Inside Japan Selection
HoriPro Inc — Future boy CONAN

Future Boy CONAN is a Japanese television anime series that originally aired in 1978 and quickly became a beloved classic. It marked the directorial debut of Hayao Miyazaki, who would later go on to create internationally acclaimed masterpieces such as My Neighbour Totoro and Spirited Away. At the time, Miyazaki was a 36-year-old animator, and Conan was his first series in which he directed all 26 episodes. In recent years, the show has been reevaluated both in Japan and abroad as “the origin of Miyazaki anime.” 

The series is based on the 1970 science fiction novel The Incredible Tide by Alexander Key. Set in a world devastated by super-electromagnetic warfare that has submerged the continents, the story follows a kind-hearted boy named Conan as he sets out to rescue a girl named Lana, who has been abducted by the authoritarian nation of Industria. Along the way, he matures through his experiences. Themes of harmony with nature, environmental destruction, anti-war sentiment, anti-authoritarianism, and the innocence of youth are all present—hallmarks of Miyazaki’s later work, making this early series a prototype of his celebrated style. 

“Neither Conan nor Lana are trying to save the world. They simply act out of a pure desire to protect the people they care about—and in doing so, they become the force that changes the world. It is this empathy and selflessness, the essence of humanity, that gives the story its strength and beauty. That is what we most wanted to convey,” says Horipro, the company that conceived and produced the stage adaptation. 

Horipro is one of Japan’s leading theatre production companies. With a track record of producing musicals inspired by Broadway and West End hits, as well as adaptations of novels, films, manga, and anime, they have consistently delivered high-quality productions. Horipro has worked with director-choreographer Inbal Pinto for over a decade, including on the stage adaptation of Haruki Murakami’s The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. Their collaborations are known for combining edgy artistry with accessible entertainment. 

Inbal Pinto, formerly of the Batsheva Dance Company, is an Israeli choreographer, director, and visual artist. Renowned for creating surreal, dreamlike worlds that defy convention, her aesthetic is both unique and enchanting. She says she has long been influenced by the layered visual language of Hayao Miyazaki, and approached this project with both reverence and creative resolve (co-directed by David Mambouch). While the stage production features a stellar cast—including Kiyoshiro Kato as Conan and Yuka Kageyama as Lana—it does not aim to be a faithful reproduction of the anime. Instead, Pinto uses her own interpretive language, complemented by nine original symbolic songs composed by Umitaro Abe, and live foley performance for all sound effects, to create an original theatrical vision of Future Boy CONAN. 

At the heart of this vision are eight extraordinary dancers whose presence is essential to the performance. From the opening dance scene—which symbolically portrays humanity’s downfall through misguided choices—to depictions of animals, plants, and internal landscapes, the dancers bring the physical world to life. They also support the actors’ movements and handle props and set changes. Their dynamic and devoted performances lend the stage a poetic, physical texture that gives Miyazaki’s epic fantasy a new and persuasive form unique to live theatre. 

Following the successful stage adaptations of My Neighbour Totoro and Spirited Away in the UK, this distinctive reinterpretation of Future Boy CONAN invites audiences to compare and experience the many ways Miyazaki’s world can be brought to the stage.