Summary
- Sakamoto Days charms viewers with simplicity, focusing on everyday life while blending comedy and action seamlessly.
- The plot shines through character development, with surrounding characters adding depth to the story and revealing Sakamoto’s past.
- Despite its simplicity, Sakamoto Days continues to entertain with unique fight scenes and likable characters, promising growth in future episodes.
From the depths of the underworld to running a convenience store, Sakamoto Days tells a lighthearted tale of a retired assassin. Sakamoto Days has been catching the eyes of many viewers, but what exactly is so appealing about this anime?
On the surface, Sakamoto Days seems to have a fairly simple plot. It follows the life of Taro Sakamoto, a retired assassin who was once feared and admired by the underworld. But after falling in love, he was forced to retire and live a simple life. A few years later the underworld eventually finds him. But Sakamoto’s refusal to return to his past life makes him a target. Now he attempts to protect his family from numerous assassins while maintaining the family rule of not killing anyone.
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The Charm of Simplicity
Sakamoto’s past and present could not be further apart. He spent years killing people and earning the title of “the legendary hit man”, while his present is merely running a convenience store with his family. Sakamoto’s biggest concerns are now taking care of his family and maintaining his small convenience store. Even in adverse situations, we see him caring about things that others would consider mundane.
In Episode 2, amidst a fight against Son Hee and Bacho, we find Sakamoto more concerned about buying pork buns for his daughter. Moments like this make the show very amusing and build Sakamoto as a likable character. The anime’s lighthearted tone allows viewers to simply care about small details without worrying about a comprehensive, complex plot, which makes it very easy to watch. It is reminiscent of anime like Spy x Family and The Way of the Househusband.
Merging Comedy and Action
While there is an ample number of action scenes, the show continues to maintain its easygoing nature by fusing it with comedy. In Episode 1, Shin fires a gun at Sakamoto. But Sakamoto simply repels the bullet using a cough drop. Sakamoto’s promise to Aoi also forces him to use non-lethal ways to fight lethal enemies. So later in the episode, when he decides to help Shin, we see him open a big arsenal of weapons, but he simply chooses a stun gun to fight the gang of assassins.
The Plot Shines Through Characters
Most popular protagonists go through a journey of growth. They start inexperienced and as the plot progresses they continue to get stronger. But Sakamoto had already reached this pinnacle. So the show instead invests in the surrounding characters to create an interesting dynamic.
In episode 1, we are introduced to Shin Asakura, an assassin tasked with two options: either convincing Sakamoto to return to the underworld or killing him. He fails to do either and risks his own life to defend Sakamoto. He is saved by Sakamoto and starts working under him. Since Shin is a psychic, he can read Sakamoto’s mind. Shin becomes a means for the anime to openly share Sakamoto’s thoughts without ruining his calm and collected character. Later, this ability also allows him to win a fight against a deadly assassin.
In episode 2, we meet Lu Shaotang, the last surviving member of a mafia clan. She is a rather cheerful and laid-back addition to the show. Her interactions with Shin are comedic, and she also creates a heartwarming tone in her sibling-like relationship with Hana. But at the same time, she also has a sad backstory which also helps in revealing bits of Sakamoto and Aoi’s past.
Additionally, other characters like Yoichi Nagumo and Boiled helped uncover Sakamoto’s past through their backstories. In Episode 5, Yoichi even comments that Sakamoto has grown much weaker compared to his prime. This hints that the anime might follow Sakamoto’s path towards regaining his lost strength.
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Sakamoto Days manages to appeal to many people with its simplicity. But it is also continuously entertaining due to its unique fight scenes and hilarious characters. With only 5 episodes released, the show will continue to grow in the coming weeks.
Sakamoto Days is currently available to watch on Netflix.
