Theater Company Nankyoku to Stage "War of the Worlds," an Epoch-Making Work for the 2020s, in a Single Performance of Overwhelming Scale and Theatrical Magic!

Having garnered attention for their unique worldview and ensemble groove with productions like "SYZYGY" in partnership with Nippon Broadcasting System in November 2025 and a re-creation of their early masterpiece "The Great Animal of Honehone Mountain" in May 2026, the theater company Nankyoku (Antarctica) is now taking on "War of the Worlds"!

"War of the Worlds" stands as a monumental sci-fi theme in the world of fiction. Nankyoku will stage their new play, "War of the Worlds," as their 10th mainline performance with the full company.

H.G. Wells' 1898 sci-fi cornerstone "The War of the Worlds" has been adapted into a radio drama that became an urban legend and a film by the master Steven Spielberg. Nankyoku's new production, while sharing the title, is a completely new story. It unfolds by mixing the grand-scale motif of Earthlings versus aliens with the micro-scale motif of an emotional clash between two individuals.

Aiming to be an epoch-making work of sci-fi theater, it will be an all-out battle utilizing the utmost imagination and creativity of both Nankyoku and the audience. This work aims to be an epoch-making sci-fi play like Wakusei Pistachio's "Hakai Runner" (premiere 1993), Europe Kikaku's "Summer Time Machine Blues" (premiere 2001), or Ikiume's "Taiyo" (premiere 2011). These three plays were released in approximately 10-year cycles. Nankyoku, born in 2020 and creating a new wave in the theater world, will challenge itself to create the epoch-making sci-fi play of the 2020s.

Through a unique, large-scale performance format that enhances theatrical magic, this show aims to become news not only in the small-theater scene but in the entire theater world. Nankyoku, which is becoming an iconic presence in the young theater scene with its unique worldview connecting theater and culture, will present this 10th mainline performance as a one-time-only show at the new Tokyo Tatemono Pia Theater, which will have its pre-opening in May 2026. This single limited performance will heighten the sense of theatrical magic (the feeling of "now, here"), and we invite the audience to witness it. Furthermore, with the hope of attracting a pop culture audience that doesn't usually watch theater, the ticket price has been set at 2,000 yen (about the price of a movie ticket).

[Performance Date] 8/22 (Sat) 16:00~
[Ticket] 2,000 yen
[Venue] Tokyo Tatemono Pia Theater, TOFROM YAESU TOWER 3F-6F, 1-6-1 Yaesu, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
[Synopsis] Aliens intent on conquering Earth attack a city. In a housing complex on a peninsula far from the front lines, conspiracy theories swirl as a man underground becomes obsessed with news theater and falls in love.
[Cast] Yugami Normal, Hashiori Sari, Seyasu Yushi, Yuraku Ruka, Kujo Erika, Inoue Kosuke, Pokushin Togawa, Furuta Emu, Wakui Chihiro, Konnichi Hakase (All Nankyoku)
[Comment from Writer/Director Konnichi Hakase (Nankyoku)] There's a lot of talk on social media about whether theater is popular or not, and this performance stems from the strong, earnest wish of the 10 members of Nankyoku for theater to become popular. Since Nankyoku started in 2020, we have been creating plays at full speed, and I feel like we are only just now beginning to understand theater. Theater is inefficient, full of constraints, and requires immense effort. But sometimes, it emits an incredible light that more than makes up for all its downsides. That light is magical and irreplaceable. Suddenly, I felt I had to do a play titled "War of the Worlds." It's a grand motif fitting for our 10th performance. My Nankyoku colleagues and I have been doing theater to unleash this light at this very moment, and that is what we are about to show you.