 Shinobu Momose , a writer specializing in novelizations , adapted Departures as a novel . It was published by Shogakukan in 2008 . That year the company also released <unk> ( Letter @-@ Stone ) , an illustrated book on the themes of the film told from the point of view of a talking stone ; this book was written by Koyama and illustrated by <unk> <unk> . The following year Shogakukan published an edition of Koyama 's first draft of the screenplay . A stage version of the film , also titled Departures , was written by Koyama and directed by Takita . It debuted at the Akasaka ACT Theater on 29 May 2010 , featuring kabuki actor Nakamura <unk> as Daigo and Rena Tanaka as Mika . The story , set seven years after the close of the film , concerns the insecurities of the couple 's son over Daigo 's profession . 
