Kouki Kawasaki Set to Return as Machida-kun in July Musical Replay
The stage is getting ready for a very special return as the musical adaptation of Machida-kun's World, based on the heartwarming original work by Yuki Ando, has been officially scheduled for a replay. This production is set to take place at the famous Theater Crea in Tokyo, running from July 7th all the way to July 30th. Fans of the story are quite excited to see this human drama come to life once again on the big stage.
For those who might not know, Machida-kun's World is a beautiful human drama that focuses on Hajime Machida. He is a quiet and somewhat clumsy high school boy, but he has this incredible way of changing the lives of people around him just by being kind. This includes characters like Nana Inohara, a girl who initially claims to hate people but eventually finds herself drawn into Machida's wholesome orbit. The original work was serialized in Shueisha's Bessatsu Margaret magazine from 2015 to 2018, and it has since earned a lot of love for its gentle narrative.
The Creative Team and Cast Details
The musical version first premiered in early 2024, directed by the talented Wally Kinoshita. The script was penned by Pink Subterranean No. 3, and the moving musical scores were composed by Shunsuke Wada. In the upcoming July performance, it has been confirmed that Koki Kawasaki will continue to lead the show as Machida-kun, and Itsuki Nagasawa will also be returning to play the role of Inohara-san.
There are some interesting changes in the recast for this new run as well. While many familiar faces are staying, we have some fresh talent joining the team:
- Maya Harada will be making her first appearance in the role of Sakae-san.
- Yuki Kamisato is set to continue his performance as Himuro-kun.
- Karin Isobe will take on the role of Sakura.
- Sayu Otsuki will be portraying Eiko-sensei.
- Kaho Hamasaki will play the character Hikari.
- Dai Iwahashi is cast as Yoshitaka.
- Masaki Tsuruoka will return as Nishino-kun.
- Wataru Kozuki will play the role of Mother.
- Keigo Yoshino will be seen as Kenichi.
A Heartfelt Message from Kouki Kawasaki
Reflecting on the news of the replay, Koki Kawasaki shared a very emotional comment regarding his attachment to the production. He mentioned that among all the different works he has been a part of so far, Machida-kun's World holds a very special place in his heart. He expressed that he is "really, really happy" that the decision to perform it again has been made. He is looking forward to delivering this story to the audience once more and is eager to step back into the shoes of the lovable Machida.
It is honestly quite rare to see such a wholesome story get this kind of dedicated stage treatment, and it really shows why Machida-kun's World is considered a must-read for anyone looking for a bit of warmth. If you are in Tokyo this July, catching this musical at Theater Crea should definitely be on your list.
