Tatsuya Endo's manga, SPY×FAMILY, is a massive hit! Its popularity skyrocketed after the anime adaptation, with the first movie hitting theaters in 2023 to impressive box office success. The third season of the anime also wrapped up late last year.
This October, the musical "SPY×FAMILY 2: Doggy Crisis & Cruise Ship Arc" is set to open, marking the second installment after its 2023 debut. However, actor Eisuke Sasai, who plays Donovan Desmond, has fans absolutely losing it over his incredibly faithful portrayal – especially those piercing, deep-set eyes. His look immediately went viral, with netizens exclaiming that they basically cast the real deal!
Donovan Desmond is Damian's father, the leader of Ostania's opposition party, the National Unity Party, and a former Ostanian Prime Minister. He's a dangerous figure who threatens peace between East and West, making him WISE's top target under the codename "Owl" for their agent "Twilight."
He's known for his cold, rigid, and profound personality, often sporting an aloof gaze. He rarely appears in public, only showing up at Eden Academy's regular parent-teacher conferences. He firmly believes that "people cannot truly understand each other" and remains one of the series' most enigmatic characters.
On the 3rd, the musical's official channels revealed Eisuke Sasai's look as Desmond, alongside his second son Damian, and even the dog Max will make an appearance! The powerful makeup perfectly captures Desmond's deep-set eyes, truly nailing his essence.
The moment these photos dropped, the comments section exploded with netizens screaming, "It's literally him!" and "Who let the actual Desmond on stage?! LOL!"
Even international fans are praising the casting as incredibly precise, amazed at how accurately the musical has brought Desmond to life.
By the way, here's what the 67-year-old Eisuke Sasai looks like normally; he's appeared in tons of Japanese dramas and films.
The musical "SPY×FAMILY 2: Doggy Crisis & Cruise Ship Arc" will have its preview performances starting September 9th, with official runs from September 22nd to October 29th.
It's safe to say the casting is so spot-on it's become a major talking point, and it's definitely going to add even more buzz to the musical.