Gambling is deeply ingrained into society. Whether it be having a flutter on your favourite sport or searching for the online casino with the best deposit bonuses, most people have some experience of the industry.
Because of its popularity, it is no surprise that gambling has frequently been depicted in popular culture. Whether it be counting cards in the award winning blockbuster Rain Man or a simple poker match wrong as shown in shows like The Sopranos, gambling has frequently provided the inspiration for many great filmmaking feats..
It has also touched the anime world, most notably via the highly popular show Kakegurui. Kakegurui started life – as the overwhelming majority of animes do – as a manga. Released in 2014 and still printing today, the book proved so successful that Netflix soon came sniffing around. Eventually the streaming giant commissioned the series for an anime with two series of the programme being released so far.
Set in the fictional Hyakkaou Private Academy, which is an elite school where the students are judged on their gambling ability, the anime follows the fortunes of Yumeko Jabami. Yumeko is a beautiful, spritely high school girl – but scratch beneath the surface and all is not what it seems. Unlike her classmates who gamble for the money, she instead prefers the thrill and passion of the games, leading to some conflict.
The pupils of Hyakkaou Private Academy are ranked depending on how much money they earn via their gambling exploits, which is then given to the student council. This breeds an ultra-competitive atmosphere in which gambling scams are commonplace, much to Yumeko’s annoyance who tries to shut this down. The central storyline of the anime plays on this conflict with Yumeko’s meddling in the Student Council’s antics, making her public enemy number one in the school.
This first thing to note about Kakegurui is that the animation is absolutely stunning. Yumeko is particularly attractive. Her face pops with emotion and her hair swishes elegantly whenever she moves. The costume design is also great. Pupils in the schools are dressed in vibrant red school blazers which makes them look a bit like croupiers. Very fitting, we’re sure you will agree.
Without delving into spoiler territory, the fight scenes that pop up in the series now and again are also beautifully crafted. Despite it only being animated, the primal aggression comes through, albeit being aided by some great sound effects.
We also very much enjoyed the gambling theme. This is an area that has previously never been explored in the anime world. It made a nice change from the usual tired themes normally used by writers and producers. The characters in this unique world are compelling. Yumeko’s ruthlessness is admirable and makes her a profoundly likable figure. The student council is also wonderfully evil. The sort of characters you just love to hate. We spent most of our time, wishing for them to get what was coming to them. To find out if they did, we are afraid you’re going to have to watch Kakgurui yourself!
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