Sakamoto Days, Volume 1 by Yuto Suzuki Review

Taro Sakamoto was the most feared and respected hit-man in the business - until he fell in love and left the mob life behind to start a family and work an ordinary job as a store manager. But nobody leaves the organisation alive and, now that he’s been tracked down, the assassins are swarming to take out Sakamoto and collect the price on his head…

Writer/artist Yuto Suzuki has produced a really good first book in a new ongoing series, Sakamoto Days. It’s part of a growing sub-genre of surprisingly popular domesticated gangsters manga, like The Way of the Househusband and My Lovey-Dovey Wife is a Stone Cold Killer, but Sakamoto Days is the best of the bunch (so far) because it’s not just light comedy all the time but also a compelling mix of exciting action as well.

Each chapter introduces or develops the characters well - first Sakamoto, then Shin, and so on - and they’re a fun group. Sakamoto is basically a chubby superhero while Shin is his clairvoyant sidekick. Sakamoto is definitely too powerful - he literally stops a speeding bus with a stop sign and his own strength, and he leaps around the place like he’s flying, despite his girth - which means there’s little tension in any of the encounters. His wife’s nonchalance at the bus hijacking attempt is the reader’s - we know Sakamoto’s going to save the day, and of course he does.

Still, that doesn’t mean the action can’t be entertaining, which it definitely is. Sakamoto incorporates everyday objects or else goes pure fantasy in his moves and the overall effect is very imaginative and undeniably delightful. The assassins being sent Sakamoto’s way are also a colourful bunch, like the chameleon chap and the doomer pair.

I like how Suzuki throws in unexpected elements like in one scene when Sakamoto seemingly reverts momentarily back to his youthful, slim self, which adds mystery to the character that wasn’t there before. And it’s cute how the characters Sakamoto encounters end up working with him, kinda like how the cast grew in Dragon Ball.

It is a bit stupid that Sakamoto puts his name on the shop sign when he’s supposed to be lying low but that’s a fernickity detail that doesn’t detract from the book. There’s predictability to the narrative given the main character’s limitless powers, but it’s not a huge problem and I really enjoyed this manga for the most part. If you’re in the mood for a great action comic that doesn’t take itself too seriously, check out Sakamoto Days, Volume 1: The Legendary Hit Man.