Tetsuya Nomura Previews New Artwork of Final Fantasy X Protagonist Tidus Ahead of Kabuki Play

Square Enix character designer Tetsuya Nomura recently shared new artwork of the Final Fantasy X protagonist, Tidus, to commemorate the incoming showings of the previously announced Kabuki Play. The character’s depiction here resembles the actor playing him, and what has been revealed is only a preview of what the full illustration comprises. Further, over 30 performances are planned, starting from March 4, 2023.

In case you missed our previous coverage, our summation of it is quoted below:

Actors: 
Onoe Kikunosuke V
Nakamura Shidō II 
Onoe Matsuya II 
Bando Yajuro
(The Roman Numerals Indicate the Actors Are From Traditional Kabuki Artist Families)

About the Stage

The IHI Stage in Tokyo extends 360º around the perimeter of the theater, with a massive circular auditorium in the center. Further, the auditorium itself is located on a huge platform that rotates all of the seats, combining the stage, images, and music in a revolutionary way, so that the audience can enjoy an unprecedented sensation and sense of immersion.

Script

The script is written by Hiroyuki Yatsu, and among the cast of actors, Onoe Kikunosuke V, Nakamura Shidō II, Onoe Matsuya II and Bando Yajuro will be part of this play!

Kitase’s Comment:

When I first heard about this project, I was filled with skepticism, but I still remember just how moved I was when Onoe Kikunosuke V directly expressed his passion to me, so I decided to greenlight it. I can’t stop being excited about what will come of this collaboration between Kabuki, a traditional Japanese performing art, and the mass entertainment genre that is video games.

Comment from Onoe Kikunosuke V, the main actor:

This kabuki play was crafted with the hopes of fusing of the classic game that is Final Fantasy X and Kabuki, a traditional Japanese performing art, creating a bridge between the two.

This will be our first attempt to stage a kabuki performance at the IHI Stage Around Tokyo, and we hope to cherish the shocking and moving feelings we had when we played the game when it was first released, and we extend the invitation to both those who love the game as well as those who have never seen a traditional kabuki play to see the performance.

The images projected on the huge 8-meter/26-feet high screen will color the stage, and we believe you will enjoy an immersive experience as if you were in the world of Final Fantasy X! It is precisely because we live in such an era that we want you to see this heart-wrenching story.

The new artwork of Tidus is viewable below: