Kaiji (series)

**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 the original tankobons. The first volume was initially released at Anime Weekend Atlanta on November 1st, 2019. The book was fully released on December 10th of the same year on Amazon and in book stores.

### Plot

Due to the current recession, Itou Kaiji is unable to find work, and spends his days on cheap gambles, drinking, smoking, and vandalizing cars.

One day a man named Endou Yuuji appears at Kaijis doorstep, informing him that a loan he cosigned for a coworker was never payed off, with the extraordinary interest increasing the amount from 300,000 yen, to over 3 million yen. With his coworker nowhere to be found, all the debt has now fallen to him.

Unable to pay the debt off, Endou informs Kaiji he can spend a single night on a gambling cruise, on the ship of hope "The Espoir", where if he does well he can erase all of his debt. To avoid working countless years to pay off his debt, Kaiji descends into the dark world of gambling.

## Parts

Kaiji is a multi-sectioned story that is separated into specific parts.

## Characters

* Itou Kaiji
* Hyodou Kazutaka
* Hyodou Kazuya
* Endou Yuuji
* Sakazaki Koutarou

## Gambles

Manga Gambles:

* Gentei Janken (限定ジャンケン *Restricted Rock Paper Scissors*)
* Ningen Keiba (人間競馬 *Human Derby*)
* Tsusho Yusha-tachi no Michi / Brave Men Road (通称勇者達の道 / ブレイブ・メン・ロード *Brave Men Road*)
* E-Card (Eカード *E-Card*)
* Tissue Box Kujibiki (ティッシュ箱くじ引き *Tissue Box Raffle*)
* Chika Chinchiro (地下チンチロ *Underground Chinchiro*)
* Pachinko "Numa" (パチンコ「沼」*Pachinko "The Bog"*)
* Jirai Gemu "17-Po" (地雷ゲーム「17歩」 *Minefield Game "17 Steps"*)
* Ai Yori Mo Ken (愛よりも剣 *The Sword Is Mightier Than Love*)
* Youqing Queren Zhuangzhi "Jiuchu" (友情確認装置「救出」The *Friendship Testing Device "Salvation"*)
* One Poker (ワン・ポーカー *One Poker*)

Movie Gambles:

* Hime to Dorei (姫と奴隷 *The Princess and The Slave*)
* Baberunoto (バベルの塔 *Tower of Babel*)
* Saigonoshinpan (最後の審判 *Last Judgement*)
* Dream Jump (ドリームジャンプ *Dream Jump*)
* Gold Janken (ゴールドジャンケン *Golden Rock Paper Scissors*)

## Related Media

On October 2nd, 2007, Studio Madhouse produced a Kaiji anime titled Gyakkyou Burai Kaiji - Ultimate Survivor, with a second season titled Gyakkyou Burai Kaiji - Hakairoku-Hen, adapting the first and second parts of the Kaiji manga respectively. The final episode of the anime's second season aired on September 27, 2011.

On October 10th, 2009, Toho produced a live action movie based on Kaiji titled Kaiji: Jinsei Gyakuten Game, directed by Toya Satou. Toho later produced a second Kaiji film on November 5th, 2011 with the same director titled Kaiji 2: Jinsei Dakkai Game. The second season of the Kaiji anime was made to promote this film.

Kaiji has had multiple comedy spin-offs, the first focusing on Tonegawa and his struggles with middle management, before the events of Kaiji. The series, titled Chuukan Kanriroku Tonegawa, is written by Tensei Hagiwara, and illustrated by Tomohiro Hashimoto, and Tomoki Miyoshi, the first chapter releasing July 20th, 2015, with the series in publication.

A second comedy spin-off, titled Ichi-nichi Gaishutsuroku Hanchou, focusing on Ootsuki, and his time spent underground, before the events of Kaiji. The series is written by Tensei Hagiwara, and illustrated by Motomu Uehara, and Kazuya Arai, the first chapter releasing in December, 2016. The series is still in publication.

On June 29th, 2018, a Chinese film based on Kaiji's Restricted Rock Paper Scissors game, titled Animal World was made. The film was directed by Han Yan and distributed by Enlight Pictures.

A third Kaiji film titled Kaiji: Final Game was released January 10th 2020. The film was produced by Toho and directed by Toya Satou. The film contained an entirely new story with new gambles by original author Nobuyuki Fukumoto, designed as an ending to the series of Kaiji films. Before the film's release, a novel version of the movie was released November 14, 2019, written by Van Madoy, and published by Kodansha.

* Anime
* Live-action Films
* Live-action Stage Plays
* Novels
* LINE Sticker Sets

## Video Games and Arcade/Casino Machines

* Console Releases
* Mobile Releases
* Pachinko/Pachislo Releases

 File:KaijiVRSteelBeamCrossingofDespair PSVR Front.jpg | Kaiji VR: Steel Beam Crossing of Despair | PlayStation VR
 File:KaijiVRSteelBeamCrossingofDespair Switch Front.jpg | Kaiji VR: Steel Beam Crossing of Despair | Nintendo Switch

None yet.

## Prequels, Sequels and Spin-offs

The Kaiji series has inspired 4 manga spin-offs.

## Trivia

* The word "Kaiji" in the series title is written in katakana, a form of Japanese writing usually reserved for foreign words. This was most likely done for aesthetic purposes.
* While not longest running, Kaiji is currently Fukumoto's longest work in total, with over 70 volumes.