VIVANT season 2 episode 11 draws strong viewership and surprise guest stars

The Japanese drama VIVANT returned for a second season after a three‑year hiatus, with episode 11 airing as the opening of the new two‑cour run. The episode opened to solid ratings – 18.8 % household share and 12.1 % individual share in the Kanto region – following a series‑final that had peaked at 19.6 %.

Producer Iida Kazutaka said he felt relief at the audience’s enthusiastic response and highlighted the episode’s surprise‑cast strategy. Guests included Olympic judo gold‑medalist Natsumi Kakuta, voice actors Hanazawa Natsuki and Kito Akari, and famed game creator Hideo Kojima, among others. The plot continues the story of intelligence‑unit “Betsuban” leader Nogi Yūsuke as he confronts new threats, with clues such as the “red manju” and the abduction of team members driving the narrative forward.

The production team also noted the extensive on‑location shooting across Japan, emphasizing the collaborative effort behind the series and teasing further developments for upcoming episodes.