The Best Gambling Anime You Must Watch
Are you familiar with Japanese anime or manga? While manga is a form of literature that includes comics and cartoons, anime is a Japanese television genre associated with drawings and computer-generated animation.
Some popular anime series include Dragon Ball, One Piece (a manga adaptation), and Neon Genesis Evangelion.
Statistics may differ regarding how many people watch anime. But it’s becoming more popular in western countries. Netflix users can watch the widely famous Naruto, or there’s Kakegurui – Compulsive Gambler, a manga adaptation.
Almost one-fifth of Americans watched anime in 2021. The worldwide anime market may reach $53 billion by 2032.
With a growing following, here are some of the best gambling anime you should watch.
Kakegurui
Under the Drama Anime category on Netflix, Kakegurui (2017) centers around students at the Hyakkoku Private Academy—a gambling school. The school’s hierarchy forms a basis for status and political power within the country.
In the first episode of the series, Yumeko Jabami, a transfer student, faces off against a class champion, Mary, in a high-stakes game of rock-paper-scissors.
Other games in the series include poker and an “ESP card game.” Students battle for student board president, bargaining chips, and control of one another’s lives.
A more recent version titled Kakegurui Twin (2022) offers six episodes with Mary Saotome as the main character.
No Game No Life
Another manga adaptation, No Game No Life anime, derives from the light novel series of the same name. Brazilian-Japanese novelist and illustrator Yuu Kamiya published 12 novels associated with the series between 2012 and 2023.
The American subscription service Crunchyroll simulcast the anime adaptation in 2014. Under AMC Networks, Sentai Filmworks licensed the anime version of the franchise.
The main characters, Sora and Shiro, gain notoriety in online gaming by remaining undefeated. A god from another reality, Tet, challenges the two to a chess game and loses.
When Sora and Shiro enter the new reality, they discover a world where people resolve their differences by gambling on various magical games. Eventually, they compete in a tournament against Tet to seek control of a declining nation inhabited by humans.
Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor
The anime series Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor comes from the manga series Gambling Apocalypse: Kaiji. Kaiji Itō, the story’s protagonist, struggles with poverty and gambling difficulties.
As an anime series, the show became a collaborative effort between Japanese TV and animation studios. The series was released in October 2007 and ran for 28 episodes until April 2008.
The series drew an unofficial release in the U.S. via a now-defunct peer-to-peer internet TV service. A Blu-ray version came out in 2021 with English subtitles. HIDIVE released the series’ first English dub for nine episodes in 2022 and six in 2023.
Kaiji might be among the most relatable characters in gambling anime. Finding reputable options is crucial with many new digital casinos in the COVID era.
To try online casinos, consult Las Atlantis Casino reviews or other local sources. You’ll want to avoid the “misadventures” of Kaiji.
Death Parade
Madhouse, Inc., producer of some previous titles on this list, also oversaw Death Parade, the Japanese anime series created, written, and directed by Yuzuru Tachikawa. The series ran for 12 episodes on Japanese TV in 2015.
In the afterlife, people compete in Death Games for their souls at various bars. Decim, the main character, operates the bar Quindecim with his assistant, Chiyuki.
The series’s arbiters (or bartenders) include Decim’s boss, Nona, and Ginti. Players include Man, Takashi, and Shigeru Miura. They compete in games like Death Billiards, darts, and Death Bowling.
North American viewers may find the series on Crunchyroll (with an average score of 4.8 from 4.5K ratings). It’s also available in Australia and New Zealand.
The Legend of Koizumi
For a fantasy-based option with a slapstick, comedic twist, The Legend of Koizumi is the English name of the manga series Mudazumo Naki Kaikaku. With a 2010 anime release, the story centers around international leaders and their mahjong skills.
Within only three episodes, former Japanese prime minister Junichiro Koizumi faces leaders from Russia, North Korea, and the U.S.
Koizumi then gets recruited by the Vatican to battle modern-day Nazis who established a base on the moon. It’s a mahjong political parody that winds up poking fun at various world leaders, including Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, and Vladimir Putin.
The Legend of Koizumi offers a light and quirky option among gambling anime that usually leans toward drama and heavier themes.
Gambling Anime Isn’t for Everybody
While many enjoy anime, its gambling niche may not be for everybody. Fans of manga might prefer gambling anime instead. Some of the English dubs could feel foolish to newcomers.
The rise in popularity of anime series may come from the west’s obsession with major Hollywood productions of comic book characters. Anime is made with a much smaller budget, so it makes sense that its fan base may draw more of a cult following.
Gamers or gamblers who appreciate quirkiness may want to try fish table games online.
What’s your favorite anime or go-to gambling movie?
