During daylight hours, an exclusive, elite private school prepares its illustrious students for
careers in business, politics, and high society. But when darkness falls, the halls of this esteemed
establishment transform into an underground gambling den where bright-eyed youngsters learn the
timeless art of bluffing, backdoor dealings and social manipulation. In this school for the rich and
elite, money is power, and the tyrant of the betting books rules with an iron fist. So when the
beautiful Yumeko Jabami upsets the academy hierarchy with her voracious appetite for the thrill of the
gamble, the entire student body mobilizes to send her house of cards tumbling down.
(Source: Sentai Filmworks)
You know, a bad show, to me, is not simply a matter of the quantity or size of the flaws you can find in it, however it is that you decide to measure such an arbitrary idea, but what kind of flaws it has. I can deal with some plot holes, for once (I mean, even the almighty FMA has 2 big ones at the end) as long as the work can properly contextualize them and not make me care. Members of the cast being inconsistent, though, make it tougher to stomach. I’m also not someone who asks for absolute realism, but simply verisimilitude and consistency. Disregard all of those and the work starts to go sour for me. The worst offenses, though, are when the work becomes morally bankrupt, when it asks me to sympathize and side with people who are clearly contemptible. Kakegurui is one of those shows. __Story and Characters__ Well come to Hyakkao Academy, the land of insane teenage gambling, horrendous abuses of power and blatantly criminal acts of bodily harm. The school is supposed to be a place for the children of the filthy rich, but most definitely the filthy, where the future elite of Japan is meant to be prepared for a future where they’d lead the business of their families. In this institution, gambling is not simply a pass-time students can engage for their own enjoyment, but a core part of the social-structure of the school. Since the current student council president took over, she instituted a system where students who stack too much debt become “cattle”, considered second class among their classmates and have to remain subservient to the students with more money. Obviously, they also become primary target for bullying. For the viewer who shares that pesky desire to have the elements in the story making sense, this plot point will immediately raise a number of eyebrows, so let’s go bit by bit. First, how is this system even allowed existing? None of the students here are of legal age, so they should never be allowed to gamble outrageous amounts of money from their parents net worth. Is this a version or Japan where legal restrictions for underage gambling don’t exist? If that’s the case, what about the restrictions for underage driving, drinking and sex? None of these are even mentioned, so I suppose the gambling premise is entirely based on “don’t think about it, bro”. Now, you might at this point throw at me my previous statement about realism vs. verisimilitude, but let make it clear: that goes for simple stuff, like my tsunderes being a bit more violent than what the real world would tolerate or children being a bit more mature than normal, it doesn’t apply for a universe where an entire legal system seems to operate backwards. Following the fact that the existence of this scenario is a contradiction in itself, why would anyone enroll their children in a school like this one? These students are supposed to be future business leaders, people with enormous responsibilities in their hands, so a cast system that allows them to be bullied, humiliated and sometimes even physically harmed by their classmates goes completely opposite to the goal their education is supposed to provide, that of shaping them into capable, resolute and strong-willed adults. I’m not sure any parent would allow their children to frequent a place like this if such practices are not only allowed, but incentivized. Then there’s the money issue: the students make their bets with money from their families, which means that they are stocking up on massive debts their parents will have to pay. At long-term, this set up would make the cost of such education extremely expensive, making this school a lot more trouble than is worth. The list of absurdities doesn’t stop there, but let’s get to know the cast before we can dive head first into more nonsense! Jabami Yumeko is the main culprit of the story. She generally keeps a playful and polite demeanor, but shifts to intense obsession when it’s time to gamble. I’m pretty sure she is supposed to be a sociopath! Not a realistic depiction of a sociopath, though, but what fiction believes a sociopath to be like. Truth be told, Yumeko is no more than a Mary Sue. It may seem like a stretch to claim this, since general misconception is that this kind of character is also supposed to be virtuous (or at least framed as such by the narrative, even when the audience can clearly see that the opposite is truth), but she does have the basic traits of a Mary Sue: she clearly has complete disregard for how much money she bets, the supply of money or her disposal is not even hinted at in the anime, so in how much danger she’s is unclear, at no point displays any signs of being the least bit worried, constantly displaying the face of someone who’s always on top, even though her behavior is so needlessly risky. Ironically, at one point she even drops this gem: “To realize one’s ambitions, risks must be taken”. Funny, since she seems to have no ambition besides having a gambling playground for herself. Besides being nice to the already shitty-characters from the main cast and keeping a constant sweety-kitty-diabetes façade when not gambling, is there any reason for Yumeko to be seem as an actual force for good in this narrative? When it comes to motivations and general personality, she’s no less psychotic, abusive, deceiving, manipulative and sadistic than the members of the student council (or any other scumbag in this school), so what are the guaranties that once her main source of entertainment in the school is gone, or at least significantly diminished, she’ll bring any positive change to the status quo? And even if she does, do any of these characters actually deserve it? They’re all simplistic, poorly realized figures and most often just despicable people, despite the laughable attempts from the show on making them sympathetic by introducing last minute backstory. Suzui Ryouta, the closest friend to Yumeko, is an inconsistent pussy. He strangely seems to have no problem talking to multiple attractive girls at school, but from the first moment Yumeko enters the scene, becomes strangely flustered when first interacting with her. Besides that, his role is essentially to tell the audience how risky her situation is when she makes a crazy bet and to be mesmerized when she pulls off a victory out of some strategy the audience has no knowledge off. Momobami Kirari is the student council president, or Seitokaichou in Japanese, responsible for the creation of the cast system in place in Hyakkao Academy. She sees her fellow schoolmates as pets she can control and play with, as well as manipulate to gain power, although the goals she wants to achieve with such power are not explained in the story. Through an outrageous ass-pull in episode 11 (not a Deus ex Machina, stop using this term wrong) she proves to also be willing to backstab her own fellow student council members, which leads me to question how would anyone ever trust and help this bitch again, when she can betray them on a whim. Other members of the student council that matter are: - Ikishima Midari, who’s completely insane for life-threatening thrills and CARRIES A GUN TO THE SCHOOL! Seriously, how is this ever allowed? Why would anyone accept be put into a school that looks more like an asylum for demented shitbags? - Yomozuki Runa, the loli dressed in a bunny hoodie who helps Seitokaichou on her schemes, gleefully plotting against the other members; - Kaede Manyuda, the treasurer of the student council, very ambitious and arrogant, quick to dismiss the students he doesn’t consider worthy enough of battling him. By all accounts, he’s the least awful creature in the cast; - Sumeragi Itsuki, another crazy bitch, who likes to collect nails from other students, which she rips off whenever they lose to her in gamble; So, besides allowing its students to be bullied and made into servants, potentially putting them in emotional distress that can severely affect their learning, this schools also allows bodily harm to be inflicted on them, as well as bets that involve possible death. Not crazy enough for you? The institution is also equipped with special sealed rooms, for when Ikishima feels the need to “arrest other students” for her games. Let me spell this out again: this crazy cunt KIDNAPS people and locks them into special cells where she can bet on deadly games with them, using a FIREARM! Do you see why this setting is so hard to buy into? As soon as Yumeko arrives at the institution, her one and only goal is to gamble with every strong opponent she can find, climbing the ladder until she can get the opportunity to challenge Seitokaichou, so the bulk of the narrative is focused on the multiple games she engages in with other members, occasionally crushing their spirit by revealing the manner they cheat, before beating them. Not always successful, though, as early on she manages to lose a serious bet, although it’s implied that was only possible through cheating, and becomes a pet. Interestingly enough, as soon as a previously successful character suddenly becomes a pet, it seems their winning record is instantly forgotten by the scumbag token extras, who immediately shift to bully mode. If you’re like me and has near zero suspension of disbelief for stories where everyone is an asshole, you’ll have a hard time with this one. As Yumeko uses her status as a pet to attract and challenge other student council members, she finally reaches the top members, challenging first Manyuda and ultimately the president. This is the point where the anime turns simply from rage-inducing bad to morally bankrupt filth! Through a seriously logically questionable trick played with the help of Sumeragi, who has an old grudge with Manyuda, they lead him into betting such a high amount of money, that the loss of that game would put him indefinitely subservient to the student council president and destroy his influence in the council, as well as potentially compromising his future and relationship with his father. Yes, it’s that serious! So, of course, he loses and the defeat is followed by Yumeko and Sumeragi gleefully explaining how they manage to reach their ridiculously contrived victory, with the final blow being delivered by the president, by telling him “You’re fired”, making him snap and pass out. In the follow up, Yumeko and Sumeragi discuss what just happens and the way their dialogue is frame tries to imply they had the moral high-ground, somehow. That last bit, to me, is the most infuriating part. Seriously, what exactly was Manyuda’s crime that was apparently so much more despicable in relation to the other students? Seitokaichou introduced a cast system that locks students into the role of cattle, where they remain subservient and bullied by other students, Sumeragi, who now we’re supposed to root for, used to rip people’s nails off, which basically amounts to torture, and Midari makes bets with people’s lives; Am I really supposed to believe that this guy is so much more deserving of having his livelihood and future sadistically crushed because he underestimates his fellow students? When did arrogance become the worst of crimes? I call this idea bullshit and this anime a hypocritical piece of toxic waste. By the way, the ending is a complete cop-out too. __Presentation__ So, do you like variety of facial expression for your characters to help flesh them out as credible, or at least likeable human beings? Tough luck, baby, here it’s ahegao up the ass for you! For those not aware of what I mean, “ahegao” is the term in Japanese for the orgasm face, which despite the definition is not relegated exclusively for porn, but also used in comedic fashion to convey when the character goes through emotional ecstasy. You might have noticed by now that Kakegurui is quite the fan of quantity over quality, and it’ll sure run that trope into the ground whenever it’s needed to convey that the fuck-sticks it passes for humans in the story are going through anything that might be classified as excitement. IT’L ALL THE BLOODY TIME! Whenever someone pull off some maneuver to outsmart or cheat their opponent in a gamble or even when it’s simply to explain the “genius” plan, they will pull off insane orgasm faces and laugh like maniacs. Of course, the biggest offender here has to be Yumeko, because someone up in Valhalla hates me. When it’s not ahegao, it’s contorted maniacal expressions every antagonist feels the need to break into when they feel superior and about to win on a game, or when they try to be threatening. It’s quite laughable, actually, when bunny-loli tries to pull one of these off, as if the show seriously thinks she is in any way the slightest bit scary. Seriously, any of the girls in the main cast can break her in half and this attempt from the show is just pathetic! Characters seem to break into such expressions almost to the same degree as the ahegao, as if to painfully remind you to not ever expect anyone here to have personality any deeper than a spit puddle, and that subtlety died and we buried its corpse when we allowed this disgrace to be written, published and animated. Along with the stupid story, the presentation here is another big problem for the anime, due exactly to the habits just mentioned. Is the voice acting of any help? Not really, although not as egregious as the horrendous faces, no character really demands anything more than two different modes of acting, so it’s nothing to write home either. __Personal Ramblings__ It genuinely felt like this anime was specifically crafted with the perfect combination of traits that can make my blood boil. From the sickening emphasis on the disgusting faces, to Yumeko’s insufferable “kind and innocent girl” demeanor, along with the inconsistent, impossible to buy into setting and the fact everyone here is a douchebag, this whole show was intensively infuriating to watch. I swear, I’m not really that hard of a person to please, and it’s not like I can’t enjoy a story where characters are also morally bankrupt or just outright evil. I mean, two of my favorites are Shiki and Black Lagoon, and I don’t think you can say the main characters in those shows are safely good people, what I ask is simply that the show frames that exactly as it is, not as if the horrible people on screen are supposed to be likeable or admired in any way. I am fascinated and genuinely find likability in well written morally ambiguous or evil characters, and I admire characters who display the responsibility and strength of morals I wish I had in my personality, but when the moral center of your story is a selfish, manipulative sociopath who can’t be trusted to have anyone’s well-being in mind, I say you got your priorities kind of backwards! Now, if you excuse me, I’ll look for something trashy to wash away this memory.
~~~__Fun and Games (and a lot of moolah)__~~~ ~~~img520(https://i.imgur.com/JgOHDmQ.jpg)~~~ #Intro/First Impressions ___ I began to watch seasonal anime again during Summer 2017. I decided to only pick up a few shows because in most cases, I pick up too many and end up not finishing most of them. Kakegurui seemed interesting enough to check out. The synopsis mentioned that it was about gambling and seeing how I've never seen anything like this, I decided it was worth a shot. Here are my thoughts on the show. #Story ~~~img720(https://imgur.com/WkYwdNk.png)~~~ ___ Hyakkaou Private Academy is a school where your social placement isn't determined by your looks or extracurricular abilities but by gambling. In that sense, anyone can be at the top regardless of who they are. However, things get rather interesting as those at the bottom are considered "livestock" and are essentially dehumanized. This element really adds to the nervewracking feeling behind each gamble. The very idea of rich young teenagers putting millions of yen on the line everyday after school like it's no big deal is already ridiculous. It's crazy to think that hundreds of thousands of yen are exchanged everyday at this school among students. Then there's the risk of becoming livestock and being pretty much considered less than human. It really illustrates the power that money has over people and adds a dark tone to the show. Things get even more interesting when the students bet things other than money (and of possibly more value). The story follows Ryouta Suzui, a rather bland student who is is not that great at gambling. After becoming livestock, Ryouta is able to escape his predicament thanks to the oh-so-intriguing transfer student Jabami Yumeko. What separates Jabami from the rest of the students is that she isn't in it for the money; she's obsessed with the thrill of gambling itself. At first, it's very captivating and tense when Jabami challenges someone to a gamble because she puts on this cute and happy-go-lucky face like she doesn't know what she's doing. Eventually, she is able to secure a win when she does away with this facade each time she gambles. It's super cool to see how she is able to figure out her opponent but it often grows old at times because most of her opponents ~!will actually just end up cheating, usually with the use of some elaborate method. !~ While every episode introduced a dangerous game, the outcome was often predictable. Jabami and her ability to figure out her opponents are the main attraction to this show. Seeing her tear apart her opponents is oddly satisfying and a joy to watch but most times it feels like an asspull. While some of the ways her opponents work are entirely valid or interesting, the others are just plain bullshit. While this is the case for some of these episodes, I don't think it's enough of a turn-off to shy you away from this show. The story does have its merits though. Some of Jabami's matches with the student council members are downright insane. Jabami is not the only one who puts up a fight at the academy; a few other students are fearsome gamblers who shouldn't be trifled with. I felt the dread along with Ryouta while Jabami gambled. Even though I knew Jabami or Ryouta would win their gambles, the path to their victories was uncertain and often filled with suspenseful twists. The constant fear of losing it all when things suddenly go wrong makes this show captivating and it's one where you feel like you need to see the next episode immediately. This was the show of the season that would kill you inside knowing that you had to wait an entire week to see what was up next. #Characters ___ ~~~img720(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/72/7c/22/727c2263750497592cf3556e9df65a93.jpg)~~~ The cast is really hit or miss for me. Ryouta is as generic as they come. Mary is the classic tsun. The Student Council has the deranged psychopath (I kinda liked her), the smartass who constantly adjusts his glasses, the loli, the one with the Brock eyes, the girl who pretends to be nice to get on everybody's good side etc. Jabami is very similar to the Student Council president. They both seem pretty chill but are obessed with gambling. Jabami is really appealing as a character because she's able to appear all helpless and aloof but can also get right to the point when she is gambling. Her ability to win isn't necessarily attributed to a large knowledge of the games she plays but also because she just isn't afraid to take huge risks. Because of this, it can sometimes feel like bullshit when she wins. The Student Council president is intimidating and is interested in much darker things. I'd say she's actually the most intriguing out of the entire cast (unfortunately she doesn't see as much screen time). The student council president sees more development in season 2. I think the cast as a whole shines together when they showcase their darker side. When so much is on the line, everyone begins to show their true colors. This isn't really a show where you get attached to characters. If you're like me, you actually want to see most of them fail horribly and lose all their money. #Animation and Sound ___ ~~~img720(https://i.imgur.com/DQqMUOa.png)~~~ ~~~img720(https://i.imgur.com/uJyZqRo.png)~~~ The animation in Kakegurui isn't exactly pretty (which is more than fine) but it's good at what it does. Mappa is able to make seemingly normal students look absolutely insane with the sudden shift in animation. The faces of these students take a grotesque appearance. It can be really unnerving and further adds to some of the darker tones of the show. It showcases the idea of being two-faced quite literally. I haven't seen many other shows that do this but I'm sure this isn't the first time it has appeared. It's definitely a nice touch for this kind of show. ~~~img520(http://pa1.narvii.com/6523/00ee965c930bb9f59f40fdf4f06d6c645f99cb99_hq.gif)~~~ ~~~img520(https://68.media.tumblr.com/7d21e790da0d8f63fdf96381903b3612/tumblr_osgcy1N3T01qg78wpo1_500.gif)~~~ I was really impressed by the OP sequence. The style is unique and playful with the random fish and fruit in the background. The colors really pop too. I'm an OP/ED skipper and this was one of the few OPs I would watch each episode. The soundtrack is pretty decent. It's filled with a lot of high energy electric sounds that capture the intensity of each gamble. There's even an idol episode and the performance is actually fire. #Personal Enjoyment ___ ~~~img720(https://i.imgur.com/MHND6VV.jpg)~~~~~~_When you just can't stop rolling in your favorite gacha game :(_~~~ Kakegurui is really (really) entertaining. It constantly had me on the edge of my seat waiting for the next episode to release. There are a lot of moments that will leave your jaw dropped and times when you can feel the tension come through the screen as if you are there in person watching Jabami gamble. Would I recommend it? Hell yeah. I think most people can find something to like about Kakegurui. To me, Kakegurui is something you'd watch if you literally had nothing else in mind. It's an easy pickup that will keep you entertained for the entirety of its 12 episodes. Just don't expect something with incredible rewatch value or character development. #Conclusion ___ ~~~img720(https://i.imgur.com/gsjhXya.png)~~~ Kakegurui is definitely a good watch if you don't really have an idea of what you want. It's fast paced, nervewracking and will keep you entertained. I tend to watch a lot of slice of life/slower shows so something like Kakegurui is something that is a change of pace and short and sweet. The story isn't perfect and neither are the characters but for a show like this, I don't really think it needs to be. Definitely give this show a shot!
__~~~The show that gave me a new term for a certain pet peeve. ~~~ __ I have been watching anime for a long time. Actively I would say 11 years. Throughout that time I do not remember a situation where I was so fixated on one certain aspect that completely capitulated everything else. That is where I am with the faces in Kakugurui. These issues with obnoxious faces is nothing new for me. I have the same feelings for Daily Lives of High School Boys and Drifters. But Kakegurui has achieved a level of obnoxious faces into a territory that has not been explored that I shall deem as egregious faces. The show’s art style is presented in a way that resembles sadistic hentai with these faces. I for one am not a masochist nor a sadist that will get enjoyment from an entertainment medium that way. I also am not a hentai fan so when you add the sweat and the lips/drool that helps take it to that egregious level. This shows theme is based on a school where gambling gets you to the top of the totem pole. I for one am someone who likes the game of poker. I watch the World Series of Poker every year. I even had a favorite poker player in Phil Hellmuth. So I was optimistic that at least like the action in Drifters I can find satisfaction in the gambling of the show. Unfortunately the gambling we got was a mix of redundant themes and girls over-powering on masochism. But even if the gambling was more satisfactory it is hard to enjoy any battle of strategy when your bombarded by egregious faces left and right. By this point I already had all these negative feelings towards Yumeko. Queue stage left a Yumeko on steroids named Midari Ikishima. During her dedicated episodes is where I just lost all hope for this show because when you put the theme of death into the show that changes everything. This isn’t about riding the economic train to the top of a gambling school. Your bringing in the theme that you can actually die in this school. That was the moment the stake went into the heart for the setting. Midari is also apart of the student council that are the main villains of the show. They are a conglomerate of individuals that have come together to hold a monopoly on the school. The basis of the show is for Yumeko to take them down one by one. The entirety of the show continues to try and make the student council even more sadistic than Yumeko herself. They try to establish a higher-level sadism that is not accepted to make you not like these characters. But if you already have Yumeko pass that level the effect is just completely negated. Basically every character was doing these gambling orgasms. It is the same issue the entire show. Even when they gave me an architype that I tend to enjoy in a villain in glasses. The enthusiasm dwindled away quite quickly thanks to once again from Yumeko’s orgasms. So I can confidently say that the Characters, Enjoyment, and Art are all a 1 out of 10. I’ve already covered how the setting is decapitated. But we do have progression. There is an end game to the show. They do not waste much time with frivolous OVA content. That is something I can put up as a 2 out of 10. Now bringing it up to a 3 out of 10 is another story. There was a lot of empty transition from going to the next student council member. There also was never a proper hierarchy build out so I can understand the level of difficulty increasing. They don’t really have much time to build up to it though. Their goal seemed to be to have the main event match-up in this entry. I can settle of a borderline 3 out of 10 with the story. So what it comes down to is music. I tend not to deviate my music score much from the rest of the show. I tend not to value it that highly. The ending song is okay but I do have major issues with the performance from Tia in the OP. There was a real turn-off for me listening to this nasally running on voice she used in the song. I’ve skipped the OP every time since episode 2. So with that I’d have to give another 1 out of 10. I’ve never experienced something so off-putting in anime like Kakegurui and it is going to be a benchmark for me when it comes to off-putting themes. If anything is as off-putting as the egregious faces and gambling orgasms then it will be a contender for a 1 out of 10 on my rating scale. For Anilist I'll give the show a 10 out of 100. Because at least were not getting episodic themes. So the story will keep it at a base 1 out of 10.
_“Part of it went on gambling, and part of it went on women. The rest I spent foolishly.”_ – George Raft. To those of you who have watched Kakegurui I ask: Why did you watch this anime? Were you intrigued by the aesthetic look of the show? Or maybe what drew you to Kakegurui was the concept; gambling! The latter was what caught my eye, as past experiences with gambling anime have proven that they hold some of the most entertaining and exhilarating moments I have ever seen. These shows have given me goose bumps from sheer awe and admiration while watching psychological battles of wits and strategy between people willing to risk their very lives on even the simplest of games. Unfortunately, these kinds of anime are extremely rare to come by, as nearly all of them are practically unknown to most of the anime community and nearly impossible to watch any of them legally. So when I saw that Kakegurui was airing this season and also happened to be the most popular show of Summer 2017, I was pretty excited. I had heard good things about the manga and it was being produced by Studio MAPPA, a studio that I have high hopes for despite not being impressed with any of their previous works. All that was left for me to do was watch it, and this is where the hype for this show died for me. I was disappointed with Kakegurui from episode 1, because even after just one episode, it is obvious to see that Kakegurui is a terrible gambling anime. Kakegurui takes place in Hyakkaou Private Academy, a prestigious school where the student are the most wealthy and privileged students in all of Japan. I use the term school lightly because there seems to be no actual classes or learning happening, instead the school is more like a gambling den, where every student partakes in gambling. They bet their fortunes against one another regularly, and those who become in debt are practically slaves to the holders of their wealth. The show focuses of Yumeko Jabami, a new student who gambles for the fun of it and is really good at it; too good, in fact. Her actions end up disrupting the student hierarchy of Hyakkaou Academy, causing the Student Council to come up with ways to stop her. Throughout the show, Yumeko befriends beta cuck bitch-boy Ryouta Suzui and fellow gambling gal Meari Saotome who help her as she gambles to her heart’s content. Ironically, Yumeko’s first gamble at the academy is against Meari, and it is here where the first major problem of the show lies. The game Yumeko and Meari play is a card-game variation of rock-paper-scissors where the crowd of people watching them write the symbol of “rock”, “paper” or “scissors” on cards, where they are collected and put into a box for both players to draw three cards and play the game. Meari manipulates the majority of the class’ votes to her advantage, however Yumeko still wins decisively and reveals exactly how Meari cheated. Throughout the entire game, the audience is given no insight into what Yumeko is thinking or even a hint as to how she was able to figure out Meari’s scheme until it is given through exposition after she has already won. As such, viewers are forced to believe Yumeko was able to piece everything together without fault. Doing this is lazy of the writers as it solely relies on having to tell the audience what happened, rather than show it as it is happening. This problem is apparent in every gamble in the show and kills the opportunity for viewers to engage with the gambling games and the characters playing said games. The games themselves are also poorly constructed; some come off as unnecessarily complex, others are just too simple and easy to beat. Being marketed as a gambling anime makes the show look incredibly dumb and retarded, taking away the chance to get excited for how these games play out. And that leads to what I feel is the 2nd biggest issue with this anime: no thrills. As you watch Kakagurui, you begin to notice a couple patterns with each gamble: High-stakes are never fully realised, every female character is bat-shit insane and “Yumeko wins LOL”. Seriously, even when Yumeko loses like in episode 3, she has no repercussions from losing. Because the audience is always watching from the perspective of either a mere onlooker or one of Yumeko’s opponents, she always comes across as too good for every situation she is placed in. Because of this she rids the show of any tension it could have had. And when you figure out that most of the time Yumeko gambles, she barely even uses a complete strategy, relying on pure luck to win at random times, which feels like a slap in the face to anyone expecting consistency and/or intelligence from this show. The fact that there are no actual punishments fulfilled from losing a high-stakes gamble also hinders the joy and excitement viewers get from watching. Now while there are consequences for being in an extreme amount of debt (e.g. house pet, Meari’s “Life Schedule”), you never actually see the show go through with these consequences and even then, the punishment for losing rarely ever matches the reward for winning. And in Yumeko’s case, the money she wins never really matters to her at all. She is the kind of sadomasochist that would throw countless amounts of money away to feel satisfied with how high the risk of losing a gamble is. Yet the show never goes through with these risks. So I’m left here after watching each gamble asking myself “What’s the point?”. A lot of fans of the show have been saying that Kakegurui is not a gambling anime, but a great thriller, and I just cannot agree with that statement at all. It is a mediocre thriller at best and that is only if you turn your brain off. Speaking of which, this show stretches one’s suspension of disbelief so much that you would think this has the quality of fanfiction-level writing. Not just with the gambling aspect of it, but the entire setting is fucking retarded. From the very start I was always curious why there were so many students at Hyakkaou Academy and why they would all gamble. But as I continued watching, the curiosity turned into frustration because it became apparent that there is no proper reason why so many students would stay there or continue to engage in gambling than to make Yumeko even more perfect than what she already is. Yumeko exposes a lot of the games played in gambles as cheat ways to get other in debt, yet that never changes the amount of gambling that takes place within the academy, and that is because most of the students in the background are ignorant buffoons. I would also like to know why only one adult to my memory has appeared in the entire 12 episodes. ONE! I cannot imagine such a prestigious academy to only have one adult working at the academy, but it makes sense with the amount of betting that takes place so regularly. And how in the world are guns and kidnapping allowed? And why does being in extreme debt eventually lead to a life sentence that dictates you to a wealthy future? So many questions that are never explained because this show is not about logic. It tries to look smart but just comes off as a dumb piece of shit. Calling this show psychological is pure lunacy; if anything, it is psycho-sexual because any real sense of logic got thrown out the fucking window! Nearly every character in this show pissed me off. I have already stated how Yumeko is convoluted out her own ass and is like a vacuum sucking all the excitement away from the show, but she seems like God’s gift to this show when compared to every other character. Meari, who seemed like she had potential, starting off as a cocky bitch that is humbled by Yumeko before being humiliated by the student council. Sadly, she turned out to be a weaker clone of Yumeko by episode 4 and is only used as a way to explain other games Yumeko plays as the story goes on. Fucking waste of potential. Ryouta is their other friend, but honestly he does nothing in this show. He just reacts to shit happening around him and nods in response and is a waste of space. Fuck him. The only other characters that matter are the one-note members of the student council that only matter for the one episode they are in before getting pushed to the side. Dishonourable mention to eyepatch-girl with the revolver fetish and a chronic masturbation habit, edgy bitch. Although, there is this one supporting character who literally tried to rape Yumeko that was unironically my favourite character purely for that one moment. If a bitch was lowkey killing the quality of my show I’d tell her to bend over and take it too. All kidding aside, every character is awful in their own way and make the show even more predictable and boring. Regarding the production, from a company like Studio MAPPA I was really disappointed. The art style is not impressive, most of the female character designs are generic, backgrounds are fairly basic and visual effect are for the most part impressive. The most controversial feature of the animation has to be the facial expressions and I have mixed feelings about them. On one hand, they showcase how broken and mentally unstable these characters get at times, but these faces just do not fit the visual look of the show and come off as cringe-inducing to me. The fan-service used is also off-putting to me, seemingly thrown in at random intervals in each episode. Yumeko pretending to be a cat was a definite low point for my enjoyment and did more to prove to me that it cares more about sex appeal than anything of substance. The music used was fine to me, with the OP being perhaps the best part of the entire show, which is not a hard feat. The ED however, was nice to listen to once but afterwards was always skipped, as I don’t see how Yumeko walking for 90 seconds as her breasts bounce constantly is worth seeing more than once. The voice acting was fine until characters went into their crazy stage and felt artificial and forced, but I suppose that fits the show unintentionally. In conclusion, Kakegurui was pretty awful, filled with formulaic, villain-of-the-week gambling matches that felt like a waste of time once it was all over. In the end it was only trying to entertaining on a superficial level; it was never attempting to have a real identity, besides being yuri fapbait. Now I have no problem with anyone who liked the show; you are free to like and enjoy whatever anime you want to, but if someone were to ask me if I enjoyed it? HELL NAW. Lemme put it this way: If you liked Mirai Nikki and Akame ga Kill, you’ll probably enjoy this. But if you are anything like myself and thought those two shows were terrible, Kakegurui ain’t gonna be worth your time. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to watch something that is actually worth my time.
As the players take their seats, excitement fills the air. Cards, gathered up in one quick swoop, become the weapons of this match, as each fighter tries to gather their wits under the intense stress and tension at play. Pulse quickens, the heart accelerates, at the sight of their weapons, as each fighter stares at their enemy in silent anticipation, awaiting any indication into the contents of their hand. As time passes the air grows all the more incredibly heavy and thick, sweat adorning both of these brave warriors, as, suddenly, the signal to throw down their cards to determine the victor is called. Who will receive Lady Luck's blessing this time? Gambling! High octane stakes and tension! Narratives surrounding the use of gambling are supposed to be exciting, tense, give us a sense of utmost euphoria, and, most of all, be entertaining as hell! Kaiji is a series that excels in this department, and, while I haven't seen every episode of the show yet, the first eight episodes that I have seen have been everything I look for in a gambling-centric narrative. The stakes are high, being that each game involves the consequence of death if someone were to lose, it's easy to care for our main character after the huge debt that has been left to him and each game is insanely interesting since it becomes a huge psychological battle with players trying to deceive and outwit each with other, with the great animation and soundtrack enhancing each element. Watching the show is essentially like having one giant adrenaline rush, which makes you want to keep watching episode after episode, which is a sign of well-crafted and written thriller around the use gambling. However, Kakegurui (or, if you prefer, Bukkakegurui, which is what I'll be referring to the show as for the rest of the review) is one of the most downright boring shows I've ever had the displeasure of watching, despite having similar ideas and premise to that of Kaiji. But, why is that? Why does Kaiji succeed where Bukkakegurui does not? Well, let's find out! Let's grab a chair, bet some insane amount of money, and remember to have about twenty orgasms as we play, since gambling, for some reason, gets us completely wet! Bukkakegurui's narrative is set inside a prestigious academy which is a tad bit different than conventional schools. While, during the day the school adopts the typical lessons that any student from any school undergoes, at night the school becomes a gambling den, where those who are seeking power and money go to gamble. The series sees our protagonist, Yumeko, an obsessive and insane gambler who experiences an orgasm every time she plays, gamble her way through the student council until the climatic game with the student council president at the very end of the series. In terms of narrative structure, the series is incredibly linear and straightforward, and adopts a "monster of the week formula", whereby Yumeko will play off against a new member of the student council of increasing difficulty before coming to the big finale. This structure of storytelling is not inherently bad, and since the focus of the show, and the appeal is based around the games itself, I don't mind the narrative being rather simple. However, there is one problem I have with this formulaic structure, and that is, that Yumeko never grows or learns throughout the duration of the series or in her matches. She never acquires any new tactics or skills during the games that could be applied in later scenarios, and she wins more so because the script tells her to win rather than putting any actual effort into her character winning through clever manipulation, strategy, or anything else that would be remotely interesting. For the sake of argument, let's compare Bukkakegurui to the 1995 series, Neon Genesis Evangelion, which also adopted a "monster of the week" formula for much of its duration. The reason why Evangelion succeeds is because during every Angel encounter and fight in the series, we are learning as an audience, both about the nature of the world, and of the characters, in their mental state and emotions. Shinji, Rei and Askua grow, not only in their physical abilities against the Angels, but also as people as well, as they begin to grow to like themselves as the series progresses, and work together as a team. By doing so, it grounds the characters in a more realistic way, and makes them feel far more like actual people, which Yumeko fails at completely, as she is more akin to an over powered Mary Sue who wins just because. While her personality suggests that she gambles so much for the thrill and excitement it brings, which is a fine motivation for her character, it also makes her feel rather boring and one dimensional as we never learn anything about her beyond what is presented at surface level. While there is a mini flashback that suggests that Yumeko is gambling in order to raise money for her sister's operation, or something along those lines, we're never given any more information regarding that aspect, and this idea should have been introduced at the very start of the show, to give Yumeko's matches some actual emotional weight and narrative stakes, but they didn't do that so each match feels incredibly inconsequential. Speaking of narrative stakes, let's dive into that next! In Bukkakegurui, the school is divided into sub sections dependent on how much money you have, with those losing money and being in debt at the bottom, being treated as house pets, while those with money get to rule at the top. If, at some point, you get into enough debt while at the school, the student council will write you out a life plan which determines every element in your life in the future, all planned out for you, from who you will marry, how many children you will bear, among other things. So, there are elements that are at stake here, such as your entire life being ruined forever by this life plan or crippling debt, but the stakes presented in the matches don't work because the characters are all completely one dimensional and it's hard to care for anyone at all. Who cares if Yumeko becomes a house pet or gets a life plan written up for her, when she'll pay back her debts anyway through her gambling? Who cares that someone like Meari ends up with a life plan when she has been nothing but a horrible bitch throughout the show and gets what she deserves? WHO CARES? It's one thing to have narrative stakes, but another thing to have characters who we care about having those stakes inflicted upon them. In order to better convey what I mean, imagine a scenario in which I have two rocks. The first rock, rock A, represents the characters presented in Bukkakegurui; they're all horribly one dimensional, lack personality and are hard to care for in the slightest. We don't learn anything about them as actual people, despite the fact that they're all hungry for power or vast amounts of wealth, nor do we feel any connection to them on any personal level since there is no time devoted for fleshing them out. The other rock, Rock B, represents a character that we have had time to care for. They're here not, because they find thrill for gambling, but because they have no other choice. Perhaps they have a large debt to pay off, or have to gamble for money for an operation to save a love one or something, but what's important is that we learn about this character in order to feel some kind of connection, and the fact that they're an underdog will make the audience root for them more, and will make the games more exciting as the character will have to come up with new strategies constantly, driving more investment in the narrative. The audience should experience the world through this character's eyes, so not only do we become more attached to them as an actual person but also so that we can see how they grow and think. Now, with both rocks categorised, let's say I bring in a sledgehammer, thus introducing the concept of death and smash them both. Now, which rock do you care for? Obviously the rock with more of a personality, back-story, and have had time to care for. And this is why I find no excitement whilst watching the show and why I don't care about anything that is happening. Now, people may argue against me by suggesting I am taking the anime too seriously and should just shut my brain off and enjoy the series as a rule of cool, dumb show, since there are plenty of pretty silly elements, and the games in the anime are the reason why I should be watching it since that is the main appeal of the show. Now, this isn't necessarily a bad stance to take, and I want to clarify now that I don't begrudge anyone who has actually managed to derive entertainment from this show, but I can't see the show in this light since I found most of the elements to pretty boring, especially all the games, which, for a show that is focused completely around this idea, is a pretty bad sign on the quality of the work! Each game in Bukkakegurui is boring, lifeless and we don't learn anything during the match about either participant involved, other than, sometimes, very short back stories consisting of only thirty seconds or so. Most of the games are essentially just Yumeko winning by either complete luck, or figuring out how her opponent is cheating in some way and the way she determines this and discovers how they are doing so feels so contrived and stupid that I want to slam my face into a wall. Now, luck is a HUGE aspect of gambling, so therefore her wins through luck are not necessarily that bad (even though it really pushes it in plenty of places) but there's no attempt at creating anything interesting. Aside from the games being incredibly simple anyway, there is no psychological battles taking part, none of the characters are attempting to outwit one another and there is hardly anything present that made Kaiji's games interesting. You never really get that cathartic feeling when you witness an intense match go on for ages when a character outsmarts another in some creative way as you say to yourself, "Ah! How clever!" The few times they do try and throw a curveball into the games or when Yumeko tries to outwit her opponent it feel so weak and dry since the in-the-moment logic is incredibly shallow and the way the story tries to awkwardly implement in these elements is so insulting to the intelligence of the audience as the show thinks that by throwing some random curveball at the final moment is a plot-twist or a smart way to deceive the audience since they didn't see it coming, because it appeared out of thin air. The only time the anime ever comes close to being somewhat entertaining during a match is in episodes six and seven where Yumeko gambles against someone who, believe it or not, is even more insane than she is, by the name of Midari Ikishima, a girl who finds pleasure in harming herself through the use of gambling. During her match with Yumeko, they both decide to play Russian roulette, which raises the narrative stakes and tension since it introduces the consequence of death into the game, although it is hard to care for anything that is going on, because, as I've said, the characters are dry and boring, and also because it's pretty obvious that nobody will actually die during the match anyway, but still the scene comes the closest out of any to actually entertain me, and, even then, the scene is still incredibly weak. The characters, as I've previously mentioned, are all incredibly hard to care for, and are pretty much all absolutely insane! Most of the characters take the utmost pleasure in laughing hysterically at their enemies, smiling and looking down upon them during a game if it is going in their favour, which makes everyone feel like an unlikeable, one dimensional asshole. The show often utilises cheap victimisation in a pathetic attempt to manipulate us into feeling sorry for these cardboard cut-outs, and nowhere is this more evident than in episode nine, where, a student council member who also happens to be an idol with a huge following, has her secret revealed to all of them, in which, recorded on a tape, she proclaims that she finds all of her fans to be absolutely disgusting and she hates the fact that she has to even shake their hands since it makes her puke. Despite that already sounding incredibly horrible anyway, she as a person is a complete and utter twat, with no redeemable qualities, hiding behind the facade of being a wonderful idol. During the episode, when the secret is revealed, she breaks down crying, as she comes to the realization that her dream is now ruined. I expect that the creators of the show wanted the audience to sympathise with her, but how can we when she is such a horrible twat who got everything she deserved? And, if that's not already bad enough, the audience gets a direct kick to the nuts straight after when all of her fans forgive her! That's right! If you're a horrible person with no likeable traits who gets what they deserve, all is forgiven if you simply have a dream you want to uphold! I could go on more and more about each one of the other characters, but at that point I'd be beating a dead horse since they all suffer from the exact same problems I've talked about before. Perhaps the only character who doesn't fit into this mould is one of our main protagonists, who offers so little to the narrative that you could omit him from the plot entirely and it wouldn't make a single difference! Now THAT'S a good main character! I suppose his main purpose is to act as the voice of reason and rationality in the story since he is the only sane character, and the one the audience can relate to the most, but if that's what they were attempting to do with his character, then they failed horribly since I honestly forget this guy is even here half the time. They try and make it out that he and Yumeko have this deep friendship, since she helped him recover from his debt in the beginning of the series, but their relationship feels superficial, as if the only reason they're even friends in the first place is just because the script dictates as such. His main purpose in the show is to deliver random expository dialogue and that's pretty much it. If there's one thing that Bukkakegurui gets right, then that's in the animation and art department. The show is very visually appealing, with pretty attractive and striking character designs, that blend well with the rather unique school uniform designs too. Not only that, but the show has plenty of super detailed close-up shots of character's faces to convey, not only the insanity of each one, but to also represent the sexual euphoria each character attains whilst in the games, and Bukkakegurui does a good job in that area. It's clear that the animators put a lot of work into making the show as visually interesting as they possibly could, but it's not without its inconsistencies however. CGI is sometimes used during close-up shots of the player's hands when dealing with cards, and it not only looks terrible, but is so jarring as well. Luckily CGI isn't used all too much aside from this one instance for some odd reason, so I can let it slide for the most part. The music is overall fine, and pretty forgettable, mostly consisting of free-from jazz that is way too suave and sophisticated for a show at this level of trashiness. The opening and ending tracks however are both damn great! The opening especially I love, with its use of stylish visuals and fantastic music, which almost tricks you into thinking that the actual show will carry the same energy and charisma. The voice actors as well all do a pretty stellar job in their respective roles, perfectly capturing the voice of someone who is insane! In conclusion, Bukkakegurui was a massive disappointment, and I think that's what makes the show ultimately more aggravating for me. While I dislike using the word to describe anything, I feel it is pretty appropriate when talking about this one, and that word is cringey! The show reeks of desperation, and tries way too hard to be edgy, and ends up just being embarrassing instead since many of the scenarios presented in the show, such as a scene in which Yumeko acts like a cat on all fours, feel as if they were written by a twelve-year-old. It fails as an intense thriller, it fails as a character study, it fails as a gambling show, but most importantly it fails at the most basic level to achieve any emotional connection with the audience. Bukkakegurui is a show more interested in over blown theatrics than it is in characters and the actual games itself, and the reason why this show is so bad. I can't even recommend this to be people on the grounds that it is "so bad that it's good". Just watch Kaiji instead... Bukkakegurui is a word trademarked by the great NFMaster! All credit goes to that sexy bastard!
~~~___Story & Characters___~~~ With a synopsis like that, expect this series to be very character driven, and it definitely delivers on that aspect. The story sounds like a allegory of totalitarianism where we have basically one student controlling anything and everything through gambling and another student standing up against the system. This series is not like that at all. This series is about competition and power through gambling, and those who fail to reach the mark lose their humanity and their names. You see how desperate people become when they lose those two things, and you see how people just give in to the system and refuse to fight back. You see both sides of the spectrum and how much they suffer because of this fucked up system. This is well told storytelling when the lore behind this show set in stone the way it is. That should say a lot. From watching this series, you'd expect one of the major themes of this series to be corruption, and you'd be right. Because of this system, you also how it corrupts students when they bully those that have lost their name and status which at times makes their fall from grace a bit cathartic at times. When you think about it, this can be nice callbacks to classical works like 1984 and even Fahrenheit 451. Now this is a series about gambling, so expect there to be a lot of gambling. You get that. The gambling can go from simple games like Rock-Paper-Scissors and even a simple flip of the coin to more complex stuff like Poker and ESP card games. The variety in these games is downright amazing and at times a bit overkill. Fortunately, due to the games' variety, it makes the series much more intense than ever. You also see well the characters work together in these games from the main characters to the supporting characters. And speaking of which... The characters are the heart of the show. They're three-dimensional and relatable. You see how much they suffer, how much they struggle, and how much they develop as well. You even see the corruption behind the characters as well which is a nice twist on the villains making them more relatable as well. Of course the standout of these characters is ~~~Yumeko Jabami~~~ ~~~img220(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/1c/43/ee/1c43eee7c1cdfbe9a394144ed7c8c7e8.jpg)~~~ To be honest, I knew something was up with girl when she's first introduced. I mean, why would a sweet and naïve girl like her would transfer to an academy like this without knowing its dark side. That's until you realize that she's more than aware of it, but that she was prepared for it. At one point, she's sweet and caring and at the drop of a pin, she's batshit insane. She's practically two-faced, but that's what makes her character work. Despite the fact that she's the strongest character in this series, she's not without her flaws. When you look at all the shit she pulls off, you start to see that she's basically a Mary Sue. She's too damn perfect for this show, and you know exactly what will happen when she starts gambling. She'll start off with a disadvantage and then later turn the tables on whomever she's facing. There are even times when she'll turn her opponent's partner against them just by influencing them to give in to the thrill of gambling. This does make the matches more exciting, but at the same time it makes them a bit underwhelming in the end. Fortunately, she has friends that make up for her flaws with the big one being ~~~Ryota Suzui~~~ ~~~img220(https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/kakegurui/images/b/b4/Ryotacrazy.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20190319184555)~~~ Okay, I'm already of what most people say about this guy. That he's useless and is completely unnecessary towards the plot, so I'm gonna go ahead and say it, and I don't care about the backlash. ~~~FUCK THEM!!!~~~ Ryota is arguably one of the best characters in this series. He starts off as this weak-willed guy that's unable to fight back against the system. You see his point of view and how much he has to put up with from being used as a chair to being used as a tool to cheat. Thanks to Yumeko's sweet and caring side, you see him develop not only as a character but also as a gambler as well. He may not be the best gambler in the series, but his personality and analysis skills more than make up for what he lacks. As the series progresses, you start to see that Ryota isn't influenced by Yumeko like others to give in to the thrill of gambling. He gives into it of his own free will. At that moment, you start to see that Ryota is more of a bad-ass than he lets on. And that's not even going into his character dynamic with Yumeko. These two work so well together with Yumeko being the one that calms Ryota when he's overwhelmed and Ryota being Yumeko's line of reasoning. At times I kept thinking to myself, "These two should just hook up already." I mean think about it. Whenever those are around each other, they seem to always enjoy their time together. Hell, the more I think about it, the more I start to realize that Ryota plays a huge role in Yumeko's gambling obsession. I'm a little disappointed that you don't see these work together more in the second season, but you gotta appreciate what they have. Like this scene. ~~~img220(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/ee/3a/d1/ee3ad187f743f90fadd8573c5fea6849.jpg)~~~ But I've spoken enough about these two. Let's move forward and talk about ~~~Mary Saotome~~~ ~~~img220(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/xw9s1gGy-Lo/maxresdefault.jpg)~~~ I'm gonna be frank everybody. I don't like Mary. I've seen her trope so many times that her character is just plain annoying. She starts off like everyone else, corrupted by the system and obsessed with manipulating people, but she gets her ass handed to her by Yumeko, she doesn't take responsibility when she loses everything. Hell, she's the type to get jealous of Ryota's relationship with Yumeko despite the fact that she likes to manipulate him when he lost everything. Here's a quick spoiler: there was a scene where Ryota was completely overwhelmed over the fact that there was a high chance that he and Yumeko would lose the game leading to Yumeko's expulsion. Yumeko tries to comfort him telling him that if they lose, the risk and burden will be all on her. Ryota refutes by basically confessing his feelings to her and telling her that the risk and burden was just as much his. How does Mary respond when hearing that? She immediately gets pissed off showing that she has some sort of feelings for Ryota (She doesn't deserve a good guy like Ryota). I know that's a nitpick, but seriously. She does have a moment of redemption when she realizes the truth behind the system, but it doesn't really change much about her character. She has some development, so I can give her props for that, but nothing much really changes about her. She sides with Yumeko, but she's still the same person she was just take out the manipulation. The next character to focus on is ~~~Itsuki Sumeragi~~~ ~~~img220(https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/kakegurui/images/e/e2/Kakegurui_anime_episode_2_Itsuki_Sumeragi_profile_image.PNG/revision/latest?cb=20180521091821)~~~ This fingernail obsessed girl is another one of those characters corrupted by the system, but her corruption wasn't as deep as expected. This former student council member actually has a notice for why she does what she does though her motive doesn't really explain the fingernail collection (that was just downright disgusting). Even with that, you see how she's grown to be more independent, and you see how resourceful she is when she tries to help Yumeko in a few episodes. There's not much to talk about her since she doesn't really have much screen time in the second season, but I gotta admit her reaction to Ryota's confession was just plain hilarious. Every character just feels three-dimensional and relatable from the two-faced idol Yumemi Yumemite to the masked Ririka Momobami that there are times where you actually sympathize with some of the villains in the show. Well maybe besides these two characters: ~~~Midari Ikishima~~~ ~~~img220(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/f0/b2/96/f0b296722d6e2bd1f4ddb44352e8e3c9.jpg)~~~ Where do I even begin with this character. We do get to see the reason behind her obsession with death, but her masochistic personality can be a little overkill at times. I gotta admit that she gave us arguably the best gambling match in the series, but her character does get a bit annoying in the second season when she goes full blown yandere for Yumeko. And who can forget the big bad herself ~~~Kirari Momobami~~~ ~~~img220(https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/kakegurui/images/e/eb/KirariScary.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20190713224052)~~~ This bitch just an enigma. I've watched this anime and read the manga multiple times and could never get a read on this girl. All we know is that she's the reason for the system and that she knows how to manipulate people from the members of the student council to even the regular students. She's literally the polar opposite of Yumeko on so many levels. The fucked up thing about her is that she sees the academy as an aquarium making her even more difficult to understand. In the end, you have characters that really make the anime stand out so much that you can't help but find at least one character to like and one to hate. ~~~___Animation & Sound___~~~ I knew I was in for an art show with this anime, but I was not expecting the studio behind it to basically hit the ball out of the park. Hell, I had never heard of this series when it first came out until I saw what studio was behind. For those who are wondering, Kakegurui was produced by MAPPA, the same studio that gave us: ~~~_Terror in Resonance_~~~ ~~~img220(https://entropymag.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Terror-in-Resonance.jpg)~~~ ~~~_Yuri!! On Ice_~~~ ~~~img220(https://miro.medium.com/max/2560/1*VpnKEzat3H9FKfKUCeZ5rA.jpeg)~~~ ~~~_And Dororo_~~~ ~~~img220(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--HVmvr45IZM/XIgKkhuV56I/AAAAAAAAD4U/l9_e6QuhxGY7K3c2pBT43aen3x__Xy6tACKgBGAs/w914-h514-p-k-no-nu/hyakkimaru-dororo-anime-uhdpaper.com-4K-25.jpg)~~~ Now the art style that they used is not the same as the original source material, but that doesn't mean that the art style was bad. In fact, it's one of the best looking art style of recent years. The background looks so realistic at times that I thought I was watching the live action series of the same name (I recommend checking that series out, even though it's more on the comedic side). The character designs were just overkill in a good way. The overreactions were so spot on with how the characters react to different moments like the aforementioned confession scene. If you remember Mary and Itsuki's reaction, you see how big their mouths get. I was watching this thinking to myself, "Am I watching an anime version the hit Netflix cartoon Big Mouth?" The overreactions are what fit the series, so I can't really complain. Then we have the voice acting. Wow, just wow. The voice acting was just amazing Yumeko's voice acting was the best with the English and Japanese dub. I don't know how these make Yumeko sound so damn sexy. I mean, I expect nothing from Saori Hayami, the voice of Miyuki from The Irregular at Magic High Scho and Shinoa from Seraph of the End. But Erica Harlacher really surprised me. For those who don't know, she's the voice of the serious natured Kurapika in Hunter x Hunter. Now that I remember, she was also the voice of my girl Ann Takamaki from Persona 5, so maybe is does make sense. Either way, these two voice actors knew how make Yumeko sweet and caring in one scene and then insane and perverted in another. Another voice acting role that surprised me was the voice of Ryota both Japanese and English. First, Tatsuya Tokutake's voicing in the Japanese dub was well-done. This guy is a brand new voice actor, so I'm amazed that he can pull off his character so well. This kid has got some talent, so I'm looking forward to what he does next. Then there's Griffin Burns in the English dub. This is another voice actor that surprised me from another relatively new voice actor. He's already making a name for himself after getting an award for best Breakthrough Role and Actor of the Year. For those who don't know who Griffin Burns is, he voiced Akira Fudo in Devilman Crybaby. To be honest, I think the English dub has the Japanese dub beat in this retrospect. Netflix chose the right people. You got Erica Mendez (voice of Raphtalia in the English dub of The Rising of the Shield Hero) voicing Itsuki and the iconic Michelle Ruff (voice of Yuki Nagato from The Melancholy of Haruhu Suzumiya) voicing Kirari. I expect nothing less from these voice actors, and I look forward to what they do next. Then we have the OST. The soundtrack was amazing for the show. It knew how to set the mood for every scene. If there's an intense scene, then expect the music to be either make it hard for you to breathe or make your heart race. If there's a light-hearted scene, then expect the music to put you at ease. In laymen's terms, it gives you that intense gambling sensation like you want to take a risk. The OP and ED themes are very fitting for the series with their catchy and fast-paced tones, but it's not the greatest. It's not really something that you can just listen to without watching the show, but it's not a bad thing. It just fits the show. All in all, MAPPA hit the ball out of the park with the animation and sound, but I wouldn't really call it a Grand Slam. ~~~___Final Verdict___~~~ f I had to compare to compare the two seasons, then season one would be the best out of the two. Season 2 had a very good start showing each of the characters' development, but it's ending was very anticlimactic, and it felt like the development they had was just thrown out the window. Even so, this series is this generation's Kaiji. I look forward to what they do with this series, because it deserves more seasons, and if they announce another season, then I hope MAPPA comes back and deliver on what they do everytime. If I had to give each season an individual rating, season 1 would be "GODLY!!", And season 2 would be "A One-Time Watch" In the end, I can say that Kakegurui - Compulsive Gambler (both seasons overall) is... ~~~___A Binge-Water___~~~
~~~__NOTE:__ 1. This is a spoiler free review. 2. This review covers some bits of s2 too (without giving out much about it)~~~ ____ ~~~_A “compulsive” anime standing up to its name_~~~ I had to watch a “psychological – ecchi” anime. So I gambled and choose Kakegurui over Monotagari. Well that explains how my first gamble went down the ditch. I personally enjoyed Kakegurui because I like psychological and mind games. But this is a complete absurd anime. There are so many things wrong and so few things right; and so many questions unanswered. I completed s1 and s2. And s2 is more weird than s1. As most anime do, even this defies logic. I’m sure most of us would have thought, “Which parent can be so irresponsible as to send their kids to a school where they spend money like water for gambling?” And that is just the beginning of the bizarre questions I got from watching this anime. Time to break the anime down. __OP:__ I like how the aquarium imagery was used in s1's OP. About why it is used, we’ll know in the later episodes of s1. The song is okay-ish but actually suits the anime. So that is a plus. I liked s2's OP more than s1’s OP. It was really good. __ED:__ The video of s1's ed creeped me out, ngl. I don’t like ecchi, but I can tolerate it. This ed made me question myself. WHY THE HELL DID I NOT SKIP IT????(I did skip after watching it twice-thrice) And EP 9 has a special ED - "Koi no Russian Roulette". That was cute to watch. I wished it were permanent ed xd __Rest of the OST:__ They were good. Though the music around the ahegao expressions were just too much for me to handle, I think anyone who watched ecchi will have no trouble with it. __Animation:__ Since the studio is MAPPA, the animation is on par with their standards. But, Ahegao expressions disturbed me a lot. Like A LOT. img(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/782602271438929932/782620961388232744/Screenshot_5.png) This kind of visuals freak me out. Though I'm sure many would be watching it only for these. But what I did like are the male lead’s expressions. What happens when a normie is lost between crazies? Our Shizuo Ryouta happens. img(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/782602271438929932/782620969109553193/Screenshot_19.png) img(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/782602271438929932/782620963740712970/Screenshot_12.png) img(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/782602271438929932/782620965699977236/Screenshot_13.png) __Characters:__ The anime starts with Saotome Mary and Suzui Ryouta. We get to see a crazy right off the bat. Each character is more crazier, more weirder and more disgusting that the other. None of the characters are actually either lovable imo or relatable. Some may like Yumeko Jabami for Yandere reasons, but there is actually no development. Each character is a gamble addict. Some smart, some dumb, some stupid and some just disgusting. There is actually nothing more to say. They are just gamble addicts with some goals, but each is more repulsive than the other. When it comes to s2, we see some development into the “Bami” family. We get new characters that are again as eerie as those in s1, if not more. Overall, this anime doesn’t have a proper character development so highly not recommended for people who want to see character development. __Voice Actors:__ We are very familiar with Saori Hayami. And I am not particularly aware of other VAs, but I think everyone has really done their job great. And Finally, The so-called “__Plot__”: Yes, it is so-called because I barely find anything in it. A school where people receive their social standing through gambling. Well many want to be on top of the social circle, so we see power-hungry, money-hungry crazies making their go for it. I said that the anime is pretty “compulsive” like its name. Why? Because it is. The entire anime depends on Yumeko’s irresistible urge to gamble and social hierarchy being decided on gambling. That’s it. Nothing else. There is nothing else driving this anime. And the more I watch, the more questions cross my head which shows just how ridiculous this anime is. I won’t state all my questions as they’ll be spoilers. But I’ll share some of them: 1. How can Ikishima carry a gun in a school? 2. Gambling as hobby is fine. But they are ruining lives and bullying people. What is management doing about it? 3. Which parents send their children to a school where they spend money without any responsibility? And the rest fall under spoilers. But I’m sure many of you must have thought about them too. __Entertainment:__ As someone who likes psychological, I’ll say this anime has some perks here and there that impressed me. I even enjoyed some of the gambles. But overall, it wasn’t interesting to me. Entertaining, but not interesting. __Final Opinion:__ An anime good for psychology-thriller lovers, who wouldn’t mind absurdity. It doesn’t have a lot of promising stuff, but it can keep one entertaining if one doesn’t get too creeped out.
#####~~~(__spoiler-free__ review)~~~ ~~~img450(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/ec/6f/b5/ec6fb57230a721a89a3228f9614bebe3.gif)~~~ __I don’t think I need to apologize for liking this piece of shit.__ I just don’t. I walked into this series decided to swallow it dry like bitter medicine, nose shut, just so that I could finally get rid of all the signs and the imagery and the cosplay and the horny dogs who would constantly try to lure me into watching _Kakegurui_. I mean, it is just so fucking flashy. That gorgeous (though seemingly plain at first, with her flat black hair and 2nd gen kpop bangs) main character that is Jabami Yumeko draws your eye. The show doesn’t play a lot with a range of colours but it explores the arguably most exciting ones, constantly finding ways to present blacks and reds in fancy fashion. And you can’t help but wonder what the fuck is up with those sparkling killer bloodshot red eyes of her on the promo pics. At least I wanted to know. But I wanted to hate it immediately, and I dove into it wearing a passion for hate-watching on my sleeve and my god, I still enjoyed it so much. I think. ~~~img450(https://media1.tenor.com/images/82098adde3ed76c0db68b1411c644fc2/tenor.gif?itemid=13131076)~~~ And I’ll admit, _it is_ a dumb show. It is a full exercise of futility and absurdity and it is seasoned with so many dumb tropes I hate to watch on anime: immense amounts of money that lose meaning after only a few zeroes; cute girls doing cute things, but they are actually evil psychopaths; a school that has no actual classes and works under a “system” that is just literal crime but for some reason it runs smoothly; a completely unnecessary male main character that is deeply involved in every single event of the show but can never seem to understand what is actually going on right in front of his stupid eyes; gorgeous faces being twisted into looking like that titan who ate Eren’s mother because, you know, bad people are ugly... you get the gist. However, what bothers me is that even when using such formulaic and offensive elements, _Kakegurui_ is shy. It doesn’t dive all the way into the madness or the creepiness or even the high sexuality of it; in fact, after the initial bang of proposing the absurd that kneads the story, it gets a little stale. It’s nowhere near as edgy, dramatic or aggressive as I think was the intent of it. It’s not all-in on any of the elements that could make it so. However, even being dim and dumb, it is entertaining and often even a lot of fun. The show chooses not to take itself too seriously, probably acknowledging that it is a silly effort, which allows us to turn from cringe hate-watching to guilty pleasure indulgence. ~~~img450(https://giffiles.alphacoders.com/138/138116.gif)~~~ But I think what kept me going the most during the season was the fact that I could hear a cry of criticism far in the distance. Somewhere in there, deep down, I believe there is a play on capitalism and its values. The show presents itself through the point of view of a maniac who gets her psychological and sexual release from risking everything in a gamble, even while she constantly denounces that each of the games designed for the gambles are fake and rigged. All the rich and powerful student gamblers are presented confidently and arrogantly until the moment their facade is exposed and they are faced with real risk of losing. I think this could have been an attempt to present capitalists as scammers who will boast about their skill and prowess until it is revealed that they would not be able to live their jolly good lives if not through lies and exploitation of others (represented by the “pet system”); not only that, but they will howl and growl about the rules of society and how everybody should be able to afford to play the game, all the while being overwhelmed when faced with the presence of someone who actually believes in this system and its dangers. Yumeko is a fine representation of the ideal capitalist, one with infinite resources and no morals or remorse, only a neverending hunger for more, and she is met by all (well, except for the dense, unnecessary male main character) with panic and disgust. That was the underlining meaning I was able to find among the moans, fan service and the ugly faces of _Kakegurui_. ~~~img450(https://www.icegif.com/wp-content/uploads/kakegurui-icegif-6.gif)~~~ In conclusion: I was right in believing beforehand that _Kakegurui_ was a silly, exaggerated and kinda pointless show, but I was wrong in believing I wouldn’t be able to enjoy it, have fun with it or even draw something to reflect upon watching it. It made me crave for the next episode even if only to find out what the fuck they were going to do with all that hot mess... which is way more than I could have asked anyway. ~~~Img(https://nykohai.files.wordpress.com/2018/02/e7e0aadabbf0181e90812edaf5b906a48416da6b_hq.gif)~~~ #####~~~さあ 。。。掛け狂いましょう！~~~
I started watching this, at first, because the description for this anime was dumb enough to make me laugh, I expected something very shite. Another shit anime I could possibly get __elitist__ about. I don't know if I would go as far as to call it great, but it is quite tense and sexualized, enough to keep me watching the two seasons. We follow the journey of a girl who gets turned on by gambling, in a school where the pecking order is governed by the house. Everyone cheats, but she likes to play. She's smarter and more cunning than most, so she manages to outdo them, sometimes by mere luck. There lies the strength of the series when it comes to gambling, seeing a force of nature wrecking torment on her opponents. If the series often gets compared to Kaiji, it's unjustified. Yumeko seems to share more of a semblance to Akagi. Both are near unbeatable figures who share a taste for risk and disdain towards those they deem too cowardly to match them. Kaiji turns out to be a mediocre man who is far too commonplace. Technically, most should be able to identify with Kaiji more easily and find him more endearing. But that would be forgetting one of the primordial points of attachment and identification in a narrative work: the will to identify oneself. Mysterious and extraordinary characters such as Akagi and Yumeko naturally guide the viewers to become more attached to their destinies. There is an exotic fascination around characters whose actions someone can't rationalize immediately. But there's a catch, Kakegurui takes a different characteristic approach. The anime is fast-paced, often covering a single game within one episode. Nothing is explained through viewer exposition, visual hints often get more explicit if one rewatches an episode after seeing the outcome of the game. In earlier episodes, we often have Ryota being explained the tactics behind certain tricks. This serves to alienate the viewer, in a sense. Even if one can be familiar with the real references and psychological tricks the show loves to cite. It's odd for a gambling show because we aren't really meant to feel the stakes from Yumeko's perspective but from her ____opponents____. They are the main characters of their own arcs, we are shown why they choose to play, what they stand to lose, and some are presented with sympathetic motivations. We feel the anxiety that takes over them when Yumeko gets closer and closer to breaking them because they simply don't stand a chance. It's not Manichean as other gambling animes, there's little to no character who is truly villainous. At most, they are tools of a hierarchical system that can take everything away from them. The series also holds particular interest, because it's morbid and sexual. The main cast is almost entirely feminine, and we see them openly masturbate over the impossible odds. We feel the pleasure that dominates them in possibly losing everything, a deadly desire that is both sexual and masochistic. The numerous shots of the cast's erogenous zones (ass, lips, boobs, thighs..) only exist to excessively sexualize these students. But the morbidity of their fetish and the expressions they pull counterpoises the overabundant fanservice. These are young women who are ready to die so they can feel fulfilled, for a taste of risk. After a while, it becomes impossible to heighten the stakes. Once a character has taken part in a game of Russian roulette, the thrill is sort of gone. So the series makes the games more rational, we go from simple challenges in the first season to a full-on game of thrones, with trials that are more complex and mathematical. We start to get more of this addiction to risk, where there isn't even anything to gain anymore, just the possibility of losing all hope. This council president arc still isn't resolved at the end of the second season, leaving me a bit disappointed. But the series is short, no filler, no useless character arcs, and we never spend five episodes on a steel beam. So my usual gripes about anime adaptations aren't an issue here. I might see some real legs in the live-action series until then, who knows. I will finally sleep peacefully.
I watched "Kakegurui" after "No game no life" and I can see some similaritys in the games. But I really like them both. I read some reviews on this anime and saw some quite rough hatred... Some points I really do understand, some not. I was more focused on the creativity on the games than on the characters though. So, let me start with my review. Before we start, shouldn't we play a game like it in "Kakegurui"? Alright: Let's gamble, shall we? I gamble with you, that you will see some closer ups about the anime and maybe change your mind about it. # 1. Story The anime "Karakegurui" is taking place in a highschool with -I just be so directly- crazy people inside. Their daily life is about gamble. If you loose, you loose everything. It is kind of gambeling with your own pride. So it is only natural, that the students there are a bit lost in their minds. img220(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/2STwGMxfB8g/hq720.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEjCOgCEMoBSFryq4qpAxUIARUAAAAAGAElAADIQj0AgKJDeAE=&rs=AOn4CLDu1TC1CQsXyIssCrUyeUaxeGPkFQ) For me it was also a bit...uh weird at first to watch the characters going wild while playing with their pride. To be giving the anime a bit credit: I really like the games the anime has shown. Actually, I really played some of them afterwards with friends. And no, not the ones that are dangerous! Don't get me wrong! Also, the main aspect in the world in "Kakegurui" is: having money. Money means power. It is a bit like our lifes too. If you look closer, at some points we could even say that we are as crazy as the people in "Kakegurui". img220(https://cdn.animenachrichten.de/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/maxresdefault-e1501685468120.jpg) # 2. Characters and the similarity to our world It is sad, that the anime doesn't give us much background information about the characters or any improvement about them. I would have like to watch how a normal student turn into a crazy one or the other way round. I like how the author exagerated the characters, how crazy they will become when it comes to a game and money. Sometimes it is a bit too much. img220(http://68.media.tumblr.com/2727bd8317d2356ec8c09712ea8e8452/tumblr_oux1pd4LRQ1sr6ql7o1_540.gif) What I personally liked the most about the characters are probably, that they are similar to the people in our world. -You won't believe me, or?- Our world is like being wealthy or being poor. The people with money have the power over the ones which are poor. That is the fundament of everything. Craziness in being rich is how they use their money. They do go in risky things, gamble or even greater stuff. Maybe they aren't as crazy as the people in "Kakegurui" since it is much more exagerated. But the basic is the same. img220(https://pa1.narvii.com/6522/3be3cfa801906764cd31375739a35a8de4b628cc_hq.gif) # 3. Music I really like the opening of "Kakegurui". It makes me want to dance. -I really do love dancing to anime openings lol- youtube(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2NjgShVZ2A) Furthermore, the anime is waaaay more better to girls than in our world. Maybe we should try to learn from the anime when the whole world is trying to get more rights to woman. Woman are smart living beings. Proof me wrong if you can. # 4. Sexual content I have read many reviews which criticized this. It is true, that there are overall sexual content. I won't deny this fact. The anime does exagerate the feeling of gamble and actual "happiness" to them. How I see it is, that the world really does not give us much exitements. The only thing we do is: Being born, go to school, learn, eat, sleep, learn, go to university, learn, eat, sleep, learn, get a job, work, eat, sleep, work, reitre, die. -It was exergerating too- I hope you know what I mean. The production uses sexual arosements to depict how boring life is but how low people can get to just expirience some joy. Since the anime didn't really let us "see" anything, I was okay with it because I was watching "Kakegurui" because of the games and not because of the sexual content. I mean, try to watch only the games and skip those unpleasant parts. The anime will definitely get better. This is only a thought of mine, I could have read too much in it or try to read something in it. Don't be offended by my comment. Also, there are many people who actually like "Kakegurui" eventhough so many people speak ill of it. # 5. Conclusion I think the games from "Kakegurui" are amazing and actually nice ideas. If you watch the anime with skipping all those sexual content, it is a really interesting anime and worth watching. That is why I am willing to disagree with the other reviews. I do see their points, but everyone has an own opinion and I hope I could change your opininon a little bit. I give this anime a 7,5/10 because of the nice games they let us see which gave me more ideas of what games one can play with friends. (You can always talk to me in the comments if you have anything you dislike about my comment or what you would like to add.) img220(https://64.media.tumblr.com/6e5619efa7b4d1dfcd4b0c61a535a50b/tumblr_pon6hs8m9i1tdisgeo2_400.gifv)
This is one of the most baffling things I have experienced, for a quote unquote gambling anime it could not have been more boring. This review will be examining the biggest problems in this anime its plot, characters, stakes and intensity. *This review contains spoilers* The Plot Brief Summary: This anime is set in an elitist school where the children seem to get away with gambling and nearly every character getting off on the thrill of it especially the new transfer student Yumeko. Problems: Where are the teachers in this so called school? Why are they not supervising the students? These questions are left unanswered, as the rich children gamble away money with hardly any consequences. It is also another anime where they picture the student council as these 'Gods' but thanks to luck, Yumeko has literally no problems winning the gambles against these so called smart characters. The Characters Yumeko: A character only popular because "OMG! She is like so crazyyy and oh yeah hot waifu!!!!!", she is clever for no apparent reason, somehow knows the weights of a loaded pistol (which is never explained as to how she knows this) and always wins except when there are no stakes. The anime makes the fact that she will always win obvious for example there is no way she is losing the gamble where her life is on the line (e.g. with the pistol this scene literally happens midway through the anime) and when she is gambling against that pathetic weird rapist kid. The other characters: There is really not that much to say all of them have no redeeming qualities and can be described in simple terms; crazy girl who masturbates in the toilets, rapist guy, 'smart' guy with glasses, idol, male who goes all shy when around Yumeko and the evil student council leader. Wow! What an interesting bunch! The Stakes This is one of the biggest problems I have with this anime, the stakes are so stupid. For example when Yumeko takes on the idol and shockingly wins, the idol's leaked recordings are exposed and what are the consequences? Nothing, the incel simps which are in attendance blurt out that they still love her even though she hates them and then the idol and Yumeko sing. Also, for example when Yumeko loses, it could have not been more obvious as the only consequence was that she would become a housepet which happens to those that lose all their money. However, Yumeko is not treated harshly by her classmates as seen with other housepets rather she acts like a cat for some of that fan service. A further problem I have with this anime is when the students gamble for example 5 million yen and get upset when they lose, this school is quite clearly betrayed as elitist and upper class. How is it possible that these rich snobs can't afford 5 million yen? Did their parents offshore accounts get hacked? The Intensity To show why the intensity of Kakegurui is an issue of mine, I want to use another gambling anime such as Kaiji as an example. In Kaiji, the intensity is gripping due to its iconic music such as the 'Zawa' sound effect, the close up looks of the characters faces and the amazing charismatic voice of the narrator. Kakegurui fails to do this, instead on relying on miserable fan service and Yumeko's eyes turning red because she is crazy!!! The intensity, is also ruined as in basically every single gamble Yumeko's opponent is cheating (shock horror!) and she then explains how they are cheating making her opponent's breakdown. This is clearly supposed to show Yumeko as being smart, in my opinion it just makes her opponents seem dumb especially when it is made so obvious to the audience what Yumeko will do. Conclusion Kakegurui is quite simply put a failure of a gambling anime although I will give its props when it comes to its opening which is quite catchy. It failed to make me interested in any of its characters or its plot and I doubt I will ever bring myself to watch its second season.
Review for Kakegurui: (In retrospect had I written this in 2023 I probably would have done it diffrently but I'll keep the review up) __PART 0: Preamble__ I sat down a few weeks ago just before a blackout trying to decide the show on Netflix that I would download to watch. After some deliberation, I decided that Kakegurui, a show my sister had watched and that I wanted to watch for some time now, would serve pretty well as a reasonable time waster. It provided me exactly what I wanted, a pretty ok anime that I enjoyed watching, but as the week went on, I watched further during a series of blackouts, slowly making the realisation that I had so much more to say about this show than I initially thought. This review will attempt to detail my weird and mixed feelings about this show, so spoilers abound, and for the sake of clarity, while Season 1 and 2 are separated in theory, I don't care and am merging my reviews for both into this singular review. __PART 1: Plot Synopsis__ So the plot of Kakegurui goes as follows: Yumeko Jabami rocks up to Hyakkaou Private Academy a while after a student named Ryouta Suzui loses badly to another student named Mary Saotome. This loss has put Ryouta into a system of servitude called the housepet system. Now and then, students are expected to contribute to the school, usually in the form of donations, and failing to do so will lead to the said student being forced into the program where they are effectively stripped of all independence and free expression, and made slaves to the bidding of other students. This, unfortunately, includes sexual assault and is even a topic of one episode. It's treated about as well as you can imagine, but the shittyness of that episode aside, it's still a horrific system that is pretty fun to explore lore-wise. img(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/939820755615625266/983036307318124604/unknown.png?width=609&height=609) Now we return to the plot, where Yumeko meets Ryouta in a pretty plausible way, and they share a scene where they discuss the above system to a degree. It's a pretty good scene, and I like how it hints at Yumeko's nature as a Kakegurui, someone who loves taking risks. img(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/961694719329587281/981212750543994980/unknown.png?width=1083&height=609) For the rest of the episode, Yumeko holds a gambling match with Mary Saotome, who is the person to which Ryouta happens to be in debt to. Yumeko wins the match, despite Mary cheating, and proceeds to help Ryouta pay off his debt to Mary. This is the inciting incident that begins to draw people's attention to Yumeko, while also propelling Ryouta's character into Yumeko's orbit. One amazing bit of writing that I must honestly say I did not expect, however, was that Mary Saotome neither becomes a shitty side villain nor a total show punching bag, although both seem like trajectories initially. I'll elaborate more in the match section, specifically the breakdown of episodes 4 and 5's match. img(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/961694719329587281/981214320883007538/unknown.png?width=1083&height=609) So as the plot continues, Yumeko effectively starts challenging different members of the school's Student Council to gambling matches, which naturally leads to the Student Council keeping tabs on her. The plot is really fun, and has a great climax, but for now I’ll just say that the plot effectively isn't my focus of the review.It’s serviceable at best in an objective sense, and wacky when it wants to be. Just to tie in my use of Season 1 and 2 at the same time, here’s a quick rundown of Season 2(Spoilered in case you do not wish to know about Season 2 yet or haven't watched): ~!In Season 2, due to the concluding events of Season 1, the Student Council is disbanded and an election is held to determine the new Student Council President, with various people of a powerful family bloodline, the Monobami clan, joining the school for the sake of gambling for the chance to run the school. I actually like Season 2's plot a lot less than season one, because it's kinda a rehash of Season 1.!~ __PART 2: The Bad__ If you have read any of my previous reviews, seeing The Bad in part 2 should probably be setting off alarm bells. I have a lot of good things to say about this bizarre-ass anime, but holy crap, do I have some bad ones too. I would like to start my argument as to the show's flaws with a question; __What should a gambling anime be about?__ The answer is going to depend on a lot of factors, but a few answers you could have given might be "It should focus on good characters and their strategies and struggles while gambling" "Gambling should be the focus, how things are ultimately decided by chance" "The main character's ability to handle the stress of tense gambling situations." Whether or not you believe in none, one, or all three of these concepts, I'm sure you agree that on principle, there should be at least a basic understanding that the main character could legitimately lose everything on the roll of a dice. Kakegurui has almost none of that. It has good characters, it has occasionally good writing, but for the majority of the gambling matches in the show, there is never a single time where the gambling legitimately feels like Yumeko could lose everything. 5 of the 8 matches (with the sixth one being in a grey area) are full of cheating, which Yumeko will summarily point out and suddenly win. Maybe not all matches follow this formula exactly, but in almost no situation is Yumeko in any danger. Yumeko is a fucking Mary Sue. She has extremely high reserves, she could pay to win any gambling match she wants, she literally becomes a housepet for a while, and they keep stating that she has the cash to get out, but she just chooses not to (It's justified why, in context, she is using it as an opportunity to gamble higher stake players, my point here is the money issue). We don't have a clear number, but the TOP STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOL say she has considerable cash. It doesn't take a brainiac to work out that her gambling won't ever cause her to reach a point where she can't pay her debt off if she wants to. This doesn't even address the fact that in many matches there are stakes even worse than that. People can bet their lives, lifelong servitude, the ability to gamble in and of itself. There is a huge chance that even if they were to lose, the stakes would have little to no effect anyway. img(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/961694719329587281/981528041178157106/unknown.png?width=1083&height=609) Effectively, the gambling in Season 1 is very one-sided. She wins 6 of those 8 matches, one is a draw, and one is the loss she uses to become a house pet. In most good gambling animes it wouldn't be this clear cut, this easy to say that all the gambling is so fake. You could pretty much achieve the same result by having every game be a coinflip, and the coin just so happens to land in Yumeko's favour whenever the plot demands it. It gets a bit better in Season 2, other than the first and last gambles, most of them are pretty good. Other than gambling, another point I dislike is that the story of both seasons is pretty much just "Yumeko wants to gamble against good players, and so she does." It just so happens that the gambling in Season 2 isn't with money most of the time, but that's an aesthetic difference. In the plot itself, Yumeko has no real interest in the presidency, which is fortunate since she would be shit at it. Mary shines in Season 2, cause she seems like she could have a horse in that race. In nutshell, the anime fails fundamentally at making its gambling engaging most of the time, and the plot is lacklustre. I'll be elaborating on the matches in Part 4 __PART 3: The Good__ With criticism comes enjoyment, and despite my issues, I like a lot of this show. In my opinion, the show's core strength lies in its cast of characters, and the tension between them. It also has a lesser aspect of weirdness, that while not appealing to me personally, seems to be a major positive for others. The core three characters of the show are Yumeko, Mary, and Ryouta. Of these, my least favourite is Yumeko, who fortunately is not so much the main character as the deuteragonist. Yumeko is a compulsive gambler - a Kakegurui - obsessed with taking risks and deriving pleasure from that. While I find her character a bit annoying at times, especially paired with her Mary Sue tendencies, I generally accept that as a protagonist she is not terrible. When it comes to Ryouta and Mary, however, this is where my interest in the show goes up. Beware, from this point forward, there will be unmarked spoilers for both Season 1 and 2. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mary Saotome and Ryouta Suzui are presented in the show as having recently had a gambling match that left Ryouta indebted to Mary. img(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/961694719329587281/981899941645545542/unknown.png?width=547&height=572) img(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/961694719329587281/981899941976866846/unknown.png?width=454&height=571) After being dismantled by Yumeko, we see steady growth in both characters, and we see examples of them trying to grow from their experiences with Yumeko. Yumeko is a character that doesn't change, Mary and Ryouta change a lot, almost in opposite ways. Core to Ryouta, Yumeko teaches him to take risks, and to become confident, in fact the series finale is all about Ryouta becoming a confident risk taker. Mary learns a lot of things from Yumeko, but the biggest of them is her stint as a housepet. She really shows some strong character as she fights tooth and nail to get rid of her debt, but even beyond that, she really learns to have allies and work with Yumeko. I seriously liked all of that. Animation wise, I can't really say that it's the best I've ever seen, but I enjoy it enough to be able to say that it's one of the better animated shows, especially on Netflix. As for the weirdness. I am not a fan of weird for the sake of weird. In fact for a while I thought I was not going to like the show because of all the characters acting like they are in heat, but I eventually grew to accept it. It's not a particularly great aspect for me, but from comment sections on youtube, my sister's opinion and a few friends on discord, the consensus is that the weirdness makes the show good. My final positive I want to talk about is the amazing Opening Song, Deal with the Devil. youtube(https://youtu.be/3ItP24jdKaI) I love the animation of it, the way it shows every character's personality so well. If my sanity was not already so addled by this review, I'd do a stronger breakdown, but a watch should do the trick. __PART 4: Match Breakdown__ Alternative Title: How I learned to stop worrying and love the gambling anime. The following section will be a review of every single - major gambling match, specifically those that have an episode focus - the characters in that match - the positives and negatives of the gambling itself - how strong the characters are in the gambling I will try to keep each of these shorter, but some might become long. I'll be ranking them from one to fifteen notable matches I counted across the anime. I also name them by taking the name of the protagonist of the match and the match they are gambling. Without further ado: 15: Yumeko V Poison Sisters Episode: Season 2 Episode 3 Goal: Yumeko gambles against two sisters who later poison her. This match is kinda the least notable of any match for one particular reason: It isn't a match so much as an episode-long introduction to the rules of the match, specifically establishing the threats of the two sisters. In truth this is the lowest not for any quality reason, it's basically just the connecting tissue for a much better match later. img(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/961694719329587281/982395959885582346/unknown.png?width=653&height=609) 14: Yumeko V Unmemorable Traditional Gambling Episode: Season 1 Episode 3 Goal: Yumeko has a gambling match with a boring side character and I just don't like this episode, ok? So you know how in some episodes, they say watch until episode 3? Yeah in Kakegurui, you should probably watch until episode 8 before the show gets any good, but by the time you are done with episode 3, you've seen the worst it has to offer. A gambling premise that you can barely understand, a character with no charm or note, not even fun Mary stuff outside her losing more money at the start of the episode, I hate this. The fact Yumeko loses and becomes a housepet is great and all, but the entire episode is so bad that I honestly just can't enjoy anything about it. 13: Yumeko V Fingernail Fetishist Episode: Season 1 Episode 2 Goal: Yumeko needs to gamble with a lady who has a very explicit kink for ripping out people's fingernails. Hot. img(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/961694719329587281/982676075530305596/unknown.png?width=636&height=572) So this match is the first one I'm going in-depth with because I kind of despise it for a trend it truly cements for the series. The vast majority of gambling in Kakegurui is undertoned by some form of cheating. This match starts because Itsuki Sumeragi comes out to challenge Yumeko to a game of “Match 2”. It's a pretty standard game, just flip two cards, and if they are correct, you get them. It's basically a game about memory, with some luck thrown in in the first couple of minutes due to needing to get enough pairs to be ahead. Well fuck that, Sumeragi cheats. She had the game rigged from the start. She uses packs of cards from her family, which have heat-related paint on the back that makes her able to tell what every card is. Somehow, Yumeko cannot only tell that they are marked, but can memorize every single one in one match and then challenge Sumeragi to a second match where she reveals that she has worked it all out. Yumeko is a Mary Sue. img(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/961694719329587281/982676075203137576/unknown.png?width=1014&height=572) Some things I like about this match, however, are the interactions between Yumeko and Sumeragi near the end of the match. Yumeko physically and emotionally dominates Sumeragi and causes her to break down into tears. It's actually really fun to watch and the highlight of the match. 12: Yumeko V Mary Episode: Season 1 Episode 1 Goal: Mary Saotome has challenged Yumeko to a game of “Ballot Rock Paper Scissors” So the first match in the entire show. I wish it was good, I really do. I wish that it knocked me off my feet and made me want to watch further. It didn't. This match is not the reason I like Mary as a character, or the anime itself. It's badly flawed, the game is based on all people in the class drawing either Rock, Paper or Scissors on a ballot, putting in a box, and then the two contestants drawing 3 ballots, and playing “Rock Paper Scissors” until someone wins or they reach a draw three times. It's a unique concept, I like it. But Mary cheats. I want to say that I thought this was gonna be an exception when I first watched it. I will admit that the way it happens is actually reasonably cool. Mary signals to the class through Ryouta (who for the entire match is established to be able to see Yumeko's hand)that they are supposed to draw certain things, she even makes it clear that she only has sway over friends, people in debt, or people she bribed, about two thirds of the class. It's a cool way of cheating. Yumeko wins because she has a hand mirror that is never shown that she uses to see the signals of Ryouta and then accordingly beats Mary. I am not joking, the way Yumeko wins is through a completely unestablished mirror that she just uses. In no way could you possibly know that Yumeko was actually ahead through watching the anime alone, a classic example of telling instead of showing. The characters here are also not particularly interesting. Mary doesn't act like she acts in the rest of the anime, Yumeko is the same self she always is and Ryouta has yet to be a cool character. It's just one of the season one matches that generally aren't good. 11: Yumeko V Suicide Watch Season 1 Episode 6-7 Goal: Yumeko needs to play a game of Russian Roulette, but it’s confusing and the challenger just wants to die. img(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/961694719329587281/982703410660917268/unknown.png?width=1077&height=609) Ah Midari. She tries so hard to be a crazy edgelord character, and sometimes it feels like it's working, but in reality it's just kinda annoying. Honestly, as the show goes on, I start to empathize with Yumeko's total disinterest in her. This match involves Yumeko being forced into a game of, effectively, Russian Roulette. It's more complex than that, but it achieves the same effect. I don't even need to tell you that no one dies, or that no one is injured. It is just a game with basically no stakes. Midari should probably have been written to be more threatening, but I really just don't find her character design or personality threatening or entertaining in this match. She just gets off on the danger and clearly would be happier banging Yumeko as opposed to anything else. From this point further, I generally like all the matches. None of them really achieve being good gambling matches, but they start showing off characters significantly better. 10: Yumeko V The French Revolution Episode: Season 2 Episode 1-2 Goal: Fingering a Guillotine This match also features Midari. Anyhow, this match is pretty easy to explain, and it's also the turning point between cool gambling matches with no stakes and bad gambling matches with no stakes. In fact, the stake-less nature of this episode is kind of egregious. Yumeko and Midari are invited to a game with a member of the Monobami clan (in the show this is a big deal, but the big thing is that they are competing in an election). The game is as follows: You have a guillotine hung on a string, every single player sticks their finger under the guillotine, and you can cut a series of strings that exist. One of the 20 strings is the one holding up the guillotine, and cutting it will cause it to fall on your finger. Pulling out your finger causes you to lose. Half way through the first episode of the match, it's revealed that there is a bar stopping the guillotine from falling on their fingers, so the girl who invited them to the match is in no danger, same for Yumeko and Midari. img(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/961694719329587281/982712906565181520/unknown.png?width=956&height=609) Yumeko wins by making her think that the guillotine has had the bar removed, and Midari fucks up by cutting the last two strings, leading to Yumeko winning. It's a cop out. The only part of this episode that is good is the scene where Yumeko mentally fucks with the girl and forces her into tears. It's a really good scene. 9: Yumeko V Creep Episode: Season 1 Episode Goal: Put a Rapist in debt img(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/961694719329587281/982716593823948820/unknown.png?width=1284&height=609) Of the first half of Season 1, this is the best gambling match. That's not saying much, it's not good, but what I love about it outweighs what I dislike. Basically the context is that after losing in Episode 3, Yumeko teams up with Mary to get rid of some of their debt. Their Opponent is a man who, in the same episode, attempts to sexually assault Yumeko, as I mentioned in Part 1. The gambling is nothing notable, it's Indian poker, which I know nothing about. They cheat again, as is to be expected. It takes the form of various under the table hand signals this time, and the guy also cheats in the same way with a house pet he dragged along with him. What shines in this episode is the change of Mary's opinion of Yumeko, and the way they win by making the bad dude's ally break her promise of helping him. 8: Yumeko V Actor Episode: Season 2 Episode 5-6 Goal: Yumeko needs to help a former enemy win against their idol. Basically (see 4) Yumeko teams up with a character from one of my favourite matches in Episode 4, and basically has a worse rehash of it. There are three matches, but the two I care about are when they play Soixante-Trois, which is a really cool and unique card game about needing to avoid hitting 63, while bluffing, and another game where they need to eat a spicy bun and not show it, while guessing which bun was the spicy one (notable because a character breaks their finger). The best part about these two games are that they actually have luck involved, and that they don't rely on cheating or bullshit. img(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/961694719329587281/982749973647081563/unknown.png?width=916&height=572) For those counting, this is the first of the 15 matches that don't have cheating. Eight matches in. 7: Yumeko V Tower Episode: Season 2 Episode 9-10 Goal: Yumeko needs to get a flower to the top of a tower or she will lose her ability to ever gamble again. I will admit my enjoyment of this episode purely comes from the fact that it canonizes a gay romance I was really hoping for. Honestly, I couldn't explain the rules for this exactly, it's a bit too complex. A really simple version is that it's Kahoot meets Doordash, where you need to climb a tower, get a rose, and re-climb the tower. There is luck somewhere, but I couldn't tell you how. It genuinely feels badly explained which is one of the reasons it's the second lowest-ranked of the good matches. Anyhow the tower isn't the important part, the neat part is the context. Basically throughout the show, it's slowly built up that the Secretary to the President of the Student Council has a crush on the President. It's really clear, really wholesome, and in the episode she challenges Yumeko to a gamble-off to decide which of them gets to stay in the school. Yumeko gambles her ability to gamble, the Secretary gambles her life. She also loses, but doesn't die. NO CONSEQUENCES. She jumps from the tower, but her brain picks the lucky door and she doesn't die. Then we get a wholesome Yuri moment and my rage is quieted. img(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/961694719329587281/982752249061183508/unknown.png?width=909&height=572) 6: Yumeko V Coin Flip Season 2 Episode 12 Goal: Not lose Yumeko's family name. She wins the season-deciding coin flip. Who could have guessed? I like this match's backstory but ultimately the entire episode feels like filler considering it has no consequence and doesn't even tie up the end of the story. 5: Yumeko V Consolidation Episode: Season 2 Episode 7-8 Goal: Consolidate votes in the election through a high stakes match. img(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/961694719329587281/982757501177036830/unknown.png?width=1392&height=572) The match is generally good because of being different to any other. Instead of being yet another one on one or two on two match, it's a 5 person deathmatch, with the bottom two losers losing all votes, the middle gaining none and the top two gaining some. Basically they cheat again and Yumeko doesn't lose. It's a good match, but not really notable outside some developments between Sumeragi and another character who I talk about later. 4: Yumeko V Idol Episode: Season 1 Episode 8-9 Goal: Yumeko gambles with an idol This match was the turning point in Kakegurui for me. img(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/961694719329587281/982765373311029248/unknown.png?width=1117&height=609) Yumeko gambles with the Idol. It's a pretty simple concept. The plot is basically that Yumeko has blackmail on the idol, while the idol has something Yumeko wants. They decide to hold a series of games that will decide who walks away smiling. The thing I like most about this episode is that they never really cheat. They just play the games and ultimately Yumeko wins. I especially enjoy that the blackmail that was used as collateral was actually shown to the Idol’s fans, and that she seriously needs to deal with the impact; It’s a really good episode. Also, it leads to my favourite episode of the show. 3: Mary V Poison Sisters Episode: Season 2 Episode 4 Goal: After being poisoned, Mary must save Yumeko. This is the best episode that has cheating as a core element, because the cheating is basically part of Mary's Character. Also HOLY SHIT VARIETY; Mary is the protagonist and it fucking slaps. Basically this episode is one of the greats for a few reason, so let's start with the plot: img(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/961694719329587281/982769521863561307/unknown.png?width=888&height=609) Yumeko gets poisoned. She is dying, and Mary is called in to take her place in the game. The match involves Ryouta and Mary working together against the two sisters, who can communicate non-verbally. The issue with this episode is that the game is, once again, won on a cheat, but it’s excusable to me due to it being well established why the cheating happens, if not exactly how. As for the actual match, Ryouta shows a lot of trust in Mary throughout the episode, and Mary shows a lot of growth from Season 1, really taking charge in the situation. I love it. 2: Yumeko V President Episode: Season 1 Episode 12 Goal: Yumeko and the President face off, with Ryouta being the deciding factor. img(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/961694719329587281/982771875467894804/unknown.png?width=749&height=609) img(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/961694719329587281/982772293426098247/unknown.png?width=1172&height=609) This is a really fun watch. The stage is set, a final match to decide whether the school president or Yumeko are going to go home forever. A game of tarot is decided upon, with it boiling down to both girls picking a card, and then Ryouta picking a card that will decide the game. This happens, and there is a tie. The part that matters is that Ryouta's semi-arc throughout the season is finally completed, and he grows a fucking spine and takes a huge risk, one which pays off splendidly. He makes Yumeko like him a lot, and the President doesn't need to leave the school. Everyone is happy. 1: Yumeko V Human Calculator Episode: Season 1 Episode 10-11 This episode is what I remember when I think of this show. It's honestly brutal. After beating the Idol, and almost ruining her reputation, the Treasurer for the Student Council challenges Yumeko to a match to decide the truth, while also making it a truly high stakes game that will decide the lives of more than one student in the school. img(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/961694719329587281/982774104144879697/unknown.png?width=803&height=609) What happens is, the two students need to raise the bet until one or the other decides to stop raising, after which the student who raised last is allowed to guess if their hand is stronger or weaker than the opposing student. It's a match that can be easily decided with huge amounts of money. Anyhow, Yumeko ropes in Sumeragi into the gamble, because Sumeragi has the hots for the Treasurer, which leads to a massive bet where the Treasurer is betting his entire life, same for Sumeragi. Yumeko wins and the scene is honestly sad, watching as the absolute fear and shock rolls over this guy. Also Sumeragi rips her nails out. ‘Tis a fucked up show. __PART 5: Conclusion__ I really like this anime, despite my many gripes. Kakegurui ended up being a bit of a passion project for me, an attempt to go really in depth into an anime that most people probably don't care about. The anime could use work when it comes to writing compelling gambling, and maybe needs to hire better story writers, but otherwise it's a perfectly fun watch. I really had fun writing this, and I hope you have a morbin good time. - Signed, Kronos Bach
Kakegurui is an anime which revolves around gambling. The approach this anime takes towards gambling might not be very realistic but it doesn't mean that it won't entertain you. There are many things in this anime which are completely illogical and unrealistic but those illogical things leads to very interesting scenarios which will be impossible to witness in real life and that makes this crazy story so interesting. The whole story takes place in Hyakkao Private Academy a school where everything is determined by gambling. The power, the ranks, the lifestyle one get to live everything is determined by the gambling skills one has. The tone of the story is a little dark and serious sometimes which makes the gambling very intense to watch. In the beginning of the story some question might take place in your mind like how in the hell is gambling legal in this institution or why is the teachers or principles or anyone else not restricting them. Well the answer to all this question is fairly simple, because it's just a work of fiction and it is not obligated to explain each and everything happening in the story and if it would have done that then according to me the pacing and flow of the story would have gotten disturb and the story would have become very boring to follow. As the story gradually progressed I realized that all this question never really bothered me and I was able to enjoy the whole story without any problems. Now let's just talk about some other aspects of the story # The Gambling I have never tried gambling for real but this anime has given me some idea about how gambling should 'feel'. Now I don't know if the way gambling shown in this anime has anything to do with the real deal or not but I will say this that the way gambling is shown in this anime looks very believable. # The Games The games used for gambling are either actual know games with minor changes on them to make things more interesting or something completely original, either way I can tell that a lot of thought have been put into this games because this modified/original games are actually very interesting at least in the anime if not in real life as well. # The Characters There are a verity of characters in this high school which was expected and I really like the fact that though these characters are just high school students they never felt out of place when they were gambling. # The Story Structure The structure of the story is nothing new. A typical protagonist vs the student council story but that doesn't mean that it's bad or anything 'cause I really loved the gambling version of this story structure. # Overall Thoughts It's a great anime to watch. Don't expecte something new and out of the box from this anime. It's just a work of fiction that is ment for pure entertainment and it does that effortlessly.
Kakegurui at best is an oddball anime. I kept asking myself, "do I enjoy watching this anime?"... and the answer was always a maybe? To quickly summarize how I feel... the show left me intrigued at times... uncomfortable at other times. So the big premise of this anime is gambling. The school bases it's hierarchy in gambling... which inherently is a game of chance sprinkled in with some skill. Just like in real life, there are winners and there are losers. The ones that lose too much become lower class citizens... often shunned and abused. The main characters include Ryouta, who is basically a generic mc from a rom-com and not a whole lot beyond that, and Yumeko. Yumeko.... is um... unique... or at least that's what I thought at first. So in this school, everyone pretty much gambles. With that comes with people who are obsessed with gambling. Okay sure. Yumeko though is so obsessed with the thrill of gambling... it makes her lose control of her body. It's basically lust. What the heck? Basically think of Shokugeki no Soma, except replace the food with gambling. Now I say that I thought this was only going to be a Yumeko thing... but like... every competitor is disturbed in a similar way. Maybe it's just me... but I found that almost every character was just unlikable, unrelatable, crazy people... with a few exceptions. And oh yeah, basically everyone cheats... which that's fun too. It's all about learning how the other person is cheating to learn how you could win. There are a few elements that I thought was interesting. There are a lot of different games they did while they gambled... and it was interesting to see how one could use strategies to gain an advantage. If the anime was just that... this would have really intrigued me. Instead, it felt like I was watching Yumeko keep winning the lottery against the odds against the cheaters. It just comes off as unbelievable after seeing it for the 3rd, 4th, and 5th. Specially when just happens to keep winning when the game was just pure chance. Like how many times can you win a 1/30 chance or something? In the end, do I recommend it? Eh... not really? Did I enjoy it? For a bit, I did... but as I progressed through the season... it became less and less. This anime wasn't exactly "enjoyable" for me... just a little disturbing? I wanted it to focus more on the gambling/games and the strategy that comes with it. Perhaps a good start would be having more likable characters... but as I mentioned most of the females seem to be pretty insane (yes there are a few not that insane.. but they are more minor characters). The core concept of the anime is there... but it just has too much baggage for me to willing to continue to further seasons. Sometimes I even forget that I was watching an anime about gambling. It may be enjoyable for you, but it's just wasn't right for me.
~~~*Spoiler warning for Kakegurui season 1*~~~ webm(https://v.animethemes.moe/Kakegurui-OP1-NCBD1080.webm) *Becoming entangled in each other / Stealing from each other / Deceiving each other / Exposing each other / Wanting from each other / Going mad with each other* Suffocating editing immerses the viewer in the intoxicating highs and devastating lows of gambling addiction: relish in the winners' life-affirming gambles as they wager unimaginable wealth that equates their livelihood — a thrill and pleasure so overwhelmingly great it can only get expressed in sexual pleasure — while losers dabble in debt and loans to desperately win back their status as human. Kakegurui depicts the school's lawless capitalist power structure as one of dehumanization and exploitation, comprised of children of corrupt politicians and CEOs at the top of Japanese society — of which the show is severely critical. [The ones with financial muscle and the ability to deceive are successful in this world.](https://i.imgur.com/mqI1Ur4.jpg) The variable that this capitalist structure cannot account for, however, is that of chaos: the sleek, long black-haired [Jabami Yumeko](https://anilist.co/character/121889/Yumeko-Jabami) enters the first episode as a picturesque madonna, whose soft expressions cast in warm lighting make her seem like another cow for the slaughter; an innocent to be exploited for depraved pleasure. As the first episode progresses, it becomes clear that [she loses all reason when gambling](https://i.imgur.com/8NMblYm.jpg), creating a vortex that turns aggressors into victims of Yumeko's idiosyncratic lawlessness. With [her eyes glowing red](https://i.imgur.com/XFyUQJs.jpg) and [hair flowing as if she had just climbed out of a television](https://i.imgur.com/8oD5ejU.jpg), she comes to suffocate the frames as a horrifying presence: a nightmare to these rich, arrogant pieces of shit who had always paid and cheated their way out of the consequences of their behavior. *"Marry a politician, have his children, and live as his wife. Living a long and warm life with my beloved husband, surrounded by my children and grandchildren, and then dying of old age. Saotome Mary will have achieved the truest happiness a woman can find. There was nothing more she could've asked for in life. Your programme can eat shit! My life belongs to me! No one tells me what to do! I'm going to win my life back! Raise! Three chips!"* ~~~img400(https://i.imgur.com/AvrQXej.jpg)~~~ Kakegurui's chaotic — arguably revolutionary — spirit comes not just in the form of Yumeko, but also the women around her, as she counteracts the capitalist structure [by helping liberate them](https://i.imgur.com/g2q65ce.jpg), such as by settling their debts in thrilling gambles or [encouraging them to revolt against their male bullies and oppressors](https://i.imgur.com/JIfmSpW.jpg). Her actions motivate an entire [oppressed student body/lower caste](https://i.imgur.com/U2yhYBc.jpg) to come into action, ultimately resulting into the school council's disbandment and thus collapse of the governing body — further unwinding the capitalist structure into a more anarchic one. The women conspiring to unsettle this structure amidst the excitement of high stakes gambling reach literally climactic heights: [herein depicting a confusing yet delightful (and fetishistic) queerness](https://i.imgur.com/FtveMUH.jpg). These thrills reach their high point in episodes 6 and 7, where Yumeko and the masochistic Midari put their lives on the line in a literal life-and-death Russian roulette game. This sequence effectively serves as a 50-minute long femdom session, wherein [Yumeko becomes gradually disillusioned with their supposed mutual agreement](https://i.imgur.com/hnnOYNh.jpeg) and rejects Midari the climactic pleasures of gambling with her life. This is effectively the perfect synthesis of Kakegurui's deranged script, life-and-death fetishism, and gratuitous directing: a literal interpretation of living on the edge. ~~~img350(https://i.imgur.com/RdlwpEP.jpg)~~~ Of course, whether the viewer loves or hates it is up to their own discretion: though the series (accidentally) extremely cogently depicts the dehumanization of mass-sum monetary transactions under unregulated capitalism and the exploitation of those outside the highest caste — and how the upper-middle class will perpetuate this structure by dehumanizing and exploiting in increasingly depraved, twisted pleasures and political machinations — while depicting the [give-and-take nature of sadomasochism & sexual relations](https://i.imgur.com/JHrieN2.jpg) through intricate game theories and exhilarating gambling, it is also of course a gratuitously sleazy, [fetishistic](https://i.imgur.com/BGZd5ql.jpg), and — if uncharitably interpreted — politically confused and/or malignant. If anything, Kakegurui is a master of dragging the viewer into the sordid atmosphere of all the places in Kabukicho you don't wanna go; the dangerous yet heart-poundingly thrilling world of self-destruction, because what's sexier and more vulnerable than putting literally everything on the line? *"How beautiful does a person look after giving everything they have? No matter how many times I see it, this is the one thing I never get tired of."* *"The sight of someone's life burning up is beautiful. That is a reasonable proclamation, but what you truly want to see is your own life, burning up and disappearing even more beautifully."* ~~~img350(https://i.imgur.com/Ty2s0y6.jpg)~~~ ~~~img350(https://i.imgur.com/dTN4gBD.jpg)~~~
_Content Warning: Attempted Rape, Gunplay, Sexual Imagery, Masturbation, Orientalism, Bodily Harm_ ~~~__- - - Intro - - -__~~~ From the outside, Kakegurui looks like it's your average stylish "goon-slop of the week" anime. The opening has half a dozen panty shots, the ending is Yumeko strip teasing as she saunters towards the camera, and everything in-between is drenched in hypersexual horny tension. And that's what I used to think years ago. However, I believe Kakegurui has some truly profound thoughts underlying it, and to me it genuinely comes off as a message in favor of queer liberation. ~~~__- - - The Spoiler-Free Kakegurui Review - - -__~~~ The visuals are spectacular. The opening is stylish, and the ending is triumphant. The character designs are surprisingly memorable for an anime set in a high school, with everyone in the student council sticking out years after the fact. Midari, Runa and Kirari especially. And while the environments tend to be a bit dull, the characters exude such a stage presence that they make even mundane classrooms feel imposing. The characters of Kakegurui are the highlight of the entire show. Yumeko is a phenomenal protagonist. Every single time you see her you're just waiting for something to set her off. Wondering when the facade will peel away is almost dread inducing. Mary and Itsuki are excellent foils to her. They provide some fun alternate perspectives, and while they can sometimes be a bit one note, both have some incredible moments. The student council are an excellent cast of villains. Whether it's the masked Rurika, the gun-wielding Midari, or Kirari's very presence, there's never a dull moment with them. Even the weaker gambles never lose steam. The only character I didn't like much was Suzui, though I suspect he's only included because a generic boring nice-guy brown hair protagonist is the only way to get losers to watch something with an otherwise all female cast. And I think it's important to mention that, at least in my opinion, the sexual stuff genuinely works well (beyond it being a necessary narrative element). It's difficult to explain, but I feel like most horny anime present feminine eroticism in a very "consumable by men" way. A horny chasteness that tempts the reader but makes it clear that the woman in question is still "good moral wife material." And while I don't doubt Kakegurui was intended for male audiences, the way the characters express horniness feels surprisingly lesbian. The focus on full body feelings, the sensitivity, breath, sweat, blushing, and kinks like fingernails, gunplay, pissing, and riskplay is genuinely refreshing. I steer clear of a lot of goon-bait anime in general, but Kakegurui worked for me. That being said, Kakegurui does have some flaws. The way Yuriko is treated - and the title of her episode - feels like a rather disgusting bit of racism. And while it was a narratively irredeemable rapist saying it, I'm never a fan of the r-slur being used. Though that's quite a small list of issues at the end of the day. I think Kakegurui is absolutely worth a watch. The first few episodes do an excellent job of reeling you in, even if this kind of show feels out of your ballpark. It's all around excellent, and whether you're here for the sexy slop or the gambling, I think you'll find something to love. And if you're willing to read further into it, I think it gets even better. ~~~__- - - [Spoilers] Kakegurui as a Trans-Feminist Work - - -__~~~ While watching Kakegurui, I realized that over-indulgence - be it sexual, monetary, control, power - was never treated like a character flaw. None of the student council are treated as villains because of their hedonistic desires. You're only a villain in Kakegurui if you hurt or cheat others. I feel like this is mostly personified in Midari. Midari, in most other mediums, would be treated like a detestable disgusting villain. She gambles with life and death, she frequently works herself up to the point of needing to masturbate, she's constantly looking to kill or be killed. But, in Kakegurui, none of that matters. Her being so out there and extreme with her desires isn't any sort of moral failing. In fact, I don't think Yumeko insults her over any of these features even a single time. What makes Midari a bad person, in Yumeko's eyes, is that she was rigging the gambles to be pleasurable to her. That she wanted to steal the eroticism of a life-or-death situation away from Yumeko, and refused to share it. The same is true for most of Yumeko's other opponents. Itsuki expects her opponents to bet their fingernails (which hold some level of erotic value) while she refuses to do the same. Yuriko draws in those at rock bottom, and crushes their spirits. Mary seeks status, and tries to force people into the house-pet system to prevent competition. And Yumemi, due to her failing to rig the game correctly in the first place, is barely treated as a villain. This really comes into focus when you see Mary and Itsuki get "rehabilitated" into allies, and Yumemi's immediately forgiven as she's willing to honor her end of the deal. Once they stop harming others, once they're willing to take risks and gamble, then in Yumeko's eyes they're redeemed. The only outliers are men. There's two major male antagonists in Kakegurui, and both are misogynistic power-hungry losers. Jun is introduced as a rapist, and unlike the women before him, he doesn't have any redeeming factors. He's not gambling for any personal goal, he's not even getting satisfaction out of the act. He's here because he can exploit the power dynamics here, and can rape/torture women as much as he likes. And he's left three-hundred-million yen in debt, with all his power gone and the woman he tortured finding her freedom. Then there's Kaede, and while he's not a rapist he's nearly Identical to Jun. He's here solely to amass power and wealth. Gambling is simply an exercise in statistics for him. And the more he feels in control, the more condescending, misogynistic and cruel he gets to the women around him. He's cowardly enough to bide his time, and the second he thinks he has the advantage, he goes all in. I don't think it's a coincidence that he goes on a lengthy misogynistic rant against Itsuki right before he loses everything. The world of Kakegurui is a world in which women are free to be ugly, in a sense. While propriety and restraint are still a factor, it's a knowing game amongst most of the women in the cast. They maintain cheap, standard anime smiles as long as they can. But when they're away from peering eyes, they drop the charade immediately. Wrinkles emerge, spit strings are visible, even their mouths and eyes distort into more violent, more real shapes. And this isn't treated like a gag, or a "hah you're ugly and morally reprehensible" gotcha. It's reality. It's the lack of a facade. It's flesh. Women are free to be ugly. Women are free to indulge in whatever pleasures they wish. Women are effectively able to cast off the patriarchy. And they are none the worse for it. While men are intimidated in this system. They're stuck believing that the way the world works outside is law, they're constantly grossed out by earnest expressions of sexuality, and they can't fathom how they lost to women. As for what makes this trans-feminist instead of just feminist? Well in my opinion, I believe most of the messaging applies truly to trans women as well. The need to take grand risks to receive grand rewards feels like overcoming the dread surrounding getting HRT. The themes of taking control of your life, of being a "housepet" (cis) forever, and rejecting a pre-made (cishet) life plan also feel overtly queer in my eyes. I feel less set on my queer readings of the show, and I'll likely need to watch season two before I finalize my thoughts. But I thought it was worth noting, as I wasn't expecting to relate to so many of these characters and stories going in. Regardless, I think Kakegurui has a lot to say. I doubt most of it was intentional, but for being an anime from 2017 I thought the number of queer and feminist talking points were unique. I'm curious as to whether anyone else read the show this way.