Anime Characters That Love Poker Posted Feb 26, 2022
Anime is rarely afraid to tackle any topic. There is something for everyone, from sci-fi mecha warfare and swashbuckling adventurers, to touching dramatic stories and the thrill of gambling, often all at the same time. Most shows cover the exciting character evolutions, and often some of them learn how to master poker, or another game, and translate the wisdom they gained from playing to their life. This helps them overcome obstacles and inner struggles on the path to realizing their destiny.
Many loveable, fascinating, or terrifying heroes and villains in anime are gamblers. For them, a good poker game is a thrill, a way to connect with their friends, and a riveting battle of wits. Here are a few of them we can't forget.
Kaiji Itō from “Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor” and “Kaiji: Against All Rules”
Kaiji is the main protagonist of the incredibly popular 1996 manga published to this day, and its two anime adaptations. This complex young man is a gambling addict, who becomes fiercely respected and feared by the other characters over the course of the story. Kaiji Itō’s unmatched gambling skills apply to poker, and any other game relying on luck, insightfulness, bravery, and improvisation.
However, there is another side to Kaiji, one where he is a bitter, lazy, and angry man unwilling to find his role in life. After graduating from high school, Kaiji met a moneylender - ex-yakuza Yūji Endō - who invited him to join Espoir, a gambling ship, for a chance to earn enough to pay off his gambling debts. From here on, Kaiji finds purpose in beating the most improbable odds, thanks to his resourcefulness.
In the process, Kaiji gains friends whom he is willing to fight for, regardless of their shortcomings. In the end, he grows into a loyal and kindhearted character we cannot stop rooting for.
Yumeko Jabami from “Kakegurui”
Speaking of compulsive gamblers, the term Kakegurui in Japanese means precisely that. And Yumeko Jabami, a joyful transfer student, is a master at cards and gambling, with a vicious streak and zero tolerance for cheaters. She is the main protagonist of the 2014 manga that keeps printing and a two-season anime series on Netflix.
Yumeko is the new student at the Hyakkaou Private Academy for the children of powerful and influential families. The academy establishes a student hierarchy through gambling instead of academic achievement. The least fortunate students have to fight to stay at the academy by participating in its grand poker tournament.
While other students dislike poker and betting in general, Yumeko shows excellent skill and fearlessness when taking risks. Since the first episode, Yumeko has intrigued anime fans as her character is profoundly conflicting: She is energetic, fun, astute, a master at tactics, friendly, and incredibly charismatic on the one hand; on the other, she has a very prominent dark side.
In poker matches against opponents who resort to cheating, Yumeko has a remorseless and frightening demeanor. Those who dishonor the game of poker are viewed as her enemies, stemming from her appreciation for the game and her compulsive gambling habit.
However, Yumeko means well when it comes to her friends, and she becomes loyal to them in her idiosyncratic way. Of course, her character develops into a more complex one as the show progresses. Gambling lovers will appreciate that Kakegurui offers insight into some original and unusual variations on standard poker rules, such as the Rock-Paper-Scissor Poker, Indian Poker, and Choice Poker.
Daniel J. D'Arby from “JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders”
Not everyone can be a kindhearted guy with a god-like talent for playing poker. And for Daniel J. D'Arby, a member of the infamous Egypt 9 Glory Gods, every poker game is a matter of life and death. He is one of the antagonists in this anime, and a longstanding legend among poker players - none of his opponents have survived to tell the tale of their loss at the table.
Daniel appears as a friendly and shrewd man to Joseph Joestar and his companions. Those who lose against him find out his real secret: The ability to siphon souls into poker chips. He can do this thanks to an entity called Osiris that serves him. When they came up against D’Arby, Osiris used the suckers at the tip of its hands to draw all the life energy from Joseph's friends and turn them into Daniel's betting chips.
D'Arby takes great pride in his family legacy. He is not afraid to cheat, as he considers it the highest skill one can display in a poker game. Everything is fair game for D’Arby, and he shows no sympathy to those who fall for his tricks. Joseph challenges D’Arby to a game where he tries to liberate his friends. The dynamic, high-stakes duel of these two great minds is one of the highlights of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure.
Sora and Shiro from “No Game No Life”
A manga published between 2012 and 2018 and its anime adaptation, No Game No Life, has quite the original premise: Two siblings with social anxiety are champions in the online gaming scene. One day, they were invited to face off against the god of games from another dimension, Tet, in the ultimate fight across a multitude of games, including poker.
This realm of existence is called Disboard, and all problems amongst its denizens are resolved by gambling. Young Sora is a brilliant strategist and expert reader of body language and behavior. On the other hand, his sister Shiro excels at resolving logical and mathematical problems.
Together, they represent a nigh-unbeatable mind; however, Sora and Shiro are not without flaws, as they cannot live without each other. Every time this duo is separated, they experience panic attacks due to the trauma they experienced when their parents died. It is tough not to cheer for these siblings as they try to thwart the god Tet and become game masters themselves.
The Tip of the Iceberg
Many more excellent anime combine gambling and heroic drama, but these are the top contenders for us. What are your favorite poker-playing anime characters?