Taro Sakamoto used to be the most terrifying hitman in the world. He was the guy other assassins had nightmares about. Then he met a girl, got married, had a kid, and—honestly, the best part—grew a massive "dad bod" while running a neighborhood convenience store.
That’s the hook of Sakamoto Days, the Shonen Jump sensation that has basically redefined what action-comedy manga can look like in the 2020s. But if you're trying to find a way to read Sakamoto Days manga online free, you've probably run into a bunch of sketchy sites that try to give your computer a virus the second you click "Chapter 1."
Here is the thing: reading this series for free isn't just possible; it’s actually easier to do legally than it is to pirate it.
The Best Way to Read Sakamoto Days Manga Online Free Today
Most people think "free" means "illegal," but Shueisha (the Japanese publisher) changed the game a few years ago. If you want to catch up on Sakamoto's peaceful-yet-violent life, you have two main roads that won’t cost you a dime.
1. The MANGA Plus "First Read Free" Feature
This is arguably the greatest deal in the history of manga. If you download the MANGA Plus app (not the website, specifically the mobile app), you can read every single chapter of Sakamoto Days for free exactly one time.
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It’s part of their initiative to combat piracy. You open the app, find the series, and you can binge the entire thing from the very first chapter where Sakamoto is just trying to buy a limited-edition toy, all the way to the latest high-stakes battle in the JCC.
The catch? Once you finish a chapter, you can't go back and re-read it for free. But for a first-timer? It’s a goldmine.
2. The Shonen Jump / VIZ Media "New and Old" Rule
If you prefer reading on a desktop or through the VIZ Shonen Jump app, there is a different system. VIZ keeps the first three chapters and the latest three chapters of Sakamoto Days available for free to everyone.
This is perfect if you’re already caught up and just want to stay current every Sunday when the new chapter drops. You don't need a login. You don't need a credit card. You just go to the site and read.
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Why Everyone Is Obsessed With Sakamoto Right Now
It’s easy to look at a chubby guy in an apron and think this is just a gag manga. It’s not. Well, it is, but the action is genuinely some of the best in the industry.
Yuto Suzuki, the creator, has this insane ability to make fight scenes feel cinematic. He uses the environment—grocery stores, airplanes, even an underground science lab—in ways that feel like a Jackie Chan movie. Everything is a weapon. A ballpoint pen? Deadly. A lab coat? Lethal.
The Evolution of the Story
Early on, the series feels like a "villain of the week" setup. Sakamoto is just trying to protect his shop and keep his wife, Aoi, from finding out he’s still cracking skulls. But as the story progresses, it expands into a massive conspiracy involving the Order (the elite of the elite assassins) and a mysterious figure named X (Slur).
The stakes get heavy. Characters you love actually get hurt. But even when the plot gets dark, Sakamoto’s "No Kill" rule—a promise he made to his wife—keeps the tension unique. How do you beat the world's most dangerous killers without actually killing them? That's the puzzle of every fight.
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Avoiding the "Piracy Trap"
I get it. You Google "Sakamoto Days manga online free" and you see fifty different sites with "Manga" in the name. Why not use them?
Honestly, they’re just worse. The official translations from VIZ are high-quality, and the image resolution on MANGA Plus is often way better than the compressed scans you find on pirate sites. Plus, reading officially actually helps the series stay alive. With the Sakamoto Days anime having hit Netflix in 2025 and a second season already in the works for 2026, the series is at its peak. Supporting it now ensures we get more volumes and higher-budget animation.
Key Characters You’ll Meet
- Shin: A former assassin who can read minds. He’s basically Sakamoto’s disciple and provides the internal monologue since Sakamoto rarely speaks.
- Lu Shaotang: A member of a Chinese triad family who is a master of "Drunken Fist." She adds a lot of the chaotic energy to the shop.
- Nagumo: A member of the Order and a former friend of Sakamoto. He’s incredibly mysterious and uses a giant, multi-tool Swiss Army knife as a weapon.
How to Get the Most Out of Your Reading
If you're starting from scratch, here is the move:
- Download the MANGA Plus App: Do this on your phone or tablet.
- Binge the middle: Use the "First Read Free" feature to get through the bulk of the 200+ chapters.
- Switch to VIZ for the latest: If you want to re-read or if you prefer the VIZ interface, use their site for the most recent three chapters.
- Consider the subscription: If you're like me and you want to go back and look at the art, the VIZ subscription is like $2.99 a month. That’s less than a cup of coffee for the entire Shonen Jump library.
The manga is currently deep into some of its most intense arcs, and with the live-action film starring Ren Meguro set to drop in April 2026, there has never been a better time to get caught up.
Next Steps for You
Go to the App Store or Google Play and search for MANGA Plus by Shueisha. Search for "Sakamoto Days" within the app. You can immediately start reading Chapter 1 for free without even creating an account. If you're on a computer, head over to the VIZ Media website to check out the most recent three chapters and see where the story is at right now.