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10 clusters · 20 sources · 47 days · First seen · Last updated

Categories: CULTURE

VIVANT Japanese drama season 2

Entities: Hideo Kojima · VIVANT (TV series) · Iida Kazutaka · Sakai Masato · Hayato (AI character in VIVANT)

Overview

The second season of the Japanese drama VIVANT launched on TBS’s Sunday Drama slot on 26 July 2026, continuing its high‑profile voice casting. Natsuki Hanae and Maika Kaito reprise news‑anchor roles, while veteran Minami Takayama voices the AI support character Hayato, and game creator Hideo Kojima appears as Police Chief Watanabe. Episode 11 opens the new two‑cour run, revisiting the cliffhanger from season 1 and depicting the rescue of five abducted “separate‑team” agents in Cyprus. The premiere secured an 18.8 % household rating in the Kanto region, with episode 11 achieving a matching 18.8 % household share and a 12.1 % individual share; the series‑final of the previous run had peaked at 19.6 %. Producer Iida Kazutaka praised the audience response and highlighted surprise guest stars, including Olympic judo gold‑medalist Natsumi Kakuta and voice actors Hanazawa Natsuki and Kito Akari. Cast members Sakai Masato and Ashida Mana received particular acclaim. Online discussion notes the blend of espionage, technology and celebrity talent as a driver of ratings, while speculation grows about a sequel that may feature betrayals linked to Nagano Toshihiko’s mysterious two‑year gap and a top‑level hacker.

Claims

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

Timeline

  1. about 2 hours ago

    [CULTURE] 2 sources
    VIVANT season 2 episode 11 draws strong viewership and surprise guest stars

    VIVANT season 2 episode 11 returns after three years, earns 18.8 % household ratings and features surprise guests like Olympic judo champion Natsumi Kakuta and game designer Hideo Kojima.

  2. 3 days ago

    [CULTURE] 3 sources
    VIVANT drama secures high ratings and fuels sequel speculation

    VIVANT’s new season opened with an 18.8% Kanto rating; Sakai Masato and Ashida Mana receive praise, while fans debate possible betrayals by Nagano Toshihiko in the sequel.

  3. 6 days ago

    [CULTURE] 11 sources
    VIVANT season 2 launch sparks buzz with star voice cast and cameo appearance

    VIVANT season 2 premiered July 26 2026 on TBS, featuring star voice actors, Minami Takayama as AI Hayato, a Hideo Kojima cameo, and a plot‑twist abduction in episode 11 that drove fan buzz.

  4. 8 days ago

    [CULTURE] 4 sources
    Japanese Spy Drama VIVANT Season 2 Launches Amid Actor Interviews and Tough Overseas Shoot

    Season 2 of the Japanese spy drama VIVANT premiered on July 26, featuring Masato Sakai’s interview on the grueling production and Hiroshi Abe’s surprisingly thin look, while the series continued its tough two‑‑

  5. 8 days ago

    [CULTURE] 3 sources
    VIVANT Season 2 premieres on TBS Sunday Drama

    VIVANT’s second season launches on TBS on July 26, featuring Sakai Masato and newcomer Kōji Yakusho, backed by a year‑long social‑media push and fan‑focused AI platform integration.

  6. 17 days ago

    [CULTURE] 2 sources
    Japanese drama VIVANT season 2 adds Thai actor amid evolving hero archetypes

    VIVANT season 2 launches July 26 with returning Japanese stars and new Thai actor Tanapak Jongjaiphar, highlighting a shift toward diverse, complex hero portrayals.

  7. 21 days ago

    [CULTURE] 3 sources
    VIVANT Season 2 character visuals unveiled for July launch

    TBS released character visuals for 16 key roles in the upcoming second season of the Japanese drama VIVANT, starring Masato Sakai, set to premiere on 26 July.

  8. 23 days ago

    [CULTURE] 2 sources
    VIVANT season 2 fuels fan buzz with new character video and veteran actor interview

    VIVANT’s season 2 launch is highlighted by a new character video starring 松坂桃李 and an interview with veteran actor 小日向文世, boosting fan excitement ahead of the July 26 premiere.

  9. about 1 month ago

    [CULTURE] 2 sources
    Japanese drama “VIVANT” to re‑air first season ahead of season 2 launch

    The first season of TBS drama “VIVANT” will be rebroadcast over ten nights from June 27 to July 6 in the Kanto region, with the final episode showing an exclusive cut of the original 2023 ending, ahead of the 2

  10. about 2 months ago

    [CULTURE] 2 sources
    VIVANT Season 2 launches July 26 with new cast and fan events

    VIVANT returns on 26 July with new cast members Kyōko Miyashita and Thai actor OHM, plus special screenings and fan events in Japan.

Sources

animeanime.jp · cho-animedia.jp · cinemacafe.net · citygalleria.hr · cserdi.hu · eigachannel.jp · gamespark.jp · goetheweb.jp · hochi.news · j-cast.com · jisin.jp · mercado.co.ao · news.cube-soft.jp · note.jp · rbbtoday.com · s.animeanime.jp · smart-flash.jp · thefirsttimes.jp · tokyo-sports.co.jp · tvlife.jp

This summary has been updated 6 times: see revision history