Introduction
Ever since moving into his own apartment, quiet high school student Kei has been looking for a new thrill. He soon finds himself playing mahjong, but his whole life takes a dramatic turn when he is forced to play the game with a criminal group. Even though the odds seem against him, Kei is able to outmatch the others. Instead of claiming his reward in cash, however, he decides to take an abducted girl named Amina under his wing.
Due to Kei's skills and cold playstyle, the mysterious Hideharu Seki takes an interest in him, introducing him to mahjong parlors and new potential opponents. But when matched up against an experienced player named Doujima, Kei is severely outskilled and only narrowly escapes going into serious debt. If he wants to protect his new life with Amina, Kei must find a way to outwit these shady characters and come out on top in every game he plays.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
Audience reviews
6 · Sample from the first available page, separate from the total number of ratings.
yasa4
Touhai's anime adaption falls flat because it fails to find the balance between mahjong and hardcore yakuza violence that the manga discovered after a few volumes. Perhaps a victim of wanting to maintain the non-mahjong playing audience's attention, the mahjong is rushed and so payoffs aren't given enough time to be built up. Instead the focus is on moving to the next insane bit of stomach turning yakuza violence.
This might be fine if the core story line was compelling, plenty of sports manga could have the core sport swapped out with just about anything. However, in the case of Touhai's manga, the violence exists to give weight to the mahjong being played. The weight of a riichi is heightened when life and limb are on the line. In the anime adaption, the supporting role of the yakuza st…
Read at the sourceP0L0-Fujiwara
Well... This anime made me feel to write my first review on this website for quite a while which wonder why.
To get straight to the point : The anime greatly lacks on the writing side all the way from Episode 1 to 25. The reason is being mostly focused on Mahjong (obviously) but, also, on a Yakuza war. Character development is non-existent, foreshadowing can be calculated pretty much in advance. I believe it looks the same on the manga which explains the "story" progress this way. This is clearly a sub-Akagi anime in terms of plot, characters & rules-sets.
Unfortunelately, the violence is also too present in a deseperate attempt to fill the gaps in the lack of writing.
The only good thing i can say is correctly animated and backgrounds is decent and doesn't make an immediate drop. Is…
Read at the sourceLoubna_al-taweel
I can’t believe I finished watching it. Too many violent and inhuman scenes --- definitely not for sensitive viewers. However, it’s really a good anime. Even though I didn’t understand the game well, the story keeps you always anticipating the next episode,
As for characters: My favorite was definitely Doujima (not Kei!). Despite his involvement in the underworld like everyone else, his strong yet soft, mature nature made him stand out.
The character I hated most? Yuu. I don’t blame her—she’s just an ordinary girl, and her reactions were normal... but did she have to make her lack of trust in Kei so obvious? That frustration never faded.
Read at the sourceStycinViro
First of all, I know nothing about Mahjong, and after finishing this series the only things I've learned are some words like Tsumo, Riichi, Pon, and Dura. Not like I know what any of those mean, but now I know them. So, as someone who doesn't know anything about the gambling game that this entire series has as it's core gimmick, here's my review after finishing it:
It was really fun to watch the plot develop and the world evolve as the show went on. The character's are all good, and it's always satisfying when one pulls of some insane crazy move that wins them the round. The high stakes that they set for some of the games are also impactful, and not always just a monetary prize, which helped keep the show from feeling boring and repetitive (if they had only ever won money, then it would'v…
Read at the sourceShisui-Pho
Touhai 100% stands out as one of the most memorable anime of the season(though it never got that much attention). The show masterfully builds suspense and delivering unexpected twists that keep you on the edge of your seat. Even without any prior knowledge of Mahjong it’s easy to get hooked, there’s enough explanation throughout to enjoy the strategic tension without feeling lost(but you should not fret if you do not understand you should still enjoy). While I’m not ready to challenge anyone to a Mahjong match anytime soon, I picked up just enough to appreciate the stakes and thrills of each game.
In a season filled with fantasy, magic, and sci-fi, Touhai offers something refreshingly different. It’s an engaging mix of strategy, suspense, and well-timed action, making it a unique standout…
Read at the sourcePhAnT0M_Alt
Great riichi mahjong series for people who PLAY MAHJONG. If you don't play Riichi Mahjong you will have a tough time understanding the series and therefore should start off with something else first.
A generally weak adaptation of the source material with its low budget but manages to convey the same tension and stakes as the original story. Mainly hindered by the fact that there was no english sub for a large portion of its airing so I had to watch it raw, but recently there's been a official release that's about to catch up. If you've watched/read any similar works like Akagi and Ten you'll enjoy the series as well
Read at the source