Kakegurui Twin – Netflix release brings the Kakegurui story to a whole new audience Posted Nov 30, 2022
When the Kakegurui – Compulsive Gambler manga series started its run in 2014, it immediately stood out from the crowd. The debut series for artist and writer Homura Kawamoto, it told the story of Yumeko Jabami, an outwardly demure and innocent transfer student who enrolls at the prestigious Hyakkaou Private Academy, where the hierarchy is dependent on the students’ skills in gambling, manipulation and deception.
Kakeguri became a global success and brought instant fame to its author, who has gone on to be involved in several other high-profile projects. It also spawned an anime TV series that aired in 2017 and a whole succession of spin-offs. The latest, Kakegurui Twin, is a prequel that provides some back story to Hyakkaou Private Academy and what happened there before the arrival of Yumeko Jabami.
Bringing anime to mainstream Western attention
Netflix is rapidly becoming something of a treasure trove for anime lovers, and the arrival of Kakegurui Twin is a welcome one for international audiences. The high stakes gambling theme has struck a chord in parts of Canada that have recently opened a legalized online betting market for the first time. See https://www.gambleonline.co/en-ca/casino/real-money/ for more details.
Back in 2018, Netflix didn’t just air the original Kakeguri anime, it also showed the live action TV series the same year. This was available to UK and US viewers, and received a lukewarm reception. However, viewing figures for the anime series exceeded expectations, so it was no surprise that Netflix was eager to get behind the Kakegurui Twin anime.
About Kakegurui Twin
Homura Kawamoto set to work on the Kakegurui Twin manga series in 2015, as soon as he realized what a hit he had on his hands with the original series. It focuses on Mary Saotome, who is already an established character and one of the leading gamblers at the school when Yumeko Jabami arrives to disrupt the status quo in the main series.
In Kakegurui Twin, we find out how Mary became an expert gambler and we learn about her own introduction to the Hyakkaou Private Academy. 13 volumes have gone to press so far and late last year, Netflix commissioned a six-episode original net animation by MAPPA. The series premiered on Netflix in August 2022. There was also a live action series broadcast on rival network Amazon Prime earlier this year.
Kakegurui Twin has received positive reviews from numerous quarters. Regular Otaku US contributor Shaenon Garrity wryly described the manga as perfect for those who enjoy a blend of game theory mathematics and kink - we know you are out there somewhere. Meanwhile, Sportskeeda’s Alan Sahbegovic commented that the anime draws you in right away and is perfectly accessible even if you haven’t seen the original Kakegurui series.
One thing is certain, Kawamoto’s original work is set to garner a whole new audience, drawn in to the broader Kakegurui mythos by Kakegurui Twin. The animated series remains available to watch on Netflix worldwide.
