# 10 Must Watch Anime Like Sakamoto Days – Loved Sakamoto Days? Find your next favorite show, from Spy x Family to Gintama.
Ngetrenz – There’s an undeniable magic to the premise of Sakamoto Days: a legendary hitman, the best to ever do it, hangs up his guns, falls in love, gets a little pudgy, and dedicates his life to running a neighborhood convenience store. With the highly anticipated anime adaptation on the horizon, fans are buzzing about this unique blend of high-stakes action and hilarious slice-of-life comedy. The series captures a very specific, brilliant formula—the retired badass trying to live a normal life, the seamless fusion of brutal combat with heartfelt humor, and the anchoring warmth of an unconventional family.
This list is for those who have fallen for that charm and are searching for more. It explores ten other series that masterfully execute similar themes. For anyone looking for more anime like Sakamoto Days, this curated watchlist dives into shows that celebrate the overpowered-but-humble hero, the delicate balance of genre-bending storytelling, and the profound emotional core of a great found family anime.
The Sakamoto Standard: What Makes a Great Action-Comedy Anime?
Before diving into the list, it’s important to establish the criteria—the “Sakamoto Standard”—that makes this particular subgenre of action comedy anime so compelling. These are the core components that transform a simple premise into an unforgettable experience.
The Overpowered, Undercover Protagonist
The heart of these stories is often a protagonist of immense, almost mythical skill who has willingly chosen a mundane, humble life. Taro Sakamoto is the gold standard: a “comically hyper-competent” former assassin whose skills haven’t faded one bit. The comedy and tension arise from this contrast. He can deflect bullets with a piece of candy or neutralize threats using common convenience store items, all while trying to keep his past a secret from his loving family. This archetype isn’t just about being strong; it’s about a character seeking redemption or peace, whose greatest battle is maintaining normalcy against a world that wants to drag them back into the violence.
The Found Family Core
The emotional anchor in these series is the unconventional family unit, formed by choice rather than blood. In Sakamoto Days, the titular hero, his clairvoyant employee Shin, and the martial artist Lu Shaotang form a quirky but fiercely loyal found family. Sakamoto’s store becomes a home for these misfits, giving them a place to belong and giving Sakamoto something more to protect than just his wife and daughter. This dynamic is crucial, as these bonds often serve as the primary mechanism for healing past traumas, providing a powerful emotional core that grounds the most outrageous action sequences. It’s a defining feature of the best found family anime.
The Perfect Genre Blend
The true art of this subgenre lies in its flawless balance. One moment, viewers are treated to fluid, creative, and strategically brutal fight scenes; the next, they’re laughing at a genuinely funny, character-driven gag. The humor often stems from a very specific comedic device: the direct and meticulous application of elite, high-stakes skills to low-stakes, mundane situations. Sakamoto doesn’t just run a store; he runs it with the precision and intimidation tactics of a master assassin, a concept that generates endless comedic possibilities while constantly reinforcing his core identity. This “skill transference” is a recurring engine of humor in many of the shows on this action-comedy anime.
Top 10 Must-Watch Anime Like Sakamoto Days
1. Spy x Family
A master spy, a deadly assassin, and a telepathic child must pose as a “fake” family for a top-secret mission. The twist? They slowly, and accidentally, start becoming a real one. It stands as the quintessential recommendation for fans looking for anime like Sakamoto Days.
The entire premise revolves around secret identities and the struggle to balance deadly professions with domestic life. Loid and Yor are direct parallels to Sakamoto, needing to maintain a civilian facade while being supremely competent in their respective fields. At its heart, Spy x Family is a powerful found family anime where the forged bonds provide an “emotional salve” that helps each member heal from their traumatic, lonely pasts.
The primary tension in Spy x Family comes from the dramatic irony that none of them (except Anya) know each other’s secrets, whereas Sakamoto’s wife is aware of his past. The series also leans more heavily into Cold War-era espionage and political intrigue.
2. The Way of the Househusband
The legendary yakuza boss “Immortal Dragon” Tatsu gives up a life of crime to become a full-time househusband, approaching every single chore with the terrifying intensity and meticulousness of a mobster.
This is the most direct thematic parallel to Sakamoto Days. The humor is almost entirely derived from the aforementioned “skill transference,” as Tatsu applies yakuza tactics to everything from cooking classes to PTA meetings. Like Sakamoto, Tatsu is an overpowered legend who chose a life of love and peace, finding greater fulfillment in domesticity than he ever did in his violent past. The show also cleverly explores and redefines concepts of modern masculinity.
The Way of the Househusband is a pure comedy. It’s presented in short, episodic vignettes with a distinct “motion comic” animation style, focusing almost exclusively on gags rather than a continuous plot or serious action sequences.
3. Gintama
In an alternate-history Edo Japan conquered by aliens, the lazy but secretly legendary samurai Gintoki Sakata runs the “Yorozuya,” an odd-jobs business with his two companions. It is arguably the godfather of the genre-bending action-comedy anime.
Gintoki is the blueprint for the overpowered protagonist with a dark past who now chooses a simpler, more chaotic life. The central trio of the Yorozuya is one of the most beloved examples of a found family anime dynamic, providing the support Gintoki needs to overcome the trauma of war. The series is a masterclass in blending absurd, meta-humor with thrilling samurai sword fights and genuinely heart-wrenching dramatic arcs. Fans of anime like Sakamoto Days will find its DNA all over Gintama.
The comedy in Gintama is far more absurd, parodic, and reliant on meta-humor and pop culture references. Its tone can shift from pure slapstick to intense, serious drama in an instant, whereas Sakamoto Days maintains a more consistently lighthearted feel.
4. Buddy Daddies
Two professional assassins living as roommates find their lives completely upended when they are forced to raise the bubbly four-year-old daughter of one of their targets.
Like Sakamoto, the protagonists are killers thrust into a parental role, creating a powerful found family dynamic. The series expertly blends slick, high-octane action sequences with the chaotic, heartwarming, and often hilarious reality of raising a young child. Miri’s arrival forces the two dads, Kazuki and Rei, to confront and begin healing from their own deep-seated traumas, showcasing how a found family can be a catalyst for profound personal growth.
Buddy Daddies places a much stronger emphasis on the practical and emotional challenges of child-rearing, offering a surprisingly intimate look at the specifics of Japanese daycare culture and the difficulties of parenting. The central relationship is between two co-dads, exploring a different kind of family structure.
5. Hinamatsuri
A mid-level yakuza member’s meticulously organized life is thrown into chaos when a powerful, deadpan psychic girl from the future crash-lands in his apartment, forcing him into the role of a reluctant but surprisingly capable father figure.
The core dynamic involves a figure from the criminal underworld becoming an unlikely guardian to an overpowered child, leading to a hilarious and surprisingly heartwarming found family. Much of the comedy comes from the stoic yakuza, Nitta, trying to navigate the mundane world of parenting while dealing with Hina’s emotionless, chaotic use of her powers. Over time, their relationship genuinely evolves into that of a father and daughter.
The focus is less on Nitta’s past and more on the ensemble cast of other psychic girls and eccentric characters who populate their world. The show also delves into surprisingly grounded themes like homelessness and community through the arc of another character, Anzu.
6. Mob Psycho 100
Shigeo “Mob” Kageyama, a quiet and unassuming middle schooler, is secretly the most powerful psychic on the planet. However, all he wants is to be normal, make friends, and improve himself—without ever relying on his incredible powers.
Mob is the epitome of the “overpowered but humble” protagonist. Like Sakamoto, he actively suppresses his immense power to live a normal life, viewing it as a burden rather than a gift. The series balances some of the most visually spectacular psychic battles in anime with slice-of-life school comedy and a deep, emotional journey of self-acceptance. His mentor, Reigen, instills in him a strict moral code of never using his powers against other people, which echoes Sakamoto’s no-kill promise to his wife.
The story is a coming-of-age tale focused on adolescence and internal emotional struggles, rather than an adult protagonist protecting an established family. The powers are supernatural and psychic, leading to more fantastical and abstract conflicts.
7. Lycoris Recoil
Peace in Tokyo is secretly maintained by “Lycoris,” an elite, all-girl squad of assassins. The story follows the agency’s cheerful top agent, Chisato, and her new, more serious partner, Takina, as they balance deadly missions with their cover job: running a charming local café.
The core concept of elite assassins working in a mundane, public-facing job is a perfect match. The series excels at blending stylish “girls with guns” action with cozy, slice-of-life moments centered around the café. The staff of Café LycoReco forms a tight-knit found family, providing a home and support system for agents who are otherwise orphans of the state.
The tone is more focused on the “buddy cop” dynamic between the two female leads and explores a government conspiracy subplot. The action, while slick, is more grounded in realistic gunplay compared to Sakamoto’s more exaggerated, physics-defying feats.
8. Jujutsu Kaisen
This recommendation is for fans who crave the action side of the action-comedy anime equation. A kind-hearted high schooler with superhuman physical abilities swallows a cursed object, becoming the vessel for a powerful demon. He joins a secret society of sorcerers to fight grotesque supernatural threats and protect humanity.
The combat in Jujutsu Kaisen is lauded for being fluid, creative, and highly strategic, often making brilliant use of the environment—a key feature of Sakamoto’s fighting style. The protagonist, Yuji Itadori, shares Sakamoto’s fundamental desire to protect the people around him, fighting to ensure they have “a proper death” and maintaining his core kindness in a dark and violent world.
Jujutsu Kaisen is a dark fantasy with significantly heavier and more horror-centric themes. While it has moments of excellent comedy, its primary tone is much more serious and often tragic, focusing on a complex and grim world of curses and sorcery.
9. Bungo Stray Dogs
A group of gifted individuals, each named after a famous literary author, work for the “Armed Detective Agency,” solving supernatural crimes that are beyond the scope of the regular police.
This is a perfect example of a found family anime. The Agency serves as a “pack” for “stray dogs”—misfits with traumatic pasts who find a sense of belonging, purpose, and family with one another. The series expertly mixes detective work, super-powered action, and sharp, witty comedic banter between its eccentric cast members, particularly the dynamic between the serious Kunikida and the goofy Dazai.
The powers are more fantastical and are explicitly tied to literary works, creating a unique thematic layer. The plot is more focused on detective mysteries and the ongoing conflict between rival gifted organizations like the Port Mafia.
10. Black Lagoon
A much darker and more cynical take on the genre. A mild-mannered Japanese salaryman is kidnapped by, and eventually joins, a group of mercenary pirates operating out of the crime-infested fictional city of Roanapur.
The series offers a deep dive into the criminal underworld, which will appeal to fans who enjoy the “assassin world” aspect of Sakamoto Days. The Lagoon Company forms a dysfunctional but fiercely loyal found family, bound together by circumstance and survival. While it has very little comedy, it delivers some of the most stylish, cinematic, and intense “bullet ballet” action in all of anime.
The tone is gritty, nihilistic, and morally ambiguous, with almost no comedic relief. It’s a hard-R-rated action thriller that explores the psychological toll of a life of crime, making it the most mature and tonally different recommendation on this list.
The New Wave of Action-Comedy Anime
From retired hitmen to fake families and yakuza househusbands, the modern landscape of anime is rich with stories that find humor and heart in the most dangerous of lives. This list of anime like Sakamoto Days showcases a growing subgenre that resonates deeply with audiences today. These shows demonstrate that there is a powerful appeal in balancing extreme violence with extreme tenderness.
At their core, these stories are often about finding light and connection in dark, chaotic worlds. The recurring theme of the found family isn’t just a trope; it’s a hopeful narrative about healing and choosing one’s own support system. Whether it’s the thrilling action, the laugh-out-loud comedy, or the warmth of an unconventional family that draws one in, there is a perfect show on this list for every fan.
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Article Summary of 10 Must Watch Anime Like Sakamoto Days for Fans of Action-Comedy
- The article provides a curated list of 10 anime for fans of Sakamoto Days, focusing on shows that share its core themes of a retired-but-deadly protagonist, a blend of action and comedy, and a strong found family dynamic.
- The appeal of Sakamoto Days is defined by three criteria: the “Overpowered, Undercover Protagonist,” the “Found Family Core,” and the “Perfect Genre Blend.”
- The recommendations include direct parallels like Spy x Family and The Way of the Househusband, which feature protagonists balancing secret/violent lives with domesticity.
- Genre-defining classics like Gintama are included for their mastery of action-comedy and found family themes.
- Other recommendations like Buddy Daddies and Hinamatsuri explore the “criminal-as-parent” trope.
- Shows like Mob Psycho 100 and Lycoris Recoil are highlighted for their “overpowered-but-humble” protagonists and blend of action with slice-of-life elements, respectively.
- For fans of pure action or found family dynamics, Jujutsu Kaisen, Bungo Stray Dogs, and the darker Black Lagoon are also suggested.