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Masaaki Sakai

Masaaki Sakai

Actor, Writer, Music Department

Born August 6, 1946

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Biography

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".

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Masaaki Sakai Photos

Masaaki Sakai Videos

Monkey (1978) Series - Teaser - Restored in HD

Filmography

Actor

72

Type

Year

Japan's Number One Jerk Salaryman Poster

Japan's Number One Jerk Salaryman TV Series2025

Pray Speak What Has Happened Poster

Pray Speak What Has Happened TV Series2025

Puraibêto Bankâ Poster

Puraibêto Bankâ TV Series2025

Spirit World Poster

Spirit World Feature Film2024Yuzo Nobusawa

Kono subarashiki sekai Poster

Kono subarashiki sekai TV Series2023Tojirou Kunisaki

Kirin ga kuru Poster

Kirin ga kuru TV Series2020Mochizuki Tôan

Sakai de gozaimasu Mini-Series2015Self - Emcee

Sekai no kodomo ga SOS! The shigoto nin banku Machaaki Japan 8 TV Movie2013Self

Beautiful World Poster

Beautiful World Feature Film2012

Sarutobi sansei TV Series2012

The Castle of Crossed Destinies Poster

The Castle of Crossed Destinies Feature Film2012

Honne biyori TV Series2011Self

Sawako no asa TV Series2011Self

The 53rd Annual Japan Record Awards TV Special2011Self - Emcee

Kaikin! maruhi story - shirarezaru shinjitsu TV Series2010Self

No Tomorrow TV Series20101 episode, 2010

The 52nd Japan Record Awards TV Special2010Self - Emcee

The 51st Annual Japan Record Awards TV Special2009Self - Emcee

Impossible Love Poster

Impossible Love TV Series2008

The 50th Japan Record Awards TV Special2008Self - Emcee

Bokura no jidai Poster

Bokura no jidai TV Series2007Self

Himawari: Natsume masako 27 nen no shôgai to haha no ai Poster

Himawari: Natsume masako 27 nen no shôgai to haha no ai TV Movie2007

Yunagi City, Sakura Country Poster

Yunagi City, Sakura Country Feature Film2007Asahi Ishikawa - adult

Zou no Hanako TV Movie2007Seizo Nishimura

Hollywood Burn Poster

Hollywood Burn Feature Film2006

Kurosagi Poster

Kurosagi Mini-Series2006Tadayuki Shimizu

Saiyûki TV Series2006Buddha

A Hardest Night!! Poster

A Hardest Night!! Feature Film2005Company President

Risou no seikatsu TV Series2005

Kikansha sensei Poster

Kikansha sensei Feature Film2004Shuichiro Sako

Churasan Poster

Churasan TV Series2001Kohagura Keibun

Môningu Musume. tokuban: 13-nin-gakari no Kurisumasu TV Special2001Self

Shinano no Columbo TV Movie1998Iwao Takemura

Tokugawa Yoshinobu Poster

Tokugawa Yoshinobu TV Series1998

Yume yô enogu TV Series1997Self

Furuhata Ninzaburô Poster

Furuhata Ninzaburô TV Series1996Ukon Nakamura

Hakkutsu! Aruaru daijiten TV Series1996Self

Smap×Smap Poster

Smap×Smap TV Series1996Self - Skit guest

Besuto furendo Poster

Besuto furendo TV Series1995Michihiko Kurosawa

Daddy Survival Poster

Daddy Survival TV Series1995

Chûbô desuyo! TV Series1994Self

Sound Arena TV Series1992Self

Kaze no kuni Feature Film1991

The Top 10 TV Series1981Self - Emcee

Tennou no ryouriban TV Series1980Tokuzo Akiyama

Monkey TV Series1978Monkey

Torakku yarô: Otoko ippiki momojirô Poster

Torakku yarô: Otoko ippiki momojirô Feature Film1977

Quiz Derby TV Series1976Self

Tetsuko no heya Poster

Tetsuko no heya TV Series1976Self

Kakkurakin daihôsô!! TV Series1975Self

Machi no hi Poster

Machi no hi Feature Film1974Chiyomatsu Sakanoshita

The 23rd Annual NHK kôhaku uta gassen TV Special1972Self

Kigeki kinô no teki wa kyô mo teki Feature Film1971

Stray Cat Rock: Beat '71 Poster

Stray Cat Rock: Beat '71 Feature Film1971Masaaki

Jikan desuyo Mini-Series1970Ken miyazaki

Kigeki migimuke hidari! Feature Film1970

Nippon oyafukô jidai Poster

Nippon oyafukô jidai Feature Film1968Kunio Sugimoto

The spiders no dai-shingeki Poster

The spiders no dai-shingeki Feature Film1968Self

Kigeki: Ippatsu shôbu Poster

Kigeki: Ippatsu shôbu Feature Film1967

Las Vegas Free-for-All Poster

Las Vegas Free-for-All Feature Film1967

The Spiders' the Reckless Operation Poster

The Spiders' the Reckless Operation Feature Film1967

Hana saku otome tachi Poster

Hana saku otome tachi Feature Film1965Sabu

Kôgen no ojôsan Poster

Kôgen no ojôsan Feature Film1965Sabu

Tokyo wa koisuru Poster

Tokyo wa koisuru Feature Film1965Sabu

Kimitachi ga ite boku ga ita Poster

Kimitachi ga ite boku ga ita Feature Film1964Akira Tanaka

Nakama tachi Poster

Nakama tachi Feature Film1964

Yume no Hawaii de bon odori Poster

Yume no Hawaii de bon odori Feature Film1964Masaya Matsui

Zoku kôkô san'nensei Poster

Zoku kôkô san'nensei Feature Film1964Student A

Gakuen hiroba Poster

Gakuen hiroba Feature Film1963

Kôkô san'nensei Poster

Kôkô san'nensei Feature Film1963Yasui

Hawai chindochu Poster

Hawai chindochu Feature Film1954

Superhuman Coliseum TV SeriesMasaaki Sakai

Writer

4

Type

Year

Code: Negai no daishô Poster

Code: Negai no daishô TV Series2023

Kei×Yaku: Dangerous Partners Poster

Kei×Yaku: Dangerous Partners TV Series2022

Rasen no Meikyuu: DNA Kagaku Sousa Poster

Rasen no Meikyuu: DNA Kagaku Sousa TV Series2021

Red Eyes Poster

Red Eyes Feature Film2021

Music Department

1

Monkey TV Series1978

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