Aahana Swrup
Adapted from Yuto Suzuki’s eponymous manga series ‘Sakamoto Days’ is an action-packed Netflix anime show that follows the unusually riveting retirement of a highly skilled former hitman. The titular character, Taro Sakamoto, used to be one of the most feared assassins in the underworld. That is until he meets a convenience store clerk and falls in love. As a result, these days, he prefers domestic bliss over the thrill of a kill. Nevertheless, his past life catches up to him when old enemies and colleagues aside drop by his store with intentions to neutralize him as a threat. Episodes 1 and 2, respectively titled ‘The Legendary Hit Man’ and ‘Vs Son Hee and Bacho,’ find the hitman dipping his toes back into the mouths of danger after another young assassin, Shin, shows up at his doorstep. SPOILERS AHEAD!
Shin Tries to Rope Sakamoto Back Into the Game
During his peak as a hitman, Taro Sakamoto was known for his dangerous abilities and incapacitated buildings full of enemies on a daily basis. Nonetheless, all of it came to an end when his paths crossed with Aoi, a convenience store worker, for whom he fell head over heels. Consequently, five years down the line, the former assassin is now a dedicated husband, father of one, and the straight-faced owner of his own convenience store. The change in his current and previous lives remains stark—most notably through his physical appearance, as he trades his lean muscles for easy curves.
As such, when Shin—another hitman who used to run missions with Sakamoto— arrives in town, he is surprised at the legendary assassin’s newfound mundane lifestyle. Still, after a customer tries to punish a mischievous but young kid in the store, Shin soon realizes Sakamoto hasn’t lost any of his skills. He is as capable of taking down his enemies as he had always been. For the same reason, the young man initially attempts to convince him to come out of his retirement. Nevertheless, the store owner is content with his current life, where he uses his skills to help his community with small handyman tasks.
Once Shin reports the same back to his boss, who wants vengeance on Sakamoto for leaving his gang, he gets the orders to tie off that loose end by killing the latter. Even though he is reluctant to follow through on the order, he argues that someone else will do it if he doesn’t carry out the mission. Therefore, he walks into the store the next day with his gun and silencer. Yet, Sakamoto effortlessly diverts his attacks—using a cough drop to deflect the bullet. From there, the fight between the two men remains invigorating—since Shin has the power of clairvoyance and can read people’s minds. Nonetheless, the older man ultimately wins the battle.
Sakamoto Rescues Shin From a Deadly Demise
In the aftermath of their fight, Shin wakes in Sakamoto’s house, where he has been bandaged and left to rest. Furthermore, his family offers him their gentle hospitality and a hearty meal. As a result, the young man realizes why the other hitman had left his old life behind for this new one. For the same reason, he returns to his boss the following morning to convince him to leave Sakamoto alone. In fact, he even offers up his own life in exchange. Shin has great respect for the older man and feels remorse for fighting him in the first place.
Although the boss agrees to his deal, Shin reads his mind and realizes it’s an empty promise to clear him from the board as well. This sparks an extravagant fight between the clairvoyant and the rest of the gang. While the former is clearly outnumbered, he receives surprising help from Sakamoto, who tracks him down and intervenes in the fight in the nick of time. Together, the two hitmen easily take out the gang on their own. Later, instead of leaving Shin to his devices, Sakamoto offers him a job at the convenience store so that he can also retire from the underworld. Ultimately, he becomes the young man’s saving grace, welcoming him into his family.
Sakamoto Picks Up Another Stray Troublemaker
After Shin’s arrival in Sakamoto’s life, the young former hitman soon becomes a regular part of life at the convenience store. As a result, he accompanies the owner on a milk run to buy some delicious pork buns for the family. However, during their outing, a young man—Lu Shaotang—quite literally falls into their path. Even though Sakamoto’s pork buns are destroyed, he’s instantly more focused on helping the young girl whom several gang members are pursuing. While Shaotang is capable enough to take down a few of the goons, the added help goes a long way, allowing the trio to escape eventually.
Nonetheless, Chairman Danshokai decides to send even deadlier hired hands after her: Son Hee and Bacho, the serial killer brothers who enjoy taking their target’s lives. In contrast, Sakamoto and now Shin are both barred from killing as per Aoi’s family rules—which will result in a divorce if breached. The duo learns that Shaotang is from the infamous Lu crime family. Her parents recently fell victim to Danshokai, who wants access to their family vault of riches. For the same reason, he is now pursuing the young woman who wears the key to the vault around her neck. After hearing her story, Sakamoto decides to help her out—a favor she can return in turn through homemade pork buns!
Sakamoto Saves Lives and Divulges His Past
Shortly after Shaotang joined forces with the two men, Son Hee and Bacho track the trio down and attack them on a rooftop. However, Sakamoto’s punch sends the roof collapsing into the floor below. Yet, before the fight begins, Son tries to goad Shaotang by bringing up her parents. Still, Sakamoto stops her from launching herself at them in a murderous haze. As he recalls a part of his past, Shin, the mind reader, gets a front-row seat to the flashback.
Early on, when Sakamoto and Aoi had only begun dating, she had expressed her disappointment at his continued hitman profession. In order to prove her point, she jumped off a building. As her boyfriend saves her from any injuries, she explains to him how every person he kills has someone who cares about them, similar to how he cares for her. Therefore, she asks him to retire from killing and instead start helping people to make up for his past sins.
Consequently, once Sakamoto and Shin engage the killer brothers in a fight, they both refrain from killing them. After defeating the brothers, the trio arrives at Shaotang’s family vault, where Danshokai awaits. The young woman decides to follow in her tentative mentor’s footsteps and beats up the chairman but lets him live. Thus, she also becomes a part of Sakamoto’s growing family—and convenience store staff. However, unbeknownst to the three, their recent altercation with Danshokai’s gang puts them on the underworld’s most wanted list, with Sakamoto sporting the most lucrative bounty on his head.
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