There are some stories that never really leave us.
Over the decades, Studio Ghibli has brought audiences countless worlds filled with wonder, imagination and characters that have become beloved across generations. Yet among all of those legendary stories, there is something particularly magical about “Spirited Away.”
Now, as the Academy Award-winning animated classic celebrates its 25th anniversary, fans will have the chance to experience Chihiro’s unforgettable journey in an entirely different way.
GKIDS has announced that “Spirited Away: Live on Stage” is joining the Studio Ghibli Fest 2026 lineup, bringing the acclaimed theatrical adaptation to U.S. movie theaters for two special nights on October 1 and October 8.
Rather than simply returning Hayao Miyazaki’s original animated film to the big screen, this special event gives audiences the opportunity to see how its strange and wondrous world was recreated for the stage through elaborate sets, musical performances and puppetry.
Originally presented by Toho Co., Ltd. at Tokyo’s historic Imperial Theatre in 2022, the production was adapted and directed by Tony Award-winner John Caird, whose extensive theatrical career includes adapting and directing the original production of “Les Misérables.”
Two different filmed performances will be shown as part of the theatrical event, each featuring a different actress taking on the role of Chihiro. Kanna Hashimoto leads the performance screening on October 1, while Mone Kamishiraishi steps into the role for the October 8 presentation.
There is also a particularly special connection between the stage production and Miyazaki’s original film.
Mari Natsuki, who provided the Japanese voice of both Yubaba and her twin sister Zeniba in the animated movie, returned to portray the characters on stage. She is joined by Romi Park and a cast of Japanese performers tasked with bringing everything from the mysterious bathhouse to its unusual inhabitants into the physical world.
That transformation is perhaps what makes this stage adaptation so fascinating.
Animation gives storytellers the freedom to create practically anything they can imagine, something Studio Ghibli has spent decades demonstrating beautifully. Translating a world as visually imaginative as “Spirited Away” onto a stage means finding completely different ways to create that same sense of wonder right in front of an audience.
Suddenly creatures that once existed through hand-drawn animation have to move through puppetry. Locations have to physically transform. Magic that could once happen with a few beautifully drawn frames has to be recreated through performers, sets, lighting and theatrical illusion.
For fans who have known “Spirited Away” for years, it offers the chance to see a familiar story through an entirely new creative lens. For those who have never had the opportunity to see the stage production in Japan, its inclusion in Studio Ghibli Fest brings that experience considerably closer to home.
The timing couldn’t be much more fitting either.
“Spirited Away” itself celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, with the original animated feature also returning to theaters as part of Studio Ghibli Fest from October 17 through October 21.
That means October will give fans the rather unique opportunity to experience two different interpretations of the same beloved adventure on the big screen: first through the physical wonder of its stage adaptation and then through the hand-drawn animated film that started everything.
“Spirited Away: Live on Stage” comes to U.S. theaters in Japanese with English subtitles on October 1 and October 8, with tickets available now.
Twenty-five years later, Chihiro is still finding new ways to lead us into the spirit world.