The fifth anniversary performance of “READING HIGH” “YOUNG WIZARDS -Story from Ashiya Douman Ohuchikagami-” featuring Miyano Mamoru, Nakamura Yuichi, Suwabe Junichi, Namikawa Daisuke, Kito Akari, Tsuda Kenjiro, Park Romi and others, held from September 30 to October 1, 2022, sold out every performance. All three performances were successfully closed amidst applause.
“YOUNG WIZARDS -Story from Ashiya Douman Ohuchikagami-” is a new production commemorating the 5th anniversary of “READING HIGH,” the 3.5D music reading play brand launched by Sony Music Entertainment and Fujisawa Bun’oh.
This is the brand’s first production set in Japan and tells the story of the young days of Abe no Seimei and Ashiya Douman, later known as the Great Onmyoji, with voice actors Miyano Mamoru, Nakamura Yuichi, Suwabe Junichi, Namikawa Daisuke, Kito Akari, Tsuda Kenjiro, and Park Romi taking on the challenge.
The story takes place in the Heian period, a time when demons roam the land. Envy, resentment, and jealousy are the dark side of the human heart. That was the true nature of demons. Demons attacked the people who created them. When the Emperor took the situation seriously, he ordered Kamo no Tadayuki, the Great Onmyoji, to wipe out the demons in the capital, and Kamo no Tadayuki gathered children with high abilities from all over Japan and brought them up as Onmyoji to exterminate the demons.
Soon, two young men, Abe no Seimei and Ahiya Douman, appeared among his many disciples, both of whom possessed abilities unmatched by any of his other disciples.
However, Seimei was criticized behind his back as “The reason why Seimei has the power is because he is the fox’s child?” because of his great ability.
The more demons they killed, the more people avoided them, but only Minamoto no Yorimitsu, the famous general who defeated Shuten Doji at Mt. Oe, came to protect them, sometimes from the back and sometimes from the front. Then one day, a fox spirit appeared in the capital of Kyoto.
The fox spirit is a divine beast that eats demons, but it is also an ayakashi that eats people’s hearts as well as demons. People cannot defeat a fox spirit…… When people fight, they always create demons in their hearts. It is the same for Onmyoji…… Rather, they put the demons in their hearts into their technique to defeat the demons. It is truly the way of Onmyo to fight fire with fire. The demon that is born the moment you try to defeat it is eaten with your heart by the fox spirit, so even an Onmyoji cannot do anything about it.
One day, however, Abe no Seimei was able to kill a fox spirit. This is an epic story that casts a dark shadow over Seimei even further.
Furthermore, tickets for this performance streaming are on sale until October 10, 2022 at 9:00 p.m. Blu-rays & DVDs containing the performance footage of this work will also be released on June 14, 2023. Pre-orders are available at anime/record stores nationwide.
It has also been decided that READING HIGH’s next performance will take place in 2023. Please check the official social media for details.
(C) READING HIGH
