The stage play adaptation of Auri Hirao's underground idol-themed manga If My Favorite Pop Idol Made It to the Budokan, I Would Die finally kicked off at Tokai City Arts Theater Main Hall in Nagoya- City, Aichi Prefecture on February 20. The theater troupe Gekidan Hikosen, which is organizing the stage, has released photos from the dress rehearsal. Check out how the cast members portray their characters on stage! RELATED: If My Favorite Pop Idol Made It to the Budokan, I Would Die Stage Play Unveils Main Cast Members The stage play If My Favorite Pop Idol Made It to the Budokan, I Would Die is scheduled to perform at Tokai City Arts Theater Main Hall in Nagoya- City, Aichi Prefecture from February 20 to 23, 2026, then at the Hikosen Theater in Tokyo from February 27 to March 1. Tickets for the Tokyo performances are already sold out. Ichidai Matsuda, who recently worked on a stage play adaptation of Square Enix's War of the Visions: Final Fantasy Brave Exvius game, serves as writer and director. Elements Garden, a music composer group known for their contribution to the Uta no Prince-sama and Symphogear series, is responsible for creating the original songs performed during the live segment. The main cast members include: Eripiyo played by Aika Kobayashi Kumasa played by Kotori Kojima Motoi played by Tatsuyuki Kawaratani [ChamJam] members: Reo Igarashi played by Kaho Sato (SKE48) Sorane Matsuyama played by Rika Aoki (SKE48) Maki Hakata played by Miyo Nomura (SKE48) Yumeri Mizumori played by Miyu Nakasaka (SKE48) Yuka Teramoto played by Yune Hara (SKE48) Aya Yokota played by Ami Kurashima (SKE48) Maina Ichii played by Anzu Omura (SKE48) [Maple ♡Doll] members: Mei played by Momoyo Koyama Ruri played by Kokomi Ito (SKE48) Hinaka played by Riina Sugimoto (SKE48) [Stellights] members: Harumi Iwaoka played by Mio Nishii (SKE48) Hanami Inoue played by Kyoka Shinohara (SKE48) Ryoka Noda played by Reona Ida (SKE48) Natsumi Murai played by Misato Kawauchi Kana Yamazaki played by Yoshino Kitagawa (SKE48) Maria played by Kimie Akahori (SKE48) Main visual The three idol groups—ChamJam, Maple♡Doll, and Stellights—each receive original songs newly produced for the stage. And mini-albums including the songs will release in three editions featuring each group on April 22. CD pre-orders are also being accepted at the venues. Auri Hirao's original I f My Favorite Pop Idol Made It to the Budokan, I would Die manga was serialized in Tokuma Shoten's COMIC Ryu from June 2015 to November 2025, releasing 12th collected volumes. The manga's TV anime adaptation aired for 12 episodes from January to March 2020, and then the live-action TV drama adaptation also aired for ten episodes from October to December 2022, and followed by a sequel feature film in May 2023. Crunchyroll, which streams the TV anime , describes the synopsis as such: Passionate music-lover Eripiyo only wants to see her favorite underground pop group, ChamJam, make it to the big stage at Budokan. Because they’ve enriched her life by their very existence, Eri is willing to dedicate everything she has to see this dream fulfilled – even her health. At their last performance she got a crazy nosebleed. Hey, no one said being a super-fan was easy! Source : Bushiroad press release, Bushiroad Music official X (formerly Twitter)
