Masato Sakai is a host of NHK's 77th Kohaku Uta Gassen, announced October 9, and plays the villain Ryu in the TBS drama VIVANT, whose sequel airs from July for two consecutive cours.
Masato Sakai's recent coverage is split between a hosting announcement and a returning drama role. On October 9, NHK announced the hosts of the 77th Kohaku Uta Gassen: Mana Ashida, Masato Sakai, Kazunari Ninomiya, and announcer Nahoko Suzuki. The theme is "Koe te ikou, uta to tomo ni," and the show airs live December 31 from 7:20 p.m. to 11:45 p.m. Sakai and Ninomiya play sworn brothers in the TBS drama VIVANT, whose sequel airs from July for two consecutive cours, tying the hosting to the summer drama slate.
In VIVANT, Sakai plays Ryu. Episode 16, broadcast August 30, brought Ryu back. He had been reported to have disappeared and died five years ago, and he reappeared before Nozaki (Hiroshi Abe) as a member of the hostile organization Shinshi. The confrontation with his former superior drew heavy attention on social media, and fans split on whether Ryu returned as an enemy or an ally. The ally theory rests on the pair's history: Ryu disappeared after going on a reckless mission alone out of a desire to be recognized. Some read the opening line and the slap as a sign Ryu knows Nozaki's lies, and the confrontation as a performance to divert suspicion. Bolder theories propose a secret pact made five years ago to undermine Shinshi from within. Skeptics say a double agent has weak motivation to side with Nozaki at the cost of abandoning his homeland.
The kanji spelling of Ryu's name also drew notice. Written "Ryu Minxuan," the surname has kun-yomi including "korosu" and "tsuraneru," and meanings such as "katsu, uchikatsu," "korosu," "tsuraneru, meguru," and "sword, broadaxe." Reactions on social media included "serious goosebumps" and "it fits Ryu perfectly."
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NHK announced on Friday, October 9, the hosts of the 77th Kohaku Uta Gassen: Mana Ashida, Masato Sakai, Kazunari Ninomiya, and announcer Nahoko Suzuki. The 2026 theme is "Koe te ikou, uta to tomo ni." Sakai and Ninomiya play sworn brothers in the TBS drama VIVANT, whose sequel airs from July for two consecutive cours. The show airs live December 31, 7:20 p.m. to 11:45 p.m.
In the Sunday drama VIVANT, the kanji spelling of villain Ryu Minxuan, played by Masato Sakai, is drawing attention on social media. His name is written "Ryu Minxuan." The surname has kun-yomi including "korosu" and "tsuraneru," and meanings such as "katsu, uchikatsu," "korosu," "tsuraneru, meguru," and "sword, broadaxe." Reactions include "serious goosebumps" and "it fits Ryu perfectly."
Episode 16 of VIVANT, broadcast August 30, brought back Ryu Minshuen, played by Masato Sakai in his triple role. Ryu was reported to have disappeared and died five years ago. He reappeared before Nozaki (Hiroshi Abe) as a member of the hostile organization Shinshi, and his confrontation scene with his former superior drew heavy attention on social media. Fans are split on whether Ryu returned as an enemy or an ally. The ally theory draws on the pair's history: Ryu disappeared after going on a reckless mission alone out of a desire to be recognized. Some read the opening line delivered with a slap as a message that Ryu knows all Nozaki's lies, and the confrontation itself as a performance to divert suspicion. Bolder theories propose a secret pact made five years ago to undermine Shinshi from within. Skeptics counter that a double agent has weak motivation to side with Nozaki at the cost of abandoning his homeland, and that the thrill of finishing off Nozaki with his own hands seems stronger. Director Miyazaki Yohei said comedian Shinya, who played a mercenary in the flashback, has a brother in the Balka police. Fans connect this to the unnamed officer Shinya played in Season 1 episodes 1 and 2.