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| Vivant Returns: Masato Sakai to Lead Season 2 and Upcoming Film, Overseas Location Teased (Photo: Sankei) |
It’s official – the storm of secrets, spies, and red bean buns isn’t over just yet. Masato Sakai is gearing up to return as Yusuke Nogi in Vivant 2, the sequel to the smash-hit TBS drama that dominated screens and conversation in 2023.
Appearing live on the Japanese morning show The Time, Sakai himself dropped the surprise—quite literally—with a celebratory ball reveal on-air. “It’s world-first info!” he laughed, unveiling plans for the long-awaited sequel which will air in 2026 on the same Sunday prime-time slot.
And that’s not all. Fans can also expect a Vivant movie to land by the end of next year. That’s right—Vivant is going cinematic.
The sequel will pick up directly after the cliffhanger ending of season one, with Masato Sakai’s Nogi front and centre once again. "As I was reading the script, I could already feel how much the director pushed himself with this story. So I’ll go all in with the performance," he said, clearly revved up for round two.
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Directing duties stay in the capable hands of Katsuo Fukuzawa, who led the first series and now returns to oversee the original story, direction and production. He’s once again teaming up with Sakai, forming a dynamic duo that fans already trust to deliver a high-stakes, globe-trotting thriller.
Filming locations remain hush-hush, but Fukuzawa did hint that season two will also shoot overseas in a setting that’s “unique to viewers”. Earlier rumours suggest Azerbaijan is on the cards, but the team’s keeping cards close to the chest for now.
The first Vivant series turned heads with its cinematic scale, gripping plot twists, and star-studded cast—including Hiroshi Abe and Fumi Nikaido—earning massive ratings and a cult following. Viewers were left buzzing by the finale, which strongly hinted at more to come.
And sure enough, that ominous red bun placed in front of Nogi in the last scene? It wasn’t just for show.
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For those who need a quick recap: Season one followed Nogi, an elite employee at Marubishi Trading, who was wrongly caught up in a 13 billion yen transfer mishap. Chasing the truth led him to the fictional Republic of Balka, where he was mistaken for a terrorist and hunted down—only to reveal he was actually a covert agent from an unofficial military intelligence unit, Beppan.
The deeper he dug, the more shocking the connections became—including the discovery that the leader of the international terror group Tent was none other than his estranged father, Nogon Beki (played by Koji Yakusho). What followed was betrayal, emotional landmines, and a mission that ended with Nogi pulling the trigger himself.
Sakai teased that Vivant 2 will dive even deeper into the loose ends left behind. “There were moments reading the script where I finally understood—‘So that’s why it happened like that last time!’” he shared. Though he remained tight-lipped on specific plot points, he did joke, “There are things I’d like to say, but… I can’t say anything yet!”
Filming begins soon, with cast announcements expected over the coming months. Whether Nogi’s old allies or foes will return remains to be seen, but one thing’s for sure—Vivant 2 isn’t here to play small.
Stay tuned—this saga’s just getting started.