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".
Acting
TV
Furuhata Ninzaburo
as 中村右近
1994
TV
Monkey
as Monkey
1978
TV
The Black Swindler
2006
Movie
Spirit World
as Yuzo Nobusawa
2025
Movie
Beautiful World
as Yuzo Tsutai
2012
Movie
Final Take: The Golden Age of Movies
1986
Movie
A Hardest Night!!
as Boss
2005
Movie
Here Because of You
as Akira Tanaka
1964
Movie
Let's Dance Bon-Odori in Hawaii
as Masaya Matsui
1964
Movie
The Castle of Crossed Destinies
2012
TV
Churasan
as Kohagura Keibun
2001
Movie
The Age of Undutiful Children
1968
Movie
I Am A Man of Honor
1977
Movie
A Girl of the Plateau
as Sabu
1965
Movie
The Greatest Challenge of All
1967
Movie
The Tempters: Smile After Tears
1969
Movie
Locomotive Teacher
2004
Movie
The Spiders: Big Commotion!
1968
Movie
Road to Hawaii
1954
Movie
Yunagi City, Sakura Country
as Asahi Ishikawa (Old)
2007
Movie
Song of Happiness
1964
Movie
The Spiders' The Road to Bali
as Masaaki Sakai
1968
Movie
The Spiders' The Noisy Parade
as Masaaki Sakai
1968
Movie
The Spiders: The Reckless Operation
as Masaaki
1967
