Qiuqa put together 10 key points after watching Sakamoto Days Episode 1.

1. Taro Sakamoto’s New Life

Sakamoto walks through an abandoned building, a pistol in his right hand and a crowbar in his left. Dozens of mobsters greet him with a hail of gunfire, but he effortlessly twirls the crowbar to deflect the barrage. When the mobsters rush him, he brutally dismantles them with his deadly skills.

He hangs some with rope and neutralizes others by driving the crowbar into their skulls. After dodging another volley of bullets, he returns fire with pinpoint accuracy, wiping out the rest in seconds. Single-handedly, he massacres the entire syndicate.

Known as the underworld’s strongest hitman, Sakamoto was feared by all criminals and idolized by his peers. However, a trip to a local convenience store changed everything: he fell in love with a cashier’s sweet smile.

Ultimately, he chose to retire from the mafia. He married Aoi—the cashier who captured his heart at first sight—and they had a daughter named Hana. Over time, his physique softened into that of an adorable, overweight middle-aged man. Now, he lives a quiet life managing his own convenience store.

2. Shin Meets Sakamoto

Shin visits Sakamoto’s convenience store and watches him intercept a punch from a thug, Ujang, who is trying to hit a boy named Mamat over spilled ink on his pants. As an esper, Shin can read Sakamoto’s mind. He silently praises Sakamoto for considering a lethal move—driving a pen through Ujang’s lower jaw into his carotid artery—but choosing to hold back.

Suddenly, Shin panics upon reading that Sakamoto plans to take him out with a deadly strike. He hastily begs him to stop, reminding Sakamoto that he was his loyal subordinate and junior back in the organization. Later, the two sit outside the store to eat. Shin tries to coax Sakamoto out of retirement, but clearly hears Sakamoto’s mental refusal. It frustrates Shin to see his legendary idol reduced to a chubby convenience store clerk. Seeking to calm his nerves, Shin goes to light a cigarette. In a flash, Sakamoto throws a box cutter, neatly slicing the cigarette in half while pointing to a “No Smoking” sign. Shocked, Shin understands the unspoken message: despite his unassuming appearance, Sakamoto could still end his life at any moment.

3. The Town Handyman

Initially, Shin suspects Sakamoto is merely using a civilian disguise. This suspicion grows when a local man, Wawan, asks Sakamoto for help while he and Shin are relaxing outside. Assuming it’s a covert hitman mission, Shin tags along. To his surprise, Wawan only needs help chopping down a high tree branch—a task Sakamoto executes flawlessly. Shortly after, Sakamoto helps a struggling mother get her daughter to eat her vegetables.

Exasperated, Shin realizes Sakamoto is now simply known as the town’s volunteer handyman. While he admits Sakamoto’s integration into the community is a perfect cover, he finds the whole act ridiculous. Shin finally says his goodbyes, promising to return. As he gets into his car, he reflects that it has been five years since they last met. Even though Sakamoto has grown round and heavy, Shin’s admiration for the legendary assassin remains unshakeable. Deep down, he hopes they can work together again someday.

4. The Syndicate’s Law

Shin receives a call from his boss, Junet. He reports his failure to recruit Sakamoto, adding that the former assassin has grown completely out of shape, is no longer a threat, and should be ignored. Junet, however, furiously reminds him of the syndicate’s absolute rule: anyone who walks away from the mafia must be eliminated. “If you won’t do it, there are plenty of others who will!” Junet snarls.

That night, over snacks, Shin reminisces about his time working alongside Sakamoto. He recalls the missions they shared and the joy of fighting beside his idol. After lying in thought for a long time, Shin finally stands up and grabs his gun. He resolves that if it must be done, he would rather kill Sakamoto with his own hands than let anyone else do it.

5. Shin vs. Sakamoto

The next day, Shin arrives at the store. He finds Sakamoto at the register, a piece of hard candy in his mouth. Shin attempts to deceive him, claiming he is leaving town and just wants to say goodbye. Suddenly, Shin draws his gun and fires. With lightning reflexes, Sakamoto spits out his candy, perfectly deflecting the bullet.

As a diversion, Sakamoto throws an ice cream cone at Shin. Shin dodges, but Sakamoto vanishes instantly, tapping into his assassin instincts to slip between the snack aisles. Using a rubber band, Sakamoto snipes Shin with candy, forcing him to leap toward the shelves to close the distance. Aiming his gun, Shin prepares to pull the trigger. Before he can, another flying ice cream strikes him in the head, knocking him off balance. As Shin tries to recover, Sakamoto appears behind him in a blur. Shin turns, only to be met with a brutal volley kick that sends him flying and knocks him unconscious.

6. Understanding the Retirement

When Shin comes to, he is resting on a bed with a cold compress on his head. Aoi and Hana warmly invite him to join Sakamoto for dinner at a table loaded with delicious food. Confused by their hospitality—especially after his assassination attempt—Shin briefly suspects the food is poisoned. However, he remains confident, knowing his body is trained to be immune to toxins.

Upon taking a bite, the sheer deliciousness of the meal overwhelms him, bringing him to the verge of tears. Aoi and Hana smile, noting that his reaction mirrors Sakamoto’s first time eating her cooking. Shin realizes that in all his years as a hitman, he has never experienced a beautiful moment like a warm family dinner. He finally understands that Sakamoto only wants to protect his peaceful life as a happy family man.

Outside, Shin bids Sakamoto farewell and thanks him for the meal. Before he leaves, Sakamoto points to a sign on the door: “Thank you, please come again.” Shin walks away with a small smile, accepting that he will never be able to defeat Taro Sakamoto.

7. Shin vs. The Mafia

Shin returns to headquarters and kneels before Junet, begging for Sakamoto’s life. The mafia grunts laugh at him. In a desperate plea, Shin holds a gun to his own head, offering his life in exchange for Sakamoto’s. Seeing his resolve, Junet agrees to spare Sakamoto if Shin takes his place. However, Shin reads Junet’s mind, realizing the boss fully intends to break the promise. Abandoning his plea, Shin turns his gun on Junet.

Back at the convenience store, Sakamoto listens to the confrontation through an audio bug. Calmly, he presses a button on the cash register, transforming a snack shelf into a massive, hidden armory. The wall is stocked with hundreds of weapons—firearms, grenades, and more. Sakamoto grabs an arsenal and prepares for war.

Meanwhile, Shin flees from three pursuing mobsters. Taking cover behind a wall, he reloads his pistol and expertly guns down all three. When another mobster takes aim from a hiding spot, Shin disappears from view. He vaults over the mobster, dropping him with a swift double-kick to the neck. Even when a final thug fires a portable bazooka at him, Shin effortlessly dodges the blast, showcasing his extraordinary reflexes.

8. Sakamoto vs. The Mafia

Hearing his men complain that Shin seems to predict their every move, Junet reveals Shin’s secret: he is an esper who can read minds at close range. Adjusting their tactics, the mobsters surround Shin while keeping their distance.

After fatally shooting two more thugs, Shin takes cover to load his final magazine. He manages to drop two more, but takes a bullet to the thigh and collapses. Cornered, Shin stares down the barrels of three guns. Just then, Sakamoto arrives, neutralizing the trio instantly with a stun gun.

Furious, Junet orders his men to kill Sakamoto. The mobsters swarm him, but Sakamoto remains entirely unfazed. He catches an incoming bullet with chopsticks, then hurls one mobster into two others, knocking them down. He fluidly dodges a sword strike, kicking the swordsman away. With blinding speed, he deflects bullets using two pens, then throws them with pinpoint accuracy to incapacitate two shooters.

Leaping into the air, Sakamoto fires a grappling hook, tangling two mobsters in a pulley system. He crushes another man’s gun with his bare hand before punching his teeth out. Junet and two survivors try to fire in unison, but Sakamoto charges them, weaving through the gunfire with dual knives. In one magnificent motion, he slashes Junet and the remaining men, knocking them unconscious. Shin watches in awe, amazed by how effortlessly Sakamoto dismantled the entire squad alone.

9. How Sakamoto Tracked Shin

Astonished, Shin asks how Sakamoto found him. Calmly, Sakamoto takes Shin’s gun and retrieves a listening device he had planted on him while he was unconscious at the store. Shin praises Sakamoto as truly flawless.

With a heavy heart, Shin announces his decision to leave town. Instead of accepting it, Sakamoto casually tosses a convenience store apron at him, informing him that the starting pay is 800 yen an hour, plus overtime. Shin simply stares, wearing a comical expression of disbelief at Sakamoto’s deadpan, serious offer.

10. Shin Gets a Job

The next day, Shin is working the register alongside Sakamoto. Annoyed, he asks Sakamoto to stop slurping cup noodles next to him, complaining that the store’s inventory is dwindling because of the boss’s appetite. Aoi and Hana happily compliment Shin’s new apron, and Hana gives him a massive, overjoyed hug.

Noticing an elderly woman struggling to find an item, Shin uses his telepathy to fetch exactly what she needs. The grandmother is amazed by his intuition. Later, while Shin is stocking shelves, Mamat stops by to play, teasing that Shin’s job looks boring. Shin replies that it’s vastly better than his old gig. Curious, Mamat asks what he used to do.

Suddenly, Shin hears Sakamoto’s telepathic threat: he will kill him if he talks. Sweating, Shin nervously replies that his old job was “just a kind of cleaning.”