It was announced on March 31st that a sequel to the TBS Sunday drama "VIVANT" (Sundays at 9 PM), which starred actor Masato Sakai and aired from July to September 2023 and became a hot topic, will air in the same time slot for six months starting in July 2026. The announcement was made on the same day on the TBS morning information program "THE TIME," (Monday-Friday, 5:20 AM). A drama airing for six months is extremely rare on commercial television, and the sequel will unfold on an unprecedented scale. A movie commemorating the decision to air from July, "VIVANT NEXT TO YOU," has also started streaming.
In the previous installment, Nogi Yusuke (Masato Sakai), an intelligence agent of the "Special Unit," an unofficial organization directly under the Self-Defense Forces, infiltrated the Barka Republic in pursuit of the international terrorist organization "Tent." He learns that Tent's leader, Nogorn Beki (Koji Yakusho), is his long-lost father, but assassinates Beki with his own hands. Just when it seemed that everything was settled, a red bun was placed before Nogi once again.
The sequel resumes with the "red bun" once again placed in the background. The epic story surrounding the next mission awaiting Nogi and his team was filmed on a large scale in Azerbaijan.
Sakai commented, "I felt like the story ended with the previous installment, but as I read the script this time, I was really excited and thrilled to find out that the mysteries were far from resolved, and I was able to immerse myself in the story. I hope that viewers will have a similar experience. This is a work that the staff and cast have put their all into creating. I hope that everyone will fully embrace it."
Currently, the previous series, which aired in 2023, is available for free streaming for a limited time on "TVer." Additionally, a promotional video titled "VIVANT NEXT TO YOU" commemorating the upcoming sequel's broadcast in July has been released.
The full text of Mr. Sakai's comments is as follows:
◇Comment from Masato Sakai
Now that the July start date has been confirmed, I feel like this day has finally arrived. We've been preparing for a long time, so I'm very relieved that we can finally deliver the work to everyone, but I'm also a little nervous about how the sequel will be received. With two seasons of broadcasting, no wonder the script felt so heavy (laughs).
In the sequel, we know that Nogi is in a different unit, and the story features Nogi quite prominently. Unlike the first half of the previous work, where Nozaki, played by Abe, led the way, I think Nogi will take on a more proactive role. I felt like the story ended in the previous work, but as I read the script this time, I was very excited and thrilled to find out that the mysteries were far from resolved, and I was able to immerse myself in the story. I hope that viewers will have a similar experience. This is a work that the staff and cast have put their hearts and souls into creating. I hope that everyone will fully embrace it.
Also, the previous season is now available for free streaming. The previous season is very interesting because you can see how each character is desperately trying to make their way through the story with limited information, while the outcome of the story remains unclear. I think that watching the previous season will make the momentum leading up to the sequel much stronger, so if you haven't seen it yet, I would like you to take this opportunity to watch it. In fact, there are many answers and mysteries to be solved in the sequel, so even if you have seen it once, I think you will enjoy the broadcast starting in July even more if you review it.
Stay tuned!
