Episode 18 of Sakamoto Days ramps up the JCC recruitment arc with a brutal in-flight battle, the arrival of a sinister new Order operative, and a daring, improvised escape that hinges on quick thinking and teamwork.
The action kicks off with the first-round battle royale aboard a jet bound for the secretive JCC island. Sakamoto and Shin push themselves to the limit as Shin, determined to improve without leaning on his mentor, asks Sakamoto not to intervene during the tests. As the fight unfolds, Shin finally taps into his future sight to outmaneuver Mafuyu Seba, a talented young fighter who initially blindsides him with a hidden weapon. Shin breaks one of Seba’s attack blades attached to his legs, chooses not to kill, and instead negotiates for the bullets needed to qualify. Seba melts down, blaming Shin for the loss of his weapon and his chance to join JCC—not for a license, but to forge connections within the Order. Shin advises Seba to sharpen his skills rather than chase a shortcut to power. A would-be thief hidden in the luggage compartment makes a desperate move to steal bullets, but Shin calmly neutralizes him. The exchange leaves Seba tagging along with Shin, while Sakamoto mentors Akira on machine-gun use as flashbacks reveal how far Shin has come since their early days.
Into this chaos enters Kanaguri, a startling new addition to the story. An Order operative who moonlights as a filmmaker, Kanaguri runs a production house called Murder Films and records his victims in their final moments. His signature is a morbidly stylish clapperboard, which he uses with unsettling precision. He recognizes Shin as the vigilante he’s been chasing, and Seba shows his Gen Z disdain for long-form cinema, preferring fast content and online clips. This clash fuels Kanaguri’s resolve to capture a new lead—Akira—while Sakamoto and Shin try to protect her. Kanaguri disarms them by stealing all their bullets and even kills the plane’s pilot, setting off a cascade of danger as he wrecks the hull with a camera-attached cannon. The moment underscores just how dangerous Kanaguri is and hints at the kind of reckoning he’ll bring to the arc.
Survival becomes the immediate problem as the administration reveals a brutal, if questionable, approach to the second round. The number of candidates has already fallen by more than 70%, and the admins announce that surviving the fall—by landing safely while carrying a bullet—will count as the second round. Shin reads the terrified mind of an admin who admits this plan is a damage-control move rather than a legitimate test. Kanaguri continues his filmic onslaught, catching every moment of chaos as Sakamoto uses a feint to recover three bullets. A makeshift parachute becomes the turning point: Akira, inspired by Sakamoto’s unyielding spirit, convinces the group to donate their shirts to her. She sews them into a large parachute in seconds, and the quartet—Shin, Sakamoto, Seba, and even the bumbling Kill Baby—hold on and glide to a safe sea landing. Akira nearly drowns, but Sakamoto reaches her in time. A lone bullet lies on the shore, and he urges Akira to claim it, acknowledging how her courage has earned her the right to compete. The scene also hints at a bigger backstory: a girl in a speedboat carries a Sakamoto figurine keyring, suggesting she knows something about Taro.
Amid the adrenaline, the episode also nods to the broader family dynamics of the Sakamoto clan, noting that the ongoing arc could benefit from more interactions with the other family members. Kanaguri’s addition feels like a fresh and ominous wrinkle that could drive future confrontations. The mid-credits sequence returns to Mashimo’s world as Piisuke the pet bird delivers a stone that Mashimo trades for ramen, a small, human moment of togetherness that anchors the show’s occasionally brutal high-stakes spectacle in warmth and family ties.
A few takeaways for fans:
– Kanaguri’s arrival as a filmmaker-turned-assassin adds a stylish, almost meta layer to the chaos, blending cinematic menace with real danger. His fixation on capturing victims could become a recurring thematic undercurrent.
– Akira’s ingenuity and hands-on skill quickly position her as a rising anchor of the group, capable of turning dire situations into survivable outcomes.
– The first-round cull and the “parachute second round” concept heighten the stakes, emphasizing strategy, teamwork, and improvisation over sheer firepower.
– The promise of further focus on the Sakamoto family alongside Kanaguri’s machinations suggests that the arc will weave personal backstory with the high-octane action.
Outlook:
Episode 18 leaves viewers with a palpable sense of momentum and a clear sense that the JCC arc will intensify as Kanaguri presses forward and Akira proves herself a crucial ally. The blend of tense combat, clever problem-solving, and character-driven moments bodes well for continued twists, larger-than-life foes, and a deeper look at the Sakamoto clan in upcoming episodes.
Short summary:
Episode 18 heightens the JCC recruitment arc with a deadly in-flight showdown, the shocking debut of Kanaguri, and a daring, improvised parachute escape led by Akira. The episode sets up higher stakes and emotional stakes for the characters, while keeping the door open for even bigger revelations about the Sakamoto family and the Order.
Overall, a high-energy chapter that leans into teamwork, resourcefulness, and the unsettling charisma of Kanaguri, with enough hints of longer arcs to come.