SAKAMOTO DAYS

DESCRIPTION

CAST

MANGA ActionSAKAMOTO DAYS
ANIME ActionSAKAMOTO DAYS Part 2

REVIEWS

• 

  Awestruct

  74/100
  An over-hyped series with an over-hated anime adaptation

  __Sakamoto Days__ A little disclaimer this is a review for the anime not the manga. I haven't read the manga so this is my introduction to the series. I try not to yap too long in sections to make it more enjoyable to the reader, hope you enjoy! _Minor Spoilers Ahead_ __Synopsis__

  Taro Sakamoto is a retired hitman and wants to live the family life. He owns a convenient store and other hitman try to come kill him because he has a hit put out on him. That's the major portion of this season and it suffers a little from "hitman of the week" syndrome, but with how likable the characters are and some aura farming bad guys this makes for a really good experience. There's also sprinkled in some heart warming parts like taro having shin for dinner and showing him why he left being a hitman. This show has made me a fan of the series.

  However you cant take some of the action scenes serious because of how ridiculous it is sometimes, but its also sometimes for the sake of a joke which I think works well.

  __Characters__

  Taro, Shin and Lu are all likable characters seeing them interact and learn about there backstories was done well enough that I wasn't bored. Taro's daughter is so cute and funny. But honestly it feels like the hitman that come to try and kill taro steal the show and I love that. Some of them are likeable, badass and straight up aura farmers thats sometimes done in a way that makes it look like Taro is in danger. I'm excited to see what else this show throws at him.

  __Animation__

  Some say the animation is the worst part of the show, and to some-what I agree. I've seen enough animation now to know that no animation is completely perfect. The use of CGI here was noticeable at parts but still done well. The action portions I had no real issues because in this show the way taro fights is more the focus rather than how it actually looks, with his "john wick" style of fighting he uses his smarts in conjunction with his ability to fight and I think it fits really well with the style of show.

  Could the action have been better animated/directed? Yup

  __Writing__

  The biggest issue I have is that we didn't get a big over arcing story to this season. You can argue that finding out about the hit that was put on Taro is the over-arching plot for season 1 but its not its focus. It has dropped hints of one with slur and his goons that I think we are getting in the future but its focus changes episode by episode. We did however get a few episode Shin backstory that I enjoyed, but overall the characters lack some depth. When it was hitman of the week style I still enjoyed it because of the nature/sillyness of the show. It just works. Its problems in writing I see in a lot of season 1s in anime so I don't hold it against it to much. The joke writing is hit or miss but I find that to be true in every comedy.

  I also think its a weird decision for Taro to immediate lose all his weight and gain it back. It just makes it feel a little goofy.

  __Conclusion__

  I really enjoyed this show and I'm excited for its next season and I will be collecting this manga. Its a fun, light, action packed ride that I enjoyed from start to finish. It wasn't perfect but it made me a fan of the series so I think it does its job really well. I'm just hoping for more of a over arcing story next season with slur and his goons.

  Ill be adding Taro and this show to my favorites (: https://anilist.co/anime/177709/SAKAMOTO-DAYS/
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• 

  melamuna

  70/100
  An entertaining shounen formula with a street-level twist that packs a punch!

  ---

  Recent action anime have been leaning more into the fantastical aspect. With recent shounen juggernauts such as Jujutsu Kaisen and My Hero Academia leaning more into their grandiose action sequences, complemented with beams of color for their representation of power,. But as you keep seeing these types of action sequences—with each year upping its stakes and quality from the last—it also becomes more stale as it's the only thing that's predominantly mainstream with the lack of variety. This year, however, has a lot of promises in the action anime realm that shake up the medium, one of which is this anime. ***

  In the action department, Sakamoto Days has been one of the most interesting so far, not because how grandiose the series is compared to the last, but how creative and practical its action sequences are. For comparison, Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2’s Sukuna and Jogo battle sequence is undeniably impressive, but it lost its grounded tangibility with many elements flying around on screen, finding it hard to make sense of the durability and practicality of each item during its action sequences. Part of an action sequence is using items around the characters as obstacles or tools to achieve their desired way of defeating an enemy in an entertaining and creative fashion—in which Sakamoto Days delivers it well.

  From the first episode alone, you can see its grounded take on action sequences down to its street-level style, by using tangible materials such as convenience store shelves as part of its safe defense or a strategic attack. Each crash packs a heavier punch, and the creative uses of familiar spaces and choreography make it one of the most interesting action-oriented animes around.

  Apart from its action sequences, this anime has a lot more heart to it than you might expect. We follow with a character named Shin Asakura (Nobunaga Shimazaki), who's with many misadventures, meeting many individuals who dared to assassinate Tarou Sakamoto (Tomokazu Sugita), a notoriously feared assassin who retired for a humble life—and out of shape. From that premise alone, there isn't much of a legroom to fully explore many themes as it follows a more traditional, obstacle-oriented adventure, but it manages to sneak in some drama into it from the heart-to-heart interactions, well-realized motivations, and fun chemistry between many major and minor characters.

  Aside from its well-crafted and unique action sequences and a lovable, heartwarming cast of characters, this series does not really offer anything that's inventive that redefines its medium. At the end of the day, it is still your standard shounen series with standard shounen formulas present from many successful shounen anime—and it continues to have that element in this series. It can be a great thing for many viewers since there is that familiarity with the formula, which you can find an easy connection with the series. On the other hand, those who were seeking something profound or formula-breaking can be left disappointed—but still leaving the series with a smile. ***

  Sakamoto Days is your usual shounen series with its proven and tested formulas that continuously work, along with a standout quirk of having street-level action sequences that bring a refreshing light. An easy recommendation for shounen fans and action fans alike. ***

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• 

  Akeuragi

  79/100
  He who was once feared by all now fears no one but his wife.

  Sakamoto Days revolves around Taro Sakamoto, the world's renowned legendary hitman, far greater the caliber of all. However, the legend seemingly turned into a retired, ordinary, and relaxed family man who gained weight. With the Sakamoto Store to whom his past life owes the consequences, a certain someone has put a bounty to his head, and persistent enemies come to force him to protect his loved ones, despite his retired status.

  Story

  The plot follows Taro Sakamoto and his family, where his wife, Aoi Sakamoto, has a rule not to kill, or else she would break up with Taro, which the former hitman adheres out of his fear. Who would've known he who was once feared by all fears no one but his wife.

  Certain former criminals meet up with the family in mere coincidence- Shin, Lu, and Heisuke- and they come together to adhere and protect the family against persistent threats of those who have business against Taro; whether by revenge, forcing him for job return, or the bounty up his head.

  The plot is simple yet complex, a story meant to balance out the elements of slice-of-life, action, and comedy.

  The story primarily focuses on the bounty up Sakamoto's head, but each episodes are directed to leading out-of-scope. The best description for that would be: "This episode is about Taro, then about Shin, then about comfort, then this-and-that!". The sequence is tolerable, at least.

  It's truly worth note taking that the series is rushed. Everything feels all-so-sudden. The plot in itself isn't that great either, while it has it's strengths for having innovative concepts such as The Order, X, and Triad, but it is not sufficient enough to compensate the rest of the adaptation. The weaknesses over the strengths surely overpower over this anime adaptation in comparison to the manga.

  __Characters__

  The introductory execution of the characters were done efficiently under the manner of 11 episodes. However, while there is explicit apprehension toward the backstories of characters, several concepts were not given proper detail and focus, which made them irrelevant.

  Certain characters were also not given enough depth, considering their potential. The character designs are phenomenal that I can already see edit videos rampaging over the feeds. Yeah, you can't deny, from men to women, all of these characters have an ick to them.

  __Visuals__

  Critics are out to an all-time best to criticize the series over its visuals. They tend to talk bad about it being a very bad adaptation, a source coming from people with high expectations.

  It is subjective, but I agree. There are several flaws noticeable in every episodes that affect the series in itself, but several episodes that should've been better (considering its impact) were done unsatisfactorily. For example,

  • X's introduction
  • Sakamoto vs Hard-Boiled
  • Natsuki Seba vs Heisuke and Shin
  • Sakamoto and Shin vs Heisuke

  While all of these fights are tolerable to an extent, it could've been much better.

  Music
  There are also certain critiques who have their disappointments of the music, pointing out the opening and ending sequence of the series.

  Overall
  It is a decent series with several flaws that are attentively being criticized by critics, who seemingly have a bad take when it comes to Sakamoto Days. While there are certain episodes that show comfort, for the sake of its main genres, I think that the anime adaptation doesn't suit the work's main output at all.

  Shoutout to several characters along with concepts for being very interesting, engaging, and refreshing. I'm talking about you X, Order, Seba, Shin, Heisuke, and Lu. wink wink

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