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Sakamoto Days Episode 1 Fails to Meet Expectations

Despite being one of the most hyped anime of Winter 2025, Sakamoto Days first episode just does not hit the mark.

Based on a pretty popular manga by Yuto Suzuki, Sakamoto Days had people excited before it even aired. But, there were already some worries that the animation would not stand up to the other big releases of Winter 2025 such as Solo Leveling Season 2.

Sakamoto Days Episode 1 Fails to Meet Expectations

Concerns About the Animation

A lot of this came from the studio behind the show, TMS Entertainment. The trailer, opening, and ending did not do the anime any favors either. In fact, they only added to the concerns.

Fans were already nervous before episode 1 even dropped. And when the first episode finally aired today, the animation was pretty average at best. It felt like it did not live up to the hype. But, it is not all on TMS Entertainment.

The manga itself has a lot of complex choreography, and the anime is a bit different from what TMS usually works on.

They are known for shows like Detective Conan and Fruits Basket, but their best work so far has been Dr. Stone.

With Sakamoto Days, though, the episode needed more vibrant colors, and the fight scenes could have been a lot better.

Throughout the whole episode, the only fight sequence that stood out to me was the flashback at the start, showing Sakamoto’s life before he got married and let himself go. It was a cool moment, but it was not enough to save the rest of the episode.

What Happens in Sakamoto Days Episode 1

Sakamoto Days Episode 1 is the complete adaptation first chapter of the manga. It starts with a flashback showing how scary Sakamoto was during his hitman days. The narrator says:

There was once a hitman said to be the greatest, his name was Taro Sakamoto.

Then, he meets the love of his life, has a kid, quits the hitman life, and starts working at a convenience store.

Fast forward to the present day, and we meet Shin, who is looking for Sakamoto and finally finds him.

Shin goes up to Sakamoto and Sakamoto punches him for sitting on the counter. Sakamoto does not say anything, and Shin reminds him that they used to be partners when Sakamoto was a hitman.

  • Sakamoto Days Episode 1 Fails to Meet Expectations
  • Sakamoto Days Episode 1 Fails to Meet Expectations
  • Sakamoto Days Episode 1 Fails to Meet Expectations
  • Sakamoto Days Episode 1 Fails to Meet Expectations
  • Sakamoto Days Episode 1 Fails to Meet Expectations
  • Sakamoto Days Episode 1 Fails to Meet Expectations
  • Sakamoto Days Episode 1 Fails to Meet Expectations

Shin tries to convince him to return to his old ways, but Sakamoto brushes him off by showing him he has become the handyman of the town.

Later, we find out that Shin was following his boss’s orders to bring Sakamoto back into the game. But when Shin tries to kill Sakamoto at the store, Sakamoto easily overpowers him, even though Shin has the ability to read minds.

After knocking Shin out, Sakamoto treats him to some good food and shows him a sign outside the convenience store that says, “Hope you come back again.”

Shin changes his mind and tells his boss that Sakamoto isn’t a threat anymore and should be left alone. But his boss doesn’t agree, and Shin ends up fighting his boss and the underlings.

Shin takes down a lot of them but gets shot in the leg. Just when he thinks it is over, Sakamoto shows up and uses his taser gun to take down three of the bad guys in front of Shin.

Sakamoto then defeats everyone and offers Shin a job at the store. In the end, Shin becomes an employee at the convenience store.

Final Words

It’s still too early to say if the anime is going to fail or anything like that. The first episode was not bad like Blue Lock Season 2, but it was not amazing either.

It was just average. Hopefully, things will get better, and the next episode has the perfect chance to turn things around with the bus hijacking scene coming up in Episode 2.

I have got nothing against the studio, but Sakamoto Days deserves better. I think a studio like BONES could have done a better job with it.

Sakamoto Days Season 1 will have two parts, each with 11 episodes, and will air weekly on Netflix. The first part is already airing, and the second part will start in July 2025.

Masab Farooque

About Author

Masab Farooque is the founder of ReplayJutsu and Waifu Pulse and a lifelong gamer, anime enthusiast, and entertainment junkie. He's been writing about tech and pop culture for over five years. When not glued to a screen, he's probably building his next gaming PC or rewatching his favorite anime for the hundredth time.

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