Actors Reiko Takashima, Norika Fujiwara, and Ayame Gori will return for a revival of the stage play "Meiji the Cat's Eye" [1, 2].
The announcement marks the return of a high-profile cast to a production that originally served as a landmark event for one of Tokyo's most historic theaters.
During a production announcement press conference held at the Meiji-za theater in Tokyo, Takashima said she was surprised by the personal style of her co-stars [2]. She noted that both Fujiwara and Gori dress with a level of sophistication.
"Both of them are very fashionable in their private clothes," Takashima said [1].
Takashima shared an anecdote about encountering Gori in an elevator, noting that the outfit was so striking she questioned if it was a costume [1]. Because of the boldness of their attire, Takashima said her colleagues should not wear such clothes on the subway [1].
The original production of "Meiji the Cat's Eye" premiered in February 2024 [4]. That initial run was part of the celebrations for the 150th anniversary of the Meiji-za theater [5]. Due to the popularity of the original work and the success of the anniversary performance, the production has been greenlit for a return approximately two and a half years after its debut [4].
This revival is scheduled to be performed across three cities in Japan [4]. The three actresses will continue their roles as sisters in the production, maintaining the chemistry established during the first run [1, 2, 3].
“"Both of them are very fashionable in their private clothes,"”
The decision to revive "Meiji the Cat's Eye" across multiple cities suggests a strong commercial demand for the property beyond its initial anniversary tie-in. By retaining the original lead trio, the production leverages established character dynamics and celebrity draw to expand the play's reach from a single Tokyo venue to a national tour.
