Story: 10/10
"Kaiji" is an anime about a young, deadbeat man named Kaiji who is dirt poor, tends to engage in cheap gambles and likes to violate expensive cars. One day, he is visited by a man named Endou who informs Kaiji that a debt he co-signed for a friend has fallen onto him after his friend disappeared. He ends up with a debt of 3.8 Million Yen, and with no options on how to pay it, he is offered a ride on a 4 hour cruise where he has to gamble with other people to take out his debt. Kaiji agrees to this, and so begins his descent into a dark world of underworld gambling, where as the anime progresses, the riskier the gambles are, to the point where it is literally 'Life-or'Death.'
Art: 6/10
One of the things that puts down people from watching this show is the art style. To be frank, the art style is VERY UGLY. With darker shades of colors, and odd geometrical shapes for the faces, it's no wonder that people don't like the art style. Although, since this is an anime that deals with dark undertones in the story, it suits the anime well. I mean, can you imagine how this anime would be like if we had moe art style for this? Another good thing about this art style is the fact that the style allows the freedom to put an exaggerated facial expression. It really allows the viewer to see the agony and stress a character is feeling when facing a challenge that is testing their limits.
Sound: 10/10
In my reviews, I never really pay attention to the sound details of an anime, usually the OP and ED of a series. Kaiji is a special exception. The sound is phenomenal throughout the season. The Voice Acting for Kaiji by Masato Hagiwara was one of the best VAs I've ever heard for a character. I really felt that Hagiwara sold the emotions well during the scenes where Kaiji was determined or agonizing. The OP is sung by Masato Hagiwara, the VA for Kaiji, while the ED is sung by Hakuryuu, the VA for Tonegawa. The OP has a kickass beat where you feel like being a badass, while the ED has a somber tone that fits the show. This anime was the first for me to enjoy the songs played throughout an episode. The songs were composed by Hideki Taniuchi, who has also composed the OST to 'Death Note.' The songs Taniuchi was really enjoyable, and they fit during scenes where it was needed. An example would be "Defeat" playing during the start of the 2nd part of the "Brave Man Road" arc. Definitely, the OST in Kaiji is one of my very favorites from anime.
Characters: 8/10
Kaiji, despite being a deadbeat gambler, is one of my favorite characters in an anime- ever. Even though he wants money, Kaiji always tries to take a path where he is fair with those who gamble with him and tries to split his winnings fairly with others. He ultimately is a good guy and you're probably bound to end up cheering for him in his gambles. As for the other characters, they're pretty much 1-dimensional and serve their roles well. Tonegawa is one of the villains of the series, being the person who organizes the gambles, not caring about what happens to any of the contestants in the gambles. Hyoudou is an elderly man who oversees these gambles and enjoys seeing people suffer, ruin their lives and die. Endou is a loan shark who brings Kaiji into the world of underground gambling who only cares about getting his money. Other characters include Ishida, Andou, Sahara, Funai, and Furuhata, the friend he co-signed with. I give this an 8, since the other characters don't develop much and just serve their roles.
Enjoyment: 10/10
Kaiji was a thrill ride from start to finish. With the constant "Life-or-Death" gambles, there were times I felt anxiety from wanting to know what happens next. While it does start a bit slow, it picks up really quick and it gets very interesting from one episode to the next. Even though Kaiji is a shitty deadbeat, he is enjoyable to watch and you just want him to win and to get his life going. The games were interesting, and I really binged this series, considering it was very addicting. Rarely do I find a series that I want to binge, and Kaiji is one of them.
Overall: 10/10
Kaiji in about 10 years time will probably be considered a Classic of the 2000s Anime (much like how we consider Classics from the 1980s and 1990s), and it's a pretty underrated and under supported anime. Kaiji is an absolute must-watch for anyone who likes anime and want and interesting story to watch. While the art style may put people down, the story, soundtrack and enjoyment of this show make up for the art, and this is genuinely, as as now that I write this, my favorite anime I have ever seen.
