Sakamoto Days’ Live-Action Film Japan Release Set for April 2026

Toho has confirmed that the live-action adaptation of Sakamoto Days will open in Japanese theaters on April 29, 2026, placing the film in the country’s lucrative Golden Week (late-April to early-May), the holiday corridor comprising four national holidays. The release date was announced through the official movie website on Dec 10, alongside a new teaser trailer that offers the first look at the protagonist, Taro Sakamoto’s "plump" version.

The production was announced in Sep 2025, following the renewed buzz after the release of the second cour of the first season of the Japanese animated series, Sakamoto Days. The source (the manga) follows Taro Sakamoto, a retired assassin turned convenience-store owner who returns to the world of contract killers when past enemies resurface. 

The manga by Yuto Suzuki started serialization back in 2020, and became popular due to physical comedy and high-velocity action scenes. The movie is to adapt the earlier arcs from the manga, as per the released trailer and limited narrative given on the official website.

Strategic Context Behind the Production

The project is produced in collaboration between CREDEUS and Avex Pictures. The studio has confirmed comedy-action specialist Yuichi Fukuda, known for working on Gintama and the Under Ninja live-action adaptation, is directing and writing the screenplay of the movie. Fukuda is joined by action director Keiya Tabuchi, who previously worked in action-heavy productions such as Evangelion: 3.0+1.0: Thrice Upon A Time, Attack on Titan live-action, and the like.

Casting is led by Ren Meguro as Taro Sakamoto, backed by a young ensemble for other popular characters such as Shin, Lu, and key members of the Order. The full cast list has not yet been officially announced. Meguro is famed for his work in Silent, Trillion Games, and My Happy Marriage adaptations. He noted his excitement, saying he is taking on more action scenes than ever before for the movie, and hopes it connects with the fans of both the manga and the anime. 

Another notable cast member is Fumiya Takahashi as Shin Asakura, the current partner of Taro. Aya Ueto is cast as Aoi Sakamoto, Taro’s wife, and the woman responsible for changing his way of life. Takahashi also noted his excitement after working in the action-packed movie and his deep admiration for working with Meguro Ren. 

The plot is reported to embody the themes depicted in Suzuki’s manga. Ren described the live-action as a story filled with comedy, action, and love. According to the director, the movie has already turned into an amazing movie, and is good enough for a theatrical release. 

While the live-action market is inconsistent, the production teams’ enthusiasm somewhat assures the movie might follow the success observed in action-driven productions such as Kingdom, Tokyo Revengers, and the like. The first cour 1 of the anime was not well accepted by the fans, which provides the movie a chance for better adaptation of the manga.

The adaptation also arrives as Sakamoto Days enjoys heightened visibility following its successful anime launch, which boosted manga sales and pushed the series into Japan’s top-10 weekly charts.

While the domestic release date, core cast, and creative team are confirmed, key details remain unannounced, including international distribution plans and whether the film is structured to launch a multi-entry franchise. However, the production company CREDEUS has worked on the adaptations of the Kingdom franchise, which, along with the narrative of the manga, leaves room for speculation about sequels for the Sakamoto Days live-action adaptation.