What happens when the greatest hitman in Japanese criminal history abruptly retires, marries the love of his life, gains weight running a quiet neighborhood convenience store, and still manages to deflect high-caliber sniper rounds with a cheap plastic ballpoint pen? You get Sakamoto Days—the smash-hit action manga by Yuto Suzuki that has officially ignited the global anime community following TMS Entertainment’s blockbuster adaptation premiere on Netflix. Blending jaw-dropping kinetic choreography with side-splitting domestic comedy, Taro Sakamoto’s peaceful family retirement has turned into the most explosive television spectacle of the season.
From Legendary Shadow Assassin to Family Man: Who Is Taro Sakamoto?
Long before he was behind the checkout register counting spare change and restocking instant ramen cups, Taro Sakamoto was the undisputed king of the underworld. Feared by crime syndicates and revered across the globe as the invincible apex predator of contract killers, Sakamoto walked away from blood money the exact moment he fell head over heels in love with his wife, Aoi Sakamoto. He traded his tactical gear for an apron, settled into a peaceful suburban life, and made a sacred, unbreakable family vow: never kill again.
Yet peace is hard to come by when a colossal bounty is placed on your head by shadowy syndicates. Despite gaining a cheerful dad-bod physique, Sakamoto’s reflexes haven’t slowed down by a single millisecond. When trouble arrives at his storefront, Sakamoto defends his idyllic routine without shedding a drop of blood—subduing entire mercenary squads using ordinary convenience store goods like pricing guns, shopping carts, and umbrellas. It is this sheer contrast between mundane domestic bliss and pulse-pounding, high-octane martial arts that gives Sakamoto Days its magnetic charm, echoing the bold narrative freshness that made Orb: On the Movements of the Earth such an unexpected global sensation.
The Colorful Crew of Sakamoto’s Convenience Store
Taro Sakamoto doesn’t face the relentless underworld alone. Central to the narrative is Shin Asakura, a talented telepathic former hitman voiced brilliantly by Nobunaga Shimazaki in Japanese and a powerhouse dub ensemble. Shin originally set out to assassinate Sakamoto, only to find himself awestruck by his former idol’s effortless mastery and family warmth. Now working as a clerk at Sakamoto’s store, Shin provides both tactical mind-reading support and hilarious comedic banter.
The shop’s dynamic expands further with the arrival of Lu Xiaotang, a former Chinese triad heiress voiced by Ayane Sakura, who wields deadly Drunken Fist martial arts fueled by steamed buns and sweets. Together with Taro’s protective wife Aoi and sweet daughter Hana, the Sakamoto store serves as a heartfelt sanctuary surrounded by chaotic danger. When elite assassins from “The Order”—an elite circle within the Japanese Underworld Order—begin hunting rogue targets, Sakamoto and his ragtag found family are drawn into conspiracies far deeper than standard turf wars.
TMS Entertainment and Director Masaki Watanabe Deliver Cinematic Mastery
Adapting Yuto Suzuki’s hyper-detailed, fluid paneling to animation was long considered one of the biggest challenges in modern anime production. Fortunately, legendary studio TMS Entertainment—celebrated for their historic work on Lupin the Third, Baki, and modern action sagas—stepped up under the visionary direction of Masaki Watanabe.
Instead of relying heavily on stiff CGI shortcuts or static speedlines, Watanabe and key animator Yoichi Morita focused on continuous camera motion, tangible impact physics, and seamless hand-to-hand choreography. The fight sequences preserve the manga’s renowned spatial awareness, letting audiences feel every ricochet, parry, and parkour leap across urban Tokyo. Much like how David Production captured fan imaginations in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Run, TMS Entertainment has treated Suzuki’s choreography with unmatched reverence and artistic ambition.
Why Sakamoto Days Is Dominating the Global Streaming Charts
Since its simultaneous worldwide release on Netflix, Sakamoto Days has skyrocketed into the platform’s Top 10 across more than 40 territories. While the modern anime landscape has often leaned heavily into dark fantasy and grim psychological thrillers, Sakamoto Days offers a refreshing breath of fresh air: unadulterated John Wick-style combat wrapped in warmth, humor, and ironclad family values.
Furthermore, veteran voice actor Tomokazu Sugita—best known for his iconic portrayals of Gintoki Sakata in Gintama and Joseph Joestar in JoJo—delivers a masterclass performance as Taro Sakamoto. Sugita balances deadpan comedic timing with intense, razor-sharp authority whenever Sakamoto taps into his legendary instincts. Fans of pulse-pounding shonen who cheered for high-stakes tension in Blue Lock’s climactic showdowns will find themselves utterly glued to the screen as Sakamoto protects his beloved town from rival hitmen.
What Do You Think?
Has Taro Sakamoto already won you over as anime’s most wholesome yet deadly protagonist? How do you rate TMS Entertainment’s adaptation of the manga’s iconic action sequences? Drop your thoughts, favorite fights, and predictions in the comments below!
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