Forum - View topicKaiji (TV) (all seasons).
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solot58
 Posts: 53 Location: ATL GA |
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Kaiji (TV) Kaiji 2 (TV) Mr. Tonegawa (TV) (Spinoff) (discussion here) Genres: action, psychological Themes: gambling, survival game, yakuza Plot Summary: Itou Kaiji is a bum who steals car emblems and slashes tires on what seems to be a regular basis. This routine changes one day when he is paid a visit by a man in a trench-coat. Once the two get talking, it seems that the visitor (calling himself Endou) is a debt collector. The reason for his visit is an unpaid loan which Kaiji had previously co-signed for a work-mate (Furuhata Takeshi). The original loan was 30,000 yen and once Takeshi had disappeared, the loan then fell on Kaiji. Kaiji is then told of a way to clear the interest compounded debt (which stood at 3,850,000 yen), which involved getting on a boat with others in his position. Once on the boat the debtors would then have to gamble with loaned money, which would end with a few winning, and others getting into deeper debt and having to work to pay off their debts. After some coercing, Kaiji accepts a position on the boat in order to clear himself and make a bit of money as well... ---------------------------------- I just watched the 1st episode of the new fall series and i must say that the show looks promising with its spoiler[gambling tournament] . what drew me to it was because there arent many animes in the "gambling" genre... for anyone else that has checked the show out, what are ur thoughts on it |
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Ultenth
 Posts: 229 Location: Washington State |
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Can't stand the art style of this and Akagi, I mean, I'm all for original looks and trying new things, but I still have to actually LIKE the new and different things to be interested in them. To each their own I guess, but I just can't get past the art style.
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solot58
Posts: 53 Location: ATL GA |
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yea i agree with you, the art style is very different, but not really in a good way, hopefully it will just grow on me and the story will outshine the odd animation
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blind_assassin
 Posts: 755 |
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I got used to it two episodes into Akagi and now I actually like it. Compared to Akagi Kaiji just looked a lot more polished and crisp.
As for the show itself, this is probably my favourite so far. I loved Akagi and I take snobbish pride in being in the know of anime thats as niche as gambling anime is. I hope it delivers as much as Akagi did. Hopefully they'll make some references to Akagi. I'd love to see Kaiji play a few hands of mahjong against Akagi somewhere down the line, or at least have them bump into each other in a mahjong parlour. |
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Ragg
Posts: 144 |
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Yeah, the animation gets on my nerves, and I had to bite through the first episode. The plot is what has me, the moment it turns.. the show will prolly lose me as I also dont exactly like Kaiji...
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ikky
Posts: 76 |
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I really like the art personally. It must be the noses. Or the thick lines, either way I love it. I'd take its art over the style in moemoe bishoujo series any day.
It seems like this will be a nice suspenseful series, like Akagi was.  This might be my pick of the season along with Genshiken II.
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IamnotArmand
Posts: 6 Location: Redmond, WA |
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So far, this is my favorite show among the new batch. I watched all of Akagi with white knuckles gripping the arms of my chair.
While I don't like the new main character as much as Akagi, I do like the simple fact that his personality is clearly different, at least at this point. If he turns into an Akagi clone once he gets into the middle of gambling, I'd be mildly disappointed. Right now I want to see how the seeming dichotomy between how he's portrayed and how he's expected to manage from game to game will play itself out. However, this is one of the few shows I don't watch for art or characterization. It's all about the plot, and so far, so good. Chances are, I'll probably make some future post about how I couldn't watch some show X because the art drove me away. That happens. What I can say about Kaiji's art is that while I don't exactly care for it, it doesn't keep me from enjoying the show, and that style did grow on me during Akagi. There are many points where I laughed out loud. The situation that Kaiji lets himself get into, something that could never have happened to Akagi, was one. The nature of the first gambling match was another. Of course, the various issues that revolve some characters and a car were quite amusing. While it would be hard to characterize this show or its predecessor as a comedy, the meta-humor is an important factor in what keeps me coming back. More than any other show at the moment, I'm counting the days until I have the opportunity to view the second episode. |
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Veggie-Trunks
 Posts: 43 Location: Chattanooga, TN |
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Hmm, I'll definitely have to check this one out!
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blind_assassin
Posts: 755 |
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I figure that Kaiji will eventually become a cocky bastard once he gets his ball rolling and learns to gamble. Akagi had a very reserved cockyness about him that he could always justify with his instincts. I can't see Kaiji getting like that with what I've seen so far.
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KabaKabaFruit
 Posts: 1903 Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba |
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I agree that the art style looks weird but judging the show just based on the art alone is downright foolish. You have to give the story a real chance to prove itself before you decide on whether or not the show is worth sticking around for.
That said, I saw the first episode subbed and loved it. Seeing someone in Fukumoto's universe that isn't as calm and collected as Akagi was like a breath of fresh air and added some actual realism to the show (even though the whole restricted janken game and the cruise ship allowing gamblers to rid themselves of all their debts seemed far fetched). Kaiji does come off as annoying at first but if what I've heard about his character in future volumes of Fukumoto's manga is true, he could become one of the most memorable anime characters ever. One last thing, the opening is kick ass! The moment I saw Kaiji do the thumbs up at the end, I knew I was going to be in for something good. 
By the way, what does Kaiji shout out near the end of the OP? Anyone know? |
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Ultenth
Posts: 229 Location: Washington State |
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While generally speaking I agree with you, in terms of substance being more important than style, there is a certain point where you have to find the style somewhat appealing. Like with a woman, no matter how amazing she is in every other way, if you're not attracted to her, and there is no spark, you'll never be more than friends. And no matter how much a band's songs have great lyrics, if they don't know how to play their instruments, and you can't stand the voices, you won't buy their album. This is just the extension of the same, generally speaking I do no judge by art style, and I've actually started watching just in the past few years some anime from 10-20 years ago. But I still have to find something appealing about the art style, or its too distracting to enjoy the story, and unfortunately for me with Kaiji/Akagi that is the case. Not trying to take away anything from those that do enjoy it, and I hope you like the series, but all I was saying is that it's just not for me. |
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KabaKabaFruit
Posts: 1903 Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba |
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If a band doesn't know how to play their instruments, they won't even have an album so saying that we won't buy it is a moot point. As for being attracted to a woman, if you can't respect her attitude, lifestyle, likes and dislikes, the whole enchilada, then you won't have a long lasting romantic relationship. Who cares if she's the world's hottest babe? You can still be friends with her if you agree to disagree. You have to be attracted to her innermost traits more than her appearance if you have any hopes of forging a relationship. I could've also had brushed off Kaiji for the sole reason that the noses on the characters are too big. However, I decided to look past it (and even appreciated it for the fact that Fukumoto wasn't willing to be just another generic anime artist and was willing to define his own technique) and give the show a chance. After the end of the episode, the appearances don't bother me and I was hooked onto Kaiji's determination to rid himself of debt. |
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solot58
Posts: 53 Location: ATL GA |
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does anyone know how many episodes the series will go up to because if it goes the way i think it will then there will be nothing left to do
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blind_assassin
Posts: 755 |
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I'm guessing it will run the standard 26 like Akagi did.
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Time and Space
Posts: 167 Location: China |
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Is anyone else still watching this? If you aren't, I suggest you begin now.
The slow trickle of episodes from Japan is excruciatingly slow, particularly when one considers the epsiodes that are devoted to little more than an exchange of words, and then considerable contemplation from Kaiji, as he searches for the strategy/meaning/human nature etc. it doesn't matter though. Certainly the odd episode seems to have very little happening within it (e.g, standing upon a beam for a whole episode) But the tension created, and the choices made by Kaiji are for some inexplicable reason, highly addictive. The battle of wits present are somewhat similar to Death Note, and exciting despite being presented through gambling, which may deter some from watching it. The stories are fed in such a way that one must know what happens next, because nothing is resolved within a single episode (except in the transitions between different gambling events, but even then, I want to know what the next event will be, badly, and want to know how Kaiji will fare in whatever crazy gamble he next partakes in) Kaiji is like 'mature' shonen, the confrontations are resolved not through your typical round of physical combat, where the main protagonist frequently reveals himself to be naturally more capable. No, with Kaiji, you can believe that he gambles his way to (varying extents) of victory or failure through luck, nerve, cunning and skill. An unemployed 'lowlife', 'blagging' his way through life, and in the process learning an important lesson or two...about life itself. Who better to teach him about it than other gamblers he meets on his journey  (though more frequently these 'lessons' seem more a personal enlightenment/revelation; and the kind of gambling Kaiji goes through, it'll have that effect, trust me)
Between the two completed 'gambles' so far, restricted rock, paper, scissors, and the human derby, the first was the better, if only slightly. The interaction with other gamblers and the bonding and backstabbing between Kaiji and his companions really made each new strategy and twist as unpredictable and either shocking or just plain admirable as the last. The series began with a portrait of Kaiji as someone who seems to indulge in petty acts of vandalism to pass the time of his unemployment, a lowly creature, and thoroughly miserable, not as likeable as the typical anime hero; yet on the Espoir, he reveals himself to be a 'man of virtue', with an accomplished resourcefulness. He is tricked, yet maintains his desire to 'escape' from the ship without practicing the same techniques. Kaiji is sharper than the average debt-ridden gambler, with commendable lashings of idealism. He necessarily teams up with some others upon the ship, and even after they are no longer needed for his 'survival', he maintains the desire to escape from greater debt with them, when he so easily could have taken advantage of them, (they had become entirely dependant upon him for their survival). To see Kaiji, such an apparent pessimist become so trusting a man in general was quite a turn, and it almost seems that through this extreme gambling, or through desperation, he becomes a saint. spoiler[Indeed, upon the crossing of the skyscrapers, the others look to Kaiji to guide them to the other side.] Currently, this E-card gamble seems quite interesting, a psychological battle, where any strategy necessarily involves being able to 'feel' the opponents 'soul'. It's also the first time we see kaiji spoiler[without the presence of any other characters to hinder his progress], but I wonder if he needs the support of others to get him through the event. (spoiler[If that episode on the beam, with Sahara and Kaiji shouting each other's names and weeping excessively taught me anything]). We'll see. A pretty sweet wager, spoiler[either his hearing or an eye. I'd have chosen to lose my hearing in one ear too.] If you haven't seen any of it, I suggest you give it a try. I suddenly felt moved to start writing about Kaiji, and as such, I've just rambled on about the whole anime. If anyone wants to discuss something about a specific aspect, that would probably be more useful. Though it seems like very few people are watching the series, so meh... The art style resembles nothing mainstream in anime, and as is evident from earlier in the thread, it might put you off. Though you shouldn't let it. I usually enjoy unique looking anime, and the only anime I've so far been unable to continue watching was fantastic children, because its style was so bland and simple. The art of Kaiji on the other hand is vibrant, defined, bold. It's a breath of fresh, prominent-nosed air, and I couldn't imagine the series in any other form; I woudn't allow it. It's good, better than good, far better; and has a respectable rating on ANN. You're missing out  (assuming the people who clicked the link to this topic aren't entirely comprised of people who have seen Kaiji, which actually seems likely, oh well)
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