LDH NEWS
【Taichi Saotome & Akihisa Shiono】Appearance in 2026 GEKIDAN☆SHINKANSEN 46th anniversary winter show Inoue Kabuki "SEVEN SOULS IN THE SKULL CASTLE LAST STAND"!
2026 GEKIDAN☆SHINKANSEN 46th anniversary winter show
Inoue Kabuki "SEVEN SOULS IN THE SKULL CASTLE LAST STAND"
starring Taichi Saotome and featuring Akihisa Shiono
Taichi Saotome and Akihisa Shiono will appear in 2026 GEKIDAN☆SHINKANSEN 46th anniversary winter show Inoue Kabuki "SEVEN SOULS IN THE SKULL CASTLE LAST STAND"
which will start from the first show in SHINBASHI ENBUJO in Tokyo on 11/14/2026 (Sat.) and will later be shown in Nagano, Kanazawa and Osaka!
The story is set in the Kanto region in the Sengoku Period after Oda Nobunaga died. It is a grand sword fighting action period stage play that integrates action, romance and hilarious elements, perfect for everyone.
Taichi Saotome played main characters in many works of the series, such as Ranbe Mukaiya in "WAKA-DOKURO" in 2011 and "Season Bird" in 2017, and Tenmao in "Season Moon" ~Waxing Moon~ from 2017 to 2018. We are pleased to announce that he will play the lead role Sutenosuke amid high anticipation.
Moreover, Akihisa Shiono and Maito Fujioka will play the same role, Ranbe Mukaiya.
Be sure to check it out!
【Taichi Saotome's comment】
This is my 4th time appearing in THE SKULL CASTLE series which is shown every 7 years. About 22 years have passed since I watched AO-DOKURO for the first time. The 13-year-old boy has turned into a 34-year-old man, who is about to enter the middle age.
I mentioned many times that "SEVEN SOULS IN THE SKULL CASTLE" was the first stage play I watched. From it, I started to know GEKIDAN☆SHINKANSEN.
It is hilarious, cool, rock and a bit absurdist.
Everything shines.
I think it is the coolest stage play in the world.
It carries my longing in the youth.
Not until I turned 34 years old did I realize that it was because the innocent boy was immersed in the stage play created by Hidenori Inoue and overwhelmed by the stage performances by Arata Furuta and other members of the theatrical troupe.
It is so "trickery"! But at the same time, I realized how awesome it was to turn "trickery" things into real art.
The longing in youth will never fade away as time passes by, and will become an obsession.
I want to pass on all touching moments I felt from SHINKANSEN to all of you.
I will bring wonderful performances and "trick" youngsters of the new generation who are to watch THE SKULL CASTLE series for the first time.
And I just knew that it would be the final chapter of THE SKULL CASTLE series.
I have played Ranbe Mukaiya and Tenmao, and will play Sutenosuke. I planned to challenge the Guinness World Records of "playing all the 7 characters". Therefore, when I heard it was the last work, I felt really disappointed.
GEKIDAN☆SHINKANSEN's work "SEVEN SOULS IN THE SKULL CASTLE" will be brought to an end by Sutenosuke.
The last standing skull castle. Let's face it together.
-----------------
【Akihisa Shiono's comment】
I imagined how I would look if I received the information at that time, because "SEVEN SOULS IN THE SKULL CASTLE" was one of the starting points that made me decide to become an actor.
I was 17 years old back then. Though I did not watch the stage play on site, I watched GEKI×CINE 3 times in theaters. After that, every time I played action scenes or was featured in a period drama, I repeatedly watched the work on DVD and took it as a reference. It is a work that taught the beauty of plays to the boy who learned about performing only through movies and dramas.
"When I heard the news back then..."
I think I would be thrilled. But after going through difficulties and vexations of life, the man at present only feels it is so precious to have such an opportunity.
From now on, I am filled with anticipation and at the same time, with nervousness to the same extent.
Taichi Saotome played Ranbe Mukaiya and Tenmao. I really look forward to seeing Sutenosuke he will portray.
I will also take on the challenge of playing Ranbe Mukaiya that I have been longing for. There is "greatest Ranbe Mukaiya" in my mind. Knowing what he is like, I am more aspirational and look forward to seeing how I will play it.
It has been a long time since I appeared in a stage play last time. Though I mainly shot dramas and movies in recent years, I still hope people who take notice of my activities and people who are not familiar with stage plays will come to watch it
I will pour all I have "at present" in playing the role to let people, who did not delve into stage plays and biasedly think stage plays have high thresholds, feel "it is great to come and watch it". See you in theaters!
2026 GEKIDAN☆SHINKANSEN 46th anniversary winter show
Inoue Kabuki "SEVEN SOULS IN THE SKULL CASTLE LAST STAND"
【Original】
Kazuki Nakashima
【Director】
Hidenori Inoue
【Cast】
Taichi Saotome Akihisa Shiono, Maito Fujioka (two cast members playing the same role) Yuki Saotome /
Ray Yuzuka / Sennosuke Kataoka Hinako Sakurai Shori Kondo Masato Kono /
Ryo Kimura Bunichi Hamanaka Macoto Awane / Makiya Yamaguchi
【Planning & production】
village GEKIDAN☆SHINKANSEN
【Official site】
https://www.vi-shinkansen.co.jp/dokuro2026/
【Tokyo show】
Schedule: 11/14/2026 (Sat.) ~ 12/25/2026 (Fri.)
Venue: SHINBASHI ENBUJO
Production: SHOCHIKU village
Inquiries: SHINBASHI ENBUJO
03-3541-2600 (10:00 ~ 18:00)
【Nagano show】
Schedule: 1/21/2027 (Thu.) ~ 1/24/2027 (Sun.)
Venue: Hokuto Culture Hall
Organizer: The Shinano Mainichi Shimbun / NBS / SUNRISE PROMOTION HOKURIKU
Joint organizer: Nagano Prefectural Cultural Promotion Agency
Inquiries: SUNRISE PROMOTION HOKURIKU
025-246-3939 (Tuesdays ~ Fridays 12:00 ~ 16:00 / Saturdays 10:00 ~ 15:00)
【Kanazawa show】
Schedule: 2/8/2027 (Mon.) ~ 2/14/2027 (Sun.)
Venue: THE KANAZAWA THEATRE
Organizer: HAB / THE HOKKOKU SHIMBUN / SUNRISE PROMOTION HOKURIKU
Inquiries: SUNRISE PROMOTION HOKURIKU
025-246-3939 (Tuesdays ~ Fridays 12:00 ~ 16:00 / Saturdays 10:00 ~ 15:00)
【Osaka show】
Schedule: 2/25/2027 (Thu.) ~ 3/11/2027 (Thu.)
Venue: Festival Hall
Organizer: ABC TV / SUNRISE PROMOTION OSAKA
Sponsor: FM802 / FM COCOLO
Inquiries: KYODO INFORMATION
0570-200-888 (12:00 ~ 17:00 / closed on weekends and holidays)
Inoue Kabuki "SEVEN SOULS IN THE SKULL CASTLE LAST STAND"
starring Taichi Saotome and featuring Akihisa Shiono
Taichi Saotome and Akihisa Shiono will appear in 2026 GEKIDAN☆SHINKANSEN 46th anniversary winter show Inoue Kabuki "SEVEN SOULS IN THE SKULL CASTLE LAST STAND"
which will start from the first show in SHINBASHI ENBUJO in Tokyo on 11/14/2026 (Sat.) and will later be shown in Nagano, Kanazawa and Osaka!
The story is set in the Kanto region in the Sengoku Period after Oda Nobunaga died. It is a grand sword fighting action period stage play that integrates action, romance and hilarious elements, perfect for everyone.
Taichi Saotome played main characters in many works of the series, such as Ranbe Mukaiya in "WAKA-DOKURO" in 2011 and "Season Bird" in 2017, and Tenmao in "Season Moon" ~Waxing Moon~ from 2017 to 2018. We are pleased to announce that he will play the lead role Sutenosuke amid high anticipation.
Moreover, Akihisa Shiono and Maito Fujioka will play the same role, Ranbe Mukaiya.
Be sure to check it out!
【Taichi Saotome's comment】
This is my 4th time appearing in THE SKULL CASTLE series which is shown every 7 years. About 22 years have passed since I watched AO-DOKURO for the first time. The 13-year-old boy has turned into a 34-year-old man, who is about to enter the middle age.
I mentioned many times that "SEVEN SOULS IN THE SKULL CASTLE" was the first stage play I watched. From it, I started to know GEKIDAN☆SHINKANSEN.
It is hilarious, cool, rock and a bit absurdist.
Everything shines.
I think it is the coolest stage play in the world.
It carries my longing in the youth.
Not until I turned 34 years old did I realize that it was because the innocent boy was immersed in the stage play created by Hidenori Inoue and overwhelmed by the stage performances by Arata Furuta and other members of the theatrical troupe.
It is so "trickery"! But at the same time, I realized how awesome it was to turn "trickery" things into real art.
The longing in youth will never fade away as time passes by, and will become an obsession.
I want to pass on all touching moments I felt from SHINKANSEN to all of you.
I will bring wonderful performances and "trick" youngsters of the new generation who are to watch THE SKULL CASTLE series for the first time.
And I just knew that it would be the final chapter of THE SKULL CASTLE series.
I have played Ranbe Mukaiya and Tenmao, and will play Sutenosuke. I planned to challenge the Guinness World Records of "playing all the 7 characters". Therefore, when I heard it was the last work, I felt really disappointed.
GEKIDAN☆SHINKANSEN's work "SEVEN SOULS IN THE SKULL CASTLE" will be brought to an end by Sutenosuke.
The last standing skull castle. Let's face it together.
-----------------
【Akihisa Shiono's comment】
I imagined how I would look if I received the information at that time, because "SEVEN SOULS IN THE SKULL CASTLE" was one of the starting points that made me decide to become an actor.
I was 17 years old back then. Though I did not watch the stage play on site, I watched GEKI×CINE 3 times in theaters. After that, every time I played action scenes or was featured in a period drama, I repeatedly watched the work on DVD and took it as a reference. It is a work that taught the beauty of plays to the boy who learned about performing only through movies and dramas.
"When I heard the news back then..."
I think I would be thrilled. But after going through difficulties and vexations of life, the man at present only feels it is so precious to have such an opportunity.
From now on, I am filled with anticipation and at the same time, with nervousness to the same extent.
Taichi Saotome played Ranbe Mukaiya and Tenmao. I really look forward to seeing Sutenosuke he will portray.
I will also take on the challenge of playing Ranbe Mukaiya that I have been longing for. There is "greatest Ranbe Mukaiya" in my mind. Knowing what he is like, I am more aspirational and look forward to seeing how I will play it.
It has been a long time since I appeared in a stage play last time. Though I mainly shot dramas and movies in recent years, I still hope people who take notice of my activities and people who are not familiar with stage plays will come to watch it
I will pour all I have "at present" in playing the role to let people, who did not delve into stage plays and biasedly think stage plays have high thresholds, feel "it is great to come and watch it". See you in theaters!
2026 GEKIDAN☆SHINKANSEN 46th anniversary winter show
Inoue Kabuki "SEVEN SOULS IN THE SKULL CASTLE LAST STAND"
【Original】
Kazuki Nakashima
【Director】
Hidenori Inoue
【Cast】
Taichi Saotome Akihisa Shiono, Maito Fujioka (two cast members playing the same role) Yuki Saotome /
Ray Yuzuka / Sennosuke Kataoka Hinako Sakurai Shori Kondo Masato Kono /
Ryo Kimura Bunichi Hamanaka Macoto Awane / Makiya Yamaguchi
【Planning & production】
village GEKIDAN☆SHINKANSEN
【Official site】
https://www.vi-shinkansen.co.jp/dokuro2026/
【Tokyo show】
Schedule: 11/14/2026 (Sat.) ~ 12/25/2026 (Fri.)
Venue: SHINBASHI ENBUJO
Production: SHOCHIKU village
Inquiries: SHINBASHI ENBUJO
03-3541-2600 (10:00 ~ 18:00)
【Nagano show】
Schedule: 1/21/2027 (Thu.) ~ 1/24/2027 (Sun.)
Venue: Hokuto Culture Hall
Organizer: The Shinano Mainichi Shimbun / NBS / SUNRISE PROMOTION HOKURIKU
Joint organizer: Nagano Prefectural Cultural Promotion Agency
Inquiries: SUNRISE PROMOTION HOKURIKU
025-246-3939 (Tuesdays ~ Fridays 12:00 ~ 16:00 / Saturdays 10:00 ~ 15:00)
【Kanazawa show】
Schedule: 2/8/2027 (Mon.) ~ 2/14/2027 (Sun.)
Venue: THE KANAZAWA THEATRE
Organizer: HAB / THE HOKKOKU SHIMBUN / SUNRISE PROMOTION HOKURIKU
Inquiries: SUNRISE PROMOTION HOKURIKU
025-246-3939 (Tuesdays ~ Fridays 12:00 ~ 16:00 / Saturdays 10:00 ~ 15:00)
【Osaka show】
Schedule: 2/25/2027 (Thu.) ~ 3/11/2027 (Thu.)
Venue: Festival Hall
Organizer: ABC TV / SUNRISE PROMOTION OSAKA
Sponsor: FM802 / FM COCOLO
Inquiries: KYODO INFORMATION
0570-200-888 (12:00 ~ 17:00 / closed on weekends and holidays)