Historic Cover on Weekly Shonen Jump: Ren Meguro and Taro Sakamoto Side by Side!
The combined 22/23 issue of Weekly Shonen Jump, which hit shelves on April 27, 2026, hosts a rare visual feast in the manga world. Ren Meguro, the star of the popular Japanese idol group Snow Man and a successful actor, appeared side by side with the legendary assassin Taro Sakamoto from the SAKAMOTO DAYS series on the magazine's cover. This illustration, specially drawn by the series creator Yuto Suzuki, went down in history as the first instance since the 2018 Gintama 2 collaboration where a real-life figure shared a cover with a manga character.
This special cover work is part of a major promotional campaign for the SAKAMOTO DAYS live-action film, which will be released in Japan on April 29, 2026. Ren Meguro, who plays the lead role in the film, portrays both the character's 140-kilogram retired convenience store owner persona and his charismatic slim form that he transforms into by burning calories during fight scenes. Directed by the famous director Yuichi Fukuda (Gintama, Under Ninja), the production has created great excitement among fans of the series. In his interview, Meguro stated that he is a devoted follower of the series and that he has always been impressed by the contrast between Sakamoto's devotion to his family and his assassin past.
SAKAMOTO DAYS, which Yuto Suzuki started in 2020, has become one of the modern Shonen Jump classics, exceeding 15 million copies sold worldwide in a short time. The story follows Sakamoto, who was the world's most feared assassin before falling in love, retiring, and trying to live a peaceful life, as he struggles to protect his family against his old enemies. Following the anime adaptation released in 2025, which achieved global success on Netflix, the series is now turning into a massive multimedia project in the cinema world.
In this special issue of the magazine, there are not only the cover but also in-depth interviews with Ren Meguro, Fumiya Takahashi, and director Yuichi Fukuda. Additionally, special posters for readers and previously unseen shots from the film set are included in the content. Both the manga series approaching its final arc and such massive projects will continue to make SAKAMOTO DAYS one of the most talked-about productions of 2026. Fans expect the film to break box office records during Japan's Golden Week holiday.
