Masaaki Sakai

Masaaki Sakai

Born

August 6, 1946 (78 years old)

Known For

Acting

Place of Birth

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".

Spirit World

Spirit World

Yuzo Nobusawa

6.1

2025

Kono Subarashiki Sekai

Kono Subarashiki Sekai

(3 episodes)

6.0

2023

The Castle of Crossed Destinies

The Castle of Crossed Destinies

6.3

2012

Beautiful World

Beautiful World

Yuzo Tsutai

6.1

2012

Impossible Love

Impossible Love

타치키 쇼고 · (8 episodes)

0.0

2008

ザッツ宴会テイメント

(2 episodes)

0.0

2008

The Fearless Otojiro's Company

The Fearless Otojiro's Company

0.0

2007

Long Wedding Road! Tokyo vs. Osaka Wakeari Kon Monogatari

Long Wedding Road! Tokyo vs. Osaka Wakeari Kon Monogatari

0.0

2007

Yunagi City, Sakura Country

Yunagi City, Sakura Country

Asahi Ishikawa (Old)

7.0

2007

The Black Swindler

The Black Swindler

(1 episode)

7.4

2006

A Hardest Night!!

A Hardest Night!!

Boss

6.2

2005

The Most Useful School in the World

The Most Useful School in the World

(1 episode)

0.0

2004

Locomotive Teacher

Locomotive Teacher

0.0

2004

Churasan

Churasan

Kohagura Keibun · (169 episodes)

9.7

2001

Tokugawa Yoshinobu

Tokugawa Yoshinobu

(49 episodes)

0.0

1998

Best Friend

Best Friend

Kurosawa Michihiko · (9 episodes)

0.0

1995

Papa Survival

(12 episodes)

1.0

1995

Furuhata Ninzaburo

Furuhata Ninzaburo

中村右近 · (1 episode)

9.0

1994

The Notorious Bored Samurai 9

Kinai

0.0

1994

Bored Hatamoto: Letter of Death

Bored Hatamoto: Letter of Death

0.0

1993

The Notorious Bored Samurai 2

Sasao Kinai

0.0

1988

Sayonara Sankaku Mata Kite Shikaku

Sayonara Sankaku Mata Kite Shikaku

(1 episode)

0.0

1982

The TOP10

(1 episode)

0.0

1981

Tennō no Ryōriban

Tennō no Ryōriban

(19 episodes)

0.0

1980

Monkey

Monkey

Monkey · (52 episodes)

8.5

1978

I Am A Man of Honor

I Am A Man of Honor

0.0

1977

Japan Beauty Story

Japan Beauty Story

0.0

1974

Machi no Hi

Machi no Hi

Chiyomatsu Sakanoshita

0.0

1974

Toshigoro

Toshigoro

Okabe

0.0

1973

喜劇 右向けェ左!

喜劇 右向けェ左!

0.0

1970

Kigeki dokkiri dai tōsō

Kigeki dokkiri dai tōsō

0.0

1970

The Tempters: Smile After Tears

The Tempters: Smile After Tears

0.0

1969

The Age of Undutiful Children

The Age of Undutiful Children

0.0

1968

The Spiders' The Road to Bali

The Spiders' The Road to Bali

Masaaki Sakai

0.0

1968

The Spiders: Big Commotion!

The Spiders: Big Commotion!

0.0

1968

The Spiders' The Noisy Parade

The Spiders' The Noisy Parade

Masaaki Sakai

0.0

1968

My Sweetheart

My Sweetheart

0.0

1967

The Spiders' The Reckless Operation

The Spiders' The Reckless Operation

Masaaki

0.0

1967

The Greatest Challenge of All

The Greatest Challenge of All

7.0

1967

The Sunset Is Crying

The Sunset Is Crying

0.0

1967

Las Vegas Free-For-All

Las Vegas Free-For-All

0.0

1967

Youth A Go Go!

Youth A Go Go!

0.0

1966

A Girl of the Plateau

A Girl of the Plateau

Sabu

0.0

1965

Tokyo wa Koisuru

Tokyo wa Koisuru

0.0

1965

Flowering Maidens

Flowering Maidens

Sabu

0.0

1965

Song of Happiness

0.0

1964

High School Juniors (Part II)

High School Juniors (Part II)

0.0

1964

Let's Dance Bon-Odori in Hawaii

Let's Dance Bon-Odori in Hawaii

Masaya Matsui

5.3

1964

Here Because of You

Here Because of You

Akira Tanaka

5.5

1964

Friends

Friends

0.0

1964

The School Cap

The School Cap

Matsubara

0.0

1963

High School Third Graders

High School Third Graders

0.0

1963

Road to Hawaii

Road to Hawaii

0.0

1954

パパ・サヴァイバル

パパ・サヴァイバル

(1 episode)

0.0