Is Sakamoto Days The New Gintama?

Sakamoto Days is the new yakuza comedy manga by Suzuki Yuuto. Even though it has only released 4 chapters till now, the series seems promising.

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So, I was reading the 4th chapter and there’s this Chinese woman who bumps into Sakamoto and she reminded me of Kagura from Gintama which led me to this line of thought: Is Sakamoto Days the new Gintama?

The series is about an ex-hitman who now lives a peaceful life with his family, but troubles find him from time to time.

A lot of similarities can be found between Sakamoto Days and Gintama. So let’s break them down one by one.

The Ex-Hitman/Warrior Setting

Gintoki Sakata fought in the Joui war and was a feared warrior before he retired and opened Yorozuya. Similarly, Sakamoto used to be an ex-hitman, and now he runs a convenience store.

Both have retired from their previous jobs but not their ways. The fighter inside them is still alive. In The Way of the Househusband, Tatsu is a retired yakuza boss who lives a cute life with his wife.

Just like how Katsura wanted Gintoki to return to his rebel life, the previous gang of Sakamoto also wants him back.

The Sidekick

The first chapter of the Sakamoto Days manga starts from the point of view of Shin. He recalls Sakamoto’s past and looks up to him. Gintama had also begun with Shinpachi and his miserable life.

Soon, Shin gets in trouble with his gang, just like how Shinpachi got in trouble with some aliens. Of course, the hero of the story came to save their hides in both cases.

By the end of the day, the hero had gained a trusted person, whether they wanted it or not.

The Foreign Girl

Just like how Gintama has Kagura, Sakamoto Days has Lu Xiaotang, a mysterious woman from China. Both women are strong and have a similar dressing style.

Kagura is one of the few people left from the Yato clan and is super powerful. Soon, she made a place for herself at Yorozuya.

Lu belongs to a mafia family from China and shows a powerful fighting style. Sakamoto also creates a place for her at his store.

The Police

Gintama’s Shinsengumi somehow parallels officer Nakase from Sakamoto Days. Gintoki had to face the Shinsengumi from time to time, and it doesn’t look like we have seen the last of Nakase yet.

As much as we loved the love-hate relationship between the Yorozuya and Shinsengumi, we can only hope to get another chemistry like that.

Jack of All Trades

Just like how Gintoki took on any job he was offered (even though he was too lazy to work), Sakamoto is also the jack of all trades. Both of them have a vast field of expertise, and their experience also comes in handy from time to time.

In The Way of the Househusband, Tatsu also has a lot of skills and is respected by his neighbors for it. Often he excels at things that other housewives can’t do.

Gag Element

Both Gintama and Sakamoto Days have random gag elements thrown into the jumble. Both have relaxed protagonists who can mostly handle the things around them while bringing laughter to us.

Sakamoto Days seems like a mix of Gintama and The Way of the Househusband with some supernatural elements like clairvoyance thrown into it.

Even though it has miles to go before it reaches the heights of Gintama, we hope that the manga can bloom more through its next chapters.

About Sakamoto Days

“Sakamoto Days” is a comedy-action manga by Yuto Suzuki published in Weekly Shonen Jump. The author is already known for two successful one-shots, Garaku and Locker Room.

The first chapter of this manga series was released on November 21, 2020. The story follows the Ultimate Assassin, Taro Sakamoto, who shifts to a much more peaceful lifestyle after falling in love with a convenience store owner.