The cult horror visual novel Saya no Uta is being adapted into a stage production in Japan. The new project reimagines the game as a stylized reading drama, with performances scheduled to run from June 4 to June 14, 2026, at Sogetsu Hall in Tokyo. In case you missed it, check out our review of the game.
Originally released in 2003, Saya no Uta was written by Gen Urobuchi and developed by Nitroplus. The game is known for its psychological horror, graphic imagery, and unsettling romance, which helped establish Urobuchi’s reputation years before works like Puella Magi Madoka Magica and PSYCHO-PASS.
The stage version is being adapted and directed by Kenichi Suemitsu, whose past credits include the Touken Ranbu stage plays and the long-running TRUMP series. Rather than a traditional play, the production is framed as a “new-style reading drama,” blending live narration with physical performance and choreography. According to the announcement, the staging expands beyond a standard朗読劇 format, incorporating dancers and visual direction to recreate the story’s horror and emotional extremes.
The role of Fuminori Sakisaka will be performed using a rotating cast of six actors, while Saya herself will be played by two actresses selected through auditions. Their combinations will change depending on the performance date, giving each showing a slightly different tone. The cast is rounded out by four additional actors and six dancers, who help shape the production’s visual and emotional atmosphere.
In comments shared with the announcement, Urobuchi described Saya no Uta as a work born from an earlier, angrier period of his career, one he feels he could no longer write today. He noted that seeing the story brought back to life on stage feels especially meaningful, given how closely the original reflected his state of mind at the time. Suemitsu, meanwhile, spoke about the challenge of translating the story’s distorted love and moral collapse into live performance, calling it a work that actively erodes the audience’s sense of ethical comfort.
The production comes with content warnings. While there will be no nudity or explicit sexual depiction, the organizers note that the play includes shocking and grotesque imagery based on the original game’s themes. Children below school age will not be admitted, and the running time is currently estimated at around three hours.
Tickets are priced at $10,500 and will go on sale in stages, beginning with an official site lottery on February 9, followed by additional presales and a general release on March 14.
In case you missed it, we previously covered Saya no Uta’s experimental free AI browser app, which lets players converse with Saya using a language model tied to multiple endings.
How do you feel about Saya no Uta being adapted into a stage reading drama? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned to Noisy Pixel for more coverage.
AloJapan.com