A live-action movie adaptation of Sakamoto Days is now in development. We don't have many details at the moment, but the announcement was made in the latest issue of Weekly Shonen Jump, which released today.
Written and illustrated by Yuto Suzuki, Sakamoto Days is an over-the-top action comedy manga that has been serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump since November 2020. The story follows Taro Sakamoto, a retired legendary hitman who is forced back into action when former enemies and colleagues from his past come to seek revenge. Now settled down as a family man who runs a convenience story, Sakamoto must use his exceptional combat skills to protect his loved ones and defeat his adversaries.
The manga has always had some level of success, but it really surged in popularity this year thanks, in large part, to the release of the anime adaptation on Netflix. The manga saw a huge leap in the number of copies in circulation, jumping from seven million back in December 20204 to more than 15 million as of August 2025. The rise in popularity is likely attributed to the anime adaptation, which debuted in Netflix in the first half of 2025. With over 24.4 million views and more than 106 million hours watched, Sakamoto Days ranks as one of Netflix's most-watched anime globally.
Produced by TMS Entertainment, the Sakamoto Days anime is directed by Masaki Watanabe with series composition by Taku Kishimoto and character designs by Yo Moriyama.
“When I first had the chance to read SAKAMOTO DAYS, I remember how electrifying the powerful action scenes were,” Masaki Watanabe told Netflix Tudum ahead of the series' release. “Keeping that feeling at the heart of production, I want to take all the components unique to the screen — movement, color, and sound — to make SAKAMOTO DAYS a dynamic and fast-paced anime, while keeping in mind the humor sprinkled throughout the original. We intend to faithfully portray the character of Sakamoto, the family man and the killer who doesn’t kill."
The official synopsis reads:
Taro Sakamoto was the ultimate assassin, feared by villains and admired by hitmen. But one day…he fell in love! Retirement, marriage, fatherhood and then… Sakamoto gained weight! The chubby guy who runs the neighborhood?store is actually a former legendary hitman! Can he protect his family from danger? Get ready to experience a new kind of action comedy series!
The first season of Sakamoto Days was split into two cours, both of which are available to stream on Netflix. A second season has not yet been announced, but given its success, it feels like it's only a matter of time. In the meantime, we'll keep an eye out for any news regarding this just-announced live-action adaptation.