Audience reviews
20 · Sample from the first available page, separate from the total number of ratings.
Aurumai
Kaiji is almost the perfect exemplification of the drama genre it inhabits. Almost all of the ingredients that make up that genre are things that I hate, but I can't deny that it's a popular style for a reason, and within the context of that style, it seems to me that Kaiji is magnificently well-made. For people who enjoy battle-shounen style tension cycles, tons of exposition, close calls, and melodrama, this is probably a perfect series.
For my part, though, I find that the pacing is excrutiating and tiring. I usually don't watch anime like this so there might be a much better example, but it feels akin to Dragonball Z -- The writers manufacture tension by constantly flipping the tone back and forth between the protagonist(s) being terrified, and finding some new determination to push t…
Read at the sourceKiosanin
*Squid Game* (Season 6) – anime version
If you liked *Squid Game*, this anime is perfect for you.
The character designs are ugly—everyone has big noses—but you get used to it over time.
There are no beautiful female characters in this anime, and hardly any female characters at all; that’s a major downside.
There’s none of that nonsense about the power of friendship or good guys versus bad guys here. There is no redemption for the villain.
The protagonist is an idiot, especially at the beginning.
The first part and the beginning of the second part are good, but it gets a bit boring after that.
Read at the sourceMinusOverflow
Searching for titles that match my favorite genre, I stumbled upon Kaiji and gave it a shot. It didn't disappoint, and I consider it a hidden gem.
What stands out the most is its resemblance to Squid Game. As a matter of fact, this anime is exactly where the globally famous series took inspiration from. Therefore, if you're familiar with those dynamics, you'll surely enjoy Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor.
I love how the show depicts the ugly and degenerate side of gambling and how hard it is for addicted people to break free. Kaiji has multiple chances to leave the game in a positive balance and clear his debts. Despite this, he cannot bring himself to do it and repeats the same mistakes all over again. This is realism in fiction. Oftentimes, people who are accustomed to high-stakes and thrilli…
Read at the sourcebozophobic
I have not had this much fun watching an anime in 4-5 months. Some arcs went a bit longer than I thought it would but that is a good thing. Instead of rushing things they properly laid ground rules and developed the games at a natural pace.
Kaiji himself is a very entertaining character. An easy underdog to root for, now finally having stakes in his life he is forced to use his thinking skills that he had mostly ignored before in his life due to lack of motivation or going with the flow. However, still naive in his world view he makes mistakes all the time and learns the true nature of the world overtime.
They do a great job at showcasing the human nature of "opportunism" whether this entails using dirty tactics or screwing others over. And every single detail of the game was used to its…
Read at the sourceSimonTheSpeedmon
This is definitely one of the best "hard logic" - animes I've seens so far. What I mean is that, contrary to other animes, the MC is never able to win by just screaming the loudest or by finding some abstract emotional key within without further explanation.
It's the opposite: He has to actually fight his way through by finding a loophole or a strategy within the rules, rather than by getting a sudden new power. If you get enjoyment out of these kind of stories, you'll definitely like Kaiji!
One thing that might dissapoint some people though is, that the entire framework around those games is basically just a side-plot and sometimes comes a bit out of nowhere. It's really not the focus of the anime, Kaiji is mostly about the games themselves.
One thing I didn't like is that sometimes it…
Read at the sourceNkalaB
Kaiji enters the world of gambling in the most scariest and risky ways of getting money. The desperation is the catalyst for the storytelling whereby Kaiji alongside other people in debt are in various competitions for the sake of money.
The psychological presence and execution of the Restricted Rock Paper Scissors and Human Derby create the urgency for the participants in the story. Add on the conclusive Tonegawa and Hyodo (the President of the whole organisation) gambling battles, to you have got a total heart wrenching and psychological entertainment that will keep you hooked on the small clues that can win any of these games.
It is the ultimate survivor arc for a reason. This Kaiji Ultimate Survivor arc puts in the themes of human life in regards of living safe to living with risk. I…
Read at the sourceCynthesia
In the modern age, the distribution of wealth is possibly the most contentious topic of all. It’s become the simplest and clearest quantifier of which you can determine the echelons of society. Regardless of whether you agree that these differences should really exist, the fact of the matter is that almost all of your life is determined by how much money you have. Only a select few can truly make it to the top and the remainder of the poor fools will remain in the perpetual hell that is mediocre poverty.
In a way, debt can be seen as the modern adaptation of slavery. The vast majority of the population has some kind of debt and it’s effortless to accumulate more. Many people will never be allowed to see the fruits of their labor as they stack more and more work onto not only themselves bu…
Read at the sourceKranst
Media portraying high-stakes games will frequently attempt to simulate strategic suspense only to rely on outlandish scenarios that feature contrived stakes, which are often solved through inhuman intellect. Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor instead approaches these themes from the perspective of an average outcast struggling to outpace his temptations and monetary consequences caused by his own poor choices. Failure is ever-present. This uncertainty of success creates unpredictable outcomes, evokes constant tension, and provides meaningful payoffs. The strong narration cements these feelings. You will very quickly find yourself rooting for the protagonist despite his shortcomings while he gambles his future. His gradual improvements and selfless determination are endearing.
Read at the sourceavantgarden
kaiji is great i can relate to him! i wish i was as smart as him because he can do whatever he wants when he puts his mind into it. he might seem dumb at first but then he really comes around when you watch the show. he is stuck in a dead end job and then gets into debt but that's how it goes in this world. so he decides to pull himself up by his bootstraps and fixes the things he set wrong. some might think gambling is immoral but i see it as the ultimate escape from mediocrity. this is also how kaiji describes it in the show which is an inspiring message.
Read at the sourceAsuka98
Kaiji is a story of constant tension, built around a series of gambling games that range from what seems like a simple card game to walking across a steel beam between skyscrapers. Behind each game lies carefully planned strategy, and every player acts according to their personality, values, and—most importantly—their level of desperation.
It’s fair to say that Kaiji is the best gambling anime ever made. It's incredibly addictive: once the games begin, it’s hard to stop watching. It can also be categorized as a survival anime, or even as a kind of battle royale, since participants must risk their lives or dignity to survive. It’s no coincidence that shows like Squid Game took direct inspiration from this series, just as the iconic film Battle Royale gave the subgenre its name.
Kaiji is h…
Read at the sourcewopak
Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor falls into a category of storytelling I call "Stresscore." American films like After Hours, Good Time, and Sorcerer all capture this white-knuckle feeling of unrelenting anxiety, where every decision is maddeningly critical, and every inch you move could mean the end of everything. The kind of situations where if you even think for a second about how much soul-crushing pressure is laid squarely upon yourself and only yourself, you'll lose your mind and blow it all sky high.
So basically, Kaiji is the fucking shit.
A phenomenal adaptation of Nobuyuki Fukumoto's idiosyncratic approach to style and storytelling, one of the great strengths of Ultimate Survivor is that it buckles you into the passenger's seat with one of the most endearing, tragic, horrifying characte…
Read at the sourcesalsenpai
Kaiji is one of those anime that you look at the promotional poster of, you look at the weird art style, and think 'yeahhh.... I'm not watching that'. But in this case, you're just missing out on this hidden gem.
When I say hidden gem, I'm no stretching the meaning of that term. This is the anime nobody talks about, nobody memes about, nobody cosplays, yet once you watch it, you're glad you did. Don't be put off by the fact that it's about gambling. I hate gamblers, casinos, vegas and anything to that effect. Yet, I can't do anything but praise this anime.
Now, if you are one of those overtly critical thinkers, then this might not be for you as you might struggle with the suspension of disbelief. But for the rest of you guys, I say have at it! Another thing I greatly appreciate is that…
Read at the sourceDompa112
Watched both this and then Akagi after each other. While both took some time to really hit off for me, once they did i was glued to the TV and just wanted more and more. Its just really intense the mind/psychological battles going on. I cant say if everything makes sense as im not good enough to fully understand the games like Mahjong or such but just doesnt matter. Just follow along the ride and enjoy the battles. Its just so intense and entertaining. Music isnt any special but always fits the mood. Voice acting likewise. Characters are interesting and fun to get to know. The show stays on its path the entire time. Doesnt have fan service or other stuff forced in.
I think people enjoying this genre and Madhouse 2000-2010 just cant get wrong with this. Absolutely worth a watch.
Read at the sourcegackpoider
I was worried at first that the show would be too slow-paced for me, but by the time the first gamble was completed, I was completely hooked. It is a really fascinating show about gambling, of course, but it also touches on many themes surrounding it such as desperation, perserverance, and the desire to start anew. Moments of deep drama and shocking plot twists are littered throughout and keep you guessing as to what could happen next. The soundtrack is fantastic and instantly iconic. I also find the art style to be very good and refreshingly unique. In general, though it took some time to grow on me, I highly recommend Kaiji to anybody.
Read at the sourcembarseru
An absolute fucking blast of emotions
A lot of depth and relatability can be grasped from this anime, maybe not in the sense of gambling related per say, but in the sense of personal struggle and wishing to get a fresh start.
I absolutely loved this anime, if not for my friends recommendation, I would have kept sleeping on this masterpiece.
It is an absolutely gorgeous anime story wise, as unlike a good deal of other anime, it does not let neither the fact who the main character is nor the fact that he is the main character NOR the fact that there are more episodes to come, become a factor in why he wins his battles.
Read at the sourcestonedDiscord
Going into this I thought this anime is going to be about mahjong but turns out it isn't.
Instead I got a Squid Game anime, that makes Squid Game look like a Netflix adaption.
The pressure is ON the entire time and Kaiji deals with it like a mastermind.
It's a great story about trust and what it means to pull through.
The art style is so iconic that you'll find references to it in a lot of other anime.
In fact it is so good that it hasn't aged at all and you could see something that looks like this be released today.
I highly recommend this show.
Read at the sourcesoultier
(Spoiler Free review!)
That's my first review so please be respectful. But hear me out, Gyakkyou Burai Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor is one of the greatest anime I have ever seen, and yet it seems that no one outside Japan really saw it!
This anime tells the story of Kaiji, an apparently useless and financially broken man who gets tangled in some shady business and now has to recover his debt by betting on things that cost more than any money could afford. That's the only summary you will get from me and please don't research about the anime. Just dive deep into it, trust me!
Good things: For starters, Kaiji must be one of the best protagonists of all time. He is not an overpowered protagonist who is better than everyone and he is not the opposite. The author does an excellent job of highl…
Read at the sourceAguyinaRPG
Thrillers are a genre defined by creating impossible situations, but laying the clues for the viewers to find how the characters can escape them. It is one of the most difficult plots to pull off successfully, even more difficult to do while raising stakes and attempting not to descend into convoluted thought processes. Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor manages to pull off a very mature and analytical take on the thriller plot which may feel familiar to fans of shonen action series, but unlike most of those series the set-ups have huge consequences and payoffs.
Kaiji is sometimes identified as the "anti Yu-Gi-Oh" for its overriding themes of valuing psychology over believing in victory. There are a lot of similarities between the two, especially of Kaiji and the original manga, far more than the a…
Read at the sourceCalviciecalvicia
SUMMARY:Exciting and deep but not for everyone.
This anime is about itou kaiji, a guy who has many debts, one day he has the opportunity to disappear his debts once and for all, for this he will enter into dangerous bets where even HIS LIFE WILL BE GAMBLED.
The games where he bet are very well thought out, like practically everything in this series, it has very real and very interesting characters, without a doubt it has very tense and exciting moments and accompanies them with one of the best ost in anime history, however it has a big problem, and that is that sometimes it can be very slow, it is a problem that all the works of fukumoto (the creator) have, but if you ignore that you will enjoy one of the best anime out there .
PD:Kaiji CHAD
RESUMEN:Emocionante y profunda pero no es para t…
Read at the sourceM3mber
The anime is overally really good. Doesn't matter if you are starting or are a veteran.
8/10
The story of the anime is original to certain extent. No more isekais that repeat everything. The main thing that I liked about the anime is the story. It isn't predictable. In today's age where so many of the isekais and other animes have the same predictable plot (reincarnation, getting to the top, getting harem, the top), this story made me tune in by its unpredictability. While I am not used to old animes so it was a bit weird from the beginning watching it, I am now considering watching a lot more of the older animes just becasue of this one. Definitely recommend.
Read at the source
