Behind-the-Scenes Stories & Exclusive Data Double the Fun! “Summer Dramas”: No. 1 Is a “National Event Drama” That Broke Record After Record

A Perfect Form

“The overwhelming success of the Sunday Theater series ‘VIVANT’ (TBS) is truly remarkable. Episode 11, the Season 2 premiere, achieved a household viewership rating of 18.8%, securing the top spot by a wide margin. The number of views on TVer demonstrates the fervor surrounding the show.With 8.87 million views in just eight days, it set a new record. Since one of the joys of the show is searching for subtle plot devices and foreshadowing that you might miss unless you watch it multiple times, this view count record will likely continue to be broken,” said drama analyst Mihiro Kawada.

The number of favorites on TVer also stands at 2,748,000, leaving the second-place show more than 1.6 million behind. On X, it topped global trends for two consecutive weeks, and with a core viewership rating (for men and women aged 13–49) of 8.5%, it took first place, achieving a double victory in viewership ratings.It has completely dominated both traditional TV ratings and digital streaming (favorite counts as of the end of July; same applies below).

“In the television industry, real-time viewership ratings and digital streaming performance—including view counts and watch time—have become established as clear metrics for measuring a content’s value. Neither can be overlooked, and companies now base their advertising budget decisions on these figures.

“The first episode of ‘VIVANT’ achieved a 49.7% market share, meaning half of all TV viewers were watching it, with the nationwide viewership reaching 20.42 million people,” said a producer at a key network.

Behind this complete domination of both real-time and streaming viewership was a “massive offensive” waged by the entire network.

“After the main program ended, TBS Radio aired a live broadcast of *VIVANT: The Villains’ Conference Room* featuring Takumi Yamamoto (Takaya Sakoda, 49), Waniz (Yamato Kawachi, 47), and Gobi (Toru Baba, 38)—the three characters who ‘exited’ the show in Season 1.It’s also streamed live on YouTube and has been well-received. At the same time, we’ve been rolling out big-name cast members like Masato Sakai (52) and Hiroshi Abe (62) one after another for promotional appearances. This helps build a sense of scale and anticipation while preventing spoilers,” said Mr. Kawada.

Just before the Season 2 premiere, Season 1 was simultaneously released on Netflix, U-NEXT, Amazon Prime Video, and other platforms. By encouraging viewers to “catch up” before the new season airs, the show has successfully attracted a new audience.

“On Netflix, it made it into the top 10 of the weekly rankings—an unusual achievement for a series that wasn’t a new release.The side story *Drum – VIVANT THE ORIGIN STORY*, streamed on U-NEXT, also ranked first in new member acquisitions and second in viewership immediately after its release.

Collaborations are also going strong, including Koikeya’s collaborative potato chips, Suntory’s “PSB” beer collaboration cans, and a pop-up store at Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi. The project—which integrates the drama into everyday life as something that “catches people’s attention”—has been a success.“I think it has left its mark as a successful example of a cross-media IP (intellectual property) that fuses broadcasting, streaming, and in-person experiences,” said a TBS employee.

Of course, not everything went smoothly. Before the series premiered, allegations of power harassment by director Katsuo Fukuzawa—who served as the original creator, director, and producer—against his staff came to light.

“Following the allegations, Director Fukuzawa was required to undergo harassment training and took an extended hiatus from filming. While workplace harassment is absolutely unacceptable, the company’s determination to keep filming—even at the cost of keeping such a stellar cast waiting—and bring the show to air was truly remarkable,” said the same source.

Overtaking “Futehodo”

While “VIVANT” is hailed as a “national event drama,” another TBS series, “Until the T-Shirt Dries,” is drawing in drama fans and becoming a massive hit.

“Doesn’t Aoi Yu’s (41) performance—which captivates solely through her facial expressions—make you tremble? It made me tremble. I was blown away. Just seeing that performance alone made its success inevitable,” raved a producer from a major network, while a director at the production company added, “We poached Miku Ikata—who had produced back-to-back hit shows like ‘silent’ and ‘My Favorite Flower’and *The Beginning of the Sea*”—and cast Ayumu Nakajima (37), who gained attention for *That’s Way Too Inappropriate!* (TBS), as a lead just as his profile was rising from morning dramas and streaming series.‘They really have a good read on the times,’ he agreed.

Praise from critics continues to pour in.

“Ikata’s works are characterized by a worldview that carefully captures everyday conversations, silences, and emotions that cannot be fully expressed in words. Ayumu Nakajima’s delivery isn’t about stating something forcefully; instead, there’s a slight pause, and she mutters it under her breath. Viewers are left to imagine what lies behind those words. It’s a show where you can enjoy reading between the lines,” said television writer Purin Aida.

“It’s also great how the series weaves thought-provoking elements into the classic theme of extramarital affairs to keep viewers hooked, while simultaneously exploring delicate themes like the nature of marriage and love. It gives me hope that hit shows like this can be created without a massive marketing campaign.” (Writer Kumao Oyama)

The first episode on TVer garnered 3,486,000 views, and the second episode reached 3,675,000—surpassing *That’s Way Too Inappropriate!*, which aired in the same time slot. A key factor in this massive success was the “bridging strategy.”

“After the broadcast, they exclusively stream side stories like ‘Episode 1.5’ or ‘Episode 3.5’ on TVer. By releasing separate episodes that delve into the behind-the-scenes of the main story, they’ve created a cycle that maintains viewer enthusiasm while building anticipation for the next week,” said a producer at a major network.

[Click here for Part 2] It’s Not Too Late! Here’s What to Watch in “Summer Dramas”! Talented Idol Actors Shining Bright & Actresses to Watch

From the September 4, 2026 issue of *FRIDAY*