Fashion designer Yamamoto Kansai (66) chose Kinki Kids� Doumoto Koichi (31) to play as Kikuchiyo in a stage show called �KANSAI SUPER SHOW: Shichinin no Samurai�. The stage show is based on the famous 1954 film from Kurosawa Akira, �Shichinin no Samurai�, in which Kikuchiyo�s character was portrayed by the legendary actor, Mifune Toshiro.

It has been said that it took three years to prepare for the show, so there seems to be a serious effort put into this one.� Yamamoto said that even though the story is heavily based on Kurosawa�s movie, the stage play will be set in the present day, and of course, the actions will be adjusted to suit the present time. Yamamoto plans to make the production last for 90 minutes. Aside from producing the show, Yamamoto Kansai designed the costumes that will be used in the stage show.

The other �seven samurais� will be played by Emoto Akira (61), Naka Riisa (20), the kickboxer Masato (31), Dachou Club�s Ueshima Ryuhei (49), dancer Moriyama Kaiji (36), and gymnast Iketani Yukio (39). All in all, the cast will have 500 people.

The stage show will be open from November 20-21 at the Ariake Coliseum, and is expected to draw around 32,000 people. Yamamoto also wishes to bring the stage show overseas.

The official website for the show was launched today.