It was announced on February 16th that "Minotaur's Plate," a masterpiece from Fujiko F. Fujio's manga series "SF Short Stories," will be adapted for the stage. This will be the world's first stage adaptation, and will be performed in December at the New National Theatre Small Theatre (Shibuya Ward, Tokyo). Suzuki Takuro, an up-and-coming artist who won the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's New Artist Award in the Dance Division of the 75th Arts Encouragement Prize, will be in charge of adaptation, choreography, and direction, aiming for a performance that can be enjoyed by all ages, from preschoolers aged four and over to adults. The New National Theatre's performance lineup for the 2026 and 2027 seasons was announced, and it was revealed that "Minotaur's Plate" will be adapted for the stage.
"Minotaur's Plate" is a short story published in Big Comic (Shogakukan) in 1969. The story follows the protagonist, a survivor of an interplanetary rocket malfunctioning, who barely manages to make an emergency landing on an Earth-like planet, where he meets a girl named Minoa. Set in a world where the roles of "eater" and "eaten" are reversed, the story sharply depicts the dilemma of humans who can communicate with one another but whose values are completely incompatible, and who are unable to escape from their own common sense.
The New National Theatre's 2026 and 2027 seasons will feature "The Minotaur's Plate," as well as "The Master and Margarita," "Nachtland: Forever Night," "The Invisible Hand," "Ruined," "Embrace," and "Angels in America."
