Gaku Kuze's Uramichi Onii-san Hits the Stage in Tokyo
The fans of dark comedy have some very interesting news coming their way. Gaku Kuze's popular work, Uramichi Onii-san, has been officially adapted into a stage play. This live performance is scheduled to take place at the Theater Sun Mall in Tokyo, running from July 8th to 12th. For those who have been following the journey of the cynical protagonist, it has been confirmed that the lead role of Uramichi Omoteda will be played by Ryuto Nishikai. This casting has already created quite a bit of buzz among the community.
If you aren't familiar with the story, Uramichi Onii-san is a unique comedy that pulls back the curtain on the daily life of Uramichi. He is a gymnastics instructor for a children's educational program, but he has a very distinct "two-sided" personality. On camera, he is all smiles for the kids, but off-camera (and sometimes even on), his soul-crushing exhaustion and sardonic view of adult life come out. It is exactly this darkly hilarious reality of adulthood that makes the series so relatable for many of us working professionals.
Production Details and Creative Team
The project started its life on SNS and is currently being serialized in comic POOL. After the massive success of the manga, it was also adapted into a TV anime back in July 2021. Now, taking it to the theatre stage is the next big step. The announcement came with a fresh stage visual showing the main characters gathered around a back alley, which perfectly captures the vibe of the show. For the technical side, the script for the stage play is being written by Vivi, and the direction is being handled by Go Mitsugai. They are aiming to bring that same mix of humor and bleakness to the live audience.
Meet the Full Cast Members
Apart from the main lead, a whole bunch of talented actors have been cast to bring the supporting characters to life. The line-up includes:
- Jagaike Teru: Played by Shin Nikaido
- Usahara Hikichi: Played by Nakata Ryota
- Kumagai Mitsuo: Played by Oumi Shoichiro
- Tadano Shino: Played by Sawada Maria
- Takato Dekida: Played by Takuteru Taguchi
- Eddie Edado: Played by Hiroren Shimada
- Kizumi Hanbei: Played by Ryosuke Ogura
- Saito Kamimu: Played by Reiki Nakajima
- Matahiko Nekota: Played by Shuto Washio
Gaku Kuze actually announced this stage adaptation on his own social media handles and even shared a special illustration to celebrate the news. Over on Ichijinsha's social media, they have even released a message video where Saikai is seen dressed up as Uramichi. Seeing the costume and the attitude in person really makes you understand why you need to watch this adaptation if you are a fan of the original manga or anime.
Stage “Uramichi Onii-san” Message video of Ryuto Nishikai dressed as Omoteda Uramichi
Gaku Kuze's post reporting the stage adaptation of "Uramichi Onii-san"
Related features/interviews
As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of comic POOL, it is great to see how they have traced the history of "everyone's playground." It is a space where modern web manga, including romantic comedies and BL, all come together. The editorial department and the writers have really worked hard to create a platform for such unique stories to flourish. This latest stage play is just another feather in their cap.
November 21, 2025
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Special feature on “Uramichi Onii-san”
September 27, 2017
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