VIVANT Producer Kazutaka Iida Explains Difference From Season 1 In Episode 20 Rescue Arc
Iida's account ties the season's shift toward an outside world of villagers and local bystanders to a production that actually filmed in Azerbaijan, so the drama's expanded scope came with real location work rather than standing sets.
Key Facts
- VIVANT Episode 20 aired on October 11 and Episode 21 aired on October 18 at 9:00 p.m. on TBS.
- The October 11 episode depicted Nogi Yusuke's team rescuing five captured separate squad members from Shaki Castle in the Republic of Gorbad.
- Producer Kazutaka Iida said the Shaki Castle scenes were filmed night after night until morning in Azerbaijan.
- Masato Sakai plays Nogi Yusuke, and Tori Matsuzaka plays Kurosu in VIVANT.
- Shinshi leader Han Linxin is played by Kyoko Miyashita.
Reporting from 3 sources: Cinema Today, Magmix, Anime Anime.
Producer Kazutaka Iida looked back on Episode 20 of TBS's Sunday Theater drama VIVANT, which aired on October 11, and told Cinema Today that filming in Azerbaijan showed him "a point that is very different from Season 1." Iida said the characters are now connected to the "outside world," pointing to scenes of villagers entrusting their future to the rescue team led by Nogi Yusuke (Masato Sakai). The episode had that team storm Shaki Castle in the Republic of Gorbad to free five captured members of the separate squad, including Kurosu (Tori Matsuzaka), from the organization Shinshi. Iida said the castle scenes were shot night after night until morning, and that rain unusual for the season kept falling during filming, including at Lahij village. Japanese and Azerbaijani staff, cast, and local residents worked together under those conditions. He said the next episode is the escape arc, airing October 18, and noted viewer reaction to the preview line about what Tojo is doing.
Iida said the Shaki Castle material was shot through the night until morning, and that rain the season does not usually bring fell day after day. The same weather hit the Lahij village shoot, where the rescue team runs through. He credited the finished scene to cooperation among Japanese staff, Azerbaijani staff, cast, and local residents.
He also described the local children who watched the filming with curious eyes, and said he hoped the drama could convey to viewers in Japan that children across the sea hope for the future just as purely. The rescue itself is already done: Nogi's team got the five separate squad members out of the castle. The October 18 episode follows the flight home, with Shinshi's leader Han Linxin (Kyoko Miyashita) learning of the rescue after the pursuers reach a communications-capable area and moving to block the road to Garaman Airport. Iida flagged the preview reaction about what Tojo is doing, and said a direct confrontation between Shu, Ri, and Nogi and the others is one highlight.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 3 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.