The opening part of Sakamoto Days has a distinctive hero and a charming combination of action and humor. It also leaves some of the energy of Yuto Suzuki's manga missing from the adaptation.
Former hitman Taro Sakamoto now runs a small shop and lives with his family. His comfortable appearance hides extraordinary abilities, and his old life soon intrudes. The developing relationship with telepathic Shin Asakura gives the story some of its freshest exchanges.
Using everyday objects in fights is especially entertaining. The choreography mixes more physical combat with exaggerated comic ideas, showing why the premise works. The dialogue and interactions also produce enjoyable moments.
The animation is solid but not consistently dynamic. Movements can look stiff during important fights, and the detail and momentum of the manga do not fully survive the change of medium. For me, that is disappointing in a story so dependent on inventive action.
Predictable plotting and thin development of some supporting characters create further limits. Still, the unusual protagonist and the humor give this opening run a personality of its own. It is an entertaining start rather than a wholly convincing adaptation. Fans have reasons to watch, while newcomers may enjoy its light action-comedy appeal, provided they do not expect every fight to reach the source's level.