A thorough review of Kaiji: The Political History of Gambling: The tension of gambling and the depths of psychological warfare

Gyakkyo Burai Kaiji: Breaking Commandments - Gyakkyo Burai Kaiji: Breaking Commandments

■ Public Media

TV anime series

■ Original Media

comics

■ Broadcast period

April 11, 2011 - September 26, 2011

■Broadcasting station

Yomiuri TV

■Frequencies

half an hour

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 26

■Original Story

Nobuyuki Fukumoto

■ Director

Yuzo Sato

■ Production

Madhouse

■Works

©Nobuyuki Fukumoto/Kodansha, VAP, Ntv_a

■ Story

To live is to "gamble"... After losing a gambling match against Teiai Group Chairman Hyoudou, Kaiji is left with nearly 10 million yen in debt. A few months later, Kaiji finds himself thrown into the very bottom of the earth, in Teiai's forced labor facility. It's a prison, far removed from the outside world, with no freedom. In order to escape from this hell, Kaiji throws himself into the world of gambling once again. He challenges a new gambling game, "the swamp," and fights for survival with his friends. Will Kaiji be able to overcome this adversity and regain his freedom?

■Explanation

The original manga "Gambling Apocalypse Kaiji" by Nobuyuki Fukumoto is currently being serialized in Weekly Young Magazine and has also been made into a live-action movie. It was made into an anime by Madhouse in 2007 and was well-received, but this time it is positioned as a sequel. Director Yuzo Sato, the staff, and the cast including actor Masato Hagiwara continue from the previous work and take on the thrilling psychological depiction of "Swamp Arc", which is said to be the biggest hit episode of the series. "Swamp Arc" is a new gambling challenge that Kaiji takes on in order to escape from the Teiai Group's forced labor facility, and the tension and psychological battle are sure to draw viewers in. The anime also faithfully reproduces the realistic depictions of the original work, and is highly acclaimed as a work that depicts the horror of gambling and the true nature of human beings.

■Cast

・Ito Kaiji/Hagiwara Masato・Ichijo/Namikawa Daisuke・Endo/Uchida Naoya・Team leader/Cho・Narration/Tachiki Fumihiko・Hyodo Kazutaka/Tsukayama Masatane

■ Main staff

・Original work: Nobuyuki Fukumoto・Director: Yuzo Sato・Series composition: Hideo Takayashiki・Character design: Haruhito Takada・Art director: Hideyuki Ueno・Director of photography: Hironobu Hatanaka・Color design: Harue Ohno・Music: Hideki Taniuchi・Sound director: Yasunori Honda・Planning cooperation: Kodansha "Young Magazine" editorial department

■ Main Characters

Kaiji: The main character. After graduating from high school, he moved to Tokyo, but instead of getting a permanent job, he spent his days drinking cheap alcohol and gambling. He would vent his frustrations by pranking luxury cars (mainly Mercedes) he saw on the street and stealing their emblems. He was stuck and miserable. He ended up having to pay off his friend Furuhat's debts after he became a guarantor for them. Endo invited him to the gambling ship Espoir to repay the debt, and this was the opportunity for him to step into the dangerous world of gambling. Kaiji continues to take on various gambling challenges and overcomes adversity in the story.
Ichijo is the young manager of an underground casino that owns the Man-Eating Pachinko "Numa". He had high academic ability in high school, but for some reason he gave up on going to college and got a job at an underground casino affiliated with the Teiai Group, where he was promoted to manager of the casino after seven years as a servant. He is a candidate for executive position, favored by Kurosaki, the No. 2 at Teiai, and in order to get back at his high school classmates who once looked down on him, he aspires to be promoted to an executive position in the Teiai Group after the death of Chairman Hyoudou, and has endured Hyoudou's insidious bullying. Ichijo is Kaiji's biggest rival, and his cold-hearted personality and strategies add excitement to the story.
・Endo is a yakuza who is the president of Endo Finance, a subsidiary of the Endo Teiai Group. He is the person who inspired Kaiji to step into the world of gambling. He is a ruthless and unscrupulous loan shark, and boasts that "there is no way I'm a good person." Endo is a person who will greatly change Kaiji's life, and his ruthlessness and cunning add tension to the story.
Hyodo: An old man who is the head of the Teiai Group. His subordinates call him "Chairman." Kaiji's greatest nemesis. He is one of Japan's wealthiest men, boasting huge calculations and ironclad investment management techniques, and is a money-grubber who tirelessly collects money from all over the world in an attempt to build a "kingdom" for Teiai. Hyodo is the biggest obstacle standing in Kaiji's way, and his presence is an important factor in promoting Kaiji's growth.

■Subtitle

・Bet.1／"Hell on Earth"
・Bet.2/"The Golden Rules of Winning"
・Bet.3／"A Piece of Good Luck"
・Bet.4/"The Beginning of a Counterattack"
・Bet.5/"Abuse and Patience"
・Bet.6 / "The hot winds are coming"
・Bet.7/"Magic Dice"
・Bet.8 / "What goes around comes around"
・Bet.9/"Applause, and..."
・Bet.10/"The Last Gamble"
・Bet.11/"Joy and Exclamation"
・Bet.12/“Haten/Hakan”
・Bet.13/"A clue to winning"
・Bet.14 / "The Trail of the Outlaw (Compilation)"
・Bet.15／"False Heart"
・Bet.16 / "The Beginning of the Battle"
・Bet.17 / "Futile Perseverance"
・Bet.18 / "Iron Wall Gate"
・Bet.19/"Miracle Orbit"
・Bet.20/"Difference in fortune"
・Bet.21/“Guaranteed Win”
・Bet.22/"The Glory of Yukichi"
・Bet.23/"A Light in the Wind"
・Bet.24/"The Wandering Silver Ball"
・Bet.25/"Tears of resentment"
・Bet.26/"The future is ours..."

■ Related works

(Serialized in Kodansha's "Young Magazine")

■ Theme songs and music

・OP
"Chase the Light!"
Lyrics: Fear, and Loathing in Las Vegas
Composition: Fear, and Loathing in Las Vegas
Song/Fear, and Loathing in Las Vegas
・ED
"ABC starting with C"
Lyrics by Takahiro Shibata Composition by Takahiro Shibata Singer by Takahiro Shibata I won't forget you

■Detailed evaluation and recommendation

"Gyakkyou Burai Kaiji: Hakairoku-hen" is an anime series based on the original work by Nobuyuki Fukumoto, and is characterized by its suspenseful storyline and deep psychological portrayal. In particular, the "Swamp Arc" is a new gambling challenge that Kaiji takes on in order to escape from the Teiai Group's forced labor facility, and the tension and psychological battle are sure to draw viewers in. The anime faithfully reproduces the realistic depictions of the original work, and is also highly acclaimed as a work that depicts the horror of gambling and the true nature of human beings.

The appeal of this work lies above all in Kaiji's growth and his determination to overcome adversity. At first, Kaiji is an unemployed young man struggling with debt, but it is moving to see him rack his brains to survive in the world of gambling and fight alongside his friends. Also, don't miss his confrontations with powerful enemies such as Ichijo, Endo, and Hyoudou. Their cold-heartedness and cunning add tension to the story and are important elements that promote Kaiji's growth.

The animation quality is also high, and the gambling scenes in particular are very tense. The character designs and art direction are excellent, faithfully recreating the world of the original. The music is also an important element in enhancing the atmosphere of the work, and Hideki Taniuchi's music helps to heighten the sense of tension.

The theme songs are also memorable, with "Chase the Light!" by Fear, and Loathing in Las Vegas symbolizing Kaiji's fighting spirit, and "ABC Begins with C" by Wasurena Neeyo being a fitting song to conclude the story. These songs have the effect of enhancing the emotions of the viewer as the story progresses.

Although this work is based on the theme of gambling, it also depicts the true nature of human beings and the meaning of life, making viewers think deeply about these deep themes. Kaiji's growth, his bond with his friends, and his determination to overcome adversity will surely inspire viewers. Furthermore, the tense gambling scenes and psychological battles are sure to draw viewers in.

"Gyakkyou Burai Kaiji: Hakairoku-hen" is recommended not only for those who like gambling and psychological warfare, but also for those who are looking for a work that makes them think about deep themes. You will be moved by Kaiji's growth and his attitude of overcoming adversity, and you will definitely be drawn into the tension of the story. Please give it a watch.