Audience reviews
20 · Sample from the first available page, separate from the total number of ratings.
Sp1cyCrab
Has great momentum at the start but loses it after the midpoint with the introduction of Washizu. Pacing drops to a crawl, same thoughts and situations are repeated again and again and again. Akagi either wins or he loses indirectly.
Akagi as a character is boring. He is smart and perceptive, he is a thrill seeker that enjoys walking on the razor's edge, he isn't afraid of death. All of that allows him to play godly Mahjong. That's how Akagi is introduced in the first episode and that's how we leave him in the last episode.
We don't learn anything about him, neither he shows himself from a new side through the entire 26 episodes.
It leave the games of mahjong itself which is entertaining enough in the first half. Akagi pull crazy stuff that is decently plausible if you know rules for R…
Read at the sourceKrenZane
*Brief Review-Reflections*
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My status as an ignoramus negates any credibility to my opinions on Akagi's true value. For what it's worth, what's fascinating about extracting the essence of mahjong gambling for scrutiny in affiliation to death's inevitable coming is the unadulterated access to macabre drama. The 26-episode run utilized untapped darkness through an amusing mix of ornate epical narration and DBZ-styled commentary. From the eyes of one without mahjong knowledge it's a fairly descriptive anime; I'm actually tempted to call it a visual novel due to the dense script, the absence of complex movement, and minimal environmental manipulation.
Akagi is unfettered when it comes to plunging deeper into the edgy, mirroring the titular character's eccentric quirk of fearless risk-tak…
Read at the sourceDompa112
Who knew Mahjong could be this intense. Im only really familiar with it through the Yakuza games where ive spent quite alot of time playing it. But by no means a pro and in need of some in game help to go by.
But yeah as expected from the creators of Kaiji Ultimate survivor heres another intense show where the MC is up against the odds and in need to topple his opponents through wits.
The show is made up of pretty much 4 different games and opponents. I think the first few episodes were a bit slow. Ofcourse being introduced to characters. Getting some pointers about Mahjong. Its really only halfway through when stakes get higher show really gets going.
Im not good enough to know if everything really is as smart and tactical as it sounds or if the show is a bit pretentious but in the…
Read at the sourceheycoolbook
the positives:
i watched kaiji first, so it's cool to see akagi screw over the people who screw kaiji on a regular basis.
akagi it's a cool mc.
the negatives:
I knew nothing about mahjong before watching this, and I don't think I learned a single thing after, this anime expects you to know the basics of mahjong (which is fair, I guess, i don't think the autor thought that akagi would be watched outside of japan) so when the sections where they started talking about the plays i was there like "ahhhh i see i see" o i simply didn't read them, cause what for, it's not like i was learning to play mahjong, nor does the anime expects you to learn watching it, so keep that in mind if you plan to watch this.
Read at the sourceArchangelEST
Akagi, despite being a heavily Mahjong focused show, manages to weave an engaging story, that can ensnare even those who know nothing about the game. While understanding the finer details of the game would undoubtedly augment the viewing experience, it is still enjoyable going in blind.
Animation / Art / General Visuals - 8/10
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There is no point to beat around the bush. Akagi has opted into a unique art style regarding character faces. And it's probably off-putting to most people. And I'll be the first in line to say that I dislike such silly deviations from the norm.
That said, the weird art only really applies to faces, everything else is standard style and high quality.
Animation is excellent. Madhouse does not disappoint. If you can l…
Read at the sourcebergars
There's a place for the unbeatable, overpowered protagonist in many places. However, it's not fun here.
"Akagi" is one of those series that I never try to give a chance (until now that I finish absolutely everything I start). A game is introduced, and that game's the star of the whole show, but, I don't know the game. At which point does a series fail when it disengages the audience because of the main plot point?
The titular, Mahjong, is one of those very complicated games (at first sight for me) that deliver opportunity for mind games. Schemes, tricks, cheats, gambling, all is fair game. The macabre aesthetic with characters having this very pointy, expressive nature that fits the vibe to a T; introducing us to the grimy qualities of an underground world of gambling. Yet, at some poin…
Read at the sourceZanryu1337
Story: 6
Animation: 9
Sound: 7
Characters: 6
Enjoyment: 8
Total: 8
Akagi is a classic in many regards and for a reason. But in a sense there isn't much substance to speak of. But that is true for most anime/manga that revolve around a game, in this case Mahjong. The core of the anime revolves around Akagi, a beginner in the game and his rise through the underground with only 4 encounters in the game. But each encounter consists of multiple rounds, sessions and partially swapping players.
Touhai Densetsu Akagi falls into a very specific niche of anime-protagonist relationships. As it is similar with other anime in this sub-style, this main character isn't really the focus, but the reactions from the surrounding cast. This includes his opponents and his observers, as they mostly don't und…
Read at the sourceGirafro
Many years ago I was poking around on WinAmp, looking at the video streams and radio streams that random people were broadcasting. Besides the underground, pirate radios that introduced me to SO MUCH music and the adult content that was rampant I happened on an anime stream.
I was just a teenager, maybe 16 or so, and my experience with anime to that point was whatever was on my family's basic cable so Dragon Ball, Inuyasha, Naruto, Bleach, etc. I clicked into some guy streaming anime on WinAmp and what do I find but these ridiculous looking guys playing some kind of board game I'd never heard of.
It was already deep into the Washizu arc, things were getting wild, and even as someone with no idea I could feel the stakes. I tried to follow the game, I became enraptured. I never saw the con…
Read at the sourceFishing_Lover123
This tv show is like being able to experience the bliss of fishing from the sedentary placidity of your own home. Had fishing not already stolen my weeping heart from the altar on which I had prepared to eviscerate it and shown me the true divinity of the human experience, I would probably be called Akagi_Lover123. Just last Sunday, in the course of my Lake Ontario sojourn searching for the lake's native Chinook salmon, I was challenged to a game of Japanese-style Mahjong by a passing gull. Though the devious avian employed all manner of unique and varied strategy in its favour, the advanced practical understanding of the game only this show could offer allowed me to play a solid enough defensive game to stage a comeback in the south round.
Read at the sourceEverRealm
I want to start this review by saying that gambling is one of my favorite genres. And that I've seen quite a few gambling anime. I have also a fan of Fukumoto's works for a while and my all time favorite anime is Kaiji. So my expectations for Akagi were high and I was expecting it to be really good. But unfortunately Akagi did not live up to my expectations. A gambling anime walks a fine line with its stakes. Too big of a stake and there will be no way for the protagonist to lose. And too little and the viewer isn’t interested. Fukumoto is typically very good at walking this line. But Akagi fails at this to the point where the fact that this is called a thriller is foolish. In the beginning of the series it is stated that this is the story of the genius’s descent into darkness. This makes…
Read at the sourceKempokid21
After having watched and adored both seasons of Kaiji, I thought it only natural to almost immediately jump into Akagi, which at a glance seemed basically like Kaiji but Mahjong. Now there was one problem with this and admittedly, it's still a problem, that being, I have absolutely no idea how to play Mahjong and every time I've tried to learn it, I just feel my brain leaking out of my ears instead, it's just not a game I have the patience to sit down and properly learn, at least not at this point in time. Funnily enough, this show ended up being one that was highly enjoyable for the most part even without the knowledge of how the game it all focuses on is actually played, which is certainly something I both found to be a positive and negative for its own reasons. When watching this, it wa…
Read at the sourceHopeainen
Does insanity and genius walk hand in hand? For many it may seem like it and it might even be true. It all depends on the circumstance. Just like mahjong is a game about luck of the draw, it was luck that led Akagi to that room in the beginning. For many, it would seem to be insanity not to use your genius to make money or be successful but they are not geniuses like Akagi. He doesn't care about those things. I think the show did amazing job portraying someone who clearly operates on a different level from others. Akagi lives in his own world with his own rules.
Suspenseful thriller that uses mahjong as vehicle to drive the story forward. I did not know the rules before watching and I don't know them now, it was still very entertaining to follow. And it all beautifully ends in a battle be…
Read at the source447799
Touhai Densetsu Akagi: Yami ni Maiorita Tensai is about the genius mahjong player Akagi Shigeru and how he became a legend. This anime is a lot more enjoyable if you know how to play riichi mahjong, the variation played in the anime, as you will understand easily what's happening during the games. The show will also become relatable if you are a mahjong player, as you see situations during the games that may have happened with you when you were playing it. Even so, I think you can understand the story and enjoy it without knowing anything about mahjong as well, as everything is constantly explained by the narrator, and maybe you will be able to learn it while watching. I don't have the experience of watching it without knowing the game so I can't really tell, but this anime is definitely b…
Read at the sourceRauLeCreuset
I found this anime to be very interesting, because at the beginning the guy playing the game with the yakuza, he was on the ropes until this unnamed random thirteen year old boy came in out of the rained drenched, wet clothes, and sand on his shoes, out of know where, it's amazing how intelligent someone is, not just that, but how well someone randomly just learns very quickly how to play the game Mahjong that they barely had any knowledge of, or just by listening to a few simple words with out any in depth information a game or subject what so ever, so people I think are truly gifted inividuals, and this gift allows these people to succeed without much effort. And also, I love he the "Protagaonist" doesn't fear death, and is willing to risk life, just to test his own limits. This is one a…
Read at the sourceEssa_
I had the wrong view about mahjong. I used to tell people to go play mahjong because I thought it was funny, thinking mahjong was this boring puzzle game (It's probably just one version of it). But that's not what japanese mahjong is. It's similar to poker in a sense that your goal is to build a valuable hand from the games tiles, but the differences are the extra rules, and in particular the possibilities that those rules bring to the strategies and possibilities.
As a fan strategy games in general I find the game very intriguing, but while watching the anime, there certainly was a few moments when I was puzzled by the rules. If you can bring your self to study few of the terms and the basic rules you will most likely find enjoyment on the show. I think I would have rated this show and 8…
Read at the sourceproxime
What makes an animated show work so well when it's actually barely animated? That's the sort of question Akagi seeks to answer, and it does so marvelously by displaying the following: iron-tight writing, stellar voice acting, and a real weighty sense of tension and stakes--even if you know Akagi will win in the end.
How does it all work? For one, the writing isn't held back when it comes to the primary conflict of which each arc surrounds--Mahjong. While it would be very easy for a show dedicated to displaying how ridiculously powerful its main character is, the anime shows little interest in letting Akagi win through ass pulls and random high value hands. Instead, each and every game gets a thorough explanation of each and every move by Akagi and his opponent, bringing even the most unaw…
Read at the sourceFreneticKing
The animation looks odd at first, but it is yet another example of hidden gems. Definetely, this anime has some incredible insights on the minds of players at all kinds of games. Nevertheless, I think it lost brilliancy on the second half of the series, or maybe I just misunderstood Akagi. Maybe too dense too, I get the main theme is Mahjong, but it is pretty much the only theme. What I value the most is the valuable life lessons you can grasp from it. Some female characters would have been appreciated, although I wonder how these guys would draw a woman.
Read at the sourcetooterp
Akagi is honestly a slept on anime. It's not the best by any means but I guarantee if you watch it you will enjoy it. I'm surprised it's as obscure as it is but tbh that's probably because there isn't a dub and it's about a game not many people know how to play, but honestly even if you've never heard of mahjong it's still entertaining and I can attest for that myself. You don't need to know the context or rules of anything in this anime to enjoy it because it explains everything that you actually need to know very well and does it in a very entertaining fashion. Fr tho this show is under rated, if you like anime you should definitely watch this.
Read at the sourceliteraturenerd
Alright. I can't even do a conventional review for this shit! This is the most confusing anime I've ever seen in my life. It's well directed, well animated, and seems to build decent drama. I just have no earthly idea what the fuck is going on!
Did you think End of Evangelion was a little confusing? Maybe you weren't paying close enough attention and you somehow missed what LCL is. "I wanted to watch this for the robot battles and hot chicks, why is everyone exploding into orange goop now?!" Maybe you're asking stuff like "Is this happening during episodes 25 and 26 in Shinji's head? "If Seele always wanted to implement the human instrumentality project, why did they wait this long and provide funding for NERV, who is antithetical to their goals?" "Why did Shinji choke Asuka and then stop…
Read at the sourceSCLFI
I shall preface this by saying that I (and I imagine most Western readers as well) cannot play mahjong. After watching Akagi I have somewhat grasped a few basic rules, but as I cannot play the game, my enjoyment and understand is altered considerably. But unlike, for instance, chess, a game I (and I also imagine most people) can play, in that I know the way in which pieces on the board move, I am not a seasoned chess player, and thereby, if Akagi were about chess instead, my enjoyment would be rather similar, for the nuance within the strategies depicted are largely ones that someone with only a basic understanding wouldn't quite be able to appreciate. But enough digression, time to give a brief synopsis.
Akagi is about our titular character, Akagi Shigeru, a 13 year old chap living in the…
Read at the source
