Live Act ''BlazBlue'' ~Continuum Shift~

This article contains phrases or names that do not have official English localizations. Their current translations act as placeholders.

Further details: Information about this play only applies to Japan. No official announcement has been made regarding Western releases of this play.

Live Act "BlazBlue" ~Continuum Shift~, often shortened to BlazBlue Live Act, was a series of live action stage performances based on BlazBlue: Continuum Shift. It played at the Tennōzu Galaxy Theatre (天王洲 銀河劇場) throughout March 3rd - March 9th, 2014.

Synopsis

その昔、「 黒き獣 」と呼ばれる謎の生命体が突如として現れた。
そんな折、六人の英傑が現れた。
彼らは古の力「 魔術 」を人類に伝え、人々はそれに「 科学 」を融合させ新たなる力「 術式 」を完成させた。
「 術式 」を得た人類は、六人の英傑とともに｢ 黒き獣 」に対して反撃を開始し、激しい戦いの果て、ついに「 黒き獣 」を打ち倒すことに成功した。
この戦いは「 第一次魔道大戦 」と呼ばれ、彼ら六人の英傑は「 六英雄 」として後世まで語り継がれる存在となった。
人類が「術式」を行使するために大量に作成された「 魔道書 」を管理する「 世界虚空情報統制機構（統制機構） 」が設立された。
やがて、統制機構は多くの「 魔道書 」を有する優位性を利用して、世界を統治するようになっていった。
程なくして、統制機構の統治管理下であった「 イカルガ連邦 」が独立を宣言。
統制機構とイカルガ連邦は真っ向から対し、「 第二次魔道大戦（イカルガ内戦） 」が勃発した。
人類同士による術式を用いた初めての戦争。
戦争はイカルガ連邦の敗北、そして壊滅によって終結した。
統制機構はさらに発言力を強め、人々の心に「 刃向かう者は完膚なきまでに殲滅する 」という 徹底した姿勢を見せつけたのであった。

Information

As an adaptation of BlazBlue: Continuum Shift, BlazBlue Live Act roughly follows the same main story as its source material. However, it uses a reduced cast consisting of Ragna the Bloodedge, Jin Kisaragi, Noel Vermillion/Mu-12, Rachel Alucard, Tsubaki Yayoi, Hazama/Yuuki Terumi, and Makoto Nanaya. The overall run time of the play is approximately 1h 45m.

The stage was white and used a projector to show backgrounds and various stages from the games. There were different levels to the stage and four walls in the back that were moved by hidden stage techs. Various special moves were projected onto these screens. Mu's entire outfit was projected onto her, while the Lux Sanctus: Murakumo was projected onto a semi-transparent screen.

Cast

• YUUKI Tomotsune as Ragna the Bloodedge
• ARAMAKI Yoshihiko as Jin Kisaragi
• MISAKI Momose as Noel Vermillion/Mu-12
• SHOKO Sawa as Rachel Alucard
• HARUKA Kohara as Tsubaki Yayoi
• KOHEI Murakami as Hazama/Yuuki Terumi
• MAKOTO Koichi as Makoto Nanaya

Additional cast members in unnamed roles are: KI Asada, KATSUNARI Fujishim, KOYUKI Nakajima, YOSHIHITO Tanaka, UMI Kitamura, JOTARO Matsumoto, YUYOSHI Kimura, and ANNA Otsuka. HAJIME Kanzaki was due to appear but due to an undisclosed physical condition was replaced by Matsumoto.

Staff

Supervision

MORI Toshimichi (Arc System Works) "BlazBlue Series Producer"

Direction

INOUE Tete

Screenplay

RASPUTIN Yano

Stage director

TERUHIKO Nakanishi

RYO Nakazato

Action coordinator

JUN Watanabe (Japan Action Enterprise)

Illusion coordination

Ai and Yuki (GVjp)

Costume

AYA Inoue (A.mLab)

Hair and makeup

ASUKA Saito

Modeling props

AKIRA Ryu (1107 Co., Ltd.)

Photography

SHOHEI Sato (Studio Phil Main Store)

Promotion

SUSUMU Ogawa (Join Point)

Visual design

MAYUMI Urushido

AKIRA Lee

Koami

Web Design

Ishiiya

Production

JUKA Tou (1107 Co., Ltd.)

Production Advisor

KEN Sekiguchi (Frontier Works)

Producers

HIDEMASA Arai (Q-tec)

TADAYOSHI Takeuchi (1107 Co., Ltd.)

KENICHI Matsumoto (Frontier Works)

Production cooperation

Studio Phil Main Store

Stickham Japan

Live Next

Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies, University of Tokyo Akira Kanbaba Laboratory

Miwy (provided by Wig)

Cooperation

Atomic Monkey

Avange Entertainment

Osawa Office

Justice Japan Entertainment

Japan Action Enterprise

Tri Crew Entertainment

Dolchester

Dragonfly Entertainment

Blue Ale

UTY

Organizer

© LIVE ACT "BLAZBLUE" 2016 Production Committee

(Q-tec / 1107 Co., Ltd./Frontier Works)

Production

1107 Co., Ltd.

Reception

Only one review has been found, which was by Richard Eisenbeis of Kotaku. The reduction of the main cast seemed to work in its favour as the characters were able to focus on three main subplots: the rivalry between Ragna and Jin; the trial of friendship between Noel, Tsubaki, and Makoto; and Terumi's machinations. Eisenbeis praised the use of the projectors for the stage as well as performances by Momose and Murakami as Noel and Terumi, respectively. Murakami would steal every scene he was in, while Momose's portrayal of Noel's descent in despair was expertly done. Action sequences were well choregraphed and often featured throughout the play.

The only noted negative to the play was the use of complex terminology with little explanation, save one sequence towards the end where Makoto explains key concepts and terminology to her subordinates. This slowed the pace of the play, but was ultimately necessary. Eisenbeis finished his review by calling the play "something special" and noting that it far exceeded the more poorly received anime adaptation BlazBlue: Alter Memory.

Trivia

• This is the only piece of media that shows Makoto having subordinates during her tenure at the Novus Orbis Librarium.
• Unfortunately, no video footage of the play, outside of rehearsals, exists.