you will make it happen on stage! We are waiting for you with the best members, so please come to the theater.
Kappei Yamaguchi comment
This time, I will be waiting for you in Tokyo and Osaka as the Man with Twenty Faces the Man with Twenty Faces. Please come and see my magic and my 20 faces. See you at the theater. Enjoy the show!
<One Point＞
One of the popular characters played by Koichi Yamadera is
Inspector Zenigata from “Lupin the Third”. This time, he is the one being chased!
Another popular character played by Kappei Yamaguchi is
Kid the phantom thief from “Detective Conan!”
What kind of magic will he show us in the reading play? I am looking forward to it!
Kazuhiko Inoue comment
This is a story about the Man with Twenty Faces that has thrilled me since I was a child. I am very happy to be able to play Kogoro Akechi, one of my favorite characters in it. It is a reading play by Mr. Nosaka, who also directs my play, and on top of that, the cast is superb! I can’t help but look forward to it. I hope many people will see it.
Akio Otsuka comment
Kogoro Akechi’s role has always been to hunt down the Man with Twenty Faces, and this time he and Shonen Kobayashi are going to work together to hunt down the Man with Twenty Faces and capture him if possible. I think this is a story that has never been told before, so please look forward to it. And let’s have a wonderful time together at the theater. I look forward to seeing you all.
Comment by Hiroki Kaji
I was so excited to be a part of “Nosakarabo” that it was a unique and exciting experience for me! I am truly happy to have the chance to experience that excitement again. I am looking forward to working with my seniors, whom I respect and admire on a regular basis, and also with Daisuke Sakuma, whom I have longed to work with. I can’t stop being excited about it!
Daisuke Sakuma comment
I am very excited to be performing in this reading play alongside famous voice actors. The director, Mr. Nosaka, is a man who really likes to surprise the audience, so I am sure that those who come to see the play will be very happy, so please look forward to it.
Tickets
| Playguide First Advance (by lottery): Available from November 28 (Thu) 18:00 to December 8 (Sun) 23:59 Playguide second pre-order (by lottery, credit card payment only): Application period: Thursday, December 12, 18:00 – Monday, December 16, 23:59 General sales (first-come-first-served): Applications will be accepted from 10:00 on December 21 (Sat.) |
Event Outline
(A) Kogoro Akechi: Kazuhiko Inoue, the Man with Twenty Faces: Koichi Yamadera
(B) Kogoro Akechi: Akio Otsuka, the Man with Twenty Faces: Kappei Yamaguchi
Tokyo Performance
| Date | Thursday, January 30 – Sunday, February 2, 2025 |
| Venue | Theater Milanza |
| Date and Time | January 30 (Thursday) 13:00(A) / 18:00(A) January 31 (Friday) 13:00(B) / 18:00(B) Saturday, February 1 12:00（A) / 17:00（A) February 2 (Sun) 11：30（B) / 16：30（B) |
| Tickets (All seats reserved, tax included) | S seats: 9,800 yen A seats: 8,800 yen |
Osaka Performance】 【Osaka Performance
| Date | Thursday, February 6 – Sunday, February 9, 2025 |
| Venue | Cool Japan Park WW Hall |
| Date and Time | Thursday, February 6 18:00 (A) February 7 (Friday) 13:00(A) / 18:00(A) February 8 (Saturday) 12:00（A) / 17:00（B) February 9 (Sun) 11：30（B) / 16：30（B) |
| Tickets (All seats reserved, tax included) | S seats: 9,800 yen |
Official website: https://nosakalabo.jp/FF20/ Official X: https://x.com/nosakaFF20f
Hashtag: Nosaka FF20
Inquiry: nosakaFF20@gmail.com
Organizer/Planner: Nosaka Lab Inc.
Publicity: Kyodo Medias
Daisuke Sakuma, while being an idol, is steadily building up his career as a voice actor!
We look forward to seeing more and more of his success!
Please also check out this article! ▶ Voice actor Nobuhiko Okamoto praised Daisuke Sakuma of Snow Man as “very flattering and wonderful. ｜ Seiyu Journal
