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SAKAMOTO DAYS looks like a straightforward action-comedy about a retired hitman turned family man. However, the series’s greatest strength lies in its colorful cast of characters, each with their own unique motivations, fighting styles, and emotional depth that push the story further. From legendary hitmen to eccentric allies, and merciless serial killers, every character shapes the chaotic and heartfelt world of SAKAMOTO DAYS. For those looking to understand the personalities that have made this show one of Netflix’s most compelling anime hits, here is a guide to each prominent character in season one and what to expect from them in the upcoming season.
Taro Sakamoto
The main protagonist of the series, Taro Sakamoto, was once considered the best assassin in the world. After meeting his wife, Aoi Sakamoto, and having their daughter, Hana Sakamoto, Taro retired from his life of bloody crime to become a contributing convenience-store-owning member of society. That peaceful life gets complicated when a former member of the Order, an elite special unit of the most dangerous assassins in the Japanese Association of Assassins (JAA), places a $1 billion bounty on Sakamoto’s head, forcing him back into the world of highly trained assassins.
Taro’s deep respect and love for his wife and her “No Killing” rule have taught him the value of human life. As more and more challenges come into his world, Taro not only abides by his new code but enforces it in those around him. Along the way, he has made new allies, friends, and unofficially-officially adopted some unlikely characters into his own family.
Heading into the new season, Taro returns to his past by re-entering the Japan Clear Creation (JCC) school for aspiring assassins, with both Taro and Shin taking the JCC entry test. Shin passed, while Taro was rejected due to the bounty on his head, which forces Taro to disguise himself as his wife so he can go undercover as a teacher, while Shin poses as a student to infiltrate the JCC database.
Shin Asakura
Fan-favorite Gen Z deuteragonist, Shin “The Clairvoyant” Asakura is straightforward, honest, and calculating. While serious in battle, Shin is known for his comedic outbursts that make him entertaining.
Once an old student and partner of Taro’s, Shin was sent to kill him for his betrayal of leaving the JAA. However, after failing to kill Taro and seeing the importance of Taro in the lives of his family and community, Shin becomes one of Taro’s greatest defenders. While Shin jokes about Taro’s (who he affectionately calls “Mr. Sakamoto”) weight gain and lax nature since retiring, he has a great deal of respect for the man that Taro has become.
In the new season, Shin takes a step to center stage as he goes undercover with Taro inside the JCC. Posing as a student, he has to survive an assassination school with a 10 percent survival/graduation rate while locating the JCC database in order to gain information on Slur.
Lu Shaotang
The daughter of a Triad family, Lu Shaotang, is the cheerful clerk of the Sakamoto convenience store alongside Shin. Lu dropped onto the scene, literally, while trying to find and protect her family’s legacy after they were killed defending their family vault. Hunted by the Dondenkai assassins, she meets Taro and Shin, who help her defeat those sent to kill her.
A drunken fist-style fighter, Lu’s strength depends on her alcohol levels. In her and Shin’s battle with Saw, one of the four death row serial killers released by Slur to distract the order, she drank a bottle of 200-proof ethanol that saw her battle prowess increase tenfold, with her moving so fast that Saw couldn’t keep up. Viewers can also see her multiple drunk personalities, including “Crying Drunk,” “Angry Drunk,” “Happy Drunk,” and “Triad Drunk.”
Heisuke Mashimo
Sakamoto’s dead-eye shooting delivery man, Heisuke Mashimo, is a major supporting character in SAKAMOTO DAYS. A low-ranking assassin and talented sniper, he had a hard time finding a job due to the stringency of his skillset, lacking the adaptability of a hand-to-hand combat specialist, and hoped to prove himself by killing Taro and claiming the bounty. He instead finds praise, recognition, and acceptance from Taro, who hires him as the convenience store’s delivery man. This turns him from a homeless sniper forced to bunker down on the tops of buildings with his pet bird, Piisuke, into a Sakamoto family member.
Nagumo
Current member of the Order and former classmate of Taro’s, Nagumo is a close friend of the Sakamoto family. Having kept contact with Taro after his retirement, Nagumo has known Taro since their enrollment as students at JCC. There, they would be a part of a legendary assassin’s trio, alongside Rion Akao, and become the youngest members of the Order. Nagumo is a master of disguise — being able to not only copy others’ personalities perfectly but also alter the appearances of others. Nagumo is the one who disguises Taro as his wife, Aoi, so he can go undercover in the JCC to get information on Slur.
Season one left off with Nagumo and his fellow Order members, Shishiba and Osaragi, having business to take care of in Kyoto. It can be expected that Nagumo’s character arc will pick up there.
Aoi and Hana Sakamoto
Aoi Sakamoto is the wife of Taro Sakamoto. She is the reason behind his departure from the assassin’s lifestyle and holds a strict moral code that every member of the Sakamoto family is expected to uphold. She can be extreme in her methods in proving her point, even throwing herself off a building to teach Taro the importance of human life, yet her fearlessness, confidence, and hope are her defining characteristics.
Hana Sakamoto is the lovable daughter of Taro and Aoi. She isn’t seen much in the series, but she is shown to be adored by all those around her.
X/Slur
The slippery antagonist of the series, X/Slur is a serial killer set on taking down the JAA. Around the same time Taro’s bounty was placed, Slur wiped out one-fourth of assassins, leaving behind his signature “X” marker at the crime scenes, which he wrote with his victims’ blood.
At the conclusion of season one, not much is known about the white-turtleneck-clad killer. In a confrontation between him and Taro, it is revealed that they were in the same class at JCC. However, he was never seen as remarkable then, as Taro, Nagumo, and Rion took the spotlight for their unnatural abilities and rivalry.
By the end of season one, Slur has successfully kidnapped Nao Toramaru and Mafuyu Seba, turning them into agents inside the JCC. Slur’s newest nefarious scheme in his battle to dismantle the JAA is one of the many stories to unfold in season two.
Season Two: Enter New Characters — Japan Clear Creation Students & Faculty
Season two introduces a new setting, Japan Clear Creation, the school for aspiring assassins, and a band of new characters. Etsuko Satoda, voiced by Misa Watanabe, is a retired assassin and teacher at JCC, teaching assassination practice. Former Order member Yotsumura, voiced by Shinshu Fuji, will be making an appearance this season. A dark, monotone character, Yotsumura is the nihilistic father of another newer character and second-year JCC assassination student, Amane.
Introduced in the last episodes of season one is Akira Akao, the niece of former Order member and friend of Taro and Nagumo, Rion Akao. Akira is set to find her missing aunt, hoping the JCC is the place where she can find more information and develop the skills necessary to embark on her journey to find Rion.
SAKAMOTO DAYS season 2 starts streaming on Netflix in January 2027.
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