Story: 10/10. The stakes have never been higher in season 2 as Kaiji finds himself basically a slave working in a labor camp to pay off his massive debts. If he raises enough money he can buy his freedom and rejoin society above ground! How's that for motivation? There's a small moment I need to mention where Kaiji can finally afford a decent meal for himself after months and months, and when he takes a bite it brought a legit tear to my eye. Kaiji has always managed to make the small moments feel big, too, y'know? The first 10 or so episodes revolve around high stakes dice roll games, and this was easily my favorite arc in the season. Then we have...The Bog. Yup, the next 16 episodes are about Kaiji playing a single pachinko game, and I know this SOUNDS like torture, but believe me when I say you're gonna love it. I'd compare it to that season-long volleyball game in Haikyu season 3, where they SOMEHOW managed to drag out the game that long and still make it entertaining as hell! Trust me, I marathoned the pachinko arc in two days and it was well worth it.
Sound: 10/10. Zawa zawa! What more do I need to say? This show basically invented the oppressive atmosphere sound effect and uses it to PERFECT dramatic effect! And who could forget that crazy narrator, who constantly screams about how epic the action is, which only makes everything even more epic!? In fact, the narrator is so damn entertaining that I actually didn't mind the recap episode this season, just because it meant I got to hear the narrator talk some more! Other sound effects are used perfectly as well, form the clinking of dice in a bowl to the chattering of a nervous gambler's teeth. I remember sound was used especially well to make a tiny pachinko ball hitting some panels sound like a fucking wrecking ball coming in to knock over a building! Oh and I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the amazing OST. Kaiji's new OP by "Fear, and Loathing in Las Vegas" is one of my favorite openings of all time, and while I could go on and on about the visuals and music in that OP, I'll just say it's one I NEVER skipped and it never failed to get my blood pumping as I started a new episode.
Art: 10/10. The animation is as spectacular as we expect from Madhouse anime at this point, and I'd claim that Kaiji's season 2 has vast visual improvements over season 1! Sure, you could argue that it has something to do with the second season being more readily available in HD, but I'd say character designs are more detailed in general this time around. When a character needs to show an emotion like great happiness or great sadness, his face REFLECTS that with perfect clarity! Like when Kaiji cries, his eyes don't just water up, they wiggle back and forth in a tear-shaped pattern! Madhouse's animation deserves recognition for making the most mundane tasks, from Light Yagami eating a potato chip in Death Note to Kaiji Ito playing pachinko, seem like the most blood-pumping, epic spectacles you've ever witnessed!
Character: 10/10. Kaiji Ito is one of the best anime protagonists I've come across. He's the ultimate underdog and thus instantly relatable. Kaiji can be very OP and badass in certain situations, yet very naive and dumb in others. Kaiji can be too trusting or "soft," as other characters call him, but I love these flaws because they make Kaiji more human (and thus relatable to me). The crux of the matter is that when push comes to shove, Kaiji will survive at all costs, and it's his survival that is so infinitely entertaining for an audience. What matters most to me is the fact that even though he can be ruthless, Kaiji can also be a very kind and honorable man. I love that moment in the final episode where he basically gives the villain a "pep talk" and says "If I could escape that hell hole, then a cunning bastard like you should be able to as well! Face me again!" What a swell guy! The villains this season are extremely well done as well. First we have a sadistic foreman who likes to manipulate and rob you of even the shirt off your back, and then we have the pretty boy owner of a casino. The casino owner at first didn't look intimidating to me, but once you see how he tortures people...all I'll say is "bloody manicure" and leave it at that. *shiver*
Enjoyment: 10/10. Like I said, few anime got me as pumped to watch it as Kaiji did when they blasted that OP. Watching every episode of this show was a pure treat, and somehow watching a man sit and play pachinko for like 15 episodes never got boring? They deserve an award for that alone!
Overall: 10/10. Everyone should watch Kaiji just so you can experience what an awesome main character Kaiji Ito is. Oh and if you're into gambling anime like Kakegurui or mind game anime like Death Note, then this show is an easy recommendation.
