The protagonist, Yumeko Jabami, is a compulsive gambler with no goal other than to bet money on increasingly absurd and improbable games. Her personality is inconsistent and poorly developed. The other characters are stereotypical and lacking charisma, and their games often rely on trivial tricks or arbitrary rules. Furthermore, it can be said that all the characters are the same, as they all share the same obsession with gambling and a sadomasochistic attitude towards it. None of them think or behave differently, despite being in a school with hundreds of students. How is it possible that all the students have the same personality without any nuance?
The anime only shows exaggerated expressions and orgasmic reactions of the characters while playing, without creating any tension or suspense. Additionally, for a series centered on gambling, there is no real tension because the only thing at stake is money, which has no value for the wealthy academy students.
I have nothing against gratuitous fanservice, quite the opposite! But in this anime, it's excessive. It's as if every twenty seconds, they remind you that the students are going through a hormonal storm, as if you could have forgotten that fact.
"Kakegurui" fails to meet expectations and, in my opinion, boils down to a series of senseless erotic scenes. In the anime, they couldn't achieve a good mix of emotions, which should have been the series' strength. Excitement, fear, and risk are excellent ingredients for creating a captivating and engaging work if used with skill and balance. Transitioning between these emotions is easy and intriguing, especially with gambling involved, as it can quickly shift from joy to sadness and even excitement. However, those behind this production don't know how to create atmosphere and tension or make the characters and situations believable and interesting. Despite having these three factors as a foundation, they failed to deliver anything good.
The drawings and animations are well taken care of but this really isn't enough to save a work. Another positive point I would say is the opening which has a very catchy song and the video in which you seem to be going on an "acid trip" I love it, but I don't remember the various pieces of music that make up the soundtrack of the opera (I was probably too busy seeing girls' orgasmic reactions)
In conclusion, "Kakegurui" is an anime not worth watching as it offers nothing original or appreciable apart from the characters' orgasmic reactions, but if you want to spend some time watching a very banal, well-animated ecchi without thinking, I highly recommend it.
