The appeal and evaluation of Akagi, the mahjong legend: A genius descended into the world of darkness

Akagi: The Genius Who Descended into Darkness - Review and Recommendation

■Overview of the work

Akagi: The Genius Who Descended into Darkness is a TV anime series based on the mahjong manga of the same name by Fukumoto Nobuyuki. The 26-episode series aired on Nippon TV from October 4, 2005 to March 28, 2006, and depicts the human drama and tense world of competition through the game of mahjong. Animation was handled by Madhouse, with director Sato Yuzo and character design by Umehara Takahiro. The main character, Akagi, is voiced by actor Hagiwara Masato, who is also known to be a mahjong fan.

■ Story

In 1958, a young boy appears before mahjong player Nangou, who is about to lose a life-or-death match. The boy is an amateur who claims to know nothing about mahjong, but Nangou asks him to play in his place. That boy is none other than Akagi Shigeru (Akagi), a legendary mahjong player who would later reign over the underground mahjong world. Akagi has an extraordinary imagination, as he must survive a life-or-death test of courage known as Chicken Run, and this imagination is no exception in mahjong. With his hot, magma-like passion hidden behind his cool demeanor, and the aura only someone who has overcome the brink of death possesses, he defeats strong opponents one after another.

■ Characters

・Akagi Shigeru (Akagi) : A "genius who descended into the darkness" with mahjong skills strong enough to beat a "professional pinch-player" despite only being a 13-year-old amateur. He has "ideas beyond the ordinary" that allow him to survive a life-risking test of courage called Chicken Run. This idea is also fully displayed in mahjong. At first glance, he acts coolly and seems to have no meaning in life, but in fact he has hot magma inside him that is hot enough to burst forth.
・Nangou : A man who failed in gambling and stocks one after another and was in debt. He was the first to sense Akagi's aura of someone who had "survived the brink of death." This encounter with Nangou would greatly change Akagi's fate later on.
Yasuoka : A detective. A survivor of Chicken Run, he met Akagi while tracking down a missing boy. Like Nangou, he noticed Akagi's strange "talent." Although he is a detective, he also has a dark side, setting up an illegal mahjong match with the yakuza for Akagi and demanding money in return.
・Yagi : Akagi's first opponent was a "professional pinch-hitter." He saw through Akagi's talent, but he was underestimated as a junior high school student, which led to him letting his guard down and losing to Akagi.
・Ichikawa : Akagi's "blind" pinch-player. After Yagi was defeated by Akagi, Ryuzaki's team sent him. With his excellent hearing due to being blind and his many years of experience, Ichikawa can easily control the tiles.
・Urabe : A seasoned strategist. He fakes losses to raise his rating.
Osamu : A colleague of Akagi's at the factory where he worked when he turned 18. He was timid and was taken advantage of by his seniors at mahjong almost every day. However, Akagi saw through him and saw that he was a man who could play a decent game if he wasn't afraid of losing. He was impressed by Akagi's skill and courage and followed him.
・Hirayama : After Akagi disappeared for a while after his match with Ichikawa, he was replaced by Detective Yasuoka, who created the "fake Akagi." He bases his mahjong game on probability theory and always plays by logic. His skills are considerable, but his reliance on logic eventually leads to his own downfall.
Washizu : A former police executive who suddenly retired during World War II to start a business. He is a shadow fixer who makes his business successful using the connections he cultivated during his time as a police officer and the blackmailing techniques he uses. As he fears the looming shadow of old age, he devises a terrifying form of underground mahjong. In this game, young opponents are forced to bet their own blood instead of money. Many young people fall victim to the game, and Yasuoka eventually pits Akagi against him as his trump card in his hunt for Washizu.

■ Production staff

・Original story : Nobuyuki Fukumoto (Modern Mahjong Comics, Takeshobo)
・Planning : Masahiko Osawa, Mitsuru Oshima ・Producers : Toshio Nakatani, Manabu Tamura, Masao Maruyama ・Director : Yuzo Sato ・Series Composition : Hideo Takayashiki ・Character Design : Takahiro Umehara ・Art Director : Norihiko Yokomatsu ・Music : Hideki Taniuchi ・Editing : Satoshi Terauchi ・Director of Photography : Masayuki Narai, Jung, Hee-mok, Oh, Seong-ha
・Sound Director : Yasunori Honda ・Sound Recordist : Chika Abe (Tabac)
・Sound effects : Takuya Hasegawa (Soundbox)
Recording studio : Tabak Sound production : Arts Pro Animation producer : Akira Shinohara Animation production : Madhouse Production copyright : Nippon Television Network, VAP, Forecast Communications

■Broadcast information

・Broadcast period : October 4, 2005 to March 28, 2006 ・Broadcast station : Nippon Television ・Broadcast time : Every Tuesday from 24:50 to 25:20
・Number of episodes : 26 in total ・Copyright : © Nobuyuki Fukumoto/Takeshobo, VAP, 4Cast, NTV

■ Theme songs and music

・OP1
・Somehow it will be fine・Lyrics: Reiichi Nakaido・Music: Reiichi Nakaido・Singer: Furuido

・ED1 (episodes 1 to 13)
・Akagi ・Lyrics: Maximum the Ryo-kun ・Composition: Maximum the Ryo-kun ・Singer: Maximum the Hormone

・ED2 (episodes 14 to 26)
・STS
Lyrics: Hitchamen Composition: Mum Singer: Animals

■ Episode List

・Episode 1: A Genius Descends into the Darkness (2005/10/04)
Episode 2: Awakening of Qualities (2005/10/11)
Episode 3: Heretical Strategy (2005/10/18)
Episode 4: The Real Outlaw (2005/10/25)
Episode 5: The Betrayal of the Ultimate Clan (2005/11/01)
Episode 6: The Qualities of a Villain (2005/11/08)
Episode 7: The Innocent Demon (2005/11/15)
Episode 8: Signs of Resurrection (2005/11/22)
Episode 9: The Truth About Genius (2005/11/29)
Episode 10: A Warning to Counterattack (2005/12/06)
Episode 11: Preparations for Despair (2005/12/13)
Episode 12: The Magic of the Even Machine (2005/12/20)
Episode 13: The Orbit of Wind and Thunder (2005/12/27)
Episode 14: The New Chapter of Rakshasa (2006/01/03)
Episode 15: Twilight (2006/01/10)
Episode 16: The Ruined Game (2006/01/17)
Episode 17: Proof of genius (2006/01/24)
Episode 18: The Cursed Figure (2006/01/31)
Episode 19: Demon God's Coma (2006/02/07)
Episode 20: Hope and Folly (2006/02/14)
Episode 21: A ray of illusion (2006/02/21)
Episode 22: The Shackles of Artificiality (2006/02/28)
Episode 23: The Power of Good Luck (2006/03/07)
Episode 24: The Will of the Demon (2006/03/14)
Episode 25: The Temptation of Murder (2006/03/21)
・Episode 26: Madness and Darkness... (2006/03/28)

■ Review

"Mahjong Legend Akagi: The Genius Who Descended Into Darkness" is a work that depicts the human drama and the tense world of competition through the game of mahjong. The original story and character portrayals by Fukumoto Nobuyuki are faithfully reproduced in the anime. In particular, the main character Akagi, with his hot magma-like passion hidden behind his cool deeds and the aura only those who have overcome the brink of death possess, defeats strong opponents one after another. His appearance leaves a strong impression on viewers.

Madhouse, the animation studio, has succeeded in drawing viewers in by depicting the mahjong scenes realistically. Director Yuzo Sato has maximized the appeal of the work by incorporating expressions unique to anime without compromising the atmosphere of the original. Additionally, character designer Takahiro Umehara has enhanced the visual appeal by creating designs that highlight the individuality of each character.

The voice actors are also impressive, especially Masato Hagiwara, who plays Akagi. He is also known to be a mahjong fan, and his voice is a perfect fit for the character, further deepening the worldview of the work. Other talented voice actors such as Rikiya Koyama, Tesshō Genda, Koji Nakata, Wataru Takagi, Hideyuki Tanaka, Morio Kazama, and Toru Furuya have also gathered together to bring out the charm of each character.

The music is also an important element in enhancing the atmosphere of the work, and the background music by Hideki Taniuchi further enhances the tense mahjong scenes. The theme songs also match the worldview of the work, and the opening theme "Nantoka Nare" (Furuido), the ending theme "Akagi" (Maximum the Hormone) and "STS" (Animals) are songs that leave a strong impression on viewers.

■Recommendation

"Mahjong Legend Akagi: The Genius Who Descended Into Darkness" is a work that depicts the human drama and the tense world of competition through the game of mahjong. The original story and character portrayals by Fukumoto Nobuyuki are faithfully reproduced in the anime. In particular, the main character Akagi, with his hot magma-like passion hidden behind his cool deeds and the aura only those who have overcome the brink of death possess, defeats strong opponents one after another. His appearance leaves a strong impression on viewers.

Madhouse, the animation studio, has succeeded in drawing viewers in by depicting the mahjong scenes realistically. Director Yuzo Sato has maximized the appeal of the work by incorporating expressions unique to anime without compromising the atmosphere of the original. Additionally, character designer Takahiro Umehara has enhanced the visual appeal by creating designs that highlight the individuality of each character.

The voice actors are also impressive, especially Masato Hagiwara, who plays Akagi. He is also known to be a mahjong fan, and his voice is a perfect fit for the character, further deepening the worldview of the work. Other talented voice actors such as Rikiya Koyama, Tesshō Genda, Koji Nakata, Wataru Takagi, Hideyuki Tanaka, Morio Kazama, and Toru Furuya have also gathered together to bring out the charm of each character.

The music is also an important element in enhancing the atmosphere of the work, and the background music by Hideki Taniuchi further enhances the tense mahjong scenes. The theme songs also match the worldview of the work, and the opening theme "Nantoka Nare" (Furuido), the ending theme "Akagi" (Maximum the Hormone) and "STS" (Animals) are songs that leave a strong impression on viewers.

Related information

・Original work : Nobuyuki Fukumoto's "Touhai Densetsu Akagi: Genius Descended into Darkness" is published by Kindai Mahjong Comics (Takeshobo). It is completed in 36 volumes and is recommended not only for mahjong fans but also for those who want to enjoy human drama.
・Sequel : As a sequel to "Mahjong Legend Akagi: The Genius Who Descended into Darkness", "Ten: The Perfect Boy of Tenkadori" was produced. This is also based on a story by Nobuyuki Fukumoto and has been made into an anime.
Related works : Nobuyuki Fukumoto's other works include "Gambling Apocalypse Kaiji" and "Silver and Gold." These works also depict human drama and the world of tension-filled competition, and are recommended for fans.

■ Summary

"Mahjong Legend Akagi: The Genius Who Descended Into Darkness" is a work that depicts the human drama and the tense world of competition through the game of mahjong. The original story and character portrayals by Fukumoto Nobuyuki are faithfully reproduced in the anime. In particular, the main character Akagi, with his hot magma-like passion hidden behind his cool deeds and the aura only those who have overcome the brink of death possess, defeats strong opponents one after another. His appearance leaves a strong impression on viewers.

Madhouse, the animation studio, has succeeded in drawing viewers in by depicting the mahjong scenes realistically. Director Yuzo Sato has maximized the appeal of the work by incorporating expressions unique to anime without compromising the atmosphere of the original. Additionally, character designer Takahiro Umehara has enhanced the visual appeal by creating designs that highlight the individuality of each character.

The voice actors are also impressive, especially Masato Hagiwara, who plays Akagi. He is also known to be a mahjong fan, and his voice is a perfect fit for the character, further deepening the worldview of the work. Other talented voice actors such as Rikiya Koyama, Tesshō Genda, Koji Nakata, Wataru Takagi, Hideyuki Tanaka, Morio Kazama, and Toru Furuya have also gathered together to bring out the charm of each character.

The music is also an important element in enhancing the atmosphere of the work, and the background music by Hideki Taniuchi further enhances the tense mahjong scenes. The theme songs also match the worldview of the work, and the opening theme "Nantoka Nare" (Furuido), the ending theme "Akagi" (Maximum the Hormone) and "STS" (Animals) are songs that leave a strong impression on viewers.

"Akagi: The Genius Who Descended Into Darkness" is a recommended work not only for mahjong fans, but also for those who want to enjoy human drama. Please give it a watch.