Five intelligence agents belonging to the "Beppan," an unofficial organization under the direct control of the Self-Defense Forces, disappeared overnight. The key to the case is Kotaro Shinjo (Ryo Ryusei), who was an agent of the Public Security Bureau's Foreign Affairs Division 4 but also a "monitor" (collaborator) for Tent.
In Episode 12 of the Sunday Theater drama "VIVANT," currently airing every Sunday at 9 PM on TBS, Beppan agent Yusuke Nogi (Masato Sakai) and Drum (Tomisakae Drum), an agent for Mamoru Nozaki (Hiroshi Abe) of the Public Security Bureau, track Shinjo's escape route.
This is "After VIVANT," where we decode the story through anomalies and foreshadowing.
We look into the traps confusing Nogi, the cross-border pursuit, and the "unexpected person" waiting at the end.
The "Another Truth" Revealed by Ali!
"The worst memory, all over again."
As Nogi's alter ego, F (Sakai / dual role), said, for former Tent executive Ali (Takashi Yamanaka), it was a development that brought back the nightmares of the first season. Meanwhile, the question remaining from Episode 11—"Why was Ali in Cyprus?"—is resolved. According to Nogi's younger half-brother, Nokor (Kazunari Ninomiya), Ali had been forgiven by the former Tent leader and Nogi's father, Nogoon Beki (Koji Yakusho), and had moved from Venezuela with his family. Nogi and Drum, with the help of the Beppan supercomputer AI Hayato (voiced by Minami Takayama), interrogate Ali about the whereabouts of Shinjo and the abducted Beppan members.
It was indeed Ali who recruited Shinjo into Tent. However, he claims to know nothing about the escape destination or the abduction of the Beppan members. According to Ali, there are three ranks of Tent monitors, and Shinjo was at the highest level, even knowing of Beki's existence.
When Nogi asked about his colleague and Tent monitor Takumi Yamamoto (Takaya Sakoda), Ali silently pointed his thumb down as the memory of the first-season hangar interrogation resurfaced. Nogi responded, "That goes without saying." It was revealed that Yamamoto was a monitor of the lowest rank. Furthermore, Ali saw through the fact that Nogi has another personality, F, and asked, "Which one is the real Mr. Nogi?" How did Nogi respond? On social media, attention focused on Ali's reaction, with comments like "Ali is too competent for seeing through F's existence" and "That reaction is perfectly understandable."
Regarding the treatment of the late Yamamoto, some said, "Yamamoto from the Villain Conference Room must be angry..." In the comments section of the TBS Radio streaming video "VIVANT Villain Conference Room Vol. 2," fans expressed hope for their appearance, saying, "Let's invite Ali next time. He's been tortured twice now," and "I'm looking forward to Shinjo joining eventually." Are Ali and Shinjo already being invited to the room?!
Eventually, Ali's testimony revealed that Shinjo had been continuing flight training while deceiving Public Security. The possibility emerged that he fled the country in a private jet he piloted himself.
During the investigation, Nogi consults over the phone with his partner Kaoru Yuzuki (Fumi Nikaido) about the school attended by Jamila (Sahe Honma), the girl living with Kaoru. Ali seems relieved to hear Jamila is in Japan, saying, "If she's in Japan, she's safe." However, Ali's expression suddenly clouds at something Nogi says. Without the reason being explained, the investigation moves to the next stage of tracking Shinjo's escape route.
Can They See Through the Faked Footage? Four Elites Gather on Screen
Nogi and Nozaki, who are pursuing Shinjo, gather on screen with the genius hacker "Blue Walker" Riho Ota (Sumire Hanaoka) and Shota Tojo (Gaku Hamada) of the Metropolitan Police Department's Cybercrime Division. Beppan, Public Security, a genius hacker, and a cyber investigation pro. This lineup is flawless!
While examining airport footage, Nozaki's question—"Are there any flights whose times were changed just before departure?"—led the investigation toward Russia. However, Nogi noticed footage from Shin-Fuji Airport (Shizuoka Prefecture). What came to mind was the news about the linear precipitation zone in Shizuoka Prefecture seen in Episode 11. Yet, there was no rain in the airport footage. The live-action appearance of voice actors Natsuki Hanae and Akari Kito, who played siblings in a popular anime, as news anchors turned out to be the breakthrough. "Was that foreshadowing too?" fans wondered, as "VIVANT" never uses a guest appearance just for show.
When Nogi instructed Ota to re-investigate, the escape to Russia was revealed to be a trap. A new figure emerged on the radar: Chocky Tapernit (OHM), a Thai billionaire who was a Tent monitor. Chocky is a notable figure praised as the "heroine" by the "VIVANT" cast. Did Shinjo use Chocky's help? Nogi and Drum attempt to infiltrate Thailand from neighboring Cambodia to avoid detection.
Supporting this mission is the Beppan support network spread across the globe. In Episode 11 at Cyprus International Airport, a souvenir shop clerk prepared weapons and equipment; this time, a surly woman at a currency exchange in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, provides passports and fisherman's gear. Collaborators hide in unexpected places, connecting Nogi's pursuit. The sight of Nogi and Drum disguised as local fishermen is a must-see!
Approaching the Hideout with a Clever Tactic! An Unexpected Person Appears Before Nogi
After entering Thailand, Nogi and his team track the car Shinjo took using surveillance footage from Bangkok Airport. While the footage around the airport had been blocked in Episode 11, it remained this time. Nogi does not miss the difference between where the footage was deleted and where it was intentionally left.
They eventually narrow down the villa area where Shinjo is believed to be hiding, but even when Ota uses a military satellite, she cannot identify the residence due to special walls. That's when Drum takes action. He gathers 30 motorcyclists locally! How will he move this large force to approach Shinjo's hideout? The hint lies in the mochi, Drum's favorite food, which he was snacking on. From the stretchy mochi, he remembered Shinjo's favorite food... Human eyes and feet identify the location that even military satellites couldn't see. No piece of news or random association is wasted. The speed of foreshadowing resolution is relentless!
Since cooperation with local police is necessary to approach Shinjo's hideout, Beppan commander Satomi Sakurai (Midoriko Kimura) sends a Beppan member who oversees Southeast Asia to Nogi. When Nogi visits the restaurant for the meeting, he finds Toshihiko Nagano (Fumiyo Kohinata), the Executive Director of Marubishi Corporation, apparently in the middle of a business negotiation. Nogi, who is supposed to be on a business trip to Balka, cannot be seen in Thailand. He quickly leaves the shop and asks Sakurai to change the meeting place.
At the new location, Nogi exchanges the contact code through the door. When he opens it, Nagano is standing there. Even Nogi is speechless! "Executive Director Nagano" immediately trended on Yahoo! Real-Time Search. While the Beppan theory is the strongest, many voices suggested he might have just followed Nogi after seeing him at the restaurant, or that the knock happened to match by coincidence. Theories are split down the middle over a slight signal. What is the true identity of Executive Director Nagano?
Episode 12: Nogi (F) and Ali Confront Each Other Again — Producer Iida Speaks on "The Best Acting"
Episode 12 was filmed over a year, from June 2025 to May 2026. Producer Kazutaka Iida shared behind-the-scenes stories and memorable episodes from the shoot.
"What comes to mind first is the interrogation scene between Nogi (F) and Ali. Contrary to F's line, 'The worst memory all over again,' I went into filming feeling that I was about to see a 'best moment' again. For the two actors performing that intense scene, I'm sure they thought, 'Give me a break' (laughs), but I felt like, 'I get to see the clash of the best acting by two of the best actors again.' I first worked with Mr. Yamanaka in the first season, and I had the strange impression that his acting was like 'swallowing the opponent's breath and spitting out his own lines.' Even though the scene was intense, I remember feeling very comfortable before I knew it. Perhaps because of that, I remember the filming back then finishing several hours early. This scene, too, was an exceptional exchange between the two. After the line 'I hate that friend,' Ali was indignant and actually continued acting for much longer than what was broadcast; we might be able to see that somewhere eventually."
Episode 12, which connected scattered clues, threw in the greatest mystery of Executive Director Nagano just as Shinjo's whereabouts seemed clear!
What will Nogi and Nagano discuss next time?
