VIVANT season 2 garners record ratings and sparks fan speculation

The second season of the Japanese TBS Sunday drama VIVANT has attracted strong audience numbers, with the premiere episode recording an 18.8 % household rating and a 12.1 % individual rating in the Kanto region. Streaming platform TVer logged 6.42 million views within five days of the first episode’s online release, setting a new record for single‑episode viewership.

Fans are actively debating possible betrayals among the cast, focusing on characters such as the hacker Shōta Tōjō and the charismatic translator Drum, whose back‑stories hint at hidden motives. Speculation intensified after episode 12 showed a change in Tōjō’s room décor, prompting online theories that he may be aligning with the terrorist group “Tent”.

Production details reveal a significant budget increase for season 2, with each episode costing roughly ¥120 million (about ¥20 billion total) and cast salaries rising 30 % from the first season. Filming took place in Azerbaijan and other overseas locations, despite a fatal accident involving a local truck driver. The series continues to generate discussion across social media, with viewers dissecting plot twists, character arcs, and the introduction of new “new‑team” members.