Ultimate Survivor Kaiji

This is an anime that I came across just a few day ago, mostly because the author is the creator of 1 of my favourite anime (Akagi). Was just feeling bored and 'google' a bit about him until I come across this work of his...

Woo~ And I think I've struck gold!

This anime is, according to Wiki, considered his most famous work. (Longest too with 4 seasons)

This is a MUST WATCH!!!

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The genre of the anime is classified as "Gambling", but I certainly don't think that's all to it. It is just a form of way to present the story, even though the gambling parts themselves are very interesting.

This show is very similar to "Death Note", totally has that feel. It's about deception, trickery, conning, strategy, survival, betrayal... Etc...

When I started watching it, I thought this show is "Everything Death Note and more".

When I reached Episode 9... ... that's the point when I felt this show has surpass Death Note. I don't think I've been this worked up over a drama before.

When I saw Death Note, I applauded the brilliance of the characters, I stand in awed at the plot and intellectual battles, etc...

But this anime, in addition to that, it went to an even deeper level; it makes my blood boil and it makes me feel like strangling the life out of the villians. It really made me feel the position of the main character.

I think perhaps in Death Note, the characters are too "godlike". Like Yagami... trying to "revolutionize the world", "create the perfect world"... etc... They're too far away.

In this show, the characters are people we can relate to (commoners). The "strategy" is not extremely far-fetch or "epic". A lot of it is just very simple mechanics/logic, executed in a superb way. That's the best way I can put it.

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This anime has a very dark feel to it. It is a lot about how "inhuman" humans are. It'll show you the ugliest side of human nature... how people can go all out to kill each other in order to survive... How people make use of the trustful, how people can turn on each other, etc...

I can summarize the whole plot, the intellectual battles, the characters using the following...

"不择手段， 尔虞我诈， 弱肉强食， 钩心斗角， 笑里藏刀, 灭绝人性，禽兽不如, 令人发指"

Anyway, give it a chance and watch just for 20 minutes (Till the first part of episode 2). I guarantee you won't be disappointed.

You'll be so hooked that you won't be able to stop watching!