Kōji Mukai from the idol group Snow Man is making a cameo appearance in the upcoming second live-action Osomatsu film, reprising his connection to the franchise in an unexpected way.

Mukai originally played Osomatsu Matsuno, the lead character, in the 2022 live-action adaptation. Rather than repeating that role, he's taking on a different character called "Former Osomatsu" for the new film. The creative twist suggests the sequel will play with the concept in some meta fashion, keeping details under wraps for now.

The Osomatsu franchise has proven resilient across multiple formats. The original manga by Fujio Akatsuka ran in the 1960s and spawned the beloved anime adaptation that premiered in 2015, followed by two seasons and several films. The live-action adaptations represent an interesting bridge between the anime's devoted fanbase and mainstream audiences, and they've found enough success to warrant sequels.

Snow Man, the Japanese idol group under Johnny & Associates (now SMILE-UP.), has been expanding into acting roles in recent years. Mukai's involvement in the first Osomatsu film and return to the sequel shows he's become a recognizable face for the live-action interpretation of the sextuplet comedy.

The live-action films take the anarchic humor and absurdist comedy of the anime and manga and adapt them for a different medium, which requires a particular sensibility. Mukai's return—even in this altered capacity—provides continuity for fans of the previous film while the "Former Osomatsu" concept opens room for fresh storytelling possibilities.

More details about the second live-action Osomatsu film's release date and full cast remain to be announced. Fans of both the idol group and the Osomatsu franchise will likely be keen to see how the filmmakers handle this meta-narrative twist and what other returning cast members might look like for the sequel.