The new JAA school arc has certainly officially kicked off with quite the bang and I honestly haven’t wanted to be more a member of a school and class then when I watch sky high as a kid I mean this was just so sick and everyone for the most part was like, meh another Monday. I adored the new aikido grandma teacher as well as the slow explanation of slurs real goals and intentions. Also even though it was at the very end, I’m glad to see the main gang all back together at least for a moment. 4.25/5
Sakamoto Days has kind of had its ups and downs for me sometimes, and this volume is a perfect example. The first half is just okay. There are some fun moments, but overall, it's nothing too impressive. I've never been a big fan of the training/school events in manga, so the first half of this volume, with its hunt for the "database" hidden in the JCC, was just kind of okay.
But the second half got a lot better. The chase scene with Sakamoto was absolutely badass, especially as he confronted Amane and his surprising connection to the main antagonist, X. Learning about Amane's past was really interesting and it added a lot more depth to the story.
I also really liked Shin in this volume. His determination is always fun to watch, and he gets some really cool fight scenes when he's forced to duel a JCC teacher who turns out to be an aikido master. This added some great action and tension. The volume ends with big things happening in the next one—specifically, X's plan to hypnotize the entire student body and turn them against Sakamoto's crew. It definitely leaves you ready for more.
I fell behind on this series. It's been more than two years since I read Vol. 9, and now my library has up to Vol. 17. It took me a minute to get back into the tone, the storyline, and the numerous characters, but by the end I was feeling it again . . . mostly.
I'm just not sure if I want to read seven more volumes. And in Japan it's up to Vol. 26 and going strong, I guess.
I have a few more on hand so I'll see how it goes this week. It might help if they wrap up this rather serious story arc where Sakamoto is undercover at an assassin school and get back to the hijinks at the convenience store.
What more can I say? Sakamoto Days is incredible. Consistently the best thing in Jump. This Director guy is really growing on me. And Sakamoto disguised as his wife to pretend to be a substitute teacher is a 10/10 plot line.
So GOOD! Loved when they silently fought in the back of a classroom.
Side note: There's like 3 different characters with shaggy black hair and tired eyes wearing nondescript t-shirts and I can't tell them apart. Also I can't really track the finer points of the plot, but it's not stopping me from enjoying myself.
This series was really starting to slump for me, but this volume picked up a few of the broken pieces and did a couple of fun things that I liked. The meta story is a bit of a mess, but at least the supporting stories are fun and I liked the whole teacher/student dynamic in this issue. The goal is in sight with a fun twist that has upped that ante on this particular mission.
Shin, Akira, and Seba work really well together! Seeing them bond in this environment was great, and I hope I see more of them soon. I was expecting more filler since it’s a school arc but also to be fair this series is known for going at a breakneck speed lol. Really fun read! I’m glad that this series is still going strong
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
4.25/5 Another great volume! This volume continues the JCC arc while continuing to add more worldbuilding for the assassin world and Sakamoto's past. We also get a lot more character work for one of our past antagonists and a conflicting new character gets explored further as well. All in all, lots of great character work and worldbuilding alongside the same excellent fight sequences.
“It’s ironic. I teach children how to be killers. But I don’t want my students to die.”
This volume has a lot going on—maybe too much. There's action, mystery, and a ton of plot setup, but parts of it feel like they’re stalling rather than pushing things forward. Some chapters come off like they’re just buying time, dragging out scenes that don’t hit as hard as they should. The action is still fun, and the visuals are sharp as ever, but there’s a noticeable shift toward laying groundwork instead of delivering payoff. It’s entertaining, just not quite as tight or focused as earlier volumes.
Shin, Akira, and Natsuki are a fun trio to follow, and their scenes bring a good mix of humor, tension, and chaos. Akira’s ability makes for some cool visuals, while Natsuki brings a laid-back but reliable vibe that balances well with Shin’s usual panic mode. Their mentor figure—an intimidating professor with a mysterious reputation—adds some weight to their training arc, though her role still feels a bit underdeveloped for now. The story also drops some new information about the academy’s past, with hints of bigger things brewing under the surface.
Even with the pacing issues, it’s still a decent volume. There are strong moments scattered throughout, and it feels like we’re inching closer to something big. If you’re already deep into Sakamoto Days, you’ll want to keep reading—but this one definitely feels like a transitional chapter more than anything else.
Huh, very misleading; there's a chapter called "What a Nice Smell," but it's named for a comment an extra makes when Sakamoto (dressed as his wife) runs by him. With a title like that, I'd have thought it would refer to Akira's sweaty socks...! Uh, I mean... What? No, something else...!
Anyway, there's more Stuff going on here beyond just People Fight. Well, one of the best things is the trio of youths fighting against the obaa-san, which would be an example of People engaged in a Fight, but still...! The stuff with the identity of the Database and the one kid realizing it's bad to be a school shooter are kind of neat. Good "power of friendship" shit. And I guess it ties in with the one dude fighting Nagumo and shit earlier.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I am really enjoying this arc. Sakamoto Days has previously interested me most during the comedic moments rather than the important story beats, but I think this arc has found a solid balance between both tones. As a result, there's fun moments while raising the stakes throughout, and it helps that the characters that are central to this arc are so well done. Whether they are new or returning, I am worried about them and hoping for the best.