In 2004, in the NHK Historical drama 'Shinsengumi!!' written by Koki Mitani, when Masato SAKAI, who was not very well known at that time, was hired to play the Keisuke SANNAN role, both Sakai and Sannan exploded in popularity.
2004年、NHK大河ドラマで三谷幸喜脚本の「新選組!」で、当時それほど知名度がなかった堺雅人が山南敬助役に起用されると、堺の人気とともに山南人気が爆発した。