Sakamoto Days opens in Japan theaters

The big correction here is simple — the thing that just opened in Japanese theaters is not an anime film. It’s a live-action SAKAMOTO DAYS movie, and it actually opened on April 29, 2026. The anime is a separate TV series that started in January 2025 and streams on Netflix. (animeanime.jp) ### So what opened? A live-action adaptation of Yuto Suzuki’s manga hit theaters across Japan on April 29. Ren Meguro plays Taro Sakamoto, the retired super-assassin who now runs a neighborhood shop, with Fumiya Takahashi as Shin. Yuichi Fukuda directed it, and Toho is handling distribution. (animeanime.jp) ### (animeanime.jp)eady exists as an anime brand, and the official anime site is still one of the first things that shows up in search. That site points to the TV broadcast beginning January 11, 2025, with streaming on Netflix and other platforms. Netflix also confirmed a second season at Jump Festa 2026. So if yo(animeanime.jp)o assume the theatrical release is animated. Turns out it isn’t. (sakamotodays.jp) ### Is the movie actually doing well? Yes — at least out of the gate. The clearest early signal is the first five days: ¥1.05 billion in box office and about 776,000 admissions. For a manga adaptation opening over a holiday frame, that’s the kind of number that says this wasn’t just fan noise online. It drew a real opening crowd. (oricon.co.jp) (sakamotodays.jp)t is doing a lot of the selling here. Meguro is the headline name, and the movie leans into the contrast between “soft-looking shopkeeper” Sakamoto and his deadly former self. The supporting lineup is stacked with recognizable names too — Takahashi, Kitamura, Yagi, Meru Nukumi, and Tsuda Kenjiro among them. Snow Man’s “BANG!!” is the(oricon.co.jp)e. (animeanime.jp) ### What’s the setup again? The hook is still great. Sakamoto used to be the world’s most feared hitman. Then he fell in love, retired, got married, had a kid, gained weight, and started running a local store. The problem is that the old underworld will not leave him alone — and now there’s a ¥1 billion bounty on his head. That mix of domestic comedy and ridiculous action is the whole franchise’s trick. (animeanime.jp) ### Was there a launch push in Japan? Definitely. Toho scheduled opening-day and commemorative stage greetings on April 29 and April 30, including a nationwide live broadcast to theaters. That kind of rollout is standard for a movie the distributor expects to travel on star power and opening-week momentum. It’s basically a way to turn the first weekend into an event, not just a listing on the multiplex board. (info.toho.co.jp) ### What about international release dates? That’s the missing piece. The anime already has a global home through Netflix, but I couldn’t find a confirmed overseas theatrical plan for the live-action film from the sources available here. So international fans can track it, but they should not assume a subtitled cinema rollout is already locked. Right now, the Japan opening is real and specific. The broader release picture is not. (netflix.com) ### Bottom line? SAKAMOTO DAYS is having a franchise moment, but the formats matter. The anime is a Netflix TV series. The thing in Japanese theaters is a live-action movie — and it opened April 29 with a strong first five days. (oricon.co.jp)