Masaaki Sakai

Acting

Masaaki Sakai

Born August 6, 1946 (age 80)

Born the son of Shunji Sakai, a famous comedian in Japan, Sakai initially came to fame by fronting the group sounds band The Spiders. This group, formed in 1962, was popular throughout the 1960s; they spawned several hit songs as well as thirteen situation comedy films featuring their music. He took the title role of Songoku (Monkey) in the 1970s Japanese TV program Saiyūki. This gained him fame …

Known For

Spirit WorldSpirit World · 2025
Spirit World
5.92025
MovieDramaFantasy
Legendary singer Claire Emery flies to Japan for a final sold-out concert. But when the show ends, so does Claire’s life on earth. However, an unexpected new life in the spirit world - where she will be guided by Yuzo, one of her biggest fans - awaits.
Final Take: The Golden Age of MoviesFinal Take: The Golden Age of Movies · 1986
Final Take: The Golden Age of Movies
6.61986
MovieDrama
Director Ogata discovers a new female star in Koharu Tanaka, who works selling candy at a studio theater and she is given a part as a bit player. After the studio's top leading lady is embroiled in a scandal, Koharu is suddenly thrust into the limelight when she replaces her in a film and gains instant fame and fortune. But the going is not always easy, and she soon seeks help from unexpected quarters.
Youth A Go Go!Youth A Go Go! · 1966
Youth A Go Go!
1966
Movie
Kenichi and Satoru join up with three other electric music lovers to form their own band, "The Young and Fresh."
Let's Dance Bon-Odori in HawaiiLet's Dance Bon-Odori in Hawaii · 1964
Let's Dance Bon-Odori in Hawaii
5.31964
MovieComedyMusic
A young man longs to travel to Hawaii, the birthplace of his deceased father, against the wishes of his family, who are estranged from those relatives in Waikiki.
Here Because of YouHere Because of You · 1964
Here Because of You
5.51964
MovieDrama
An uplifting drama about the bond between a group of high school seniors and their kind-hearted teacher, Mr. Yabuki. Faced with the rigors of growing up in modern times, students often look to Mr. Yabuki for advice and guidance. But when Mr. Yabuki’s career is threatened as a result of a false accusation from the school’s PTA, the students band together to stand up for their beloved teacher and help him to save his good reputation and job.
My SweetheartMy Sweetheart · 1967
My Sweetheart
1967
Movie
It had been a year and four months since Mitsuo was last on a movie set. Welcomed back by director Ishizaki and his film crew, Mitsuo is excited to star as the lead in "My Sweetheart". One day, half way through production, he meets his friends from a popular rock group, "The Spiders". Through their discussion regarding the climax scene, they criticize that the script is too grim. In a notion to protect their friend's career, they decide to pay the scriptwriter a little visit.
A Hardest Night!!A Hardest Night!! · 2005
A Hardest Night!!
6.12005
MovieComedyDrama
A celebration of the ancient art of Japanese rakugo, roughly translated as “comic storytelling”. The film is interspersed with numerous funerals and wakes, songs, dances, and often disgustingly crude jokes.
Bored Hatamoto: Letter of DeathBored Hatamoto: Letter of Death · 1993
Bored Hatamoto: Letter of Death
1993
Movie
Bored Hatamoto film

Filmography

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Yunagi City, Sakura CountryYunagi City, Sakura Country · 2007
Yunagi City, Sakura Country
7.02007
Movie
Thirteen years afterward, I wonder if those who bombed Hiroshima are looking at me and saying: 'We did it! We were able to kill another person!' They should be," murmurs Minami (played by Kumiko Aso), one of the two leading female characters in Yunagi no Machi, Sakura no Kuni, as she lies dying in 1958, her life brought to a premature end by sickness resulting from her exposure to atomic bomb radiation. This is a story about those who at least initially survived the first U.S. atomic bombing of 1945 and their descendants in contemporary times. The film, based on a comic by Fumiyo Kono, jumps between the two time frames and quietly depicts the sorrow and mortification experienced through the everyday lives of laid-back and soft-spoken Hiroshima people. Only a few scenes of the bombing and the ensuing devastation are featured.

Asahi Ishikawa (Old)

The Fearless Otojiro's CompanyThe Fearless Otojiro's Company · 2007
The Fearless Otojiro's Company
2007
MovieDrama
In 1897, actor, director, producer and theatre company leader Kawakami Otojiro set off on a tour of the USA with his wife Sadayakko and theatre company members, but in a foreign country where he could not speak the language, he had to struggle against a succession of adversities, including lawyers absconding with the proceeds and actors going on strike. One day, however, Otojiro arrives in Boston on his arduous tour and sees a packed house for a performance of The Merchant of Venice by the famous British actor Henry Irving. In just one night of rehearsals, they concoct a Japanese version of The Merchant of Venice, and perform the play to a foreign audience with bullshit dialogue and a reckless performance that can be cut short by "Sucharaka poko poko" when they get stuck on a word.
Furuhata NinzaburoFuruhata Ninzaburo · 1994
Furuhata Ninzaburo
8.81994
SeriesDramaCrime
Furuhata Ninzaburō is a Japanese television series that ran periodically on Fuji Television from 1994 until its final episodes in 2006. It was written by Japanese playwright Kōki Mitani and is often referred to as the Japanese version of Columbo. The series is a police detective drama starring actor Masakazu Tamura as Furuhata Ninzaburo and Masahiko Nishimura as his stereotypically bumbling sidekick, Shintaro Imaizumi. The program aired weekly and featured a guest villain each time, usually a famous talent in Japan. Pop-stars like SMAP, television hosts like Sanma Akashiya and even sports figures like Ichiro Suzuki have been featured on this program. It was one of the most popular television dramas in the history of Japanese television, having spawned several seasons and TV specials.

中村右近

ChurasanChurasan · 2001
Churasan
9.72001
SeriesDramaFamily
The 64th NHK Asadora Renzoku Drama is Churasan, a story of a young woman, Kohagura Eri, who was born in Kohamajima Island, Okinawa on May 15, 1972, the day when Okinawa was returned to Japan from the U.S. Eleven years later, Kamimura Shizuko and her two sons, Kazuya and Fumiya, from Tokyo come to stay as the guests of a small inn run by Eri’s family. Eri’s fun-loving, yet eccentric family welcomes them warmly. However, Eri is shocked to hear one of the sons, Kazuya is terminally ill and Shizuko and her sons came to Okinawa to spend his last moment together in beautiful nature. Fumiya, Kazuya’s younger brother, and Eri promise to marry each other someday. However after Kazuya’s death, Fumiya and his mother leave the island to go back to Tokyo. Years later, they are reunited, Eri as a nurse and Fumiya, a doctor, working at the same hospital in Tokyo.

Kohagura Keibun

Family SongFamily Song · 2012
Family Song
2012
Series
Kazoku no Uta is a 2012 Japanese television series. It features actor Joe Odagiri as a father of three children and a musician who was once very famous, though his popularity has since waned. Before its debut, Kazoku no Uta was hit by accusations of plagiarism. The script was said to be extremely similar to the storyline of the 1987 television series Papa wa Newscaster. The script of Kazoku no Uta was subsequently changed due to this accusation. Kazoku no Uta was aired from 15 April 2012 to 6 June 2012 as part of Fuji Television's Dramatic Sunday time slot, which airs every Sunday from 9pm to 9:54pm. The number of episode was cut from the usual 10 to 8 after this series received continuously low viewership ratings. The two remaining episodes were replaced by special episodes of the drama Hayami-san to Yobareru Hi.

Producer