Cover Image: Sakamoto Days, Vol. 1

Sakamoto Days, Vol. 1

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Member Reviews

“Sakamoto Days” is an amazing manga series I constantly find myself waiting for the next release of now after vol 1. I would recommend for fans of “The Way of the House Husband” as it plays on the ex-hitman/yakuza trope. I truly love all the characters and their distinct personalities. It isn’t something you have to think to hard about while reading so it’s perfect as a nice pick me up read.

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Silly action spy assassin thriller with a farcical domestic twist. It's sort of 'The Way of the Househusband" meets Spy X Family.. I liked this well enough so far, but we'll see if the series becomes too one note or if the farce becomes to over the top.

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This is an interesting read. There are parts that really annoy me like the fat phobia, but other parts are just so interesting you must keep turning the pages. From the first few pages with all the guns you would think this would be ultra-violent, but since Sakamoto’s wife hates killing, no one dies, but justice is served. Sakamoto is a retired assassin who takes on new challenges and new charges. This book is very much a mix of John Wick and Mr. Bean. It’s wacky, deadly, but has a lot of heart and one really roots for Sakamoto, his wife and his found family.

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This was a fun shonen manga with a different twist on the ganster story. I like that it featured older characters who are trying to live a family life while staying safe from old bosses and competition. All of the characters are strong and thier personalities seem to fit the descriptions and actions.

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I've been super excited for this to finally come out in the UK, so when I saw arcs on netgalley I jumped on the opportunity.
I already have it pre ordered too, so I thought might as well see if I like it enough to have a physical copy cause your gal is running out of manga space here. I do think it's best to judge a manga on the first two volumes, as some of them take a moment to get going, but I can safely say this was funny and absurd from the beginning, which is exactly what I wanted. It has some sweet moments too with Shin and Sakamoto and their little family.

I can't wait for volume 2!

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A fun story which an interesting premise. While we have seen this type of scenario of retired hitman coming out of the retirement it is still a fun read.

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I recieved this volume as an ARC from NetGalley.

2.5/5 stars, mostly based out of my own enjoyment while reading. The energy and paneling of the action scenes are what I can praise the most about this volume. There were some okay gags, and I chuckled once, but other than that, most of the comedy didn't really appeal to me. Jokes about Sakamoto gaining weight and looking "less cool" now didn't appeal to me much, either. He can obviously deal tons of damage and take out anyone either way, so I don't see the point in bringing his appearance up constantly.

As far as the characters goes, they were just okay. I didn't hate any of them, but I didn't really like any of them, either. The clairvoyaint assassain was the one I enjoyed the most, due to his ability being the catalyst for most of the jokes. Other than that, I was pretty bored by the halfway point of the volume. By the time the first female character who wasn't Sakamoto's wife or daughter showed up, I barely had it in myself to care at all about her. Sakamoto's wife was alright, though. I hope she gets more time to shine in later volumes.

I'm sure this is more a matter of personal taste rather than the quality of the manga itself. The series likely picks up more in later volumes as it has more time to develop side plots and characters, but I am unlikely to try volume two, myself. I can see this being popular with younger readers looking for a quick action/comedy series to consume. I personally think this would do better as an anime. Talented voice actors could really bring out more of the comedic moments that felt just okay to me.

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Sakamoto Days is a action/comedy/slice of life manga that follows Sakamoto a retired hitman as he tries to live a normal life as a shop keeper. In spite his retired status hitman and other bad types are still after Sakamoto and his family. But in order to protect his family he has to follow one rule, don't kill.

Sakamoto Days Volume is a fun, fast-paced romp through the life of its leads. This first volume features the first seven chapters of the story which was originally published in the Weekly Shonen Jump Magazine. Each chapter is fairly self contained for the most part following a single day in the life of Sakamoto and his side kick Shin who also happens to have the ability to read minds. The story itself OK, it does have its funny moments but it does feel pretty run of the mill and predictable at some points. This is mainly due to this being the introductory volume and there is a lot of world building going on through out. The art is OK but over all it just feels like something is missing to really get me hooked in.

I am curious to see what route this manga goes after doing some research about it and what is currently running in the weekly publication.


Thank you to Viz Media and Netgalley for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Good start to a new manga, the art is good and the story is pretty funny. I hope it continues to make me laugh.

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This was a pretty funny story that would be good for readers who enjoy Way of the Househusband and want something with a similar feel.

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I knew from the second I saw the cover art I was going to love this. After reading the synopsis I was sold. This is a gag manga much like The way of a house husband but I see this having much more potential. I absolutely loved this manga. The first volume felt a little slow but I feel that may because Yuto Suzuki is setting the stage for the shenanigans we are to expect in each chapter.
Thank you to Netgalley and VIZ Media for approving me to read a digital copy in exchange for a honest review.

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I thought this was oddly adorable for a story about an ex-hitman...
but then again I think way of the househusband is just about the sweetest ever.
Highly recommended if you like your slice of life with a little more peril and action

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Thank you to Netgalley and Viz Media for a free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Centering around the titular Sakamoto, Sakamoto Days is a fresh and fun action comedy great for fans of The Way of the House Husband, Mashle: Muscles and Magic, and Golden Kamuy. The characters play well off each other, and it's always fun to see how they get themselves out of the zany situations they find themselves in.

Story and Art: Yuto Suzuki
Translator: Camellia Nieh
Shonen Jump Series Lettering: Eve Grandt
Touch-Up Art and Lettering: Snir Aharon
Design: Kam Li
Editor: John Bae

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When I first heard about this series, I was skeptical to read it, but after reading the first volume, I could see why people recommend this title. Sakamoto Days have a great balance of action and comedy, whether it is taking care of the store, fighting criminals, or following his wife’s “No Killing Policy” which was perfectly explained in a flashback.

Imagine, you’re a Revered Hitman, but then you fall in love so hard that it cracks your glasses, he was a legend feared by bad guys and renowned in his organization, and among other assassins, he left it all for a family. He got married and had a baby and turned the dial on his life down to one. He’s now living the quiet life as the owner of a neighborhood store and eating way too much ramen. Sakamoto is a fun character, Suzuki did a great job on the story and the art was stellar, with great action sequences and plenty of humorous moments.

To be honest, even though it has seven chapters, it could be easily divided into three parts. For example, the first part of the story explains how Sakamoto became a family man. The Second Act introduces Shin, which after failed attempts on Taro’s life brings him into the family while providing more information on Taro’s wife and the reason behind her “No Killing” Policy. Finally, the third act was about helping a woman named Xiaotan Lu escape the Triad.

Every Assassin they’ve come across has tried to either push Taro to kill or try to kill him, but this won’t get to him because, at the end of the day, he wouldn’t let this get to him. After all, he wanted to take his family and newfound family to a theme park.

Sakamoto Days is another manga title that can be a perfect jumping-on point for new fans. It is a wholesome story that is fast-paced with perfect comedic timing and inventive fights making it a series that one cannot skip out on. With new dangers lurking around every corner for his family & staff, Sakamoto is the hero that fans can relate to in some way and is needed.

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Sakamoto Days Volume One introduces the reader to Taro Sakamoto, a once legendary hit man who fell in love and retired from the assassin life. He’s since put on a bit of weight and is now the owner of a neighborhood store. Unfortunately for Sakamoto, he violated the rules of the organization when he left, and his former life is about to catch up to him.

Sakamoto Days Volume One
Written by: Yuto Suzuki
Publisher: Shueisha, Inc.
English Publisher: VIZ Media
Release Date: April 5, 2022

At the beginning of Volume One, we are introduced to Shin, a clairvoyant hit man who used to work alongside Sakamoto. He’s been given the mission of convincing Sakamoto to come back to the organization or to assassinate him. After seeing how important Sakamoto is to his community, Shin tries to plead for the organization to spare Sakamoto’s life. However, after Sakamoto comes to the rescue and saves Shin as he’s about to be killed by the organization, Shin decides that he will work alongside Sakamoto at the neighborhood store.

When Shin was first introduced in this volume, I almost literally did a double take when I first saw him, because his facial design bears a striking resemblance to Edward Elric from Fullmetal Alchemist. Whenever Shin appeared, I had to keep reminding myself that it wasn’t Ed that I was seeing.

As the volume progresses, Sakamoto and Shin find themselves either trying to save others while in disguise or being targeted by the organization that they left. Shin’s clairvoyance comes in handy, because this allows the two of them to communicate with each other in order to accomplish whatever task it is that they’re doing without alerting who they’re up against what their plan is. Shin can also use his ability to pinpoint where people sent to assassinate them are.

Things are kicked up a notch when Sakamoto and Shin have to disguise themselves in order to save a bus that Sakamoto’s wife is on from hijackers. Someone manages to get a picture of Sakamoto (wearing a mask) when he saves the bus. This catches a lot of people’s attention, and now people are wondering who this masked hero is. A new police recruit who grew up in the neighborhood is looking for the masked man, but not to thank him. Instead, she wants to arrest him for using violence to save the people on the bus. Never mind that there were no casualties or any major injuries. I expect this police recruit will appear again in later volumes of the series and serve as a thorn in Sakamoto’s side.

Near the end of the volume, another character is introduced: Lu Xiaotang. Sakamoto and Shin encounter her in Niikita Chinatown while out running an errand. It turns out she’s being pursued by a couple of thugs who are trying to get a key she has that goes to her family’s treasure. Sakamoto and Shin save her, and they end up being targeted by a couple of assassins that are sent to take down Lu. After this adventure, Lu also begins working at the neighborhood shop. However, it’s established rather quickly that Shin and Lu don’t really get along with each other, and that Lu can be lazy when it comes to the job. I can’t really comment too much on this yet, since Lu starts working at the neighborhood store so late in the volume. Hopefully future volumes will allow the reader to get to know Lu better, as well as to expand on interactions between Shin and Lu.

Right near the end of the volume, it’s revealed that there’s a price of a billion yen on Sakamoto’s head, and that assassins are going to be coming out of the woodwork to try to take him down and collect the money. I expect that this will be a running thread throughout future volumes of Sakamoto Days.

One of the things I liked about the setup in this volume is how Sakamoto’s wife has made it clear to him that he is not allowed to kill anyone else ever again. If he does, she’ll file for divorce. Even though Sakamoto may have put on a bit of weight since leaving the assassination business, he still has his assassin reflexes, and he has to make sure to hold back so as not to kill anyone. There are other rules his wife has laid down, but we really haven’t been exposed to those yet. I really appreciated the flashback scene that was provided in this volume to show how Sakamoto’s then-girlfriend (now wife) demonstrated why she wants to create this rule in their relationship. It should be pointed out that after Shin starts working at the neighborhood store, that he’s expected to follow the same rules that Sakamoto does.

I also find it interesting to note that in a couple of the fight sequences, we see Sakamoto temporarily revert back to his original figure. Unfortunately, this doesn’t last long, and as soon as Sakamoto eats again, he gains all the weight back. This was done as a gag for this volume, but I would really like to get an explanation of how this works. And will we see this happen again in future volumes, or was this just a one-off gag?

When it comes to the art, I thought that each character has a distinct look from each other. However, I do have to take off some points for the fact that Shin’s facial features look a little too similar to Edward Elric from Fullmetal Alchemist. I also thought there were some impressive action panels included in some of the fight scenes that appear in this volume.

By the end Sakamoto Days Volume One, I found that I enjoyed the story and tone of the series. I think there’s a lot of potential here for a series, and I’m looking forward to getting an opportunity to read the next volume in order to find out what happens to Sakamoto and Shin.

If you enjoy light-hearted stories that focus on a character leaving a dangerous profession and turning into someone you wouldn’t normally expect, then I would recommend giving Sakamoto Days a chance.

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This was a fantastic beginning! Just the right mixture of comedy and action. Sakamoto is a fun character and I can't wait to learn more about his past.

The art style is very appealing. It is crisp and easy to read - the action sequences were great!

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Taro Sakamoto was once the most feared assassin in Japan...until he fell in love. Now he's an overweight convenience store owner, married with a young daughter, and he's very happy to keep it that way. Sadly, the crime world isn't all that keen on letting him retire in peace, so it's a good thing that Sakamoto kept all his old skills in working order, even if his wife has threatened to divorce him if he ever kills anyone again.

If <i>Spy x Family</i> was told exclusively through Yor's point of view, it might be a bit like this. <i>Sakamoto Days</i> is of the same ilk of goofy crime parody, albeit with more of a <i>Way of the Househusband</i> flare due to Sakamoto being officially retired. And he's actually very happy with his new domestic life, so much so that he's happy to bring in <i>other</i> former assassins to work at the convenience store, like psychic assassin Shin and former Chinese syndicate member Xiaotan. Naturally Sakamoto still has all of his old skills in perfect working order, enabling him to save his wife when her bus is hijacked and to defend against a variety of killers, but mostly he's really just happy to live his new life, slurping down cup noodles and taking his daughter to theme parks.

The only real fly in the ointment here is that Sakamoto's weight is used for a few less-than-excellent jokes. Not that the book is under any obligation to be in good taste at all points (and the reverse may be true, given the premise), but it doesn't actually NEED to make fun of Sakamoto's doughy body to be funny, making it an unappealingly low blow in an otherwise entertaining volume.

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Sakamoto Days delivers thrilling action and humor for this first volume of hitman turned convenience store clerk. The pacing is quick and the writing maintains its humor throughout the action. Yuto Suzuki creates a charming hitman turned family man in Mr. Sakamoto who's promised his wife not to kill again. This leads to a series of inventive fight scenes as Mr. Sakamoto delivers non-lethal attacks to protect his family and others.

Suzuki's fluid art style adds a sense of movement to the panels. Occasionally though, the art moves a little too fast and limits the enjoyment of the creative fight scenes Suzuki has devised. The addition of side characters plays nicely into genre expectations, but each still finds their own voice over the course of this first volume.

Overall, Sakamoto Days is an enjoyable read for anyone looking for a fast-paced action comedy. Manga fans have a lot to like in this first volume, but fans of action movies and comics will find themselves sucked into the high intensity fights and recognizable characters.

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Retired from his days as a gangster, Sakamoto runs a convenience store with his wife and daughter. Not content to let him live peacefully, thugs and ruffians are out for his life. Sakamoto promised his wife that he would leave behind his violent past and vowed not to kill anyone.

A bit like a mix of Spy x Family and The Way of the Househusband, Sakamoto Days is a slice of life with lots of humor and gags. Sakamoto has left himself go and seems to live in his own little world, unless something threatens the peace of his family and friends. Looking forward to the next one in this lighthearted action comedy manga.

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This will be perfect for fans of The Way of the Househusband - it has very similar vibes, though it is a little bit more violent than TWOTHH. Sakamoto is a former hitman who has let himself go after starting a family. He can't help it that people are still constantly trying to kill him or that his wife has threatened to divorce him if he ever kills again.

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