The Only Thing That Can Save ‘Sakamoto Days’ Is Going the Same Route as ‘Attack on Titan’
- Despite its massive fanbase and the high expectations set by its successful manga, Sakamoto Days anime fails to live up to the action-packed, humorous experience fans had hoped for.
- The anime's first season struggled with animation quality and fight choreography, leaving fans disappointed and making it increasingly difficult for the series to redeem itself.
- The key to saving Sakamoto Days lies in following Attack on Titan’s path by entrusting the anime’s future to MAPPA, a studio capable of revitalizing it.
Sakamoto Days has been a standout manga, seamlessly blending intense action with sharp humor. With its Netflix premiere, fans can anticipate the ex-hitman’s story coming to life, delivering both thrilling battles and laugh-out-loud moments.
Riding on its manga’s success in the Shonen Jump scene, Sakamoto Days became Winter 2025’s most hyped anime, solely thanks to the quality of Yuto Suzuki’s source material.
Seeing a manga come to life with stunning animation, powerful music, and strong voice acting is a thrill, but if the adaptation falls short of its legendary story, it risks becoming a blemish on an otherwise perfect series—and sadly, the Sakamoto Days anime falls into this trap.
Why the Sakamoto Days Anime couldn’t live up to its manga’s brilliance
From the perspective of assassin-tastic manga, Yuto Suzuki brings his story into the bright light of a world full of quirky killers. The anime follows the story of an incredibly powerful Hitman named, Taro Sakamoto, who decided to quit the business and settle down.
Touted as the next big-gen shonen alongside Dandadan and Kagurabachi, Sakamoto Days debuted strong, dominating the Winter 2025 anime rankings. Sadly, the hype quickly faded as criticism poured in over the studio’s poor execution.
Sakamoto Days is considered one of the best shonen manga in recent memory, known for its exceptional fight scenes and storytelling, yet the anime is struggling to deliver the same experience, falling short of manga fans’ expectations.
1st teaser of "Sakamoto Days" anime series by Masaki Watanabe & TMS Studio.
— Catsuka (@catsuka) May 27, 2024
Based on the manga by Yuto Suzuki.
Coming in January 2025.
Full video >> https://t.co/vpqDRoCJi9 pic.twitter.com/mDIuTA2ktp
It’s true that Jujutsu Kaisen and Demon Slayer set such high standards for the industry, leading some to blame TMS Studio for their efforts with Sakamoto Days, but this criticism isn’t entirely fair.
Adapting a beloved manga like Sakamoto Days is always a risky challenge, and while fans are beginning to accept this, the first five episodes failed to capture the manga’s spark, leaving expectations unfulfilled.
‘Sakamoto Days’ Fans Have One Point of Consolation That Makes the Unfair Animation Remotely Bearable
While the expectations were sky-high, most people were thrilled just to see their beloved manga come to life, a milestone moment for any manga fan; however, after all the build-up, many are left disappointed by how it ultimately turned out.
Sakamoto Days has earned a massive following in the Shonen Jump scene, with fans being die-hard supporters of Yuto Suzuki’s work and the breathtaking action-packed panels that send chills through the artwork. The manga has even cracked the top 500 on MyAnimeList with over 7 million copies sold.
Given its immense popularity in the manga world, it’s no surprise that the fandom was disappointed when the anime failed to live up to those high expectations. Amid the criticism, Sakamoto Days can only hope to survive and thrive if it follows in Attack on Titan’s footsteps.
How Sakamoto Days can secure its future by following Attack on Titan’s path
It’s not uncommon for an anime to face hate or criticism during its debut season, as it gives the production studio insight into what needs improvement for future seasons.
While the animation in Sakamoto Days Cour 1 may be considered mediocre at best, it’s easy to understand why devoted manga fans feel frustrated or let down, given the years of high expectations for the adaptation.
With Cour 2 airing just three months after the first, TMS Entertainment has little time to address fan feedback or make improvements to the animation.
As disappointment and criticism swirl around Sakamoto Days, the anime’s future is increasingly at risk, especially if it loses the trust of its own fandom.
The widespread criticism of the animation and fight choreography points to one possible solution: having a prestigious studio like MAPPA take over and breathe new life into the beloved series.
When MAPPA took over Attack on Titan from Wit Studio, it elevated the anime, securing its legacy with stunning scenes and respect for Isayama’s work. After Sakamoto Days Season 1’s letdown, it may be time to part ways with TMS Studio and entrust MAPPA with reviving the anime.
This could be the perfect move for Season 2, as Season 1 seems unlikely to escape the weight of its criticisms. At least this way, Sakamoto Days can secure its legacy and rebuild the hype it deserves.
Fans are always expecting perfection in a debut season, expecting the best of the best in every anime. Sakamoto Days is no different, but the fans have gradually learned to accept its flaws and mediocre animation as part of the package.
The Sakamoto Days manga is available to read on Viz Media and the anime is available to stream on Netflix.
