Fans of the Japanese television drama VIVANT have been trading theories online after noticing what appear to be three scratch marks on a black car linked to the character Nogi, according to Yahoo!ニュース. The observation, reported on Monday, prompted reactions ranging from surprise to speculation, with some viewers asking whether a character had been swapped and others wondering if the marks were simply a production mistake. Yahoo!ニュース reports that comments also pointed to the character Ryu behaving unusually.
The discussion is one of several threads surrounding the series. According to Yahoo!ニュース, a line delivered by the character Liu Minxue has led viewers to suspect a strong blood connection involving a hidden identity and a mother, with a hotel meeting between Nozaki and Nogi's uncle in episode 11 possibly serving as foreshadowing. A separate report noted that the preview for the next episode stirred conversation online. Coverage of episode 19 highlighted fan reaction to a firm handshake between the characters Nogi, played by Masato Sakai, and Nokoru, played by Kazunari Ninomiya, with viewers expressing excitement and hoping the bond endures.
The series, which is set partly in China, has also drawn attention there. Asahi Shimbun Globe+ reported that VIVANT 2 has become a talking point among Chinese viewers, who have responded with both enthusiasm and criticism over elements they find implausible.
What to watch next: whether the marks on the car are addressed in the next episode, or remain an unexplained detail for fans to keep debating.
