Sakamoto Days episodes 1 and 2: Anime vs. Manga explained

Sakamoto Days episodes 1 and 2 were released last week and already have made quite a positive impression in the anime and manga community. After a few days where the fandom was concerned regarding the quality of the product, TMS Entertainment has hit the ground running with two very well-received installments and building up some hype at the same time.

Moreover, it is clear by the direction taken by Sakamoto Days episodes 1 and 2 that the studio doesn't stray too much from the source material delivered by author, Yuto Suzuki. However, the anime adaptation does provide some new scenes and extend the length of some that were in the manga, improving their impact for the most part.

Disclaimer: This article may contain spoilers from the Sakamoto Days manga.

Sakamoto Days episodes 1 and 2: Every change made by TMS Entertainment for the anime

An extended introduction for Taro Sakamoto was made

Taro Sakamoto in his hitman days (Image via TMS Entertainment).

The opening scene of Sakamoto Days episodes 1 and 2, also in the manga, was a display of Taro Sakamoto's abilities during his prime as a hitman. While both series cover this, the anime adaptation extends with fluid animation to give new viewers a taste of the protagonist's capabilities.

The TMS Entertainment adaptation then introduces the scene when Sakamoto meets his wife, Aoi, with the anime perfectly adapting the reaction panel of the manga while the narrator says the hitman fell in love. There are sequences of Sakamoto retiring, getting married, and carrying his daughter, Hana, which are directly taken from the source material, just like the moment he is shown several years with a lot of extra weight.

Shin is introduced and some minor changes are added

Sakamoto meets Shin (Image via TMS Entertainment)

The introduction of Shin Asakura in Sakamoto Days episodes 1 and 2 has a bit more build-up since the character is in the background during the introduction of Taro Sakamoto's hitman days. The same can be said regarding the kid playing in the protagonist's store and the man about to hit him, with the anime giving it some extra time.

Following that, the anime pretty much did a one-to-one adaptation of the manga with a few minor changes when it came to the introduction of Shin and his first conversation with Sakamoto. Then there is a montage of the former hitman doing work for several people from his neighborhood, with Shin voicing his discomfort.

Shin's fight with Sakamoto and the conclusion of the first episode

Sakamoto and Shin working in the store (Image via TMS Entertainment).

The second portion of the episode played out as expected from the source material, with the inclusion of a scene of Shin thinking in his hotel room about the idea of having to kill Sakamoto because he didn't want to return to the fold. This resulted in his attempt to murder the legendary hitman, with the anime taking the main scenes from the fight while adding some elements to extend it a bit.

Once Shin is kidnapped by his former organization and Sakamoto comes to rescue him, the TMS Entertainment adaptation takes some direct sequences from the manga, such as the protagonist searching in his arsenal of weapons. The battle is also extended, although the conclusion with Shin becoming a worker in the store remains mostly the same.

More changes to Sakamoto Days episodes 1 and 2

Lu Shaotang in Sakamoto Days episode 2 (Image via TMS Entertainment)

Sakamoto Days episodes 1 and 2 also covered the introduction of Lu Shaotang and her being chased by the assassins Bacho and Son Hee since they want her parents' key to their fortune. The biggest change here is that Sakamoto Days episodes 1 and 2 go straight to the introduction of Lu, skipping the second chapter of the manga where Shin and Sakamoto save Aoi from a band of criminals on the bus she was riding.

However, the anime did add the moment where Aoi threatens the former hitman with the divorce if he ever kills again and the second episode later on adds the flashback of them in Christmas from this chapter in the manga. This adaptation also skips chapter 3 of the manga, which focuses on Officer Nakaze and her being kidnapped because she doesn't carry guns.

When it comes to Lu Shaotang, she is introduced to wearing normal clothing instead of the more Chinese-inspired outfit she wore in the manga. The bulk of the episode stays truthful to chapters 4 and 5 of the manga with the inclusion of an anime-original flashback of Lu's parents sacrificing for her, with that being the biggest difference.

Final thoughts

Sakamoto Days episodes 1 and 2 proved the doubters wrong and stayed mostly truthful to the source material, especially when it comes to the look and tone of the series. While some chapters from the manga were skipped, it is quite interesting that some scenes from them were used for the Lu Shaotang episode, which could suggest that some storylines are going to be removed from the anime.

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Edited by Bharath S