Tanaka is a minor antagonist in Sakamoto Days. He is a minor antagonist in the Lab Arc, helping Kashima kidnap Shin.
Personality[]
He can be seen as someone not paying attention to detail. Though Seba warned him that they got the wrong person as Shin he didn't care to listen and after finding out Seba was right he was scared that their boss might kill him and went along with Seba's idea of pretending Lu as Shin.
Biography[]
Lab Arc[]
Tanaka is a cold and pragmatic operative working for a shadowy lab that conducts experiments on individuals with supernatural abilities. Assigned to track down Shin, a clairvoyant who escaped the lab 11 years earlier, Tanaka plays a key role in the lab's efforts to reclaim its "successful specimen." His approach is methodical and indifferent, showing little concern for the well-being or feelings of others. When Tanaka and his team mistakenly capture Lu, confusing her for Shin due to the nametag on her apron, he initially questions the mistake, noting differences in her appearance and gender. However, his reliance on the lab’s information—and his dismissive, almost derisive attitude—leads him to brush aside the error as trivial. His comments about the isolating nature of being a clairvoyant reflect his cynical mindset and lack of compassion for those who are "different."
Although shrewd and calculating, Tanaka’s authority is frequently challenged by his colleague Seba, who often points out flaws in his decisions. This creates friction within the team, highlighting cracks in their otherwise professional facade. Tanaka’s overconfidence blinds him to important details, such as Lu’s fiery resistance when she passionately defends Shin, asserting that his life, despite its challenges, is far better than the harsh judgments of Tanaka and his team. As the mission unravels with Shin and Sakamoto arriving to rescue Lu, Tanaka’s calm demeanor begins to falter, casting doubt on his ability to maintain control when his carefully crafted plans fall apart.
Tanaka’s carefully constructed plan begins to unravel the moment he spots Shin riding behind Sakamoto. Comparing the photograph of a young Shin to the adult before him, Tanaka’s cold, pragmatic exterior reveals a crack of hesitation. For a fleeting moment, his thoughts betray a motive beyond loyalty to the lab—capturing Shin might be the only way to keep him alive. The lab’s reputation for ruthlessness looms in his mind, yet he steels himself and directs Seba to execute their pursuit strategy.
As his team launches into action, Tanaka watches with mounting frustration as one by one, they fall. The first rider, aiming to incapacitate Sakamoto, is outmaneuvered and crashes into a wall. The second is taken down by Shin, who resourcefully uses a wooden plank to disable the motorcycle’s wheels. The third, despite his aggressive approach, is dispatched when Sakamoto collides his motorcycle into him with calculated precision. Each defeat chips away at Tanaka’s composure, exposing a vulnerability he rarely allows to surface.
When Lu sarcastically suggests he apologize before Sakamoto gets truly angry, Tanaka snaps. His mask of professionalism gives way to fury, and he grabs Lu by the throat, venting his fear and frustration. He snarls that the lab’s agents are far more terrifying than Sakamoto or anyone else, and that failure means death for all of them. Yet even as he exerts control over the situation, there’s an undercurrent of desperation in his actions. His carefully laid plans have crumbled, and now he’s grasping at anything to salvage the mission.
Shin’s sudden appearance on the roof of the van intensifies Tanaka’s panic. He calls out to Seba, demanding assistance, but Seba’s initial response—a dismissive remark about keeping the radio clear—only further agitates him. Forced to rely on a colleague he can’t fully control, Tanaka’s authority begins to slip. When Seba reluctantly climbs onto the roof, revealing his invisibility suit, Tanaka takes over driving, struggling to maintain some semblance of control over the spiraling operation.
As Seba confronts Shin, Tanaka’s attention wavers between the road and the fight above. His reliance on Seba’s skills highlights his own limitations; Tanaka is a strategist, not a fighter, and without his team, his ability to act diminishes. When Seba returns to the van after failing to secure Shin, casually admitting to forgetting the primary objective, Tanaka’s anger boils over. But his outburst is stifled by the looming reality of their predicament. With no other options, he drives toward the lab, choosing to deliver Lu as a consolation prize, fully aware it won’t be enough to appease the lab’s higher-ups.
Tanaka’s growing frustration masks a deeper fear: the lab’s expectations are absolute, and failure is met with severe consequences. His anger toward Lu, Shin, and even Seba is as much a projection of his own fear as it is genuine frustration. For all his cold efficiency, Tanaka is not infallible, and the cracks in his demeanor are becoming more visible with each setback. The once-confident enforcer is now a man teetering on the edge, trying to balance his pragmatic ruthlessness with the increasing chaos around him. As he drives toward the lab, the weight of his decisions hangs heavy, and for the first time, there’s a hint of doubt in his actions—a realization that even his meticulous strategies may not be enough to hold everything together.
Tanaka’s frustrations reached a boiling point as he sat tied up beside Lu, stewing in his growing sense of failure. The betrayal by Seba stung more deeply than he cared to admit, and the sharp, matter-of-fact way Kashima dismissed his mistakes gnawed at his pride. He had always prided himself on being a capable enforcer for the lab, someone who could carry out the most difficult tasks with efficiency. But now, stripped of authority and trapped like one of the lab’s test subjects, his veneer of control was cracking.
As Kashima discussed plans to locate the real Shin, Tanaka’s mind raced. He needed to find a way to redeem himself—not just to escape the immediate danger of Kashima’s wrath but to prove he was still valuable. The lab’s hierarchy was ruthless, and Tanaka knew how expendable he looked at that moment. His thoughts were interrupted by Lu’s quiet but sharp observation that Kashima’s facial mark seemed familiar. Tanaka shot her a glare, irritated that even she seemed more composed in this situation than he was. Despite his position, Tanaka couldn’t help but replay the events in his mind, analyzing every misstep. He thought about how Sakamoto had effortlessly dismantled his team, how Shin had outmaneuvered him despite being the very target he had spent years trying to track down. It was infuriating. But more than that, it was humiliating. For all his calculated methods and supposed pragmatism, he had underestimated his opponents at every turn.
The memory of Sakamoto’s confidence stuck with him. The man had barely broken a sweat, even in the face of multiple armed opponents. Tanaka clenched his fists, frustration bubbling over. How could someone like Sakamoto, who didn’t operate with the cold efficiency of the lab, consistently come out on top? Tanaka’s pride couldn’t reconcile it. For years, he had believed that ruthlessness and detachment were the keys to survival and success. Yet here he was, tied up, betrayed, and humiliated, while Sakamoto and Shin seemed unstoppable. His anger turned inward as he realized the truth—he wasn’t just losing to them in the moment; he had been losing for a long time. His unwavering loyalty to the lab, his willingness to dehumanize others for the sake of efficiency, had only made him a tool to be used and discarded. Seba’s betrayal was just the latest reminder of how little respect he commanded among his peers.
But even in his growing despair, Tanaka refused to give up entirely. He began quietly planning his next move, studying the room for anything that could give him an edge. Kashima’s fixation on finding Shin might provide a distraction, and Lu’s observation about Kashima’s mark lingered in the back of his mind. Tanaka might not have the physical prowess of Sakamoto or the clairvoyance of Shin, but he still had his cunning. If he could find a way to turn the situation to his advantage, maybe—just maybe—he could claw his way back from the edge of irrelevance. Yet, deep down, a nagging thought lingered. Even if he succeeded in regaining the lab’s favor, was it worth it? Would he always be nothing more than a pawn in their larger game? Tanaka shoved the thought aside, forcing himself to focus. For now, survival came first. Everything else, including his pride, would have to wait.
Tanaka yells that he doesn’t want to be a test subject, prompting Lu to kick him and tell him to stop complaining. Annoyed, he calls her mean and asks what she’s doing. She replies that she’s trying to break out. Tanaka scoffs, pointing out that a small piece of rock won’t break the iron lock. Another man, tied up in the same room, interjects, explaining that a lock’s strength depends on the simplicity of its mechanism, and bits of rubble won’t help. He adds that to escape, they’d need to alter the fundamental properties of iron. Curious, Lu asks who he is. The man introduces himself as Asakura, the head of the research lab, and offers to explain how they can open the locks.
Asakura ends up telling Lu all she needs to know with Tanaka there to help break all the test subjects out, realizing he mistook her for Shin she got angry. Seba and Tanaka deliver Lu to Kashima on the lab's B2 floor, claiming she is the clairvoyant boy, Shin. Kashima immediately points out the discrepancies in gender and appearance. Seba admits their mistake but confidently assures Kashima that he knows how to find the real target. Kashima emphasizes the importance of capturing Shin, warning that failure will lead to consequences from their superiors.
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 Villains
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Slur's Group Japanese Association of Assassins Death Row Killers Danshokai Other Assasins Ando's Group Others | ||