LGBTQIA+ themed Japanese stageplays

Trying to restore a list that was almost lost forever by a wordpress urge. This list will be updated at a later time.

Patalliro (2016) — 舞台「パタリロ！」

- Adapted from a popular manga series

- Multiple LGBT characters

In my archives: ✔️

Patalliro Stardust Project (2018) — 舞台「パタリロ！」★スターダスト計画★

In my archives: ✔️

Patalliro ~Kiri no London Airport~ (2021) — 舞台「パタリロ！」～霧のロンドンエアポート～

In my archives: ✔️

Patalliro! ~Phantom~ (2022) — 舞台「パタリロ！」～ファントム～

In my archives: ❌ (but available for purchase)

BANANA FISH THE STAGE Part 1 (2021)  — 「BANANA FISH」The Stage -前編-

Adaptation of BANANA FISH manga with bisexual lead.

In my archives: ✔️

BANANA FISH THE STAGE Part 2 (2022)  —「BANANA FISH」The Stage -後編- 

Adaptation of BANANA FISH manga with bisexual lead.

In my archives: ✅

THE STAGE Lucky Dog 1 First Luck — 『THE STAGE ラッキードッグ1 first luck』

Official Twitter can be found here.

In my archives: ✅ (but poor quality)

THE STAGE Lucky Dog 1 Break Through (2019) — 「THE STAGE ラッキードッグ1 Break Through」

In my archives: ❎

THE STAGE Lucky Dog 1 Paradise Lost+ — 『THE STAGE ラッキードッグ1 Paradise Lost+』

In my archives: ❎

THE STAGE Lucky Dog 1 Christmas Week!! (2018) — 『 THE STAGE ラッキードッグ1 クリスマスウィーク!!』

In my archives: 

Hare Tokidoki, Wakabasou Araara (2022) — 晴れときどき、わかば荘 あらあら

Kotou no Oni – The Demon of the Lonely Isle — 『孤島の鬼』 2015

The Demon of the Lonely Isle — Flowers in bloom are like flames — 『孤島の鬼―咲きにほふ花は炎のやうに―』2017

Sweet pool — 「sweet pool」

Utsukushii Koto — 美しいこと

Given (2021) — 舞台「ギヴン」

Adaptation of the manga of the same name.

NOUNAI CRASH ENGEKI — DRAMATICAL MURDER — 脳内クラッシュ演劇「DRAMAtical Murder」

NOUNAI CRASH ENGEKI DRAMATICAL MURDER – FLASHBACK 脳内クラッシュ演劇「DRAMAtical Murder」フラッシュバック

Sasaki and Miyano — 舞台「佐々木と宮野」

Adaptation of the manga of the same name.

Making BL with everyone 舞台『みんなでメイキングBL』

Improv/stage.

『朗読劇BLT〜ボーイズラブツクール〜 少女と金魚鉢』

「染模様恩愛御書」

Kabuki in BL style.

SEISHOUNEN ASHIBE – 舞台『青少年アシベ』

Has a fujoshi and BL scenes!

Dramatic Highschool『ドラマチックハイスクール』

This one has a fujoshi character.

Lipsynca -Hiru wo Haita Otoko!? Tachi-『リプシンカ ～ヒールをはいた男!?たち～』

Features a drag queen/multiple drag queens!

恋と5月病

Included a BL romantic comedy part!

Kintoto (2016) -『きんとと』

堕天使は薄い本を閉じて

Made by TEAM外回り. Female BL writer with enacted BL scenes. As far as I know, there have been performances of this in 2019, 2020 and 2021. Possibly even more recent ones.

Daradara 『鱈々』

Starring Fujiwara Tatsuya and Yusuke Yamamoto (not surprising considering how many gay themed scenes he had done in the past. He kinda got typecast).

Being at home with Claude -クロードと一緒に-

There have been several adaptions of this one, specifically in years 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2021 and finally 2023 (upcoming performance). Check Japanese wiki for more info or their official site.

BOYS LOVE Stage－「BOYS LOVE Stage」 

Stage version of the 2006 BOYS LOVE movie.

Radiant Baby 『ラディアント・ベイビー』2016

Never The Sinner -『ネバー・ザ・シナー　-魅かれ合う狂気-』 2021

ミュージカル『The View Upstairs -君が見た、あの日-』

Daddy – 舞台「ダディ」

『BENT』

Romance 2015『ロマンス2015』

『The Pride』

舞台『Take me out』 and 舞台「TAKE ME OUT 2018」

First one was performed in 2016, then another in 2018. There were some changes for sure.

Le gai marriage『ル・ゲイ・マリアージュ』

Sakurahime Azuma Bunsho – 舞台「桜姫東文章」

Multiple depictions and adaptions of this Kabuki performance.

Bloom Into You [Yagate Kimi ni Naru] (2019) - 舞台「やがて君になる」)

Bloom Into You －encore – (2022) — 舞台「やがて君になる」encore

Better Half — ベター・ハーフ 2015 + 2017

Transgender character.

Comedie Musicale Utena: La Fillette Révolutionnaire (1997)

Available on youtube.

Musical Shoujo Kakumei Utena — ミュージカル「少女革命ウテナ」

Based on a popular TV anime aired by TV Tokyo.

Dealing with gender roles, homosexuality and gender fluidity.

Two adaptations:

1. ミュージカル「少女革命ウテナ~白き薔薇のつぼみ~」(2018)
2. ミュージカル「少女革命ウテナ～深く綻ぶ黒薔薇の～」(2019)

Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon ~ The Legend of Kaguya Island (
Bishoujo Senshi Seeraa Muun Kaguya Shima Densetsu) — 美少女戦士セーラームーンかぐや島伝説 (1999)

To explore further.

舞台『抱腹絶倒・爆笑活劇パタリロ西遊記!』(2007)

An earlier adaptation of Patalliro Journey to the West. Definitely some LGBT interest present.

さらに『さらざんまい』～愛と欲望のステージ～ (2019)

Blue Period —「ブルーピリオド」The Stage (2022)

Potentially genderqueer bisexual character.

Stage "Double" — 舞台『ダブル』(2023)

Stage "From Eroica With Love" — ステージ『エロイカより愛をこめて』(2023) + its revival in 2024 「ステージ『エロイカより愛をこめて』Revival+」

Main character is a homosexual phantom thief who steals art.

Stage Towatsugai — 舞台「トワツガイ」

Story of a lesbian couple separated by death.

Two stages:

舞台「トワツガイ」(2023)
舞台「トワツガイⅡ」(2024) - should be a continuation of the first one

Stage "Requiem of the Rose King" (Bara-ou no Souretsu) — 舞台『薔薇王の葬列』(2022)

Based on manga "Requiem of the Rose King". The main protagonist is intersex. Two leads were cast to play the same character.

獣愛ブースト音楽劇「Lamento -BEYOND THE VOID-」

Based on a yaoi visual novel.

舞台『紅葉鬼』

Two stageplays:

1. 舞台「紅葉鬼」公式サイト (2019)
2. 舞台『紅葉鬼』～酒呑奇譚～ (2022)

Based on a play that exists within the world of the manga: “Dakaichi: I'm Being Harassed By the Sexiest Man of the Year”.

The Heart of Thomas — 『トーマの心臓』produced by Studio Life (スタジオライフ)

Several adaptations over the years - 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2016, 2022.

Based on a 1974 manga series The Heart of Thomas (Thoma no Shinzou).

Most likely a kiss present as well.

舞台『マージナルMarginal』produced by Studio Life (スタジオライフ)

Based on a sci-fi work from the same author as The Heart of Thomas - Hagio Moto. Set in a world inhabited only by men as women cease to exist upon assassination of "Mother" who has been producing children. Naturally, this work explores relationships between men and different gender identities.

「Happy Families」produced by Studio Life (スタジオライフ)

A story about a homosexual father who receives sad news about his ex-wife and is reunited with his children (who had no idea he was gay) after a very long time. Ran 13-23 December 2018. Played fully by a male cast.

Often with the subtitle 『Happy Families -A Greek Tragedy in London-』

Musical "GIRLFRIEND" — ミュージカル『GIRLFRIEND』

Based on Matthew Sweet's album Girlfriend in which he expressed his feelings for a woman. The musical has an all-male cast and shows the story of Will and Mike who connect through music.

Musical "bare" — ミュージカル『bare』

Off-Broadway musical "bare" had three adaptations over the years, in December 2014, June-July 2016 and January-February 2020. Note some of the cast remained the same throughout the years, but there were a few changes. It's an coming-of-age rock musical that depicts LGBT youth.

Romantic Comedy "Goodbye, Charlie" - ロマンティックコメディ「さよなら、チャーリー」

Originally premiered on Broadway in 1959 and ever since 1969, it's been performed in Japan with numerous adaptations. The 2024 production (performed from 16th to 25th of February) reinterpreted the play in a particularly queer way. It’s still a “magical gender swap” story but they went with the interpretation that the leads, Charlie and George, loved each other before but couldn’t see it. Choosing to cast a male actor as Charlie, who is usually played by a cis woman, also adds another layer to this production. Scenes were added to aid a trans interpretation and the ending received some minor changes.

舞台「雷神とリーマン」+ 舞台『続・雷神とリーマン』

Based on a manga about a god and gay salaryman.

In 2018 and also 2019. There was also an online reading drama in 2020.