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TheSakamoto Daysanime is finally here, and it’s already off to a great start. Despite some initial criticisms of the animation based on the trailers, the anime has done a great job of bringing the action and comedy of the manga to life, and it’s sure to be one of the best anime of the winter 2025 anime season, by far.
A lot of what makes theSakamoto Daysanimeso good is the voice actor of its lead in the original Japanese, Tomokazu Sugita. With decades of experience in anime likeGintama,JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, andThe Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Sugita brings plenty of charm and experience into his performance as Sakamoto, but surprisingly,Tomokazu Sugita, despite being so good as Sakamoto inSakamoto Days, initially wanted nothing to do with the role. Something like that is surely surprising to hear about with how naturally he fits the part, and fortunately, the story of it all didn’t end there.
The story of how Tomokazu Sugita ended up voicing Sakamoto inSakamoto Daysis a fascinating one. According to an interview with Tomokazu Sugita, when casting first started forSakamoto Days, Sugita wasn’t too familiar with the series, and with him not receiving an offer for a specific role, he originally wanted to audition for Kashima, one of the antagonists of the series. Sugita had played a similar character in aShonen Jumpanime before, and because of that,Tomokazu Sugita originally deliberately avoided playing Sakamoto inSakamoto Daysso he could try and play against type.
When Tomokazu Sugita told his agency about his plans, they begged him to audition for Sakamoto as well, despite his insistence on only reading for Kashima, and because he no longer felt good about deliberately avoiding the role, he decided to at least read the manga to try and understand Sakamoto’s character. From there,Tomokazu Sugita began to see Sakamoto as a character who works by trying to bring happiness to others whenever he can, something Sugita also tries to do in his performances, so Sugita decided to commit to auditioning for Sakamoto, and he ultimately got the role.
How Similar Is Sakamoto To Tomokazu Sugita’s Other Big Role?
Sakamoto & Gintoki’s Similarities Explained
The role Tomokazu Sugita originally didn’t want to repeat withSakamoto Dayswas likely Gintoki fromSunrise’sGintama, and there are some similarities between the two characters. In addition to both characters being eccentric, white-haired store clerks who are among the best fighters in their respective stories,Sakamoto and Gintoki both hide deep trauma that only truly begins to heal thanks to their friendships with their new employees, with Sakamoto having Shin and Lu and Gintoki having Shinpachi and Kagura. The similarities between them are very apparent, so it makes sense that Sugita would feel like he was repeating himself.
That being said, Sakamoto and Gintoki are still fairly different from one another. In addition toSakamoto Daysbeing far more grounded thanGintama, despite how often it dips into absurdity,Sakamoto is someone who strives to be kind to others far more directly and far more often than Gintoki does, resulting in a story with far more heart more often than not, despite its comedic leanings. Tomokazu Sugita noted that difference as well, and as previously discussed, it was a major part of why he decided to play Sakamoto, in the end.
Why Tomokazu Sugita Is The Perfect Voice Actor For Sakamoto
The story of how Tomokazu Sugita essentially had to be talked into playing Sakamoto is a funny one, especially with how perfect he was for the part. Sugita is known for voicing characters who are either deadpan, incredibly eccentric, or eccentric in their deadpan personalities, sothe comedy that’s often derived from Sakamoto’s stoicism and how little he tends to speak makes him perfectly in line with Tomokazu Sugita’s usual voice roles. That experience can already be seen in how great a job he’s done in episode #1, and that’s bound to only become more apparent as the series continues.
With animation of any medium, voice acting is one of the most critical factors to get right, as a voice actor can often make or break a project depending on how fitting or unfitting their performance may be.Sakamoto Dayshas already been receiving criticismfor a variety of reasons, but at the very least,Tomokazu Sugita’s stellar performance as Sakamoto shows thatSakamoto Days’ voice acting is beyond reproach. Sugita’s performance will probably be one of the biggest highlights ofSakamoto Days, by far, and the fact that it almost didn’t happen makes that even better to think about.
Sakamoto Days
Cast
Sakamoto Days centers on Taro Sakamoto, a former top-tier hitman who has traded his life of crime for a peaceful existence running a convenience store. Despite his attempts to leave the underworld behind, Sakamoto’s past catches up with him as old rivals and dangerous enemies reappear, threatening his newfound tranquility. Forced to defend his family and business, Sakamoto must draw on his lethal skills while navigating the humorous and unexpected challenges of balancing his ordinary daily life with the chaos of his former profession.
