Person
Masaaki Sakai
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 throu…
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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 in many English-speaking countries in the early 1980s when it was dubbed by the BBC and retitled Monkey. Due to his fame playing the mythical character Songoku, Sakai created a dance called "the Monkey" which became a craze in Japan. Sakai went on to a successful solo career after The Spiders disbanded, and continued acting in films and on television. In 1999, he formed the band Sans Filtre with two former Spiders, Hiroshi Kamayatsu and Takayuki Inoue. They released their first album Yei Yei in 2000. Sakai is known in Japan as a car enthusiast and regularly took part in the annual Mille Miglia race in Italy with his wife as a co-driver. He won a similar Japanese road race on October 18, 2000 driving a 1947 Cisitalia 202 MM with Inoue Takayuki (the guitarist from Sans Filtre) as co-driver. Due to business commitments he gave up racing in 2002 and gave his Alfa Romeo race car to Masahiko Kondō who is also a singer and race enthusiast. He is also a hobby archer. Sakai has been married and divorced twice, and has two daughters. He is an active supporter of AIDS charities. His show-business nickname is "Machaaki".
Filmography
Movies and shows, newest first
-
2025
Spirit World
Movie Yuzo Nobusawa
-
2023
Kono Subarashiki Sekai
TV show
- 2012
-
2012
Beautiful World
Movie Yuzo Tsutai
-
2012
Family Song
TV show Screenstory
-
2008
Impossible Love
TV show 타치키 쇼고
-
2008
ザッツ宴会テイメント
TV show
- 2007
- 2007
-
2007
Yunagi City, Sakura Country
Movie Asahi Ishikawa (Old)
-
2006
The Black Swindler
TV show
-
2005
A Hardest Night!!
Movie Boss
- 2004
-
2004
Locomotive Teacher
Movie
-
2001
Churasan
TV show Kohagura Keibun
-
1998
Tokugawa Yoshinobu
TV show
More credits
-
1995
Best Friend
TV show Kurosawa Michihiko
-
1995
Papa Survival
TV show
-
1994
Furuhata Ninzaburo
TV show 中村右近
-
1994
The Notorious Bored Samurai 9
Movie Kinai
- 1993
-
1990
バラ色の日々に
Movie
-
1988
The Notorious Bored Samurai 2
Movie Sasao Kinai
-
1987
Trinacria: Porsche 959
Movie
- 1986
- 1982
-
1981
The TOP10
TV show
-
1980
Tennō no Ryōriban
TV show
-
1978
Monkey
TV show Monkey
-
1977
I Am A Man of Honor
Movie
-
1974
Japan Beauty Story
Movie
-
1974
Machi no Hi
Movie Chiyomatsu Sakanoshita
-
1973
Toshigoro
Movie Okabe
-
1970
喜劇 右向けェ左！
Movie
-
1970
Kigeki dokkiri dai tōsō
Movie
-
1970
時間ですよ
TV show 宮崎健
- 1969
- 1968
-
1968
The Spiders' The Road to Bali
Movie Masaaki Sakai
- 1968
