It has been announced that actress Aya Ueto will be appearing in the live-action film "SAKAMOTO DAYS" (directed by Yuichi Fukuda, set to be released during Golden Week in 2026), an adaptation of the popular manga currently being serialized in "Weekly Shonen Jump" (Shueisha). She will play Aoi Sakamoto, the wife of the main character Taro Sakamoto, played by Ren Meguro of the popular group "Snow Man." This will be the first time that Ueto and Meguro will appear together.
The film "SAKAMOTO DAYS" is based on the manga by Suzuki Yuto, which has been serialized in "Weekly Shonen Jump" since November 2020. The original comic has been released up to volume 24, and boasts a total circulation of over 15 million copies worldwide, including digital versions. It has also been adapted into a TV anime, with the first season airing from January to March and the second season from July to September. The story follows Sakamoto Taro, a former legendary assassin who now runs a shop after retiring, as he fights against approaching assassins with his friends in order to protect the peaceful daily life he lives with his beloved family.
Aoi, played by Ueto, is the character who inspired Sakamoto to retire from his career as a hitman. One day, Sakamoto fell in love at first sight with Aoi, who was working at a convenience store, and decided to retire from his job as a hitman. The two got married and had a daughter, Hana. Aoi values her family above all else, has a fearless and cheerful personality, and is the "strongest wife" that Sakamoto cannot stand up to.
It was also announced that child actress Miyu Yoshimoto will play the Sakamoto couple's precious only daughter, Hana Sakamoto. Yoshimoto made her acting debut in the drama "18/40: Love and Dreams Together" (TBS, 2023), playing the childhood version of the protagonist played by Kyoko Fukada. This year, she is expanding her horizons, appearing as the childhood version of the protagonist played by Haruka Ayase in the NHK Saturday drama "Shinitai Hitori." Expected to make great strides, Yoshimoto will play Hana, a bright and kind-hearted girl who resembles her mother, Aoi.
Ueto commented, "When I read the original work, I was instantly drawn into the world of 'SAKAMOTO DAYS' and I really wanted to be a part of it." This will be her first time acting alongside Meguro, who plays her husband, and she said, "I've always loved his sensitive and sincere acting. I was impressed by how sincerely he approached the work on set, and I feel very honored to have been able to work with him."
"While there are many powerful scenes, I think the scenes featuring Sakamoto Aoi are filled with comedic elements, yet also give off a sense of the 'warmth of family life.' I would be happy if they serve as a small accent in the film as a whole. I'm sure many of you are wondering how 'SAKAMOTO DAYS' will be made into a live-action film, so I hope you will come to the theater and experience the answer for yourself."
