Shueisha and Shonen Jump have had an absolutely spectacular year in terms of new anime releases and upcoming announcements. Aside from the permeating success of series like Jujutsu Kaisen and Spy x Family that go far beyond their seasonal release schedules, a new front-running Jump series has been making waves around the globe for its over-the-top action, expressive characters, and comedic beats – the truly one-of-a-kind anime Dandadan.
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Dandadan has everything modern shonen fans love about the demographic while still keeping itself approachable for those who aren’t as keen on average battle series. So far, the anime adaptation of the original manga hasn’t just proven to be faithful. Still, in many ways, it goes above and beyond to connect the audience with its main characters and even the seemingly malicious spirits they encounter. The anime has more than earned its flowers, but it seems as though Dandadan is already set to lose its crown to another powerhouse Shonen Jump title releasing in January 2025.
Sakamoto Days Puts an Anime Twist on John Wick
Sakamoto Days, an original series by Yuto Suzuki, follows the daily life of a top-hitman-turned-family man after falling in love and giving up his status as a legendary assassin. Despite staying away from hit-work, the gritty underworld he left behind never stops calling to him. Alongside his employee, Shin Asakura, who has telepathy abilities, Sakamoto is devoted to protecting the new life he has using his unmatched hitman skills, all while making sure his wife doesn’t find out what he’s up to.
The series truly offers something to everyone. Whether someone wants the heartwarming family comedy of Spy x Family, high-stakes action with ridiculous powers found in series like Dandadan, or a greater power pulling the strings behind the curtain that can be found in every classic shonen series, Sakamoto Days has it all.
Sakamoto Days Took a Classic Shonen Protagonist Trait and Effortlessly Elevated It
Sure, Sakamoto might not be the young, conventionally attractive shonen protagonist most fans are used to when picking up a new series, but that doesn’t make him any less capable. If anything, this makes him even better. Being a retired hitman, Sakamoto’s adversaries are well aware of how dangerous he was in his prime. Still, now that he has his wife and young child to protect, he’s deadlier than ever because he has people other than himself to protect. The drive to protect is one of the core principles of creating a solid protagonist, which fans have seen in almost every successful shonen series.
Dandadan, for example, shows Okarun jumping into action to protect Momo from the aliens despite being cursed by Turbo Granny in Episode 1, and there are multiple examples of Loid and Yor going out of their way to use their specific skills to protect Anya from the multitude of threats she stumbles into. In the case of Sakamoto, though, readers don’t get to really see him develop these protective tendencies. When introduced, he already has those fatherly instincts to protect his family, something many other shonen protagonists learn to understand and develop throughout any given story. A true testament to Yuto Suzuki’s writing, Sakamoto Days never suffers for not showing when the titular character’s protective nature kicks in.
[RELATED: Sakamoto Days Reveals Main Anime Cast]
Every Hitman Featured In Sakamoto Days Is a Unique Threat
One of the best things Sakamoto Days has going for it is the different hitmen tailing Sakamoto and his friends, as well as each of their unique skill sets. Out of the main trio, Sakamoto possesses superhuman strength and can magically go back to his pre-married life self when he’s stuck in a particularly dangerous situation. Shin is a clairvoyant and has the ability to read other people’s minds, something that is surprisingly useful in combat scenarios, and Lu is a traditional martial artist who blends the Drunken Fist and Tai Chi.
Without giving too much away about what’s to come for audiences going into the series without having read the manga, the other hitmen featured throughout the series are just as – if not more – threatening regarding their abilities and combat prowess. For example, one of the series’ more popular characters and newest member of The Order, Osaragi, is a young woman who fights using circular saws, gaining a deadly advantage against her targets due to her inhuman speed, which pairs terrifyingly well with her weapon of choice. Another assassin featured in the series, a friend of Sakamoto and a member of The Order named Nagumo, can copy anyone’s appearance instantly and is known to be an expert marksman.
For anime fans entering the Winter 2025 anime season, Sakamoto Days is a top-tier choice for upcoming watchlists. Not only is the original series infectiously funny with incredible characters, but the series offers plenty of action for fans of classic shonen battle anime. The studio producing the series, TMS Entertainment, has a great track record with anime, especially shonen, having previously produced Dr.Stone, D. Gray Man, and Megalo Box. The upcoming anime also features an incredible voice cast, with Tomokazu Sugita (Gintoki in Gintama, Rudeus in Mushoku Tensei) playing Sakamoto, Nobunaga Shimazaki (Seishirou in Blue Lock, Baki in Hanma Baki) as Shin, and Ayane Sakura (Aira in Dandadan, Ochako in My Hero Academia) as Lu.
