Tobaku Mokushiroku Kaiji (賭博黙示録カイジ Gambling Apocalypse Kaiji) is the first part of Nobuyuki Fukumoto's Kaiji series. It was published by Kodansha in Weekly Young Magazine, starting February 19th 1996, ending in 1999 with a total of 13 volumes, and 158 chapters. It is immediately followed by Tobaku Hakairoku Kaiji. Tobaku Mokushiroku Kaiji was licensed by Denpa for an English. Tobaku Mokushiroku Kaiji (賭博黙示録カイジ Gambling Apocalypse Kaiji) is a manga by Nobuyuki Fukumoto focusing on the art of gambling. It is published by Kodansha in Weekly Young Magazine, starting February 19th 1996, and is currently still in publication. The series was licensed by Denpa for an English release of Tobaku Mokushiroku Kaiji, translating the Omnibus releases as opposed to. Gambling Apocalypse Kaiji), also known as Ultimate Survivor Kaiji, is a Japanese manga series written by Nobuyuki Fukumoto. The first arc of the manga (13 volumes) was adapted into a 26-episode TV anime series called Gyakkyō Burai Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor (逆境無頼カイジ Ultimate Survivor), which began airing in October 2007.
aka Gambling Apocalypse Kaiji 2
Story: Kaiji Ito (Tatsuya Fujiwara) has drowned in debt and in life-threatening gambling games managed to free himself of this predicament only to end up right at the bottom once again. He is working off his debt as a slave, but with the help of his friends he buys himself two weeks in freedom. Kaiji now looks for a way to make the most of his money and that of his friends, who still have to work underground, so that he can buy himself and his friends free. His old acquaintance and rival Tonegawa (Teruyuki Kagawa), who fell from grace with his boss, introduces him to a secret casino in which a giant pachinko machine promises wealth in the blink of an eye. However, casino boss Seiya Ichijo (Yusuke Iseya) doesn't leave winning or losing to chance. With the helping hand of a new friend Kaiji makes at that place, Sakazaki (Katsuhisa Namase), and Yumi Ishida (Yuriko Yoshitaka) whose father he promised to look after her and who is working at the casino, he slowly comes up with a strategy how they can hit the jackpot of several millions despite all the obstacles...
Review: The sequel to the live-action movie of the manga and anime remains true to its source and once again proves to be an extremely entertaining thriller. Thanks to a good amount of wit and drama the viewer is pushed to the edge of his seat and this even though 'Kaiji 2' isn't perfect. Nonetheless, it's really easy to dive into the world of this thriller and so we get one of the most entertaining movies out of Japan in the last few years. Most likely the movie will only be half as good when watching it a second time, because most of the tension is created through the unpredictable outcome of the games, but this is of no concern at this point. Fortunately, fans of the series can watch the thriller as well since we know since part one that departures from the original story are in the realm of possibilities.
'Kaiji 2' doesn't try out anything new but instead makes use of the second story arc of the manga. It is pretty obvious that the series itself has more time to deal with the drama of the characters and the individual gambling strategies, but the live-action adaption manages in an applaudable way to bring to screen the most important aspects in a compressed manner. Those who haven't seen the first part may have some difficulties following the plot, though, since things aren't rehashed for us in some flashbacks. That's in fact pretty refreshing as the movie doesn't waste any time this way and avoids typical lengthy scenes. After only 20 minutes you will be completely captured by the film and cheer for Kaiji, a loser within society who wants to fight his way back up.
The hero of the story surely has a problem with gambling, but he has also reached a point in life at which he can't get rid of his mountain of debt through normal labor. Therefore, he is forced to risk it all once again. He may give a pathetic impression, as well as many other losers, when he begs for just another chance during a game, but he still has enough brains and wit to become a serious danger to the best of their profession. What makes him work out as a sympathetic character is his humanity which he manages to preserve despite all of his past bad experiences. You only get somewhere in life when you use others as a spring board, meaning that you only can hit it big in life on the expense of others. However, Kaiji isn't willing to life according to the motto of this cruel society.
Naturally that leads to Kaiji often being made use of and betrayed, but eventually his naivity and good-naturedness soften up just the right individuals who can help him become victorious on his way. In the end this might block Kaiji's road to true wealth, but you only need to look at his rivals to be able to easily answer what's more important: money or friendship.
One of Kaiji's former opponents, Tonegawa, is now fighting alongside him but of course there is still something inscrutable about him so that we never know whether he will betray Kaiji or not after all. It's the same with Yumi, being a variable that can't be assessed and therefore adds to the thrill factor of the movie.
It's amazing how often the characters are merely staring at a pachinko machine being keyed up while you yourself are almost forgetting to breathe, even though at a closer look there isn't actually happening that much. But the waiting, being enriched by many monologues and explanations about the possible outcomes of the game and the used strategies, creates a tremendous tension, which also gets some depth and color thanks to the implemented background stories of the characters. Thus, the movie's 135 minutes pass by like an arrow. A nice soundtrack and the usual good directing (as with the first part Tôya Satô sits once again in the director's chair) make the movie succeed on a technical level as well. As its predecessor did 'Kaiji 2' stands out with a special kind of magic as well which will instantly captivate even those who have only little interest in gambling. An absolutely worthy sequel.
aka Gambling Apocalypse Kaiji
Story: Kaiji (Tatsuya Fujiwara) is a 30 years old loser, who just manages to pay his rent by working at a small shop. He wants to change his life for years already, but that proves to be nothing more than a mere thought. Then, one day, he gets a visit from loan shark Endo (Yuki Amami) who tells him that he has to pay the debt of a friend, for whom he signed a contract of guaranty, since that person has disappeared. Kaiji is desperate as he will never manage to get together the required amount of money. Endo makes a proposal, though. She invites him to go on the ship 'Espoir' where a gigantic gambling contest takes place. If he wins his debt will be cleared. Kaiji agrees, but has to find out that he has completely underestimated the consequences of losing the game. The losers are brought into a labor camp for many years where they have to build an underground city for a lunatic boss of a syndicate. However, the right hand of the boss, Tonegawa (Teruyuki Kagawa), has some other sadistic games he wants to involve his victims in and which they eventually have to pay with their lives. Kaiji finally wants to change his life for real, and most of all wants to regain his freedom. Therefore, he agrees to participate in the perfidious games.
Review: 'Kaiji: The Ultimate Gambler' is a manga-adaption and you can tell right from the start. The story and the acting are over the top, which means that in a normal movie this would be somewhat of an overkill but within the frame of the adaption of the subject it actually all fits together very splendidly. Which unfortunately doesn't mean that there aren't certain points to be criticised. First of all, there is the uneven pacing and some explanations that are too long for their own good. All in all, 'Kaji' is excellent entertainment, though, the kind of you seldom see out of Japan these days. Moreover, even those who aren't really into gambling movies, and I count myself into that group, too, will sit on the edge of their seats during the thrilling games as there are lives at stake here. Some or actually all of the games, in fact there are only three implemented into the movie, are rather simple and yet the filmmakers could make astonishingly good use of their potential. Thus, this movie proves to be a real suprise as a manga-adaption.
Tatsuya Fujiwara, who has already taken the leading role in the well done live action adaption of the manga 'Death Note', plays a likeable loser with his very own share of character flaws which we easily forgive him as he is a human like anyone else. Moreover, Yuki Amami takes the role of a supporting character who as in 'The Queen's Classroom' may be a bit cold, but yet charismatic. However, the film doesn't use much time for character exposition, it's during the events unfolding that we learn more about Kaiji. To be exactly, this also brings us to the first real problem of the movie. The beginning on the ship already ups the tempo and especially the long finale can deliver when it comes to fast pacing. The middle part on the other hand feels like a foreign body. The pacing decreases extremely when we get to the part in the labor camp and the drama content also becomes heavier. And since we are already on it, it also has to be pointed out that the manga-typical explanations and monologues are sometimes a little bit too much. During a certain game, which in a wider or maybe narrow sense centers around balancing, there are discussions or explanations lasting several minutes which in the context of the given circumstances seems just ridiculous.
In the last game, which is actually nothing more than a simple card game that - how should it be any different - centers around some easy form of probability, the implemented explanations work out quite well, however. We get some insight into the tactics of the players and can think laterally along with the players. The tricks and sleight of hands that are used are effectively put into the spotlight even if the smart viewer can in fact realize the strategem of the players on his own which is why the illumination of what happened and why can get a bit tedious again.Director Toya Sato, who acquired some experience with some TV shows and 'Gokusen - The Movie', still manages to get the maximum of thrills out of those scenes. Since this is also the area where the movie should show its true strength, it's easy to overlook some of the obvious flaws, e.g. the fact that the film could have used its lengthy 130 minutes running time in a more reasonable way, even though the movie luckily never really feels that lengthy.
A good budget at hand, nice sets and a sense for the right colors and lighting make 'Kaiji' convince on a technical level. The soundtrack also does its share to make the events thrilling at all times. Concerning the demise of some side characters the movie can be surprisingly merciless, too. All in all, the undertone of the film is in fact quite serious despite the beginning and the end delivering some more humerous moments as well.Especially the fact the film is quite gritty and also deals about topics like the everlasting losers of society who never change their way of life but instead are just constantly talking about it, give this manga-adaption a little bit more depth than expected. Even the more when we realize that these people are losers because they are taken advantage of by vicious and coldblooded individuals that take fun in toying with the hopes of poor people. In this framework Kaiji starts to surpass himself, of course, which is also what makes it so easy for the audience to suffer and fight alongside him.
The movie based on Fukumoto Nobuyuki's manga 'Kaiji' doesn't revolve around a card-player who is a true expert in this field, but instead centers around a small guy who by unfortunate coincides is pulled out of his dull life and thrown into life-threatening surroundings which makes him realize what it really means to live. That's what's making the film truely captivating. The well done finale and the anticipation of a soon to follow sequel make you hope that in the next installment the filmmakers can avoid some of the aforementioned flaws and can present the in general thrilling subject of playing for your own life in a more balanced fashion. As it was with 'Death Note' there is almost the certainness that the anime series is qualitatively superior, even though I haven't watched it (yet), but as an introduction Toya Sato's movie can do a bit more than just touch the surface of its potential and does so quite well. We are looking forward for more!
Many thanks to4DigitalMedia for providing the review material.
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