original:https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000553.000003633.html
Recently, PRTIMES published an interview with several performers participating in the dramatic reading of "Tomie." The following is the main text:
～Stepping into a beautiful world of horror unfolding solely through "voice"～
Co-hosted by Animax Broadcast Japan Inc. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director & President: Masao Takiyama; hereinafter "Animax"), which operates the anime-dedicated channel "Animax," and NTT DoCoMo, Inc. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director & President: Yoshiaki Maeda; hereinafter "NTT DoCoMo"), "Lemino presents Animax Dramatic Reading 'Tomie'" will be held from Monday, January 12, 2026 (National Holiday) to Sunday, January 18, 2026, at Hulic Hall Tokyo. On the eve of the opening, we bring you a report on the heightened enthusiasm at the rehearsal site and a roundtable discussion with the cast members.
(Photo, from left: Rock村上, Yukihiro Nozuyama, Kaori Sakura, Natsumi Takamori, Tomohito Takatsuka)
◆Rehearsal Site Report
Entering the rehearsal room in late December, just three weeks before the performance, the passionate voices of the cast were immediately audible. Centered around Kaori Sakura, who plays Tomie / Ayaka Nakamura, and Natsumi Takamori, who plays Yasuko Nakamura, Yukihiro Nozuyama, playing Mitsuo Mori / Yukio, and Tomohito Takatsuka, playing Ryo Koizumi / Tadao Iwata, were seated side by side in chairs. The actors would stand up when delivering their lines, while Rock村上, responsible for advancing the characters' emotions through a "narration" style, sat in a position where he could observe the movements of the four.
The rehearsal proceeded while faithfully recreating the world of the original work, but the distinct difference keenly felt was the impact of "voice." The rehearsal was precisely at the scene where Ryo recounts to Yasuko the past events involving Tomie and requests her future cooperation. Takatsuka vividly portrayed Ryo's suppressed emotions surging forth, his voice involuntarily becoming rough. Following this performance, Yasuko, played by Takamori with a trembling voice, felt incredibly authentic; the tension between the two could be sensed even from the breaths taken between lines. In the subsequent interaction between Yasuko and Ayaka (Tomie), it was Sakura's "voice" that brought the peerless beautiful girl to life before our eyes. Her voice, round, seductive, and captivating enough to make one want to listen endlessly, as she berated Yasuko and Ryo, was the very embodiment of "Tomie" itself. Combined with the narration by Rock村上, who is also active as a ghost story teller, the sense of horror was further amplified. The sight of the actors carefully confirming line cues with director Natsume Karasuma was also impressive.
During the break, a scene was observed where Nozuyama, seated nearby, casually spoke to Sakura and Takamori, confirming their dramatic interaction. The two, who had been slightly tense while immersed in their roles, instantly broke into smiles—a charm unique to Nozuyama as the mood maker. Subsequently, Takatsuka, who was checking Ryo's costume including his hat, joined them, and the rehearsal room was filled with a harmonious atmosphere. This was a rehearsal site interview that heightened anticipation for the excellent teamwork to be showcased in the actual performance.
◆Roundtable Discussion Interview
In recent years, Junji Ito's works have received authoritative manga awards in the United States, France, and elsewhere, leading to a renewed rise in international acclaim. His representative work, "Tomie," first published in 1986 and still boasting numerous fans as a legendary manga, will be reborn in the form of a dramatic reading.
This production adopts a multi-cast system where each role is performed by 4 to 6 actors, rotating by date. We asked Kaori Sakura, Natsumi Takamori, Yukihiro Nozuyama, Tomohito Takatsuka, and Rock村上 about their motivation and current feelings.
——How did you feel when you received the offer to perform in this dramatic reading of an internationally acclaimed work?
Sakura: "I get to play Tomie from my beloved 'Tomie'?! I was truly surprised, but I feel incredibly honored and happy to have this opportunity. My personality is completely opposite to Tomie's (laughs), so I'm also looking forward to performing to the fullest."
Takamori: "I feel the same. I thought it would be fun to be able to perform vividly and to my heart's content in a dramatic reading format! The character I play, Yasuko, is Ayaka (Tomie)'s older sister, but she's constantly being led around by the nose by Ayaka. It's a precious opportunity to perform such a drama, and I'm looking forward to it."
Nozuyama: "When I received the offer, I don't usually play handsome man roles very often (laughs), so I was surprised to be playing the handsome painter Mitsuo Mori. However, it's a role that can stand up to the beautiful Tomie, and being able to build the character in a way different from usual presents a worthwhile challenge."
Takatsuka: "Actually, I'm extremely bad with horror works. I've even avoided horror-themed manga until now..."
Everyone: (laughs)
Takatsuka: "But even so, I knew this famous work, and I'm very happy to be part of such a major production. Actually, for this performance, I read the original work for the first time and learned that the appeal of 'Tomie' isn't limited to the horror genre; it's not just about being scary. I'm now rehearsing with even greater joy."
Rock村上: "This is a work I've loved since my high school days. Back then, there was a classmate named Yamamoto. When I went to his house, his older sister had collected many works by Junji Ito. That was my first encounter with 'Tomie,' and this guy named Yamamoto also appears in my ghost stories. Truly eerie things often happened..."
Takatsuka: "Um... are you going to continue...?"
Rock村上: "Ah, I'll stop here."
Everyone: (laughs)
——By the way, around what age did each of you first encounter "Tomie"? If you encountered it in your teens, it must have been quite impactful.
Takamori: "I actually read it after I grew up. But indeed, if I had read it during my sensitive adolescent years, my life might have gone astray. As a woman, it's hard to be as arrogant as her, which paradoxically made me drawn to her."
Sakura: "Falling for her would be disastrous, but even so, I might still end up liking Tomie (laughs). My grandmother's younger sister (great-aunt) had 'Tomie' at her house. I read it when I visited as a child and loved it. Actually, that great-aunt could... 'see' things that aren't visible..."
Rock村上: "Oh?"
Takatsuka: "People who like horror works always seem skilled at this kind of storytelling tone. Just hearing a little from Sakura-san is already scary! Mr. Rock村上's narration during rehearsals also gives me goosebumps."
Rock村上: "This way of speaking is practically an occupational hazard by now."
——How did the four actors feel after actually performing their roles?
Sakura: "Since I'm playing Tomie, I'm performing with the mindset of 'I am the most beautiful!' Originally, I didn't like myself very much, and I became an actor because I wanted to become someone else. For me, the role of Tomie is one that allows me to completely liberate myself. Since I'm playing her, I intend to perform with the feeling of 'Look at me!'"
Takamori: "As I mentioned briefly earlier, Yasuko is in a position where she's constantly led around by Tomie. She's a straightforward character who reacts like, 'If they come this way, I'll respond this way; if they come that way next, I'll respond that way.' It's very enjoyable to perform. However, portraying Yasuko's life from her teens to her eighties is an aspect I need to be mindful of and perform accordingly."
Nozuyama: "The character I play, Mitsuo, has scenes in the original work conveyed solely through expressions. It's challenging to depict how his pride changes after becoming involved with Tomie, including his inner conflict. Moreover, the scene where he meets his end would be easy to understand with visuals, but this time it's only through voice, so I'm thinking about how to express it. This production selects several chapters from the original work to form the script. I also play Yukio, the childhood friend of Tomie and the others, but the endings for both characters are..."
Everyone: (laughs)
Nozuyama: "I'll leave that for everyone to actually see (laughs). It's quite physically demanding."
Takatsuka: "Ryo is a character who, as a top model, is pampered and adored, but has his life completely thrown into chaos by Tomie. I find performing such a role with intense emotional fluctuations very enjoyable. Like Yasuko, Ryo ages from his twenties to old age in this production, so from model to mysterious man to old man, it feels like playing several roles even though it's one character. During the rehearsal just now, my breathing became very rapid for a moment, which startled me. But it's rare to find a role that allows for such immersion, so ultimately, it's very enjoyable."
——Are there any scenes you particularly hope the audience will pay attention to?
Nozuyama: "Regarding the point I mentioned earlier, 'solely through voice,' I think it's a unique feature of dramatic readings, and I hope the audience will look forward to it. Conveying things not through a concrete visual form, but solely through voice, allowing the audience to imagine—that is precisely the joy of a dramatic reading, isn't it? When I first read the script, I wondered how this would turn out. But hearing the voices blending together and the realistic sound effects during rehearsal just now, I thought, 'Ah, I see!'"
Sakura: "That's right. For Tomie to work, she must be beautiful, but at the same time, grotesque elements are added and combined with vocal expression, so striking the right balance is difficult. But precisely because of this, one can experience the unique essence of a dramatic reading."
Takatsuka: "That's where the appeal of 'Tomie' lies. The beauty of the original artwork goes without saying, but there's also a kind of grotesque artistry. It's certainly bizarre, yet readers are drawn to that expression. We are also striving to convey this in this production, and I hope everyone will pay attention to it."
Nozuyama: "The sound effects for the community broadcast were incredibly realistic too. For a moment, I thought it was an actual community broadcast playing in the neighborhood where the rehearsal studio is located. Combined with Mr. Rock村上's 'narration' tone, reality and the story seemed to intersect for an instant. It startled me so much I jumped!"
Rock村上: "As a 'narrator,' it makes me happy to hear that. However, since I have to describe the stage directions in considerable detail, when I get to Ryo's part and say things like 'I was once a top model...', I find myself thinking, 'I'm saying something like this,' and it makes me realize how interesting the job of a 'narrator' is (laughs)."
——If Tomie actually appeared before you, how do you think you would react?
Takamori: "If Tomie were really nearby, I think I'd find it quite unbearable. I'd think, 'This person is just incomprehensible!'"
Sakura: "I... might do what she says."
Takamori: "Women might be divided into two types on this."
Nozuyama: "As for me! I'd be completely captivated by her!"
Rock村上: "You're fully prepared to be killed, aren't you?"
Takatsuka: "If I could actually meet Tomie, I'd probably give up on life. I'd want to resist fate, but the original work depicts it as impossible to resist."
Rock村上: "But, Tomie might not choose you, you know?"
Nozuyama & Takatsuka: "Ah, that's true..."
Sakura & Takamori: (Laughs)
Nozuyama: "Emotionally, I'd want to be chosen by Tomie, but realistically, I don't really want to be chosen..."
Takatsuka: "It's a complicated feeling (laughs)."
——Finally, please say a few words to the audience looking forward to the performance!
Rock村上: "I first read 'Tomie' in high school, and several decades have passed since then. As one ages, one's interpretation of the entity Tomie changes. There are probably people among the audience who feel the same way, and watching this dramatic reading might bring about new changes. I hope everyone comes to see it with such expectations."
Takatsuka: "If there are people like me who have kept their distance from 'Tomie' because they dislike horror works, I think that's truly a shame. I believe this work, and this dramatic reading, can transcend that feeling and be enjoyed by everyone. I sincerely hope both fans of the original work and non-fans will come to the theater."
Nozuyama: "It's a horror work set in the cold season, but somehow that feels very fitting for Tomie. I think not only we, but also the different combinations of actors will allow the audience to enjoy various aspects. I will also do my best as one of the members."
Takamori: "I believe that the format of a dramatic reading, combined with the multi-cast system depicting various Tomies and their relationships with those around them, is precisely the joy of this performance. Just like Tomie in the original work, she is an entity that appears across different eras and various relationships. I hope all audience members will look forward to coming to see this authentic Tomie."
Sakura: "Being able to step into the world of 'Tomie,' which I have loved since childhood, truly makes me happy. With the resolve to become one of the 'proliferating Tomies,' I will do my utmost to bear a part of this world in my own way. Please look forward to it and come see the performance!"
Interview & Text / Sakura Fujino
Photography / Soichi Narita
◆"Lemino presents Animax Dramatic Reading 'Tomie'" Performance Information
■Performance Overview
[Performance Title] Lemino presents Animax Dramatic Reading "Tomie"
[Performance Schedule] Monday, January 12, 2026 (National Holiday) – Sunday, January 18, 2026 (10 performances total)
① Monday, January 12 (National Holiday) Doors open 18:30 / Performance starts 19:00
＜Cast＞Kaori Sakura, Shiori Izawa, Masatomo Nakazawa, Tomohito Takatsuka, Rock村上
② January 13 (Tue) Doors open 18:30, Performance starts 19:00
＜Cast＞ Kaori Sakura, Risa Tsubaki, Takuya Masumoto, Junta Terashima, Tacky
③ January 14 (Wed) Doors open 18:30, Performance starts 19:00
＜Cast＞ Kanae Ito, Misato Fukuen, Masatomo Nakazawa, Ryota Iwasaki, Yasuhiro Hayase (City Boys)
④ January 15 (Thu) Doors open 18:30, Performance starts 19:00
＜Cast＞ Hinata Sato, Mariya Ise, Takuya Masumoto, Shugo Nakamura, Kosuke Tsukumo
⑤ January 16 (Fri) Doors open 18:30, Performance starts 19:00
＜Cast＞ Eriko Matsui, Risa Tsubaki, Yukihiro Nozuyama, Jun Kasama, Yasuhiro Hayase (City Boys)
⑥ January 17 (Sat) Doors open 12:30, Performance starts 13:00
＜Cast＞ Aya Uchida, Misato Fukuen, Daiki Yamashita, Junta Terashima, Tacky
⑦ January 17 (Sat) Doors open 15:30, Performance starts 16:00
＜Cast＞ Aya Uchida, Mariya Ise, Daiki Yamashita, Eiji Takeuchi, Tacky
⑧ January 17 (Sat) Doors open 18:30, Performance starts 19:00
＜Cast＞ Eriko Matsui, Mariya Ise, Yukihiro Nozuyama, Eiji Takeuchi, Rock Murakami
⑨ January 18 (Sun) Doors open 12:30, Performance starts 13:00
＜Cast＞ Marina Inoue, Natsumi Takamori, Kengo Kawanishi, Yohei Azakami, Kosuke Tsukumo
⑩ January 18 (Sun) Doors open 15:30, Performance starts 16:00
＜Cast＞ Marina Inoue, Natsumi Takamori, Kengo Kawanishi, Yohei Azakami, Yasuhiro Hayase (City Boys)
【Venue】 Hulic Hall Tokyo (Tokyo・Yurakucho)
〒100-0006 2-5-1 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Yurakucho Marion 11F, Hankyu Men's Tokyo side
https://hulic-theater.com/access/
【Ticket Price】 All reserved seating: 11,000 yen (tax included)
【Ticket Sales】https://eplus.jp/animaxreading-tomie/
【Day-of-Event Tickets】 All reserved seating: 11,550 yen (tax included)
※ Day-of-event tickets are available for cash payment only at the venue. Please check the official website for details.
≪Original reading drama merchandise will also be sold at the venue!≫
【Official Website】https://www.animax.co.jp/animaxreading/tomie202601/
【Official X】https://x.com/animax_reading
■Plot Summary
～Adapted from Junji Ito's "Junji Ito Masterpiece Collection 1: Tomie " featuring "The Painter," and "Junji Ito Masterpiece Collection 2: Tomie " featuring "Random Murderer," "Top Model," and "Old and Ugly"～
As a young child, Yasuko Nakamura once saw an unforgettable painting with her mother and younger sister Ayaka. It was a portrait of a woman named "Tomie" painted by Mitsuo Mori, a once brilliant up-and-coming artist who met an unfortunate death. Mitsuo Mori was one of the men captivated by Tomie's charm—
Later, Yasuko's younger sister Ayaka grew into a renowned beauty in the neighborhood. For some reason, Ayaka did not resemble Yasuko or the rest of the family. Moreover, Yasuko discovered that Ayaka looked exactly like the beautiful woman "Tomie" in the painting. One day, rumors spread that other beautiful girls identical to Ayaka and resembling "Tomie" had appeared in the same town. Soon, the girls met and declared, "Only one genuine article is needed," and began using the boys infatuated with them to kill each other. Around this time, a man approached Yasuko. He was Ryo Koizumi, a former top model and another man toyed with by Tomie. Ryo asked Yasuko for "a certain kind of assistance"...
Junji Ito, "Junji Ito Masterpiece Collection" (Asahi Shimbun Publications)
■Scriptwriter/Director
Natsume Karasuma, Director of the theater company 'Botan Chabo'
Organized by: NTT DoCoMo, Inc., Animax Broadcast Japan Inc.
Production: Age Global Networks
Production Cooperation: style office
Hall Management: Super Eccentric Theater
Sponsored by: eplus Inc., FamilyMart Co., Ltd.
© JI / Asahi Shimbun Publications © Animax Broadcast Japan.
【"Lemino" Overview】
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*2 ＜First Month Free Campaign＞
・Applicable only for first-time subscriptions to Lemino Premium, offering the monthly fee free for 31 days.
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【About Animax】
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