SAKAMOTO DAYS: The Mysterious ‘Slur’ Unveiled

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The following contains heavy spoilers for SAKAMOTO DAYS. Proceed with caution.

Summary

  • The series antagonist, known as “X”, makes a chilling debut in the conclusion of the Lab Arc.
  • “X”, pronounced as “Slur”, aims to destroy JAA and has gained support from disillusioned assassins.
  • Uzuki Kei’s name in SAKAMOTO DAYS symbolizes enlightenment and may connect profoundly with the alias “X”.

In episode 9 of SAKAMOTO DAYS, the mysterious figure known as “X”, who has been whispered about throughout the early arcs, was finally unveiled. This infamous killer, responsible for eliminating assassins linked to the JAA, first emerged in the series during the late stages of Shin and his companions’ flight from the collapsing secret lab hidden within the Okutabi Science Museum.

The character earns his nickname due to the distinctive “X” mark he leaves at locations where deaths occur mysteriously, apparently at his hands. However, this name isn’t called “Slur”, but rather there seems to be a misunderstanding in your question.

Who Exactly is “X”?

Introducing the Series’ Antagonist

In the first season, the person associated with Taro Sakamoto’s bounty primarily stays hidden from view. Only once, in episode 9 at the end of the Lab Arc, does this person make an appearance. This encounter between Shin and the man with white hair exuding a menacing aura goes unrecognized by Shin, who doesn’t identify him as Taro Sakamoto or acknowledge him with his name, “X”.

In the manga, it’s been unveiled who he really is and what his hidden intentions are in SAKAMOTO DAYS. Kei Uzuki, a previous associate of the JAA who grew up in an orphanage managed by the same organization and attends the same school as Sakamoto, Nagumo, Boiled, and others, aims to eradicate the JAA entirely. His ultimate goal is to dismantle their monopoly in the killing business.

Through his actions, a significant number of active assassins in Japan have been eliminated. Surprisingly, these actions haven’t only increased his notoriety, but have also garnered genuine backing from present students at the JCC. They perceive that the JAA has wielded too much power within the industry, taking a large portion of every assassination job and eliminating those who no longer wish to be associated with it.

Operating outside the jurisdiction of the JAA often means putting one’s life and liberty on the line, a choice that most people can’t make. Interestingly, the person who commissioned the assassination of Taro Sakamoto and his allies turned out to be “X,” exploiting the same organization he intended to annihilate. The use of the symbol “X” has been traced back for thousands of years, carrying a variety of meanings based on context. In this case, “X” is often used to represent something unknown or unidentified, being the least common starting letter in English and the third-least frequently used overall.

So, What’s With the Alias?

The “X”-Factor of Slur

The term “X” being used as a placeholder originates from René Descartes, who employed ‘a’, ‘b’ and ‘c’ for known variables and ‘x’, ‘y’, and ‘z’ for unknowns in mathematics. In mathematics, “X” is second only to the number 0 in popularity as a placeholder. However, its usage extends beyond numbers, appearing frequently in various phrases and words as a reference to some enigmatic element. Interestingly, “X” doesn’t appear in the proto-Sinaitic alphabet, an alleged precursor to modern alphabets, which originally only had 18 letters. Consequently, it is absent from the earliest known Hebrew text, the Book of Creation, where each letter held a value. However, its role as a “blank tile” in this context mirrors its absence in early texts. When “X” made its way to Rome, it represented the number 10.

The term “X-Factor” signifies a unique trait that sets an individual apart from their contemporaries in some way; “X-Rays” were named by German scientist Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen in 1885 to represent “unidentified radiation”; American civil rights pioneer Malcolm Little adopted the letter as a means to separate himself from his ancestral slave name and to pave the way for his original African surname. The letter’s symbolism of the unknown also contributed to its use as a negator – possibly explaining why Kei Uzuki opted to use only “X” and adopt a mysterious persona. Throughout SAKAMOTO DAYS, we uncover more details about “X”, such as his self-obliteration of his own identity for the letter, but what continues to be a mystery is why “X” is pronounced “Slur” instead of “Ecks“.

The Brilliance of “Uzuki Kei”

“Across Heaven and Earth, I, Alone Am the X”

The standout literary element in SAKAMOTO DAYS could be its character name, “Uzuki Kei,” which is written 有月憬. This name is remarkable because it places the character in a realm similar to figures like Satoru Gojo and Son Goku. The significance lies in the meanings of these characters. “有” signifies existence or possession, while “月” means moon, but the name “Kei” derives from the original Chinese reading of a character that is typically read as “Satoru” – a name linked to “satori,” the final stage of enlightenment in Buddhism, predicated by “kensho,” the first insight into “what truly is.” If you’re a fan of Jujutsu Kaisen, this aspect of Gojo’s name explains his near-divine status and the awakening he experiences after battling Toji Fushiguro. Goku’s Ultra Instinct technique also follows this first-stage; final-stage progression found in “kensho/satori,” which is based on the fact that the name “Goku” is the Japanese reading of “Wukong,” a name written with the kanji for “satori” followed by “sky,” which can also be read as “void.

The unique aspect of “Uzuki Kei” isn’t just the superficial resemblance he shares with Gojo and Goku (or Buddha); it lies in the subtle difference in their names, particularly the radicals that signify their enlightenment or awakening. While Uzuki’s name ends with 「景」, which suggests “scenery” or “view”, Gojo and Goku’s names end with [吾], an older kanji meaning “self”. This difference in radicals indicates that the enlightenment associated with Uzuki isn’t a personal, introspective realization, but rather an awakening to the external world, detached from the self. This could be why Uzuki is portrayed with Dissociative Identity Disorder, a condition where multiple identities coexist within a single person, which was once referred to as “Multiple Personality Disorder”.

The Negation of Uzuki Kei

“X” As A Censor

The versatility of the symbol “X” is not just limited to representing unknowns; it can also be used as a censorship tool, hiding or concealing things. For instance, instead of asterisks or grawlixes, obscenities might be censored with Xs. This is one reason why ‘X’ is linked to adult content, as something being “X-Rated” means it’s not suitable for children. Given Uzuki’s goal of destroying the JAA and his methods, it seems he has a strong fascination with erasure, explaining why he chose the alias “X”, distancing himself from his past. Additionally, “X” can perfectly mimic other people’s personalities and behaviors, a side effect of the Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) he developed after accidentally killing Rion Akao. Rion remains one of X’s multiple personalities.

The term “Slur” might be named as such due to its double meaning – a pejorative word or phrase used against people or groups, and slurred speech resulting from intoxication or health problems. This duality could be why the creator chose “Slur”, representing his desire to conceal his identity and paint a new image of society. Additionally, the two-syllable pronunciation in Japanese that resembles an “X” with only two strokes might also play a role in its name. Ultimately, however, the true reason behind its name remains a mystery.

SAKAMOTO DAYS is available to read on VIZ Media’s website.

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2025-05-04 18:14