VIVANT season 2 launch sparks buzz with star voice cast and cameo appearance

VIVANT season 2 Minami Takayama Hideo Kojima cameo AI Hayato

The Japanese drama VIVANT returned for a second season on July 26 2026, broadcasting weekly on TBS’s Sunday Drama slot (21:00‑21:54). The launch attracted attention for its high‑profile voice cast: Natsuki Hanae and Maika Kaito appear as news anchors, while Minami Takayama provides the voice of the new AI character “AI Hayato,” a surprise that prompted enthusiastic comments on social media.

World‑famous game creator Hideo Kojima made a cameo as Police Chief Watanabe (綿貫賢), a role that many viewers missed at first. Episode 11 sees five members of the covert unit “別班” abducted from hospitals, a plot twist that intensified fan discussion. The season’s blend of espionage, technology and celebrity voice talent has generated strong online buzz and solid viewership for the series.

Entities: AI Hayato · Akari Kito · Hayato (AI character in VIVANT) · Hideo Kojima · Minami Takayama · Natsuki Hanae · TBS · VIVANT (Japanese TV drama) · VIVANT (TV drama)

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[● 4 SOURCES] VIVANT season 2 premiered on July 26 2026. (multiple sources)
[● 2 SOURCES] Natsuki Hanae and Maika Kaito appear as news‑anchor characters in the season. (multiple sources)
[● 4 SOURCES] Fans reacted strongly on social media, praising the surprise voice casting. (multiple sources)
[● 4 SOURCES] Minami Takayama provides the voice for the AI character “AI Hayato” in season 2. (multiple sources)
[● 3 SOURCES] AI Hayato assists the team by rapidly analysing large amounts of data. (multiple sources)
[● 2 SOURCES] Game creator Hideo Kojima made a cameo appearance as Police Chief Watanabe (綿貫賢). (multiple sources)
[● 4 SOURCES] The series airs on TBS’s Sunday Drama slot from 21:00 to 21:54 each week. (multiple sources)
[● 2 SOURCES] Episode 11 shows five members of the covert unit “別班” abducted from hospitals. (multiple sources)