MANGA REVIEW | "Sakamoto Days" - Volume Eighteen
Even though it’s called Sakamoto Days, Taro’s not the only main star of the series. If anything, Shin plays just as much of an important role in Yuto Suzuki’s manga. While we’ve seen Shin tear it up alongside Taro, we rarely get the chance to see what he can do when he fights solo. In its eighteenth volume, Sakamoto Days showcases exactly what Shin can do, even when he’s not 100%.
The assassin exhibit is still under attack, with Nagumo in the midst of fighting Gaku. These two assassins come to blows, with only one walking away from the battle. With X being close by, the time comes for Sakamoto to come face-to-face with his old partner. That means Shin is left behind to deal with Haruma, an assassin with an interesting philosophy on fighting.
Sakamoto Days is no stranger to having assassins with quirks. With Haruma, we see a man who can apply any sort of sport to his mission. Soccer, football, and handball are just a few of the games Haruma applies his strategy to fighting Shin. As for Shin, he’s got to use his brains rather than his ESP powers to take Haruma on, since the latter isn’t working at the moment.
Shin comes up with the perfect sport to use his skills with: sumo wrestling. That’s when he pulls out some unexpected moves to take on Haruma in a battle that’s both brutal and noble. It’s all captured in Suzuki’s rough-but-detailed visual style, one that knows when to go all in during a spectacular fight. And while the results aren’t what readers will expect, it nevertheless gives Shin a lot more due respect.
There are a lot more fights happening around the museum, but it’s a reveal between Amane and Shishiba that winds up being the most damning. With Amane still seeking where his father is, Shishiba delivers the news in a way that seems way too nonchalant. As Amane looks for more answers, Shishiba is taken out, with his life in dire straits. Thankfully, a certain buzz saw-wielding woman is close by to offer her services. (Let’s just say her entrance is both bloody and hilarious!)
Perhaps the only one who doesn’t get much time in this volume of Sakamoto Days is Taro Sakamoto himself. With that being said, it’s all finally leading up to him and X squaring off. So be grateful that Shin got to have a big moment in the spotlight in Volume Eighteen. With Taro almost in the vicinity of his old ally, the time for the biggest fight in Sakamoto Days may soon be upon us!
FINAL GRADE:
Promotional consideration provided by Chantelle Sturt of VIZ Media.
