The Story of "VIVANT's" "Beginning"! Ahead of the Season 2 Premiere, "Drum - VIVANT THE ORIGIN STORY -" to be Exclusively Streamed on U-NEXT Starting July 12

©TBS

U-NEXT Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; President: Tenshin Tsutsumi), operated by USEN & U-NEXT GROUP, announced that its video streaming service "U-NEXT" will exclusively stream the side story "Drum - VIVANT THE ORIGIN STORY -" starting July 12 (Sun), ahead of the exclusive unlimited streaming of the second season of the Sunday drama "VIVANT," which begins on July 26, 2026 (Sun).

A Completely Original Story Focusing on Drum

This work is a completely original story focusing on Drum, who, as a comrade to Mamoru Nozaki (played by Hiroshi Abe), an officer in the Public Security Bureau of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department in "VIVANT," overcame numerous crises together. Drum was one of the characters shrouded in mystery within the main "VIVANT" series, sparking much speculation. The fact that popular voice actress Megumi Hayashibara voiced the character also became a topic of discussion. This story depicts Drum's past, truly a tale of "VIVANT's" "beginning."

Main Visual Revealed, Featuring Majestic Nature and Smiles!

Furthermore, the main visual symbolizing this work has been released. It features the brothers Drum and Madi from the series, running through a meadow with smiles, creating a memorable image. Please pay close attention to how these two boys connect to the current Drum, and watch the second season starting July 26 (Sun).

Ryohei Otani and Ginji Watanabe to Appear as Original Cast Members!

Original cast members have also been announced. Ryohei Otani will play David, the father of Drum and Madi, and Ginji Watanabe (Don deコルテ) will play Zaul, David's younger brother. The two portray brothers in this work, with a complex and challenging relationship. Please look forward to their performances as they interact with the brothers Drum and Madi, and witness their competitive acting.

Comments

<Ryohei Otani as David>

©TBS

Many people must be curious about Drum's past and childhood. As a unique character, I found myself drawn in as I read the script. In this role, I play the father of two children, Drum and Madi. While enjoying a new hairstyle and attire, I focused on portraying a father figure by carefully considering how to interact with the children and embodying the character's atmosphere, hoping to add a touch of warmth to this heartwarming story. I hope you will enjoy this work to learn the origin of the name Drum and the childhood Drum spent with Madi.

<Ginji Watanabe (Don deコルテ) as Zaul>

©TBS

I am Ginji Watanabe from the comedy duo Don deコルテ. I, who had been struggling for 18 years until the end of last year, humbly had the opportunity to visit the set of "VIVANT." Embarrassingly, I didn't even have a passport, and I never imagined my first trip abroad would be to the Republic of Barka. I am deeply honored. Zaul, the character I play, is full of inferiority complex, much like myself. "He was probably a capable person, but perhaps it was due to his older brother, or family matters, or various other things." I found myself captivated by the work. It is a great happiness to have been a part of it, and it would be an even greater happiness if you enjoy this work.

<Kazutaka Iida, Producer>

We originally began creating this story as a spin-off of "VIVANT." However, as we developed the script, it evolved into a grand and epic narrative that felt too large for a mere spin-off. Furthermore, since it tells the origin story of "why Drum became Drum," a character now indispensable to "VIVANT," we titled it "VIVANT THE ORIGIN STORY." The motif for this story is "Harry Potter," which also appeared in the first season. Characters like Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Malfoy truly come alive in this narrative. We would be delighted if you could experience the world of "VIVANT's" beginning before the start of the second season! And... in fact, we have other series of "VIVANT THE ORIGIN STORY" planned. Announcements will be made a little later, but please look forward to them!

Work Overview

"Drum - VIVANT THE ORIGIN STORY -"

【Streaming Schedule】

Episode 1: July 12 (Sun) 9:00 PM

Episode 2: July 15 (Wed) 9:00 PM

Episode 3: July 19 (Sun) 9:00 PM

Episode 4: July 22 (Wed) 9:00 PM

*Streaming start dates and times are subject to change.

【Streaming Format】Exclusive Unlimited Streaming

【Staff】

Production: TBS

Screenplay: Lee Jeongmi / Nana Yamamoto

Producers: Kazutaka Iida / Mitsuki Tōmura

Directors: Akiko Kato / Momoi Motoi

【Cast】

Jin Yokoi / Kotaro Kawata / Ginji Watanabe (Don deコルテ) / Ryohei Otani

Fumiyoshi Drum / Megumi Hayashibara / Sae Honma

Sunday Drama "VIVANT" Season 2

【Broadcast Date & Time】Starts July 26, 2026 (Sun) / Every Sunday 9:00 PM - 9:54 PM

【Streaming Format】Exclusive unlimited streaming of episodes 1 to the latest, sequentially, immediately after broadcast.

Sunday Drama "VIVANT" Season 1

【Streaming Format】All episodes available for unlimited streaming

【Streaming Page】https://video.unext.jp/title/SID0090400

"VIVANT Alternate Version - Director Fukuzawa Discusses the World of VIVANT on Sub Audio -"

【Streaming Format】Exclusive Unlimited Streaming

【Streaming Page】https://www.video.unext.jp/title/SID0097085

"VIVANT" Novelization Read by Kensho Ono

【Streaming Format】Unlimited Streaming

【Streaming Page】https://video.unext.jp/title/SID0199032

Sunday Drama "VIVANT" (Vol. 1), (Vol. 2)

【Streaming Format】E-book (Eligible for point purchase)

【Price】1,100 yen (tax included) per volume

【Streaming Page】https://video.unext.jp/book/title/BSD0000706367/BID0001210617

What is U-NEXT?

U-NEXT is the video streaming service with the No. 1 number of unlimited viewing titles*. You can enjoy over 480,000 titles including movies, dramas, and anime, as well as live music, stage performances, and real-time viewing of world-class sports such as soccer, golf, and martial arts. In addition, with over 1.33 million manga and books available, it offers a genre-defying entertainment experience where you can seamlessly enjoy "Video," "Books," "Sports," and "Live" within a single app. With the service integration of Paravi in July 2023, we have further enhanced our lineup with a vast selection of dramas and variety shows from TBS and TV Tokyo, offering an even more attractive service.

U-NEXT Co., Ltd. is a group company of U-NEXT HOLDINGS Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; President & CEO: Yasuhide Uno).

U-NEXT: https://video.unext.jp

*Survey by GEM Partners / As of June 2026

Survey conducted on major domestic subscription video streaming services for Western films, Japanese films, international dramas, Korean/Asian dramas, domestic dramas, and anime. Separate paid content available.