Sakai, Masaaki

Born as the second child in the family of Japan's famous comedian actor Shunji Sakai (Masashi Kurihara).

Masaaki Sakai’s creative career (from the very beginning using his father’s last name) and some of his fame began with several childhood and teenage film roles in the 1950s and 1960s, but the really wide, including international, popularity came to him approximately mid-1960s, as the frontman of one of the leaders of the Japanese genre of group sounds , the group . The group was formed in 1961 and, before its breakup, released a number of singles and albums that took places on the Oricon chart ; toured in Europe and the USA, and also became a "group character" of 13 comedy films, a pair of which cameo-roles were played by Shunji Sakai.

The B side of the first released (in 1965) single by the group was the song Monkey Dance by Yu Aku and Koji Wakino, based on the dance of the same name invented by Sakai, also illustrated on the cover of the disc ^[1] , which received considerable popularity in Japan and was first awarded with its corresponding a nickname later associated with his acting work.

In 1971, The Spiders broke up; Sakai, like other members of the group, continued his musical career as a solo singer, and also returned to acting. Of the latter, the main role was played by the main role of the Monkey King in the serial adaptation of the 1978-1980s based on the classic novel of China " Journey to the West ", later dubbed by the BBC and gaining considerable popularity (up to cult status) in a number of English-speaking countries as " The Monkey " Or " Monkey Magic " ; in addition to embodying the main role, Sakai also participated in the recording of the soundtrack of the series, for the most part provided by the band

Former members of the group gathered several times after the breakup of the group for joint performances; in addition, Sakai and two other lead soloists from The Spiders , and , reunited in 1999 for several years, the group, invited the same year to enter the competition "Kohaku" with the song Yei Yei , before the release of the eponymous album with this song in 2000.

Masaaki Sakai was twice married; the first time on a woman not from the world of the media (1974-1980; marriage became widely known only after a divorce), the second time on a model and essayist (1989-2001); from the latter, he has two daughters - Kikuno (born October 5, 1990, model) and (born March 10, 1994; model and actress). According to some reports, in the summer of 2011 he married for the third time.

Worked or works with art agencies , , .

Hobbies and social activities

Masaaki Sakai is known as a car and car racing enthusiast. He repeatedly participated in the Mille Miglia Storica vintage car race in Italy with his wife as a co-pilot, and on October 18, 2000 he won a similar race in Japan on the 1947, where he acted as his co-pilot Takayuki Inoue. Due to his busyness, he stepped aside from racing in 2002, giving his sporty Alfa Romeo , also a popular racing enthusiast. In addition to motorsport, Sakai has repeatedly demonstrated skills in various types of entertainment and demonstration sports, including jogging , juggling , artistic billiards , golf and archery ^{[2] [3]} .

He is known for the active support of charities specializing in the fight against AIDS , including the founding of the Masaaki Sakai AIDS Fund .

Movies and TV movies

Films about or with The Spiders

(Unless otherwise specified, Sakai plays himself)

Individual Acting Films

TV Series

Partial Singleography

(Only entries included in the Oricon chart are listed; the list does not claim to be exhaustive due to the difficulty of searching in Japanese sources. Awarding of songs with music or sound recording awards, as well as the inclusion of Kohaku uta gassen in the competition program, are highlighted in the appropriate sections)

As part of The Spiders or solo with band support

• 1967 - ( い つ ま で も ど こ ま で も / バ ン ・ バ ン ・ バ ン , literally, “Forever and Whatever Happens” / “Bam-bam-bam”; music by Hiroshi Kamayatsu, Hiroto Sasaki and H. Kamayatsu respectively) - 4th place Oricon
• 1968 - ( Japanese あ の 時 君 は 若 か っ た , lyrics by Fumie Sugawara, music Hiroshi Kamayatsu; side B - Mōichido, Mōichido ) - 6th place Oricon
• 1968 - Shinju no Namida / Akai Doresu no Onnanoko ( Japanese 真珠 の 涙 ​​／ 赤 い ド レ ス の 女 の 子 ) - 19th place Oricon
• 1968 - Kuro Yuri no Uta / Rock 'n' roll Boy ( Japanese 黒 ゆ り の 詩 ／ ロ ッ ク ン ロ ー ル ・ ボ ー イ ) - 37th place Oricon
• 1968 - ( ガ ラ ス の 聖女 , lit. “Glass saint”; lyrics by Yuji Matsuzaki, music by ; article B - Kaze Haii Yatsu ) - 50th place Oricon
• 1969 - Namida no Nichyōbi / Akai Ringo ( Japanese 涙 の 日 曜 日 ／ 赤 い リ ン ゴ ) - 44th place Oricon
• 1969 - Yoake no Futari /Kokekokkō ( Japanese 夜 明 け の 二人 ／ コ ケ コ ッ コ ー ) - 84th place Oricon
• 1970 - Futari wa Ima / Tomo o Yobu Uta ( Jap. ふ た り は 今 ／ 友 を 呼 ぶ 歌 ) - 48th place Oricon
• 1970 - ( Japanese エ レ ク ト リ ッ ク お ば あ ち ゃ ん , literally, “Electric Granny”; lyrics by Hiroshi Aso, music by Hiroshi Kamayatsu, cover of The Little Old Lady from Pasadena ; v. B - Itsuwari no Koi ) - 67- place Oricon
• 1970 - Ashita o Inoru / Nande Konnani ( 明日 を 祈 る ／ な ん で こ ん な に 」 ) - 80th place Oricon

Solo career

• 1971 - ( さ ら ば 恋人 , lit. “Farewell, beloved”; lyrics by , music by v ; v. B - Ki Rakuni Ikiyō ) - 2nd place Oricon
• 1971 - Namida Kara Ashita He ( Japanese 涙 か ら 明日 へ , lit. “Tears tomorrow”; lyrics by , music by ; v. B - Ashita no Tegami ) - 4th place Oricon
• 1973 - ( Japanese 街 の 灯 り , literally “City / Street Lights”; lyrics by , music ; Article B - Chikatetsu no Eki De ) - 20th place Oricon

Participation in Kohaku Uta Gassen

Masaaki Sakai at least ten times (in total by various forms of participation) participated in the most prestigious music competition and New Year's show in Japan "Kohaku uta gassen" (also popular and prestigious for viewers and performers from several other East Asian countries), including:

• 1971, Issue No. 22 ^[7] - individual participation with the song Saraba Koibito ^[8]
• 1972, Issue No. 23 - individual participation with the song Un Ga Yokereba Iikoto Arusa ( 運 が よ け れ ば い い こ と あ る さ , letters. “If you're lucky, that's good”) ^[9]
• 1973, Issue No. 24 - Individual participation with the song Machi no Akari ^[10]
• 1974, Issue No. 25 - individual participation with the song Kareha no Yado ( Japanese 枯葉 の букв , letters. "Overnight of fallen leaves") ^[11]
• 1975, Issue No. 26 - individual participation with the song Ashita no Mae Ni ( 明日 の 前 に , literally. “The Past of Tomorrow”) ^[12]
• 1976, issue No. 27 - individual participation with the song Ichigo no Kisetsu ( п の 季節 , literally. "Strawberry time") ^[13]
• 1991, Issue No. 42 - Presenter from the White Team ^[14]
• 1992, Issue No. 43 - Presenter from the White Team ^[15]
• 1993, Issue No. 44 - Presenter from the White Team ^[16]
• 1999, Issue No. 50 - participation in the Sans Filtre group with the song Yei Yei ^[17]

Government

• 1996 - The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan (together with Shunji Iwai, Yumiko Inoue, Kiyokazu Kanze, Tamiya Kuriyama, Itiro Nodaira, Motoki Hanayagi and Toeko Tatsuhara)

Cinematographic and television

• 1970 - in the Debut of the Year category ^[18]
• 1970 - Special Prize ^[19]
• 1982 - Award Japanese Men's Fashion Association ^[20]
• 2007 - Special Jury Prize, for his role in the movie

Musical

• 4th Award Ceremony (December 5, 1971) - Award in the category “Prize of Hope” for the song “Farewell, Loved One”

Japan Record Awards

• (December 31, 1971) - award in the Popularity category for the song “Farewell, darling” ^[21]
• (December 31, 1973) - award for the song “Street Lights” ^[22]

Category: Japan Television Actors