Sakamoto Days anime aired the season finale last week, leaving fans divided. While some were content with the series, others were left disappointed. It wasn’t much of a finale as some pointed out. What we do know is that the first season remains a mxied bag for the most part.
Truly, it was a seesaw of expectations, and TMS fumbled majorly. From animation to visuals, it was pretty rustic compared to the manga’s well-detailed art. To add to that, the makers are returning with Cour 2 in July 2025, but it seems like the studio has a plan up its sleeve.
In other words, the series has a secret sauce for the upcoming second season, which might overturn the first season’s criticism. It might potentially undo all the mistakes if the makers choose to address the problems. The pitfalls are a huge hindrance, but let’s explore the ingredients of the secret recipe, shall we?
Sakamoto Days’ secret sauce for Cour 2
A setback is a setup for a comeback something that T.D Jakes once said, and it is spot on. There are failures and setbacks, but it isn’t impossible to overcome them. A large part of an anime’s success also has to do with the fandom’s faith in it, and Yuto Suzuki’s series is no different.
Sakamoto Days isn’t flawless but it sure is one of the finest hitman genre Shonen manga. It’s got action, comedy as well as wholesome moments that make it truly exceptional. This is true for the John Wick coded action but Sakamoto carves his own identity in several ways.
For starters, he isn’t suited and booted, but he defies all norms through his build. The whole “fat guys are funny” is completely flipped around in Suzuki’s story. Here, a fat guy saves the day and kicks some a** while being a loving father and a husband.
On top of that, the light-hearted moments have a tinge of a refreshing vibe to them. The family and friendship theme is what balances out the action-packed plot. The first season was indeed a bit underwhelming for most of us, but the makers can potentially reverse it in Cour 2, and here’s how.
The Second Cour is focused on the Death Row Prisoner’s Arc as well as the JCC Transfer Exams arc. We were introduced to the four menacing assassins by the end of season one, namely Dump, Minimalist, Apart, and Saw. They look cool and edgy, but don’t be quick to judge a book by its cover.
They’re more intimidating than you think, especially with the pivotal roles they’ll play in the upcoming arc. The battles would be intense and overwhelming, to say the least. If TMS renders the aura, they would take the season up a notch, albeit with the underlying pitfalls of the first season.
The underlying pitfalls in TMS’ adaptation
We can all agree that the first season wasn’t up to the mark. But it isn’t a total failure, considering how it adapted certain elements brilliantly. Seba and Shin’s fight was well done, along with Sakamoto’s fight with Kashima. However, it is wise not to ignore the criticisms.
Animation is something that fans could ignore to some extent. But it is the pacing that needs to be taken care of. To add to that, the series does have low stakes, which the animators can address through anime-only scenes. It is important not to skimp on details, and doing so would only make it worse.
Overall, the upcoming arcs hold a lot of potential for the second cour, and fans still have hope. It would be disappointing if the series doesn’t make its much-needed comeback after the horrendous first season.
Sakamoto Days is available for streaming on Netflix. The manga is available for reading on Shueisha’s Manga Plus app.
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