The words Final Fantasy and musical theatre might not seem to make much sense together, but there’s one Japanese company that obviously thinks differently. In 2024, the Takarazuka Revue, an all-women theatre company, will be bringing the latest game in Square Enix’s long-running RPG series, Final Fantasy XVI, to the stage. 

Released in June this year, Final Fantasy XVI is set in the medieval fantasy world of Valisthea and follows the adventures of Clive Rosfield, a brooding lordling with boyband-like looks who, following a tragic incident involving his younger brother, sets out on a quest for revenge.

Soon, Clive, his childhood friend Jill, his trusty hound Torgal, and the gruff freedom fighter Cid become embroiled in the fractured political machinations of the six nations of Valisthea, which has splintered further following the Blight, a magical drought that is draining the life out of the land. 

The Takarazuka Revue’s adaptation of Final Fantasy XVI will, of course, take a gender-swapped approach to the game’s men, given that all members of the theatre company are women. The show will be adapted for the stage by scriptwriter Naoko Koyanagi, who will also direct the musical, and is a collaborative effort with Final Fantasy publisher Square Enix. 

Performances of the musical will be split into two runs. The first will take place between May and June 2024 at the Takarazuka Grand Theatre. The second batch of performances will run between July and August at the Tokyo Takarazuka Theatre.

“With its beautiful graphics, unique worldview, and rich storyline, [Final Fantasy] has captivated people not only in Japan but also around the world, and has expanded beyond the boundaries of video games to include TV dramas, movies, kabuki, and various other media mixes,” said Square Enix in a press release.

As reported by Eurogamer, the Final Fantasy XVI musical actually marks the second time the beloved franchise has been adapted for the stage (although it is the first time such an adaptation has been a musical). Earlier this year, an adaptation of Final Fantasy X was staged as a kabuki play. You can stream the performance here. 

Tickets for the first run of the Final Fantasy XVI musical, meanwhile, go on sale on April 27, 2024. 

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