Sakamoto Days (stylized as SAKAMOTO DAYS) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yuto Suzuki. It began serialization in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump in November 2020. It is simultaneously published in English by Viz Media and the Manga Plus online platform.
Plot
Taro Sakamoto used to be an unrivaled hitman, earning legendary status in the underworld. But one day, the unthinkable happened. Sakamoto fell in love. He started dating, retired, got married, and had a kid, growing overweight as a result. Though now working as a humble convenience store owner, the world of hitmen still follows him. Sakamoto, along with Shin, an Esper and employee at his small store, will protect his humble life and family, or die trying.
Characters
Main characters
Taro Sakamoto (坂本 太郎, Sakamoto Tarō)
An ex-hitman who gave up a life of wealth and crime to marry Aoi. He has gained a lot of weight, and has become more laid back, but still has his superhuman skill and strength from his hitman days. During extreme situations, he loses all this fat, and becomes skinny, becoming twice as powerful as before.
Shin (心)
A former hitman who admires Sakamoto, and now works for him at his convenience store. He is known as Shin the Clairvoyant because he has the ability to read minds. A running gag is Sakamoto imagining killing him when he annoys him.
Lu Xiaotang (陸 小糖, Rū Shaotan)
The daughter of a Chinese mob. She is an airhead. While she does not do much fighting, she is very capable, as she uses a fighting style that mixes Tai Chi with Drunken Fist.
Supporting characters
Aoi Sakamoto (坂本 葵, Sakamoto Aoi)
The wife of Sakamoto. She loves her husband much, despite his history as a hitman.
Hana Sakamoto
The daughter of Sakamoto.
Heisuke Mashimo
A hitman who specializes in sniping. He is very gullible, and emotional, but his skills with a sniper rifle easily make up for it.
Antagonists
X
A serial killer who is hunting assassins. He has met Sakamoto in the past, who is the only one who has injured him.
Kashima
A cyborg who works for X. He often wears a reindeer mask to cover his heavily stitched face.
Dump
A serial killer from death row. She kills by using spikes the shoot out from her body.
Saw
A serial killer from death row. He uses an axe tied to a rope as his weapon.
Apart
A serial killer from death row. He uses steel wires to slice his targets to pieces.
Minimalist
A serial killer from death row. He uses his incredible strength to crush objects and turn them into balls.
Publication
Sakamoto Days is written and illustrated by Yuto Suzuki [ja]. Suzuki first published a one-shot titled Sakamoto (SAKAMOTO-サカモト-) in Shueisha's Jump GIGA on December 26, 2019.[2]Sakamoto Days debuted in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump on November 21, 2020.[3][1] Shueisha has collected its chapters into individual tankōbon volumes. The first volume was released on April 2, 2021.[4] As of January 4, 2022, five volumes have been released.[5]
The series is simulpublished in English by Viz Media and the Manga Plus online platform.[6] Viz Media will release its volumes in print, starting in Q2 of 2022.[7]
These chapters have yet to be published in a tankōbon volume. They were originally serialized in Japanese in issues of Shueisha's magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump and its English digital version published by Viz Media and in Manga Plus by Shueisha.
"Days 44: Every Which Way"
"Days 45: Strong Assault"
"Days 46: Bad Luck"
"Days 47: Going Up"
"Days 48: The Heart Thread"
"Days 49: Round and Round the Tower"
"Days 50: Bicycle"
"Days 51: Parade"
"Days 52: Slice Slice Dance"
"Days 53: No Way"
Reception
Sakamoto Days was nominated for Best Print Manga at the 2021 Next Manga Awards. It placed 9th out of 50 nominees, but won the U-Next Prize.[12]