Kaiji is a gambling anime about a young man named Itoh Kaiji, who owes 3 million yen to the yakuza because a friend's loan he co-signed has defaulted to him. He is forced to go on a special cruise ship and gamble his way out of debt. From here the show only spins more and more out of control! The men on this cruise ship are betting on games of rock-paper-scissors, but this is no ordinary game: this is RESTRICTED rock-paper-scissors, in which each player is given a deck of rock, scissors, and paper cards. In other words each symbol has limited uses and it becomes much more of a game about balancing your resources. This is the type of unique spin Kaiji will put on every game in the show. Next we have a "human derby" in which the simple act of crossing a balance beam is elevated to a survival game where you have to decide how far you're willing to go to reach the finish line. After that is my favorite game, E-Card, which is a card duel not unlike rock-paper-scissors. What sets this arc apart form the rest, though, is the stakes have never been higher for Kaiji! Let's just say that by the end it gets REALLY bloody! Now if the show had ended right here I probably would've given the story a 10/10, but alas we have the final arc about the "tissue box lottery." These last 4 or so episodes really dragged on for me and brought the story score down to 8/10. Kaiji just makes some really bad decisions here and the entire conflict just felt really unnecessary (I kept shouting "Just leave, Kaiji!" at the screen). There isn't much reason to fight the old man at this point and the game Kaiji comes up with is poorly planned out, as his friends point out. The series also ends on this cliffhanger that is kinda unsatisfying considering we don't even know if Kaiji's going to be ok physically.
Artwork in Kaiji is phenomenal, 9/10. This is studio Madhouse doing the animation so I expect nothing less. Actually, Madhouse is kind of a perfect fit for a psychological anime like Kaiji considering they made another such anime called Death Note (you may have heard of it). Just as Madhouse was able to make Light writing in a book seem like the most epic thing ever, the studio once again makes "mundame" actions like turning over a playing card into the most epic of shonen battles! As I stated earlier, the character designs in Kaiji definitely take some getting used to, but I have to say they grew on me after a few episodes. I almost gave the art score 10/10 but I have to say that after watching a few episodes of season 2, the visuals greatly improve to 10/10 territory in THAT season.
Sound in Kaiji is perfect 10/10. The music in this show is perfectly timed to get you pumped for what's about to happen. I especially like the OST track "Memories" which I listen to all the time. Did I mention the voice actor for Kaiji sings his own theme song? Epic! Music tracks aside, the show also has REALLY good use of sound effects. Onomatopoeia from the manga is brought to life through the constant "zawawawa" sound effects. This sound basically translates to "uneasy atmosphere" and it's perfect for setting the, well, atmosphere of the battles.
Characters? Itoh Kaiji is one of the best anime protagonists of all time, 10/10. Bold words, I know, but I mean it. Other main characters might have been born with a special power or something but Kaiji really is a normal, down on his luck shmuck. Other main characters might be busy saving the world from alien invaders or something, whereas Kaiji's main concern is simply paying his bills and where his next mean is coming from (something I was able to relate to a lot more). Well, that is until he enters a life-or-death scenario and he suddenly enters "badass mode"! That's why I consider Kaiji not only an average Joe you can relate to, but also a testament to the human will to survive in the face of all odds! Watching Kaiji make use of his surroundings and resources to stay alive is one of the most thrilling pieces of entertainment I've experienced in anime. There's a lot more to Kaiji than simply being a badass, though. Early on in the show we see a nasty side to him, where he vandalizes expensive sports cars out of spite. It's a behavior we can understand on some level, though, as it's the poor man's only act of defiance considering a car like that is something he can never, ever hope to afford. I've certainly felt that way in the past when I saw people with luxury items I could never hope to have. Kaiji can also be very kind, helping others in similar poor circumstances when he can.
My enjoyment of this show was also 10/10. I was shocked at how pumped and invested I was in games where people were simply turning over cards or crossing a balance beam. But that's the thing with Kaiji, it's never "simple" anything, as there's always a twist! Kaiji is an incredibly likable and relatable character, and watching his struggles is immensely entertaining. This is a 9/10 show.
