Sakamoto Days Season 1 Part 2 Review: It’s a Bloody Shin-Show
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
Okay, it barely even hit us that ‘Sakamoto Days’ Season 1 had wrapped with episode 22, because it ends with the promise of so much more violently fun drama! And even though the finale was a bit of a let down, the characters grow on viewers, so part 2 of the anime turned out to be way more entertaining. Besides, it kicks off with psychotic serial killers on the loose, which means truckloads of blood, bullets, and dead bodies. Yes, writing ‘bodies’ is enough, but adding ‘dead’ gives it a more ominous punch, doesn’t it?
Also Read: Sakamoto Days Season One Part One Review
Based on the Japanese manga series by Yuto Suzuki, this anime adaptation is directed by Masaki Watanabe and produced by TMS Entertainment. Part two of the season spans episode 12-22, so it’s eleven chapters of assassin action.
It’s easy to see why fans of the manga might feel let down by the anime adaptation of ‘Sakamoto Days’, since the animation doesn’t quite match the intensity the action scenes deserve. But for viewers (like me) unfamiliar with the original, the story twists and quirky characters more than make up for the underwhelming visuals. Besides, the background music this time around is a lot more energetic and engaging.
Titled ‘Overload’, episode 12 of ‘Sakamoto Days’ opens with back-to-back brutal killings carried out by a bunch of crazed death row convicts, hired to take out Sakamoto and team. While Shin and Lu tackle a melodramatic serial killer called Saw at a convenience store, later chapters show Sakamoto and Heisuke battling a nutcase called ‘Apart’, who also gives them major leads about antagonist Slur.
The clairvoyant Shin was the star in second-half, which was completely fine by me, but those expecting more of Taro Sakamoto, might be left fuming. ‘I’ll work harder! I’ll become stronger!!!’ – this is Shin’s mantra, as he strives hard to become a worthy fighting partner of his idol Taro Sakamoto, our legendary not-so-retired assassin. Shin’s characters sees a lot of growth, both in terms of personality and also in terms of his powers as he taps into a new cool ability.
A parallel sub-plot of this second-half of ‘Sakamoto Days’ also follows the elite assassins from the ORDER who are out to eliminate the death row serial killers released by Slur’s team. Osaragi, the glum-looking assassin with the ‘Black Widow’ vibe, the playful shape-shifting Nagumo, and blonde-haired Shishiba keep making little cameos through the season.
Episode 15 of ‘Sakamoto Days’ brings the show’s most anticipated twist: a full face-and-body reveal of the mysterious antagonist, Slur. He doesn’t burst onto the scene with dramatic flourish, instead, he casually rolls in on a bicycle with his red-eyed aide Gaku, tall and spiky-haired in grey. But what the moment lacks in theatrics, the duo’s personalities more than make up for.
Slur and Gaku in ‘Sakamoto Days’ The character designs for the savage duo stands out compared to the rest of the assassins in ‘Sakamoto Days’. Slur could easily headline a corporate romance manga, while Gaku radiates the grit and swagger of an action-fantasy hero. You could simply pick up Gaku, drop him into a show like ‘Jujutsu Kaisen’, and he’d fit right in. Honestly, they look more “main character” than Sakamoto and Shin combined.
Slur intends to completely annihilate the JAA (Japanese Association of Assassins) headquarters with his sidekick Gaku, because apparently the organization is “corrupt” and rotten. In a chapter aptly titled ‘Slice Slice Dance‘, the duo ruthlessly slice to bits hordes of assassins at the JAA, creating a literal bloodbath.
It’s established beyond a doubt that they are stone-cold, deviant, murderous monsters, although, like any villain, Slur views himself as some sort of messiah who will “fix” the world of assassins. His goal is to wipe out the old order (and, well, the literal ORDER too) and start something of his own.
Episodes 17-22 of the series focuses on Sakamoto’s plan to infiltrate his alma mater JCC (Japan Clear Creation), an elite assassin training school, to gather intel on Slur. He drags the loyal Shin along for the undercover mission and they will have to clear an extremely difficult exam to get in. But the so-called exams are pure carnage: a weapons-free-for-all where students can (and do) kill each other left and right.
The final stretch of ‘Sakamoto Days’ introduces a lively mix of new characters, all eager to clear the JCC exams and prove themselves as assassins. Standouts include Mafuyu, a germaphobe with quirks to spare; Akira, the anxious, blue-haired sharpshooter; and Nao Toramaru, a lethal fighter and die-hard Taro Sakamoto fan who totes around a mini doll of her idol, blissfully unaware that he’s actually the chubby guy in the yellow shirt sitting for the same exams.
The pace for these episodes is consistently entertaining, with generous sprinkling of comedic moments, and an unexpected amount of butchery. Even the JCC test administrators are left shocked by the more than usual amount of massacre that takes place in their test. An interesting twist introduces a few deadly ‘special candidates’ who get to bypass the first leg of the exam, making the race for final selection fiercer.
Members of the ORDER in ‘Sakamoto Days’ Episode 21, the penultimate edition of ‘Sakamoto Days’ season one pits Shin and a few new candidates against a near invincible rival who seems intent of killing them off. It is packed with intense action, with Sakamoto coming to Shin’s rescue as usual. The season closes with the JCC exams finally coming to an end, but only because the administrators are exhausted by the bloodshed and can’t afford any more losses. Only a handful make the final cut, which means Shin and Sakamoto can now shift their focus to the real mission: infiltrating the JCC to gather clues on Slur.
Titled Each One’s Mission, episode 22 closes the season by setting every major character on a new path. For Shin and Sakamoto, that means infiltrating the JCC academy as students to gather intel on Slur. ORDER members Nagumo, Osaragi, and Shishiba are also dispatched on fresh assignments, though all roads still lead back to Slur, who, in turn, is scheming an overambitious plan of his own. A few playful twists hint at plenty more drama to come.
The closing minutes turn to Assassin Academy, where survival itself is the first lesson, and graduation is far from guaranteed. While it may initially feel like an abrupt stop, on reflection it neatly clears the deck for season 2 to dive straight into the school arc.
For viewers who enjoyed the first eleven episodes, part 2 of ‘Sakamoto Days’ is absolutely worth the ride.
Rating: 8 on 10. Watch Sakamoto Days on Netflix.
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