Teru Ikuta "I want to create a universe in the middle of Shibuya." Is chanting "We are teenagers!" part of character building!? The stage play "BrightStar～asterisk～" opens! A report from the dress rehearsal & press conference has arrived.
The stage play "BrightStar～asterisk～," starring Teru Ikuta, opened on March 25, 2026, at CBGK Shibugeki!! in Shibuya, Tokyo. A public dress rehearsal and press event were held just before the premiere. This is the first stage adaptation of Ryo Fujimaru's original work, which has been repeatedly performed as reading events by popular voice actors and released as drama CDs. The story is an ensemble drama depicting the conflicts and growth of three childhood friends who are new members of the GAT (Global Area Team), a crew searching for a new planet aboard the spaceship "Matsudaira Universe." At the press conference, Ikuta, along with co-stars Ryusei Kitade and Takumi Sato, discussed their feelings on opening day and the challenges of portraying their teenage roles.
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The stage play "BrightStar～asterisk～," starring Teru Ikuta, opened on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, at CBGK Shibugeki!! in Shibuya, Tokyo. A public dress rehearsal and press conference were held just before the premiere.
This is the first stage adaptation of Ryo Fujimaru's original work, which has been repeatedly performed as reading events by popular voice actors. The drama CD "BrightStar～asterisk～" was released in 2020, followed by its sequel "BrightStar～Stargazer～" in 2021.
Set aboard the spaceship "Matsudaira Universe," which carries the GAT (Global Area Team) on a journey to find a new home to replace the now uninhabitable Earth, the play is an ensemble drama depicting the conflicts and growth of three childhood friends who have just been assigned to the crew.
Continuing from the two drama CDs, Ikuta plays the protagonist Subaru Saotome. Ryusei Kitade plays Subaru's childhood friend Ameri Hakari, and Takumi Sato plays Ryohei Yagi. The cast also includes many actors active in popular stage productions, such as Zenitsu Hashimoto, Ami Yumoto, Fuminori Murase, Iori Hayakawa, Yu Okiya, Tokiaki Kitahara, Kengo Hata, Seino Sato, Ayami Sukegawa, Naoto Takarada, Yuta Nomachi, and Toma Negi, with Ryo Fujimaru handling the script and direction.
The story begins with Subaru Saotome, Ameri Hakari, and Ryohei Yagi passing the GAT exam and boarding the "Matsudaira Universe." As the GAT continues its journey, it discovers two planets, "Sinfonia" and "Nocturne." They seek to make them habitable, but the respective intentions of the GAT, Sinfonia, and Nocturne intertwine.
The characters are very distinct and impressive, not just the cheerful Subaru, the reserved Hakari, and the bright Ryohei, but also the senior crew, including the strict but deeply caring captain played by Zenitsu Hashimoto, and the residents of Sinfonia and Nocturne. The work can be enjoyed from the perspective of each character.
At the press conference, star Teru Ikuta and co-stars Ryusei Kitade and Takumi Sato took the stage to share their feelings about the premiere.
Ikuta: "After about three weeks of rehearsals, we've brought the universe to the city of Shibuya. I hope we can all make it to the final performance on the 29th without anyone missing."
Kitade: "The entire company has worked hard to deliver a performance that can stand up to the grandeur of space, and we ask for your support."
Sato: "It's an energetic play, so we will all do our best to the very end, powered by rocket-like engines."
Ikuta, who is starring in the first stage adaptation following the drama CDs, was asked how she felt when she received the offer. "Back when we did the drama CDs, I had almost no experience playing a protagonist, so the two drama CDs I worked on as Subaru Saotome were very memorable works for me. I was truly happy from the bottom of my heart to be asked to play Subaru again for this stage adaptation," she said, sharing her feelings from that time. Regarding her efforts in playing the role, she added, "Thankfully, I've had a string of opportunities to play teenagers, but this particular work is filled with dreams and love. My own life experience at my age would inevitably show in my acting, and I struggled and had conflicts until about midway through rehearsals in portraying a girl who isn't even aware she's in love. But starting from today's premiere, I hope I can be Subaru, an innocent and pure girl chasing her dreams and love. Before every run-through, the three of us chant 'We are teenagers! We are teenagers!' backstage like a magic spell, so let's do it for the actual performances too!" she called out to her co-stars, to which Kitade and Sato responded with a smile, "Let's definitely do it!"
When asked about his confidence after the rehearsals, Kitade said, "...
This is the first stage adaptation of Ryo Fujimaru's original work, which has been repeatedly performed as reading events by popular voice actors. The drama CD "BrightStar～asterisk～" was released in 2020, followed by its sequel "BrightStar～Stargazer～" in 2021.
Set aboard the spaceship "Matsudaira Universe," which carries the GAT (Global Area Team) on a journey to find a new home to replace the now uninhabitable Earth, the play is an ensemble drama depicting the conflicts and growth of three childhood friends who have just been assigned to the crew.
Continuing from the two drama CDs, Ikuta plays the protagonist Subaru Saotome. Ryusei Kitade plays Subaru's childhood friend Ameri Hakari, and Takumi Sato plays Ryohei Yagi. The cast also includes many actors active in popular stage productions, such as Zenitsu Hashimoto, Ami Yumoto, Fuminori Murase, Iori Hayakawa, Yu Okiya, Tokiaki Kitahara, Kengo Hata, Seino Sato, Ayami Sukegawa, Naoto Takarada, Yuta Nomachi, and Toma Negi, with Ryo Fujimaru handling the script and direction.
The story begins with Subaru Saotome, Ameri Hakari, and Ryohei Yagi passing the GAT exam and boarding the "Matsudaira Universe." As the GAT continues its journey, it discovers two planets, "Sinfonia" and "Nocturne." They seek to make them habitable, but the respective intentions of the GAT, Sinfonia, and Nocturne intertwine.
The characters are very distinct and impressive, not just the cheerful Subaru, the reserved Hakari, and the bright Ryohei, but also the senior crew, including the strict but deeply caring captain played by Zenitsu Hashimoto, and the residents of Sinfonia and Nocturne. The work can be enjoyed from the perspective of each character.
At the press conference, star Teru Ikuta and co-stars Ryusei Kitade and Takumi Sato took the stage to share their feelings about the premiere.
Ikuta: "After about three weeks of rehearsals, we've brought the universe to the city of Shibuya. I hope we can all make it to the final performance on the 29th without anyone missing."
Kitade: "The entire company has worked hard to deliver a performance that can stand up to the grandeur of space, and we ask for your support."
Sato: "It's an energetic play, so we will all do our best to the very end, powered by rocket-like engines."
Ikuta, who is starring in the first stage adaptation following the drama CDs, was asked how she felt when she received the offer. "Back when we did the drama CDs, I had almost no experience playing a protagonist, so the two drama CDs I worked on as Subaru Saotome were very memorable works for me. I was truly happy from the bottom of my heart to be asked to play Subaru again for this stage adaptation," she said, sharing her feelings from that time. Regarding her efforts in playing the role, she added, "Thankfully, I've had a string of opportunities to play teenagers, but this particular work is filled with dreams and love. My own life experience at my age would inevitably show in my acting, and I struggled and had conflicts until about midway through rehearsals in portraying a girl who isn't even aware she's in love. But starting from today's premiere, I hope I can be Subaru, an innocent and pure girl chasing her dreams and love. Before every run-through, the three of us chant 'We are teenagers! We are teenagers!' backstage like a magic spell, so let's do it for the actual performances too!" she called out to her co-stars, to which Kitade and Sato responded with a smile, "Let's definitely do it!"
When asked about his confidence after the rehearsals, Kitade said, "...