Kabuki Stage Play Adaptation of 'Cells at Work!' Announced for April 2027
The popular manga 'Cells at Work!' will receive a kabuki stage play adaptation in April 2027, featuring a mix of traditional kabuki actors and other performers. Directed by Kensuke Yokouchi, the play will star Ainosuke Kataoka as White Blood Cell, alongside other notable actors.
A new kabuki stage play adaptation of Akane Shimizu's *Cells at Work!* manga has been announced for April 2027. The production, titled a 'scramble kabuki' play, will blend traditional kabuki actors with other performers. The official announcement was made via a newly opened X/Twitter account last Friday, revealing that the play will premiere at Tokyo's Shinbashi Enbujō theater.
## Production and Cast
Kensuke Yokouchi will direct and write the play. Ainosuke Kataoka, known for his role as Pneumococcus in the live-action film, will take on the lead role of White Blood Cell. The cast also includes Kazutarō Nakamura, Ryoga Ishikawa, Mandy Sekiguchi, and Ichikawa Chusha.
## Manga and Anime Background
Shimizu's original *Cells at Work!* manga launched in *Monthly Shonen Sirius* in March 2015 and concluded in January 2021. Kodansha USA Publishing has released the manga in English. The franchise has expanded into multiple anime adaptations, including two television seasons and a spinoff, *Cells at Work! Code Black*, which premiered in January 2021 alongside the second season.
A live-action film adaptation debuted in Japan in December 2024, topping the box office with 612,000 tickets sold and earning 844,768,310 yen (approximately US$5.74 million) in its first three days. Netflix began streaming the film exclusively in June 2025.
## Spinoffs and Expansions
The *Cells at Work!* franchise has spawned numerous spinoff manga, many of which are available in English through Kodansha USA Publishing. These include:
| Title | English Release Status | |---|---| | *Cells at Work: Bacteria!* | Available | | *Cells at Work!: Neo Bacteria!* | Available | | *Cells at Work! White Brigade* | Available | | *Cells at Work! Baby* | Available | | *Cells NOT at Work!* | Available | | *Cells at Work! Code Black* | Available | | *Cells at Work and Friends!* | Available | | *Cells at Work! Lady* | Available | | *Cells at Work: Platelets!* | Available |
Additional spinoffs include *Cells at Work! Illegal* by Kae Hashimoto, *Cells at Work! Muscle* by Yū Maeda, *Cells at Work! Cat* by Choko Aozora and Meku Kaire, and *Cells at Work! Medicine* by Koma Warita and Ryō Kuji.
