
Sakamoto Days: The First Two Episodes
Review by Nolan P. Smith
Editor, Pastrami Nation
If you’re hunting for a new anime to binge, look no further than Sakamoto Days, now streaming on Netflix. From TMS Entertainment, this series delivers a fresh, hilarious, and action-packed premise: What happens when the world’s deadliest assassin retires to live a quiet, domestic life? Spoiler alert: it’s anything but quiet.
The story follows Tarou Sakamoto (voiced by Matthew Mercer), once the most feared assassin on the planet. His life takes a sharp turn when he meets Aoi (Rosie Okumura), falls in love, and starts a family. Now, with a dad bod and a convenience store to run, Sakamoto seems content. But trouble finds him when Shin (Dallas Liu), his clairvoyant former protégé, shows up on a mission to kill him.
Episode 1 introduces us to Sakamoto’s family, Shin, and the remnants of Sakamoto’s deadly skills. Despite his softer appearance, Sakamoto proves he’s as dangerous as ever, dispatching an army of hitmen in spectacular fashion. By the end, Shin turns on his old employer and joins Sakamoto as an ally—and a new employee at the family store.
In Episode 2, Sakamoto and Shin help Lu (Rosalie Chiang), a skilled fighter fleeing from the mob. The duo faces off against the Twin Assassins, tasked with retrieving a literal key Lu possesses. The episode perfectly balances humor, character development, and jaw-dropping action sequences. We also get to witness the moment Sakamoto gave up killing for a living, which is key in his character development.
Sakamoto Days is a blast. Sakamoto’s transformation from a sleek assassin to a dad-bod powerhouse feels fresh and fun, while still delivering adrenaline-pumping action. It’s like John Wick meets slice-of-life comedy—with all the blood and heart intact. The animation is stellar, the fight scenes are gloriously brutal, and the voice acting is pitch-perfect.
This is easily one of the best original anime series I’ve seen in years. If you’re into action, comedy, and wildly unique stories, don’t sleep on Sakamoto Days.
Rating: FIVE Pastrami Nations out of FIVE
