From August 13 to 15, 2024, I directed the virtual stage play OTOGIBANASHI: SOME, featuring virtual singers KAF, RIM, Harusaruhi, Isekaijoucho, Koko, alongside voice actor Yuki Kaji.
2024年8月13日(火)〜15日(木)の3日間に渡り開催された、バーチャルシンガーである花譜・理芽・春猿火・ヰ世界情緒・幸祜と声優・梶裕貴が出演するバーチャル舞台劇「御伽噺」の演出を担当いたしました。
OTOGIBANASHI: A Pioneering Virtual Stage Play
Composition & Tatsuro Ogata collaborated with KAMITSUBAKI STUDIO (THINKR) on the groundbreaking project OTOGIBANASHI, where virtual artists appeared in a fully realized theatrical production—a challenge with no precedent.
OTOGIBANASHI merges the immersive tradition of theater with cutting-edge virtual technology, introducing a multilayered form of expression in which virtual artists perform live roles. The story unfolds dynamically, moving between past and future, interwoven with musical performances by members of V.W.P. The result is a new model of entertainment that blends narrative, performance, and music into a continuous immersive experience.
This production is "growing-stage work" what we call, performed repeatedly at different venues, with details updated and refined with each iteration. Audiences are invited to witness not only the growth of the artists but also the evolution of the play itself, uniquely shaped by its limited-run performances.
Supporting a “Growing” Stage: Theatrical Worldbuilding
The creative concept and virtual production design of OTOGIBANASHI were developed by MOOV by Composition.
At the core is the Octachoron Arts Theater, a virtual venue set in the fictional city of Kamitsubaki. Conceptualized as a theater of the future, it fuses the foundations of physical stagecraft with imaginative technologies that defy real-world limitations. Its circular main stage, floating sub-stages, movable LED screens, advanced lighting rigs, and articulated mechanical arms allow the stage itself to transform dynamically—creating a theatrical environment possible only through virtual production.
Composition has long collaborated with KAMITSUBAKI STUDIO, including on productions such as KAF 3rd ONE-MAN LIVE: FUKAKAI-SAN (SO) and the SINKA LIVE SERIES. These projects combined Composition’s high-quality graphics with KAMITSUBAKI’s distinctive storytelling, setting the foundation for this new theatrical endeavor.
In OTOGIBANASHI, virtual production technology enables virtual artists to perform as if physically present on stage. By merging with the theatrical frame, the production realizes performances that feel both authentic and visionary.
Director’s Comment — Tatsuro Ogata
Following the August premiere, I was entrusted with directing the first official run of OTOGIBANASHI in October. As a full-scale virtual stage production, MOOV by Composition led the virtual production design and execution.
This project represents an unprecedented challenge. Virtual artists and voice actors perform within a fictional theater space, creating a new dimension of entertainment. This is not a simple reading performance nor a minimalist stage; instead, it is a fully built virtual theater featuring set design, stage lighting, and special effects—offering audiences a truly theatrical experience.
As this is a first-of-its-kind attempt, much has been trial and error. Yet, with the combined strength of the Composition team and KAMITSUBAKI STUDIO, we are pushing the limits of what is possible. I hope both fans of KAMITSUBAKI artists and theater enthusiasts will find new inspiration in this evolving stage.
Credits
Planning / Original Work / Production: PIEDPIPER
Script: Shio Yuki (Kamitsubaki Story Development), Shutaro Oku
Director: Tatsuro Ogata (MOOV by Composition Inc.)
Supervising Director: Shutaro Oku
Character Design (Original Concepts): PALOW.
Costume & Supporting Character Design: GRAFFI
Creative Production: PHASE STUDIO
Music Score: Isao Sudo
Theme & Insert Songs: Goat
Vocals: V.W.P