‘Sakamoto Days’ episode 11 review

With Sakamoto Days episode 11, the US finally gets to be caught up with the rest of the world. Naturally, that’s because this is the last episode of the cour. As far as planning out a break, I have to give the anime credit. “Casino Battle” wraps up the conflict over Lu’s future and sets up the second half of the season without being uneven. This gives Lu’s story more focus as it rightfully deserves while selling a proper escalation of events for the show’s return.

Casinos, how do they work?

The escalation of tension comes at the very end of the episode, because first it’s time for the Sakamoto’s staff to learn how to gamble. Humor is meant to be derived from Shin and Sakamoto having zero idea what they’re doing in Wutang’s casino, but they’re too competent in general to be screw ups. Their fumbling around doesn’t really do much for the narrative either, especially since Wutang basically lets them use their own skills to cheat. There’s a relief that not much time is spent actually gambling because there’s not much point to it until the final game.

The Old Maid game does have a handful of funny jokes, chiefly my new favorite take on the “math in head” meme that Shin’s reading of Wutang’s mind gives the world. Not every joke is powerful but that one makes everything worthwhile. However, Lu doesn’t get to have any of these jokes herself. In fact, compared to Shin’s growth during The Lab arc, Lu is really just kind of hanging out. She agreed to this challenge herself, but doesn’t get to earn a victory in the same way as Shin does previously. Instead, her surrogate father and brother save her. The solidarity is cute, but the entire situation is big “women sidelined in shonen” energy.

At the very least, Sakamoto Days episode 11 does give Lu a flashback that showcases the side of her Wutang has affection for. Her defense of him in their childhood makes him a dedicated member of their mafia family. There’s some inspiration in her way of highlighting that “everyone has their own weapon.” But, it’d be great if she got to show off what her weapon is beyond inspiring men to protect her. There’s a generous reading that her weapon is in her ability to inspire, but I’ve been reading Sakamoto Days since the day it began serialization. I love this manga, but believe me: you do not have to give this part a generous reading.

The mid-season report card

Which is as good a time as any to take stock of Sakamoto Days as an adaptation at this halfway point. Among its existing fanbase, the response to TMS’s adaptation has ranged from apathy and disappointment to anger. I’m inclined to agree with some critiques. Over the course of these reviews, there have been episodes where I’ve struggled to even find something to say. There’s not as much excitement week to week as I was hoping for.

But again, I am an original reader of the manga. If we’re all being honest – by which I mean not comparing the anime as it is to the series Sakamoto Days is now over 200 chapters in – the anime isn’t that far off. The early chapters of the manga took their time to find their footing in many of the same ways the anime has these first batch of episodes. If we put aside what is ultimately standard fare animation work, there’s not actually that much to critique. Personally, the trimming of Aoi Sakmoto’s early character work is the biggest miss.

And we have to remember that whatever this series is doing, it’s absolutely working for people.

Things are going to get more serious from here.

Much like in the manga, the next arc teased at the end of “Casino Battle” is really the first moment the series levels up. Kashima, at Slur’s command, lets four dangerous murders loose on Japan. Their introduction sets up the threat they represent, not just to the staff of the store but to the community around them. The stakes really are higher in this moment and even with a warning from Wutang, the episode does a good job of making it clear that this isn’t wrapping in a single episode.

I don’t say this to tell fans to set their expectations to the moon. I do say to try to address the temperature and to center on what Sakamoto Days is, not what it could or should have been. It’s not a terrible anime nor the worst Shonen Jump adaptation. The lighthearted energy and humor is appealing for a lot of new fans. We do them a disservice in acting like that’s a bad thing. Even so, I don’t think it’d hurt to get a small sakuga budget, as these combat sequences will continue to become the core of the series.