The official Twitter account for the manga and anime franchise Katana Maidens announced that the series is getting a stage reading. The reading will be titled Toji no Miko: Seika Hoto (Katana Maidens: Pure Summer Light) and is set to hit stages this summer. The reading is being produced by manga publishing company Kadokawa’s Readpia brand. The stage reading also serves as a sequel to the anime Katana Maidens: Toji no Miko.
A stage reading is distinct from a stage play. A stage reading is a form of theatre without sets or full costumes. The actors who read from scripts may be seated, stand in fixed positions, or incorporate minimal stage movement.
The chronology of the stage reading is set after the main Katana Maidens series, taking place seven months after the “Great Disaster” caused by cast member Tagitsuhime. Six members of the anime’s original voice cast are reprising their roles for the stage reading, as follows:
- Kaede Hondo as Kanami Etō
- Saori Ōnishi as Hiyori Jūjō
- Azumi Waki as Mai Yanase
- Hina Kino as Sayaka Itomi
- Risae Matsuda as Kaoru Mashiko
- Eri Suzuki as Erin Kohagura
Head of the series’ composition for the original Katana Maidens: Toji no Miko anime, Tatsuya Takahashi, is returning to this production to write the stage play’s script. Yoshinori Shizuma, known for his work as the character designer for the Katana Maidens anime, is providing illustrations.
The stage play reading announcement coincides with the three-year anniversary of the original Katana Maidens’ anime premiere on Japanese TV on January 5, 2018.
The franchise’s story is described as follows:
Since ancient times, shrine maidens who wield swords have been exorcising “aradama,” strange monsters that threaten the human world. These young women who wear school uniforms and a sword are called “Toji,” and they serve as an official unit within the police force as a “special religious service police squad.” The government authorizes the Toji to wear swords and serve as government officials, and the government has set up five schools throughout the country for the girls to attend. The girls live ordinary school lives, while occasionally performing their duties, wielding their swords and using various powers to fight and protect the people. In the spring, the five schools send their best Toji to compete in a tournament. As the tournament comes closer, all of the representatives rigorously train themselves in order to get stronger and improve their skills.
The original Katana Maidens: Tojio no Miko TV anime was produced by Studio Gokumi and had a 24-episode run, which premiered in January 2018. The series was simulcast on Crunchyroll as it aired in Japan, and the English dub was broadcast by Funimation on their streaming service as well. The latest anime release was the franchise-inspired Mini Toji, which ran as a series of shorts, premiering in January 2019 with a simulcast on Crunchyroll.
Another release for the franchise was the Toji no Miko: Kizamishi Issen no Tomoshibi (Katana Maidens – Tomoshibi) mobile game, which was a tie-in to an original video anime. The anime premiered its first of many parts on October 25, 2020 and was broadcast on the AT-X channel. It was followed soon after by the second part of the video anime, which premiered on November 29, 2020. The two-volume original video anime had an advanced premiere in 2020 through simultaneous premieres on broadcasting services and streaming sites. The OVA was also in co-production with Crunchyroll and got to premiere on their service before anywhere else.
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