Kakegurui (manga)

## *Kakegurui – Compulsive Gambler*

***Kakegurui – Compulsive Gambler*** is a Japanese manga series written by Homura Kawamoto and illustrated by Tōru Naomura. It began serialization in Square Enix's *Gangan Joker* in March 2014, with its chapters additionally collected into fourteen *tankōbon* volumes as of February 2021. In North America, the manga has been licensed for English-language release by Yen Press. The series has also inspired numerous spin-off manga, including a prequel titled *Kakegurui Twin*.

The story of *Kakegurui – Compulsive Gambler* takes place at Hyakkaou Private Academy, one of Japan's most prestigious schools where, unlike normal schools, the hierarchy is determined by gambling. The main protagonist is Yumeko Jabami, a transfer student whose beautiful, innocent facade hides a psychotic addiction to gambling and high-stakes situations. With a keen intellect able to pierce through the elaborate cheating methods used by the most powerful students to rig games in their favour, Yumeko threatens to destroy the twisted hierarchy of the school simply for the thrill of it.

An anime television adaptation by MAPPA aired in Japan from July to September 2017. A second season, titled *Kakegurui ××*, aired from January to March 2019. The anime series has been licensed and streamed by Netflix outside of Japan. Two light novels based on the manga have been released by Square Enix in August 2017 and March 2019, respectively. A live-action drama adaptation aired in Japan from January to March 2018, while a second season aired in April 2019. A video game adaptation was released in November 2018, but it became inaccessible after its servers were closed down in March 2020. A film adaptation featuring the same actors from the drama was released in May 2019. A sequel to the film is set to be released in 2021.

## Synopsis[edit]

See also: List of Kakegurui – Compulsive Gambler characters

### Setting[edit]

*Kakegurui – Compulsive Gambler* is set at Hyakkaou Private Academy, a high-class elite school housing the children of Japan's most wealthy and influential people and with many future leaders and professionals among the student body. However, the student hierarchy in this school is not determined by academic performance or athletic ability, but rather by gambling.

Students are ranked by their monetary contributions to the Student Council, which fuels an intricate gambling system where students freely bet their fortunes against one another after class. Those who win earn popularity, prestige and connections, while those who lose and fall into debt become slaves to the whims of the remainder of the student body known as Pets, nicknamed "Doggy" or "Kitty" (“Fido” or “Mittens” in the dub) depending on gender and identified with a collar-like tag around their necks. Pets who are unable to clear their debts by the graduation receive "Life Schedules" which dictate their futures as they pay their debts with their lives.

### Premise[edit]

Second-year student Yumeko Jabami is, at first glance, a beautiful, cheerful and intelligent high school girl who recently transferred to Hyakkaou Private Academy, but deep inside she is a compulsive gambler that simply gambles for the thrill of it, unlike the rest of the students from Hyakkaou that do so for financial or social gain. Unrestrained by rules or logic, and with an exceptional observation ability to see through gambling scams, she quickly disrupts the hierarchy of the school, drawing the attention of the Student Council, especially its President Kirari Momobami, who takes interest in Yumeko.

## Publication[edit]

### Main series[edit]

Main article: List of Kakegurui – Compulsive Gambler chapters

Written by Homura Kawamoto and illustrated by Tōru Naomura, the manga series *Kakegurui – Compulsive Gambler* began its serialization in Square Enix's *Gangan Joker* anthology magazine on March 22, 2014. Square Enix has compiled and published its chapters into individual *tankōbon* volumes. The first volume was published on October 22, 2014, and fourteen volumes have been released as of February 22, 2021. At Anime Expo 2015, Yen Press announced that they had licensed the manga for English-language release in North America.

### Spin-offs[edit]

See also: List of Kakegurui – Compulsive Gambler chapters § Spin-offs

A spin-off series, titled *Kakegurui Twin*, focused on Mary Saotome prior to the main story, is written by Kawamoto and illustrated by Kei Saiki. It is serialized in Square Enix's *Gangan Joker* since September 21, 2015. The manga has been licensed by Yen Press. A 4-panel comedy spin-off written by Kawamoto and illustrated by Taku Kawamura, titled *Kakegurui (Kakkokari)*, was launched in *Gangan Joker* on December 22, 2016. Its chapters are collected and published by Square Enix into individual *tankōbon* volumes. The first volume was published on June 22, 2017, and eight volumes have been released as of February 22, 2021. Another spin-off, titled *Kakegurui Midari*, which focuses on the history of Midari Ikishima, was written by Kawamoto and illustrated by Yūichi Hiiragi. It was serialized on Square Enix app *Manga UP!* from February 21, 2017 to May 19, 2020. Square Enix compiled its chapters into four *tankōbon* volumes.

## Related media[edit]

### Anime series[edit]

Main article: Kakegurui (2017 TV series)

An anime television series animated by MAPPA aired from July 1 to September 23, 2017, on Tokyo MX, MBS and other channels. Yuichiro Hayashi directed the series, Yasuko Kobayashi handled the scripts, and Manabu Akita handled the character designs. TECHNOBOYS PULCRAFT GREEN-FUND composed the music for the series. The opening theme, "Deal with the Devil", is performed by Tia. D-Selections performed the ending theme "LAYon-theLINE". The series ran for 12 episodes. The series is licensed and streamed outside of Japan by Netflix, while Anime Limited acquired the series for release on home video in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

A second season, titled *Kakegurui ××*, aired from January 8 to March 26, 2019 on MBS, TV Aichi, and other channels. The cast reprised their roles, and the staff returned for the second season. Kiyoshi Matsuda joined Yuichiro Hayashi as director for the second season. The second season's opening theme song "Kono Yubi Tomare" is performed by JUNNA, and the ending theme song "AlegriA" is performed by D-selections. The second season ran for 12 episodes. Netflix released season 2 outside of Japan on June 13, 2019.

### Light novels[edit]

A light novel titled *Kakegurui Trip*, written by Hikaru Muno (Kawamoto's younger brother) and illustrated by Naomura, was published on August 22, 2017 by Square Enix. A second light novel titled *Kakegurui Joker*, also written by Muno and illustrated by Naomura, was published on March 22, 2019 by Square Enix.

### Television drama [edit]

Main article: Kakegurui (2018 TV series)

A Japanese television drama adaptation was first announced on November 21, 2017. The drama, directed by Tsutomu Hanabusa, was first broadcast on MBS on January 14, 2018, and TBS' slot *Dramaism* on January 16, 2018. The opening theme is sung by Re:versed titled "Ichi ka Bachi ka" while the theme song titled "Strawberry Feels" is sung by BIGMAMA.

After the live-action series premiered in Japan on January 14, 2018, it became available for streaming on Netflix in the United States and United Kingdom in early May, 2018. It became available in the Philippines on February 1, 2020, and Netflix Japan on July 2, 2018. The drama was streamed on Netflix in Japanese with subtitles including English, Spanish, Chinese, and Thai in May 2018.

In January 2019, the theme song "mummy mummy" for the second live-action season was released, by the rock band Bigmama. Passcode performed the opening song "Ichi ka Bachi ka" (All or Nothing). The second season premiered on April 1, 2019 on MBS and TBS, and ran for five episodes. The second season streamed on Netflix in July 2019.

### Theatrical films[edit]

Main article: Kakegurui – Compulsive Gambler (film)

In August 2018, it was announced that a live-action film adaptation of *Kakegurui – Compulsive Gambler* would premiere in 2019. It features the same actors from the television drama, and stars Minami Hamabe as the protagonist Yumeko Jabami, along with Mahiro Takasugi, Aoi Morikawa and Elaiza Ikeda as Ryota Suzui, Mary Saotome and Kirari Momobami, respectively. The film, directed by Hayato Kawai and distributed by GAGA Pictures, was officially released in Japan on May 3, 2019.

On August 29, 2020, a sequel to the first movie was announced to be released in 2021, with Hanabusa (who directed the television drama) replacing Kawai as the film's director. In addition to directing, Hanabusa also co-wrote the screenplay along with Minato Takano. The sequel features a returning cast set to reprise their roles from the first film.

### Video game[edit]

On July 14, 2017, registration started on the official website for a video game adaptation entitled *Kakegurui: Cheating Allowed*, which was developed by Wizcorp and Crossover for the iOS and Android systems. On December 28, 2017, it was revealed on the official Twitter account for the game that its original release was delayed to November 20, 2018 in order to make improvements to the gameplay, which features a gambling system similar to that shown in the manga. On March 27, 2020, the servers were officially closed down and the game became inaccessible.

## Reception[edit]

As of February 2019, the manga had over 5 million copies in print.