As part of Kadokawa Pictures' 50th-anniversary project, it was announced on April 22nd that two of their films, "Sailor Suit and Machine Gun" and "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time," will be adapted into stage plays in 2027. This will be the first time "Sailor Suit and Machine Gun" has been adapted for the stage. It was also announced that Satsuki Sugawara of the idol group Nogizaka46 will play the lead role of Izumi Hoshi in the stage adaptation of "Sailor Suit and Machine Gun," and Aya Ogawa, also of Nogizaka46 , will play the lead role of Kazuko Yoshiyama in the stage adaptation of "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time." This will be the first time that Sugawara and Ogawa have starred in a stage play on their own. The announcement was made at a preview screening and special event for the "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time 4K Digital Restoration" held at Kadokawa Cinema Yurakucho (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo) on the same day.
"Sailor Suit and Machine Gun" is based on a novel by Jiro Akagawa. The story follows Izumi Hoshi, a second-year high school student, who, after her father's death, inherits the leadership of the small yakuza group "Medaka-gumi," which has only four members. The 1981 film starring Hiroko Yakushimaru was a hit. It was also adapted into a drama series, with Tomoyo Harada starring in 1982 and Masami Nagasawa in 2006. A sequel, "Sailor Suit and Machine Gun -Graduation-," starring Kanna Hashimoto, was released in 2016.
Sugawara, who will play the fifth generation Izumi Hoshi, commented, "I am Sugawara Satsuki of Nogizaka46, and I will be playing the role of Izumi Hoshi in the stage production of 'Sailor Suit and Machine Gun.' I am very happy to be involved in this project at this milestone of Kadokawa Pictures' 50th anniversary. I feel the responsibility and pressure of taking on the lead role in the first stage adaptation of this beloved classic, but I will sincerely engage with the work and do my best to deliver a 'Sailor Suit and Machine Gun' that will remain in everyone's hearts!"
"The Girl Who Leapt Through Time" is based on a science fiction novel by Yasutaka Tsutsui. It depicts a poignant drama between a girl who unexpectedly gains the ability to travel through time and a boy who comes from the future. The first adaptation was the 1972 NHK television drama "Time Traveler," followed by the 1983 film adaptation of the same title, "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time," starring Tomoyo Harada and directed by Nobuhiko Obayashi. In 1985, the third adaptation was made into a television drama starring Yoko Minamino. In 1990, the fourth adaptation was released as a drama CD. In 1994, the fifth adaptation was made into a television drama starring Yuki Uchida. In 1997, the sixth adaptation was made into a film starring Nana Nakamoto and directed by Haruki Kadokawa. In 2002, the seventh adaptation was made into a television drama starring Natsumi Abe.
In 2006, the eighth installment, set approximately 20 years after the original story, was adapted into an animated film starring Riisa Naka and directed by Mamoru Hosoda. In 2010, the ninth installment was made into a live-action film, also starring Naka. In 2015, the tenth installment, set 32 years after the original story, was made into a stage play for the first time. In 2016, the eleventh installment was made into a television drama starring Yuina Kuroshima. In 2023, the twelfth installment was made into the first musical. Ogawa will be the 13th person to play the lead role of Kazuko Yoshiyama.
Ogawa said, "I am Aya Ogawa of Nogizaka46 , and I will be playing the role of Kazuko Yoshiyama in the stage production of 'The Girl Who Leapt Through Time.' It is a great honor and I am truly happy to be able to appear in this beloved work, which has been cherished by so many people, and which has drawn me into its story and made my heart flutter. Right now, I feel more excitement than pressure or anxiety, and I am very thrilled. I will cherish the feelings, history, and worldview of the work that have been passed down through the ages as I approach the role, and I will do my best to deliver a new 'The Girl Who Leapt Through Time' that will leave a lasting impression on the hearts of those who watch it."
As the first part of the Kadokawa Pictures 50th Anniversary Project, the "Kadokawa Film Festival" will be held from May 1st at Kadokawa Cinema Yurakucho (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo) and from July 4th at Osaka Cine Nouveau (Nishi-ku, Osaka) and other venues. 4K versions of "Sailor Suit and Machine Gun," "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time," "Lost Paradise," "W's Tragedy," "Proof of the Wild," and "Mahjong Vagabond" will be shown for the first time. As the second part, the "Kadokawa Film Music Festival" will be held on August Getsuku at Bunkamura Orchard Hall (Shibuya-ku, Tokyo).
