I recently came across a charming manga series by Yuto Suzuki called Sakamoto Days. The protagonist of the action-comedy series Mr. Sakamoto is a legendary ex-hitman who gave up killing after meeting the woman of his dreams, Aoi. Adorable, right?
Since then, Mr. Sakamoto has turned almost unrecognizable– owing to his love for udon, ramen, and pork buns. But surprisingly, Mr. Sakamoto is still just as sharp and skilled as he was as a hitman!
Mr. Sakamoto’s ordinary appearance masks his deadly combat skills, which, surprisingly enough, reminded me of Saitama from One Punch Man!
After a day of devouring every available chapter of Sakamoto Days and re-watching some of One Punch Man, I managed to pinpoint some amusing similarities!
Both Saitama and Mr. Sakamoto look very ordinary but outmatch any opponent they face. They both often act aloof, but their skill is undeniable.
But, while Saitama wants to be a hero and find worthy opponents, Sakamoto wants to leave his life of killing behind for his family.
1. Appearance
Both Saitama and Mr. Sakamoto look unassuming at first. Mr. Sakamoto has put on weight after getting married and looks nothing like the ultimate hitman he once was.
The ex-hitman seems to have gone soft after becoming a family man but is still sharp as ever. He rarely even speaks and almost always gas a calm, neutral expression on his face.
Similarly, Saitama doesn’t have the typical appearance of a hero either. He’s often underestimated since he looks very ordinary but is actually the strongest man anyone in his universe has ever encountered.
Saitama, too, often has a spaced-out look on his face while his thoughts are almost always elsewhere.
2. Demeanor
Both Mr. Sakamoto and One Punch Man are funnily a little aloof most of the time. Nothing fazes either of them.
Mr. Sakamoto calmly takes down multiple assassins and hitmen, and Saitama is never fazed by any monster or opponent, no matter how large or dangerous-looking they might be.
Both of them usually have their minds elsewhere too. We often see Sakamoto thinking about foods like pork buns and yakitori, and Saitama worried about missing weekend sales and what to make for dinner.
3. Abilities
Clearly, it’s not fair to compare Saitama and Sakamoto, but they’re both strong in their own regard in their respective universes.
They’re both incredibly agile– We’ve seen both of them dodge multiple hits without breaking a sweat! Be it Saitama biting Sonic’s sword faster than he can comprehend or Sakamoto facing off two professional assassins at once!
They both are stronger than any foe they face, which is probably the most significant similarity between them. Saitama could take out an entire meteor after all! And Sakamoto outmatched an entire motorcycle gang!
4. So What’s Different?
Saitama and Mr. Sakamoto have somewhat different goals. Mr. Sakamoto has retired and doesn’t want to kill anymore. He uses his hitman skills as needed while staying inconspicuous.
He does good around his neighborhood and even convinces another hitman Shin, to join him in the quiet life.
Although hero work is a hobby for Saitama, and he does it because he wants to help regardless of what anyone thinks of him, he still wants a repertoire and a fanbase. Saitama is still on his hero journey.
Both Mr. Sakamoto and Saitama also have different relationships with their sidekicks. Although they both admire their idols, they each met them under different circumstances.
Shin worked with Sakamoto while they were both hitmen and is considered more like family. Saitama and Genos, on the other hand, have a teacher and pupil relationship and haven’t known each other before.
5. Conclusion
Saitama and Sakamoto are very alike in the sense that their appearance is deceiving, and they seem invincible. But the two are still very different stories.
Sakamoto Days feels more personal. The family dynamic with all Aoi’s rules, Mr. Sakamoto’s back story, and wholesome, old man personality makes the manga quite endearing.
One Punch Man takes a slightly different course as it follows Saitama’s antics as a hero– facing one ridiculous opponent after another, hoping to find a thrilling fight.
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