Today’s post is via YNN Correspondent Brendan B, who wrote in with some amazing news! The Grand Stage series of Drama CDs are going live…on stage.

It’s such extraordinary news, in fact, that I didn’t want to lump it in with the rest of the news report.

First things first, Grand Stage Live will be held October 26, through October 30, at the Akasaka Red Theater in Tokyo. The cast has been announced and although it does not cast any of the voice actresses of the CDs, at least some of the cast has played male roles, included Ryuuto, who is playing Kohaku Minami. Ryuuto, Brendan pointed out, was one of the male villians in a Sailor Moon Musical.

The rest of the cast is as follows. Hiou Akito is being played by Nakayama Satsuki; Komori Misae plays Subaru Ryouya, Tanigawa Airi (a NMB48 member) plays Kazamiya Eru and Yuuto Irya plays Suoh Yui.

The story synopsis tells us that Grand Stage does a special Halloween performance every year and this year, Akabara-no-kimi, Suoh Yui is stepping down. A new surprising person is about to be named Top Star!

I’d guess that indicates a third series of Drama CDs (or at least a new one with a new seiyuu.) I’m okay with that, although I will be sad to lose Saiga Mitsuki. She was so wonderful as Suoh Yui in that 5th drama CD.

A recent article in ModelPress (in Japanese) actually talks about the Live event of the series and about women models playing “Ikemen” (attractive men.) Of course, the actresses are not playing attractive men…they are playing women who play attractive men, which is an interesting layer of mindfuckery.

Grand Stage Live has a Facebook page, and Twitter account, if you want to keep up on news.

I’m going to have to say, this is pretty big news. It’s a level of meta that is both appealing and really strange if you take a moment to think about it. ^_^

Thanks Brendan and if anyone is going to be in Japan in late October, and can see this, do let me know! I will demand a review.