This winter season of anime has kicked off to a great start. The slate of shows this season are stacked, with Dr. Stone, Solo Leveling, and Re: Zero all poised for their return. There are still some newcomers that have caught my eye, one of them being Sakamoto Days.
Sakamoto Days is a highly anticipated title Netflix scooped up. Based on the popular manga of the same name. It follows the life of Taro Sakamoto, who was at one point the most feared hitman. He now leads a slower and more wholesome lifestyle. He has completely severed ties with his old life. He runs a convenience store with the woman he gave it all up for, Aoi, and their daughter. But his old life comes knocking once more when an old partner, Shin shows up one day.
Since it was first announced, I was excited for this anime. The premise alone had me hooked. A few things I am a sucker for are an older protagonist, a retired gangster, and a wholesome slice of life. This had the trifecta, and this did not disappoint at all. I wanted to go in with zero bias and no prior info from the manga. Let’s jump into what I felt about it all.
The biggest draw for me with this show is Sakamoto himself. I can see myself in this character. But also the action of this anime. The John Wick-style gunfights and cinematography when the more intense moments come around. That is what is keeping me hooked in the first episode.
The titular character Sakamoto is a gentle giant. The way he has integrated himself into civilian life. Walking away from his life of murder and crime for love is remarkable. When Shin finally finds him to open up the first episode, he is stunned. Shin is amazed at how docile and domesticated Sakamoto has become. Compared to the flashbacks we get from his days as a hitman. The cold and ruthless nature he displayed has been replaced. There is warmth and consideration for all the people he interacts with.
I will say that this man adopts people like he is Bruce Wayne. He has a soft spot for people, and it shows. He has completely revamped his moral code. But, he is one bad day away from going back. That is another element that keeps my attention. His darker side. Shin, the aforementioned partner, is clairvoyant. Through him, we can see the inner thoughts of Sakamoto. How much he suppresses his violent tendencies.
The biggest connection you see he cherishes is the relationship with his wife Aoi. She is the anchor to his heart. She has made him a better person. She is very strict about the rules of the family that they have agreed upon. I will say one thing. She has been so calm about all of the chaos that has come back into their lives.
Another dark, but well fleshed out part of this world I enjoy is the underworld of organized crime. There are so many things I cannot wait to explore. Every character we meet has an intricate connection to the underbelly of society. I know there will be others who will become employees at the store. I will wait to see their backstory. The criminal element in this world has a very compelling hook for me.
The last time I was this involved with an anime like Sakamoto Days was The Way of the House Husband. The comedic styling of both shows is so similar. Sakamoto Days has the action component I wanted so badly from Way of the House Husband. The studio that makes this anime has produced other amazing action anime. It is the same studio that does Dr.Stone, so the action scenes are done very well. It has that cinematic feel that you get from classic shoot-’em-up movies.
I have full faith that this will be the anime of the season. Netflix has stepped its anime catalog up and has the chops to rival Crunchyroll or Hulu. DanDanDan was the breakout anime of last season. Sakamoto Days can benefit from that momentum on Netflix and grow the audience for the streaming giant.
The first two episodes are now streaming on Netflix and new episodes drop every Saturday. Check out the anime and tell me what you think about it in the comments below.
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