The Gambling Showdown: Kaiji vs Akagi Posted Aug 17, 2021
The relationship between gambling and anime is a two-way street. There are many gambling games, particularly online slots, with manga graphics and styling. You will find some exciting anime series revolving around gambling like Kaiji and Akagi. The long run that they have had is a testimony to their popularity. We recommend both of them, but should you want to choose one this article takes you through the ins and outs of each serial contrasting their differences.
Both series are products of Madhouse Inc., which is one of the biggest anime companies. Both of them are based on manga properties written by Nobuyuki Fukumoto and so they share common art style, tone and presentation. The themes revolve around high stakes underground gambling. Kaiji and Akagi are very different in a lot of key ways as well and this makes for a very interesting comparison.
Akagi
Akagi, subtitled as “The Genius Who Descended into Darkness” was first published as manga in 1991. In Japan alone it has sold over 12 million copies and adapted as several movies and television shows. The latest were two live-action television dramas aired between July 2015 and June 2018.
Akagi: The Hero
Everyone loves a prodigious gambler and Akagi is the best of them. He remembers everything, does calculations in split seconds to come up with strategies, legal or otherwise, that others cannot even comprehend. At the same time, he maintains the detached demeanour of a master gambler. At the age of 13, Shigeru Akagi had defeated yakuza experts in mahjong. He returns to the game six years later with a mythical status that awes his opponents. Akagi is addicted to the thrill of gambling and is willing to risk his own life in order to prove his superiority.
Iwao Washizu: The Villain
A great hero needs to be counterbalanced by a great villain and you have a powerful and sadistic one in Iwao Washizu. He is the supremo of the anime's underground scene, with terrifying features. He uses his super mahjong skills and untold riches to lure unsuspecting people to compete against him and gamble their lives away. In the end he proves no match for Akagi. In the manga, Akagi's match with Washizu took around two decades to reach its completion. The anime showed it in compressed form to keep the story tight.
The Gambling
The only gambling in Akagi is mahjong, which may be perceived as a drawback by viewers that do not understand the intricacies of the game. Familiarity with the game will enhance the experience through exploration of a variety of complex mahjong strategies and techniques. However, the tension of the high-stakes contest between Akagi and Washizu is maintained throughout and can be felt by all. You are told that one wrong move could result in insurmountable debt or the loss of 400 ccs of blood. At the same time, you are aware of Akagi's unbeatable talent for mahjong and know that no matter how gruelling the contest gets, Akagi will emerge the final winner.
Before we proceed to the analysis of Kaiji, we would like to point out one thing. Gambling-centric anime shows are rather uncommon, much like anime-inspired gambling games (go to http://www.nodepositfriend.com/ to see examples). But the few shows that do exist are absolutely amazing, with Madhouse as the proven leader in animating gambling-related manga stories.
Kaiji
Kaiji was first published as manga in February 1996 and has run continuously as six series. The current series started in 2017. The first two manga series were adapted into two anime television series of 26 episodes each. Kaiji was also adapted into a live-action film trilogy. Kaiji premiered in October 2009; Kaiji 2 premiered in November 2011 and Kaiji: Final Game premiered, after a gap of 9 years, in January 2020.
Kaiji: The Hero
There is another kind of hero that is popular – the underdog. Unlike Akagi, Kaiji is ordinary and vulnerable and therefore easy to relate to. He is conned into crushing debt and spends the majority of the anime trying to succeed while playing other people's games. The weakness in Kaiji’s nature enhances the dangers of gambling and passes a social message to the viewers.
The Secondary Characters
Kaiji does not feature an overpowering villain like Washizu. Instead, there is a list of well-developed recurring characters that are much more than show-pieces. For example, there is the central antagonist, Yukio Tonegawa, from the manga’s first season, who in the anime is transformed into an endearing company man desperately trying to please a deranged boss.
The Gambling
Kaiji is not restricted to a single game. Each episode introduces a different gamble, which can range from rock paper scissors to walking across a beam suspended over a deadly fall with no safety net. The bets are so simple that viewers need not bother about complex strategies. The focus is entirely on the characters' psychological states leading up to and during the gamble. The suspense is not about what Kaiji will do because that is told to the viewers. The thrills lie in whether Kaiji is able to successfully execute his plans.
Another cause for suspense is that victory is not guaranteed for Kaiji. Even when the stakes seem too steep, the protagonist might still end up losing. If Kaiji wins the viewers are relieved and happy, but if he loses then they are devasted. There is another social message here - gambling is built on risk and a happy ending cannot be assured.
The Showdown
There are two good reasons for watching Akagi. The first is if you love mahjong. If you are not familiar with the game then at times the anime's jargon can be alienating and overwhelming. The second reason is if you like an out-and-out winner that does not know the meaning of defeat.
Kaiji is a more poignant narrative in which you can totally empathise with the protagonist. You will cry a bit and smile a bit and end up with a more wholesome experience.
