With S1 Part 2 Set to Drop, Here's why Sakamoto Days Should be Inspiring Action Writers, Artists and Directors

The world’s best, most legendary (and handsome) hitman retired to the good convenience-store-owner-and-family-man life. Something that has irked the underworld to no end, resulting in some of the most creative action we’ve seen in some time…

Anime and the idiom “over the top” (or, OTT) go hand-in-hand. Just watch a single episode of Dan Da Dan or Ranma ½ and you’ll know what we mean. But there’s an anime series heading towards Part 2 of its first season on Netflix (in Australia) in July that embodies the beauty of just how outrageous animation can be, if in the right hands. And it should be inspiring wannabe action creators across all landscapes, it’s that good.

 

Of course, we’re not talking about the ultra OTT stuff. The Dragon Balls, One Punch Mans or even our residential favourite, Berserk, in terms of action. This little ditty is all about regular life gone awry, and while its characters and representative baddies are all things silly, it’s essential ‘grounding’ of its action base makes for where we’re leaning with this piece.

Sakamoto Days, then, an admittedly more crudely-presented series in terms of its animation and art -- against other modern anime, that is -- is quite simply, the tits. That ‘crude’ness is part of its charm (make no mistake, it’s purposeful and stems from the art of the manga it’s adapted from -- just watch the trailer for S1, Part 2 below), but it’s in the series’ creativity around any action sequence that it shines most. You see, Taro Sakamoto, the show and comic's titular character, is a former hitman of legendary status. He’s continuously finding himself in trouble, whether from former rivals or enemies, others looking to make a name for themselves or those just plain pissed that he’s retired (and ‘let himself go’), leaving them no one to aspire to beat on the criminal battlefield. These nefarious bastards are also generally tied to organisations still wary of his very existence against their equally criminal machinations, and thus also want him eliminated.

Silly rabbits.

 



You see, Sakamoto is the best there ever was. He’s challenged now because life’s priorities have changed his thinking, but he’s still the most resourceful and capable character, maybe ever. And yes, that’s against even Batman or John Wick. (Okay, maybe let’s not go overboard, but he’s in the same bracket.)

With all of that in mind, it’s more than worth pointing out that Sakamoto Days is also hilarious, to a fault. It oozes personality around its key cast of characters which, as the first season (or, technically, Season 1 Part One) plays out, is an ever-growing cast of soon-to-be-familals -- each becoming a humble employee of the Sakamoto family-owned konbini, Sakamoto’s Store. And, naturally, they have their own flaws, strengths and abilities making for some excellent shenanigans where ad hoc teamwork, invigored loyalty and maintenance of both a worst-kept secret and its subsequent (and required) status quo are concerned. It sounds complicated but, if anything, the series expresses all of the above in such a simple and easily digestible way, that pacing ought to be another aspect of what aspiring creators are looking for with this series.

Sakamoto Days

What’s The Pop?: Anime Series
From: Netflix
Release Date: July 14, 2025
Official Link: Watch Sakamoto Days | S1 Part 1 and 2 | Netflix
Author: Stephen Farrelly
Date: July 01, 2025

Multicultural, Multigenre, Multiaction

Where Sakamoto Days excels is in its universal storytelling. The series may be set in Japan, but characters -- good and bad -- are from all walks of life, while its central themes around family, friendship and loyalty can be understood the world over. It also helps that its action is so easy to digest where Sakamoto utilises everyday objects in the most unlikely and creative of ways that there’s a sort of relatable component to it all. Despite him being the greatest, most legendary hitman of all time. And there’s a genuine art to making action relatable with the otherwise mundane, it’s entirely how Jason Stathom maintains his action hero living these days.

"This means action escalates as the series ticks along at a fairly frantic rate, which also means that creativity around each conflict is equally heightened..."

The comedy behind the above in the series, though, goes one step further because Sakamoto, upon hanging up his hitman boots, promised his wife, Aoi, he would never kill again which means that despite him and his sidekick Shin Asakura constantly in skirmishes with all types of baddies, and always trying to hide that fact, Sakamoto must honour her wishes. It can also mean said baddies, even with the beat down of a lifetime, can come back to try again; each time armed with new information on how to tackle Sakamoto and his family of clerks (more on them shortly). This means action escalates as the series ticks along at a fairly frantic rate, which also means that creativity around each conflict is equally heightened and even more hilarious each time. 

Some of it is genius, really, with a handful of standout moments to keep an eye out for if you’re watching for the first time, such as Sakamoto’s use of a pair of tongs, a pacer, a rock and in all the ways he imagines himself disposing of Shin (read our “Would you like to know more?” box out for… MORE!). Additionally, each battle with the OTT baddies he faces tends to take up massive chunks of episodes with some of the best choreography this side of, well, just about anything (I personally even rate it over Jujutsu Kaisen). The “Hard-Boiled” episode is a particular standout from both an action sense and a comedic one purely because of the character Boiled who is an interesting and hilarious take on the hardboiled genre of crime fiction and the hard-nosed characters that populate it. 

Would you like to know more?
Shin's unique ability is that he's clairvoyant, which ends up being a useful tool throughout given Sakamoto is a man of few words (so we hear him speak telepathically with Shin, mostly). Suzuki was clever to make him Sakamoto's right-hand man with plenty of action sequences, plot points and comedy all driven off his power, while the backstory for him gaining it is also a great arc and one that plays out brilliantly. Still, it all pales in comparison to the numerous times Shin can see Sakamoto imagining killing him, often in quick and creative ways, leaving their relationship as nothing if not unique while also letting the viewer watch him kill, despite not being allowed to in the real world.

Criminally Insane

Of course, the manga and anime’s best bits aren’t exclusive to its protagonists. As clever and creative as most of the action and comedy is, series creator Yuto Suzuki’s twisted imagination for its antagonists is also a key driving force, who more often than not feature abilities, weapons or personalities that shape the makeup of each explosive slice of combat. A bathhouse showdown towards Part 1’s tail end is an immediate standout in “Bathhouse Roughhouse”, as well as the two episodes that preceed it centre around Shin’s origin in both “Sakamoto’s vs. The Lab” and “All Aboard”. Look out for those in particular amidst all the other fantastic episodes. 

Throughout, the action isnt just well choreographed, it's also presented ultra-stylistically which at times belies the overall art style (again, deliberate and in our opinion, awesome). Helped, naturally, by the manga in terms of composition and framing, TMS Entertainment takes the panels of the manga and truly brings them to life. Sakamoto Days equally goes against the slower pacing of many other action-based shonen by maintaining a kinetic flow that is rarely slowed by dialogue or character confrontations. Which helps sell the power and skill of not just the titular character, but his support group as well. No two fights ever feel the same, and tropes are all but out the window which is a refreshing aspect too many other anime rely too often on.

"The show’s rogue’s gallery fills up very quickly with some of the creepiest and most creative enemies you can imagine..."

And as with the “escalating” combat and comedy mentioned earlier, the show’s rogue’s gallery equally fills up very quickly with some of the creepiest and most creative enemies you can imagine. This also perfectly offsets a lot of that “grounding” around combat we’ve spoken about, to the point some of them could honestly nestle comfortably as characters in a Saw movie or the like. But here, naturally, the comedy element helps balance everything out maintaining a narrative flow that is all parts fun, dark, explosive and always surprising.

There really isn’t another series like this, which is why the action stands out so much because there’s also so much else going on from a characterisation perspective and is simply another reason aspiring creators should be looking to this for inspiration.

Would you like to know more?
Sakamoto Days is what's referred to as a "Shonen" in the world of Japanese media, which essentially means it's geared more towards young males and is mostly action-oriented. Other manga or anime that fit this label are the likes of Death Note, Fullmetal Alchemist and Chainsaw Man, to mention a few of our faves, but the net cast for the label is fairly wide and ranges from sci fi to horror to action and everything in between.

Character Flaws, And All

Rounding out the weight of those “pissed” enemies with both literal and figurative axes to grind with Sakamoto, is that “familial” element we also touched on at the start. With Shin as his main sidekick, we’re also introduced to the likes of the boozie-but-capable Lu Shaotang, the moronic sharpshooter Heisuke Mashimo and an old hitman pal of Sakamoto’s in Yoichi Nagumo, among a handful of others. The three mentioned first wind up as store clerks for our hitman, while Nagumo maintains a professional relationship. Each is funny and well-written in their own right, but as a collective their supporting roles are just as important, and large, as everything else that Sakamoto is involved in. And, lovingly, they all share a unique adoration towards his affection for his family and the quiet life he pines for, despite each bringing with them obvious and hilarious baggage.

"While there’s plenty to glean from the manga, there’s a good chance we’ll be seeing some things handled differently..."

The crime organisations that permeate the show’s main plotline look to feature more heavily in Part 2, and while there’s plenty to glean from the manga, there’s a good chance we’ll be seeing some things handled differently, and potentially expanded upon more.

Either way, with some of the best action sequences we’ve ever seen already played out, we can’t wait to see where the anime takes Suzuki’s world to next, in full motion. 

Sakamoto Days Season One, Part 2 drops for Netflix on July 14.

About the author

Written By Stephen Farrelly
Stephen Farrelly is a veteran journalist and editor with more than two decades experience in the worlds of gaming, entertainment, lifestyle and sport. He is a proud pug dad, loves art in all forms (particularly street and tattoo culture), and is the director of Swear Jar Editorial and Media Pty Ltd, this site's owner and publisher. When not dispensing words, he's also dispensing boutique beers as a taproom fixture at Bracket Brewing in Marrickville, NSW...
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