Masaaki Sakai

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".

Known For
Acting
Born
August 6, 1946 (age 79)
  • imdb
1973

Toshigoro

1968

The Age of Undutiful Children

2007

The Fearless Otojiro's Company

1977

I Am A Man of Honor

1965

Flowering Maidens

1965

A Girl of the Plateau

1967

The Greatest Challenge of All

1969

The Tempters: Smile After Tears

2004

Locomotive Teacher

1970

喜劇 右向けェ左!

1974

Japan Beauty Story

2025

Spirit World

1968

The Spiders: Big Commotion!

1954

Road to Hawaii

2005

A Hardest Night!!

2007

Yunagi City, Sakura Country

2012

Beautiful World

1988

The Notorious Bored Samurai 2

1994

The Notorious Bored Samurai 9

1964

Song of Happiness

1963

High School Third Graders

1964

Here Because of You

1964

Let's Dance Bon-Odori in Hawaii

1967

Las Vegas Free-For-All

1964

High School Juniors (Part II)

1968

The Spiders' The Road to Bali

1968

The Spiders' The Noisy Parade

1963

The School Cap

1967

The Spiders' The Reckless Operation

1967

The Sunset Is Crying

1966

Youth A Go Go!

1974

Machi no Hi

1993

Bored Hatamoto: Letter of Death

1964

Friends

1967

My Sweetheart

2012

The Castle of Crossed Destinies

2007

Long Wedding Road! Tokyo vs. Osaka Wakeari Kon Monogatari

1970

Kigeki dokkiri dai tōsō

1965

Tokyo wa Koisuru

1987

Trinacria: Porsche 959

2023

Sayonara Sankaku Mata Kite Shikaku

2023

Monkey

2023

Churasan

2023

Papa Survival

2023

The Black Swindler

2023

Furuhata Ninzaburo

2023

Best Friend

2023

Tennō no Ryōriban

2023

パパ・サヴァイバル

2023

The TOP10

2023

ザッツ宴会テイメント

2023

Kono Subarashiki Sekai

2023

Impossible Love

2023

The Most Useful School in the World

2023

Tokugawa Yoshinobu

2023

Family Song

2023

Family Song

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