In the anime scene, the action-comedy genre is all the rage these days, as a number of fan favourites like Dandadan, Spy x Family, and Ranma ½ are already raking in huge numbers of viewers across streaming platforms. In the same list, now we have got an anime adaptation of Yuto Suzuki’s wildly popular manga, Sakamoto Days, which follows a legendary hitman’s efforts to leave his old life behind and turn over a new page as a family man, only to get dragged back into it by the ghosts of his past, which results in a series of hilarious scenarios. Viewers can find similarities with the anime The Devil is a Part-Timer, another such laugh riot that sets Satan up in an ordinary lifestyle to create zany situations, although from the first episode, Sakamoto Days appears to be much more light-hearted in comparison.
The pilot episode neatly establishes the world and introduces the key characters, making viewers acquainted with the tone and narrative treatment of the series—and there is a lot to like from what we have seen. The blend of humor and action is well executed, and Baki and Dr. Stone producer TMS Entertainment has once again aced the animation department. Already a hit with the manga readers, Sakamoto Days will surely grab the attention of otakus worldwide and will further cement the fact that the gradual popularity of the comedy-action anime genre is bound to curb the dominance of shounen for the days to come.
Spoilers Ahead
Why Did Shin Want Sakamoto to Return to His Old Life?
The beginning of the episode introduces viewers to Taro Sakamoto, a legendary hitman dreaded by criminals across the world. Essentially the John Wick of this world, Sakamoto’s unparalleled skills as an assassin had made him quite a revered figure in the underworld, and justifying his reputation, over the years, Sakamoto has stacked a high body count by killing the who’s who among the dregs of the society. All that changes when Sakamoto falls in love and gets married, after which he promptly leaves his bloody past behind to settle for a quiet, peaceful life with his wife and daughter. Losing the physique of a hitman, Sakamoto is now completely unrecognizable with his flabby dad bod; the once feared killer has seemingly melted away within the stout department store owner who has a penchant for instant noodles.
However, Sakamoto hasn’t completely abandoned the thought of getting back to his old life, as shown on one occasion when a customer is trying to raise his hand against a kid for his seemingly stupid antics; he instantly stops him with almost superhuman agility, and in his mind, he had already planned out how to eliminate him in the most efficient way possible. At this point, Shin, the psychic—Sakamoto’s former underling—drops by his shop and reads his mind to learn his true intentions. Like many amateur assassins, Shin has a profound respect for Sakamoto and gets truly annoyed seeing his complete transformation. Being a psychic, Shin knows Sakamoto still has the killer instinct within him, and he doesn’t understand exactly why Sakamoto turned his back on his old ways, which got him money, fame, and basically everything superficial that his present mundane family life cannot provide him. Shin approaches Sakamoto by urging him to return to their gang; he has taken the duty of convincing his idol to do so, as otherwise their boss will make sure Sakamoto is eliminated. The way the underworld operates, there is no escaping from the dark clutches of this line of work once someone has become entangled in this mess, and even a legendary hitman like Sakamoto isn’t exempt from this cardinal rule.
Realizing it is not possible to convince Sakamoto to return, Shin decides to take it upon himself to eliminate Sakamoto—Shin finds solace in the idea that as an ardent admirer of the ace killer, he should be the one to put Sakamoto down. However, contrary to what his appearance shows the world, Sakamoto’s skills haven’t waned even a little bit; he manages to overpower Shin with ease and knocks him out. In fact, he even prevents Shin from reading his mind during combat by emptying his thoughts, which is proof enough of how capable a hitman Sakamoto is.
Upon waking up, Shin finds himself amidst Sakamoto and his family, who took care of him while he was unconscious, and who now offer him to join them for a family dinner. It is understandable that for someone like Shin, who had to go down a darker path from an early age, the warm feeling of companionship, and being cared for, is something he had never experienced before. Overwhelmed by the way Sakamoto and his family treat him, despite his previous attempt to take Sakamoto’s life, Shin finally realizes why his idol chose to be a family man. The happy little moments Sakamoto was able to share with his wife and daughter, the bond of love and caring relationship he shared with his family, are absolutely priceless and are worth sacrificing everything for.
Why Did Shin Opt for Sakamoto’s Lifestyle?
Having a proper understanding of Sakamoto’s reasons for abandoning his past life, Shin finally gives up in his attempt to convince him and instead goes to his boss to share the truth. Needless to say, the unnamed gang boss is not pleased with what he considers to be Sakamoto’s act of betrayal and decides to send other killers to ensure they get the job done by killing Sakamoto. Shin, who has gained an even stronger sense of respect for Sakamoto after his recent interaction with him and his family, offers to sacrifice his own life in exchange for the boss sparing Sakamoto. While the boss agrees to such strange terms, in his mind, he plans to betray Shin and kill both of them anyway. Shin is able to read his thoughts and launches an attack on the two-faced scoundrel, but despite being a skilled hitman with psychic powers, he is outnumbered real soon.
Just when it seems Shin will meet a tragic end, Sakamoto makes a surprise appearance and almost single-handedly neutralizes the gang, followed by taking down the boss as well. I mean, this guy stops bullets with chopsticks; average crooks and gangbangers hardly pose a threat to someone as fiercely skilled. Shin is elated seeing his idol caring enough for him to return to his old ways even for a brief while. It is revealed that Sakamoto had attached a tracker to Shin’s revolver, which is how he was able to reach the gang’s hideout, and beneath the front of the department store, he has kept the entire arsenal of weapons and gadgets—just in case he feels a need to use them. Although, this time, his actions are motivated by his willingness to protect lives instead of taking them.
With his gang gone, Shin is clueless as to what to do next, and Sakamoto offers him the job of an employee of the department store. Shin is surprised at this gesture, but taking a cue from Sakamoto’s life, he too decides to opt for a peaceful, honest vocation instead of going on a path that will inevitably end in misery. Sakamoto warns Shin to not reveal his past life as he is on the verge of starting a new one, and the two former assassins partner up to sell stationery, groceries, and whatnot. As the episode ends, the question that inevitably arises is whether Sakamoto’s wife is aware of his dark past. Being a feared assassin, Sakamoto had surely made enemies in the past, and it seems as the season progresses they will try to make him pay for his past actions. Leaving behind a life of crime is challenging enough, but Sakamoto has the additional responsibility of protecting his family at the same time. Perhaps with Shin by his side, things will get a bit easier for Sakamoto; I guess we will have to wait and see to know better.Â
