VIVANT season 2 finale hits 21.8% ratings, and a movie is coming in December

The finale of TBS's Sunday drama VIVANT drew a 21.8% household rating in the Kanto region, and a film arriving in December was announced on air.

9 Nov 2026, 06:191 min read

A living room television showing a dramatic scene from a Japanese Sunday-night TV drama, with a ratings chart graphic beside it. — Image: 毎日新聞

Japan's TV viewers may be drifting away from live broadcasts, but VIVANT just proved a big drama can still bring people back to the screen.

The season 2 finale of TBS's Sunday-night drama aired on 8 November and scored an average household rating of 21.8% in the Kanto region (the Tokyo area), according to preliminary figures from the research firm Video Research, announced on 9 November. The average individual rating was 14.8%. In an era of so-called "TV exodus", a drama topping 20% is unusual.

Season 2 began in July and ran for 14 episodes. Across the whole run, it averaged 16.9% for households and 11.0% for individuals.

The finale also had a surprise for fans: during the broadcast, it was announced that a VIVANT film will hit cinemas in December. Season 1, starring Masaki Sakai, wrapped up in September 2023 to wide acclaim and high ratings, and the story now looks set to continue on the big screen.

#vivant#tbs#tv drama#ratings#masaki sakai#japan

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