Sakamoto Days – The Assassins are Back for a Second Helping of Kills and Ramen

SAKAMOTO DAYS – PART 2
[Episodes 12 & 13]

Season 1 of SAKAMOTO DAYS caught me completely off guard. It’s well-known, I’m an assassin fanatic (for reasons I’ll leave to your imagination), but I didn’t expect an anime about a ramen-loving, dad-bod convenience store owner who only wants to spend time with “his girls” to be so cutthroat and yet so delightful. If that was your expectation, you might be more dastardly than me. Based on Yuto Suzuki’s manga, the series is a high-octane blend of absurd comedy, heartwarming family moments, and jaw-dropping action sequences that make you forget you’re rooting for a retired hitman and his squad.

The new opening animation, featuring the song “Method” by Kroi, is a visual feast—popping with gorgeous super-saturated colors and kinetic action that sets the tone for the mayhem to come. One standout moment has Sakamoto grabbing the director’s credit and smashing an amusement park mascot in the face with it—a meta gag that instantly reminded me of how the characters in Netflix’s live-action One Piece interact with their wanted posters. The sequence wraps up with a jail line-up featuring Sakamoto’s Squad—Nagumo, Shin, Heisuke, Sakamoto, and Lu—each striking a pose that hints at their unique personalities and the wild ride ahead.

When we last left off in Episode 11, “Casino Battle,” Sakamoto, Shin, and Lu were locked in a high-stakes gambling showdown against Wutang, a senior member of the Lu family, in a glitzy underground casino. The crew used every trick in their bag—Shin’s mind-reading, Sakamoto’s physical prowess, and a little bit of luck—to outwit Wutang and his mafia underlings. After a tense game of Old Maid and a brief scuffle (featuring some entertaining underwear), Wutang reveals his intel: the bounty on Sakamoto’s head was placed by the enigmatic Slur, who has unleashed four deadly death row inmates to hunt down Sakamoto, his friends, and The Order too. The episode ended on a cliffhanger, with the threat of these new assassins looming large over our heroes.

EPISODE 12 – “Overload”

Here’s where the stakes got riskier. The Part 2 opener shows us the true horror of the quartet of Death Row Inmates, each more twisted than the last. Poised as the hunting dogs for Slur, the “Killer of Killers,” and hired by Kashima, these new antagonists—Dump, Apart, Minimalist, and Saw—aren’t the regular “I had a reason” villains. These are the serial killers who’d make Showtime’s Dexter rest in pieces. Saw is obsessed with giving each victim a “fitting end” to their story, Dump perforates her victims with sadistic glee, Apart slices and arranges his kills with obsessive precision, and Minimalist compresses his targets into grotesque little balls.

Now, Sakamoto, Shin, Lu, and Heisuke are gearing up for a proactive hunt. Instead of waiting to be picked off, they’re determined to track down the Death Row Inmates themselves, hoping to get one step closer to Slur and put an end to this deadly game. Their first stop? The hilariously shady video rental store that doubles as an underworld intelligence hub, where they gather info on their new foes by watching B-horror-movies. But their plans hit a snag: The Order—the elite, equally quirky, and even deadlier enforcers of the assassin world—are aiming to take out the Inmates, no questions asked. Which is a problem for Sakamoto because they’re his only lead to Slur.

This sets up a collision course between Sakamoto’s squad and The Order, both racing to find the Inmates but with very different endgames. The tension is undercut by one of the episode’s comedic highlights: The Order cruising down the highway in a minivan, bickering and bantering like a dysfunctional family on the world’s most lethal Sunday drive. Shishiba grumbles as the passenger princess, Osaragi drives like she’s doing stunts in F1, Takamura is napping, sword in hand, and Hyo is trying not to die. That snappy blend of deadpan humor and looming danger is a reminder that in SAKAMOTO DAYS, even the most fearsome assassins can’t escape the absurdity of everyday life.

The episode’s climax throws Shin and Lu into a deadly game of cat and mouse with Saw, culminating in a brutal fight that pushes Shin’s limits. In a moment of desperation, his psychic powers evolve, letting him glimpse the future and stomp on Saw. Did you scream? I screamed. With Sakamoto’s world now crawling with these new threats and the Order chasing the same goal, Part 2 was set for a relentless, unpredictable ride. By that point, we were sat and ready for more inventive battles, razor-sharp humor, and the kind of heart that makes SAKAMOTO DAYS a top-tier assassin story. The hunting dogs are on the scent and everyone’s a target.

EPISODE 13 – “Just Desserts”

You already know Shin leveled up at the end of Episode 12, but Lu never misses the party. In Episode 13, we see more of the battle between Shin, Lu, and Saw in the pet shop. Friends and family, the makers of SAKAMOTO DAYS are just like Huntrix—they don’t miss, and they know how it’s done, done, done. Did you think we could escape without a dad joke? This is Sakamoto territory, our bellies shake when we laugh.

Also—and this is a very real question—did you know there are different kinds of drunk? Like, there are levels to it. Saw came, and Saw saw, but did he conquer or get see-sawed? Come through and find out.

Another question: Is there a better duo than Shin and Lu? Shishiba and Osaragi want a word. Their leisurely tonkatsu date turns into a race—running toward the danger, not away from it. And a big clash is coming. The thing about the Death Row Inmates, is they think they’re the biggest baddies on the block. That’s not always the case. When you think you’re the smartest person in the room you stop thinking, and that makes you vulnerable. But being the good guy has its own repercussions, as Shin is about to find out.

One of the joys of this episode is meeting the Floaters. Despite the unfortunate translation of their name, they’re this universe’s Damage Control. Assassins-in-training who cleanup the messes left behind by professional killers. Their introduction adds a fascinating peek into the wider world of SAKAMOTO DAYS. You should definitely look forward to that.

Episode 13 is a bloodbath—grab your towel and your shower shoes, and wade into the frenzy. Once we leave Shin and Lu, this episode primarily becomes a spotlight for a faceoff between Osaragi and one of the Inmates. You are really going to enjoy this 1v1, Mortal Kombat-styled wave of destruction—this battle of two ridiculously stoic and yet monstrously powerful combatants. And just when we thought “Just Desserts” has reached peak mayhem, the offices of Slur & Co. get a surprise visit, but so does someone we like a lot more. 

Do I need to say more? Do you need more dad jokes? Are you missing John Wick? Because SAKAMOTO DAYS – Part 2 is waiting for you.

Meet Sakamoto’s Squad

• Taro Sakamoto: The world’s deadliest hitman turned convenience store dad—he can turn a receipt, a rice ball, or even the opening credits into a lethal weapon, but his wife’s glare is the only thing that truly terrifies him. Our only question is: When he reverts to his former bod, where does the mustache go?
• Shin Asakura: The mind-reading apprentice/sidekick/partner who’s equal parts baby brother and earnest—Shin’s psychic powers let him hear your thoughts, but he still can’t figure out how to keep Sakamoto from imagining his demise every five minutes.
• Lu Xiaotang: Mafia princess, pork bun prodigy, and the team’s resident drunken master—Lu’s sweet smile hides a ruthlessness, especially if you mess with Shin.
• Heisuke Mashimo: The sweetheart sniper with a bird bestie, Piisuke. Heisuke’s aim is legendary, but he’s just as likely to be goofy as he is to pull off a trick shot from a rooftop tent.
• Yoichi Nagumo: Master of disguise, drama, and deadly precision—Nagumo can slip into any role (or face), and you won’t see him coming.

The Order: The Elite Enforcers

• Shishiba: The grumpy, no-nonsense enforcer who swings a hammer like cold-blooded Thor—Shishiba’s all business, unless you add onions to his tonkatsu.
• Osaragi: Chainsaw-wielding churchgirl—Osaragi’s is quiet, unpredictable, and always ready to turn a fight into a demolition.
• Yoichi Nagumo: (Yes, he’s here too!) The ultimate wild card—Nagumo’s loyalty is as mysterious as his disguises, and he’s just so cute and deadly.
• Takamura: The silent, samurai gangster and killing machine—this elder can slice a minivan in half in one stroke and then go back to sleep.
• Hyo: The brawny, steel-jawed brawler—Hyo’s all limbs and attitude, bringing muscle and menace to every Order mission.

The Verdict

Each of these assassins brings their brand of chaos, comedy, and carnage to this Sakomoto Convenience store ramen bowl; the next arc of Sakamoto Days is about to get even more delightfully twisty—I won’t stop giggling if you don’t.

New episodes Mondays at 11:30AM ET