Winter 2025 Preview: Sakamoto Days

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Summary

  • The highly anticipated adaptation follows a former hitman whose family life is threatened by his past coming back to haunt him.
  • It’s an action comedy elevated by the premise and some strong presentation, especially in the lead’s character design.
  • The production staff for the anime is impressive, from a prolific screenwriter to talented designers, and a fantastic composer.
Title Sakamoto Days
Director Masaki Watanabe
Studio TMS Entertainment
Release Date 01/11/2025

As a seasoned anime enthusiast with over two decades of viewing under my belt, I must say that the upcoming Netflix series “Sakamoto Days” has truly piqued my interest. Having followed the manga for quite some time now, the anticipation has been palpable, and the trailers have only served to heighten it.

Approximately every couple of years, the anime enthusiasts eagerly await a particular type of adaptation, merging intense action with heartwarming or humorous comedy, often revolving around an exceptionally powerful main character. Shows like One Punch Man, Mob Psycho 100, and even Spy x Family (it’s undeniable that Yor possesses immense strength) have garnered such anticipation. Now, the latest action series to generate similar excitement is Sakamoto Days.

According to the manga created by Yuto Suzuki, this action series centers around Taro Sakamoto, who was once the world’s top assassin but left that dangerous lifestyle behind after encountering true love. Now a husband and father, Sakamoto has gained some weight and operates a convenience store. However, his tranquil existence is disrupted when his old life resurfaces, jeopardizing the peaceful life he has built for himself.

Not Another Retired Assassin Story

It’s a John Wick backstory but with a much less tragic inciting incident.

A significant part of this plot line is reminiscent of familiar themes, yet it offers a unique twist, evident even in the trailers. Instead of Sakamoto’s striking and conventionally attractive look from his prime, his current portly appearance as a loving father creates an endearing contrast. What makes it more intriguing is that he still possesses a formidable skill in combat, which adds to the humor. It’s like the backstory of a character from John Wick, but instead of a tragic start, it has a much less somber inciting incident.

Sakamoto, voiced by Tomokazu Sugita, has garnered many enemies who find the reward on his head too tempting to pass up. Even those who were once rivals or associates are eager to take him down. It’s unclear if they’re driven by money or a disbelief that he’s really retired. With his wife Aoi (voiced by Nao Touyama) threatening to end their marriage if he resorts to killing again, Sakamoto must find inventive ways to neutralize his adversaries.

A Killer Convenience Store Staff

It’s fortunate that he won’t be working alone; over time, he’ll be accompanied by an impressive array of former enemies turned allies and coworkers at the convenience store. Shin Asakura, voiced by Nobunaga Shimazaki, is Sakamoto’s old partner – a young assassin with psychic abilities. Following him is Xiaotang Lu, a member of the Triad (voiced by Ayane Sakura), and Heisuke Mashimo, a low-ranking assassin and sniper who has a pet parrot named Piisuke (voiced by Ryouta Suzuki).

The Staff Behind Sakamoto Days

The Director and Writer

The animation studio responsible for “Sakamoto Days” is TMS Entertainment, which has previously worked on shows like “Lupin III,” “Dr. Stone,” and “Undead Unluck.” The director, Masaki Watanabe, has a history with the “Battle Spirits” series at Studio Sunrise and Bandai Namco Pictures, and he also directed an episode in this year’s “Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero.” His other notable works include the “Code Geass: Akito the Exiled” movies and the 2006 version of “Bartender.

The writer behind the adaptation is one Taku Kishimoto and if you’re not familiar with the name, you’re undoubtedly familiar with his work. He is a remarkably prolific screenwriter in anime, credited with series composition on recent shows like Blue Lock, Ranking of Kings, and even The One Piece, Wit Studio’s upcoming remake of the worldwide sensation. Kishimoto also penned the adapted screenplays for Moriarty the Patriot, Haikyuu, and Erased.

Behind the Art and Music

Moriyama has an outstanding background in character design for TV anime, with an impressive portfolio dating back to the 2000s. He played crucial roles as a key animator on productions such as the 2004 series “Monster” and the initial Naruto movie. Additionally, he served as an assistant to director Takeshi Koike for character designs in his Lupin III films and contributed background art to Koike’s cult film “Redline” from 2009. Most notably, Moriyama directed the 2018 release of “Megalo Box” and its sequel that came out in 2021.

It’s possible that Moriyama isn’t directly overseeing this project, but given his impressive portfolio, we can expect high-quality artwork. As for the animation director, it would be fantastic if it turned out to be him. In terms of art direction, Yukiko Maruyama is on board, fresh from her work on the latest season of “My Hero Academia”, the third “Overlord” movie, and season 3 of “KonoSuba”.

Maruyama isn’t the sole staff member with a background in “My Hero Academia,” since Yuki Hayashi is also on board for the soundtrack composition. We previously explored Hayashi’s career in February. With his inspiring fusion of epic orchestra, intense rock music, and an eclectic mix of genres, he has solidified himself as one of the top composers in anime today. The animation will strive to generate excitement, but the music will match that effort.

Only One Month to Go

The upcoming anime has been divided into two segments. The initial segment will debut on January 11, and the remaining part will be broadcasted in July. Reports suggest that the entire first season of this TV anime will comprise a total of 22 episodes. You can stream the show globally on Netflix.

For quite some time now, enthusiasts of the manga have been eagerly awaiting the live-action version of “Sakamoto Days“. To them, the trailers have surpassed all their expectations. Delving into the team responsible for this adaptation only intensifies the anticipation, though it makes waiting for its release that much more agonizing during the following month.

Sakamoto Days will be available to stream on Netflix starting January 11.

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2024-12-17 19:04