Acting · Born August 6, 1946
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".
MovieSpirit World
2025
as Yuzo Nobusawa
TVKono Subarashiki Sekai
2023
MovieThe Castle of Crossed Destinies
2012
MovieBeautiful World
2012
as Yuzo Tsutai
TVImpossible Love
2008
as 타치키 쇼고
ザッツ宴会テイメント
2008
MovieThe Fearless Otojiro's Company
2007
MovieLong Wedding Road! Tokyo vs. Osaka Wakeari Kon Monogatari
2007
MovieYunagi City, Sakura Country
2007
as Asahi Ishikawa (Old)
TVThe Black Swindler
2006
MovieA Hardest Night!!
2005
as Boss
TVThe Most Useful School in the World
2004
MovieLocomotive Teacher
2004
TVChurasan
2001
as Kohagura Keibun
TVTokugawa Yoshinobu
1998
TVBest Friend
1995
as Kurosawa Michihiko
Papa Survival
1995
TVFuruhata Ninzaburo
1994
as 中村右近
The Notorious Bored Samurai 9
1994
as Kinai
MovieBored Hatamoto: Letter of Death
1993
The Notorious Bored Samurai 2
1988
as Sasao Kinai
MovieTrinacria: Porsche 959
1987
MovieFinal Take: The Golden Age of Movies
1986
TVSayonara Sankaku Mata Kite Shikaku
1982
The TOP10
1981
TVTennō no Ryōriban
1980
TVMonkey
1978
as Monkey
MovieI Am A Man of Honor
1977
MovieJapan Beauty Story
1974
MovieMachi no Hi
1974
as Chiyomatsu Sakanoshita
MovieToshigoro
1973
as Okabe
Movie喜劇 右向けェ左！
1970
MovieKigeki dokkiri dai tōsō
1970
TV時間ですよ
1970
as 宮崎健
MovieThe Tempters: Smile After Tears
1969
MovieThe Age of Undutiful Children
1968
MovieThe Spiders' The Road to Bali
1968
as Masaaki Sakai
MovieThe Spiders: Big Commotion!
1968
MovieThe Wonderful Ones
1968
MovieThe Spiders' The Noisy Parade
1968
as Masaaki Sakai
MovieMy Sweetheart
1967
MovieThe Spiders: The Reckless Operation
1967
as Masaaki
MovieThe Greatest Challenge of All
1967
MovieThe Sunset Is Crying
1967
MovieYouth A Go Go!
1966
MovieA Girl of the Plateau
1965
as Sabu
MovieTokyo In Love
1965
MovieFlowering Maidens
1965
as Sabu
Song of Happiness
1964
MovieHigh School Juniors (Part II)
1964
MovieLet's Dance Bon-Odori in Hawaii
1964
as Masaya Matsui
MovieHere Because of You
1964
as Akira Tanaka
MovieFriends
1964
MovieThe School Cap
1963
as Matsubara
MovieHigh School Third Graders
1963
MovieRoad to Hawaii
1954
TVパパ・サヴァイバル
