UNKNOWN ANIME OF JULY: Kaiji, Akagi, & Misc. Zawa Zawa

Link · **Posted:** Fri Jun 06, 2008 12:15 pm

The following is a listing of AWESOME fukumoto anime series out there. Very unknown but very epic. This is the underground of anime in the states. Be hip and cool. Also, there's an epic description/explanation post a post or two below.

AHK - Manga Translations of Akagi

Zawa Zawa Project - Manga Translations of Buraiden Gai

Zaotaku.info - Gin to Kin Translations

Tobaku Haouden ZERO - There's a fan translation out there somewhere, I swear. I have to hunt my favorite places.

The Triad - Fansubs of both Akagi and Kaiji

Anime Blitzkrieg: Kaiji - Episode 1 Overview

Beeslo wrote:

But Link, why should I care?

Kaiji and Akagi and every other one of Fukumoto's works are VERY hard to actually describe and make them sound enticing.

Examples:

Akagi is about a Mahjong prodigy and plays Mahjong against all these super experienced players and he kicks ass and takes names.

Kaiji is about a down and out crybaby who is up to his neck in a debt that doesn't even belong to him in the first place. He gets roped up into the dirty underworld of Yakuza and gambling and is life is on the line throughout all 26 episodes. It's real do or die shit.

Overall, just by reading that, you're sorta like "Meh." For the most part I'd assume. They sound sorta average and/or not interesting/special. Next comes the art style. You've got these moon faced giant nosed ugly people with bad hair as most of the main characters. Additionally, everything takes place in REALITY, no magical girls, no giant mechas, no magical girls IN giant mechas, final destination.

BUT, what makes Kaiji AMAZING is the subperb story telling and edge of your seat shit that goes on. You really grow to love the characters and everything about them. You feel Kaiji's pain when he loses, and cheer for him when he is victorious. That sort of shit. You're always just waiting to see what happens next, and what sort of brilliant plan and counter-plan might occur, it's sort of like a chess match and the same sort of drama that people seem to enjoy with Death Note, but on a more realistic level.

Semi-Fictional Example:

Kaiji has to draw the correct card from his opponent's hand, he has a 1/4 chance of doing it, yet it's not all based on luck. There's patterns and strategy and psychology that all come into play. If Kaiji draws the wrong card, then a drill device attached to his ear will move drill 5 milimeters closer to piercing his ear drum. If he's victorious he makes a LOT of money, and keeps his ear drum intact for another round.

Besides the actual drama itself, the wording and metaphors used. AMAZING metaphors and visuals for the most mundane things. All the while that above example is going on, the narrator is telling you these amazing things about what's occuring with Kaiji, about how the beasts of gambling are breaking loose from their chains and will soon take hold of his heart and causing him to go into a panicked state. Kaiji can only supress these feelings for so long, and fights his damndest to remain calm but it is all in vain!!!!!!

Just, shit like that. Kaiji is an anime that takes the seemingly mundane and makes it an extraordinary rollercoaster ride of orgasmic proportions. It's a VERY fresh change of pace from all the Evangelion, Dragonball Z, Lucky Star, Harem Anime, Mecha Anime, etc. crap that everyone is so damn used to. Not to mention a lot of his works have won several manga awards and the such for being so damn awesome.

So, you might be asking yourself the following "Why haven't I heard of this yet?" and "Why isn't it licensed?".

Honestly, it's not licensed for much the same reason we don't have Mother 3 in America. They're not sure if they'll have the market for it. The Mangas are worded in such a Kanji shit-storm that they're very difficult to translate and localize without some serious effort. Even fan translations have only made it a few chapters into each series. The reason nobody has heard of these series, is because they came out during the 'Death Note, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, Higurashi' shit storm. At least Kaiji did. Additionally, only ONE group was fansubbing it. Like, it's DEFINITELY the underdog of last year & first quarter '08 anime seasons.

That, in not so much of a nutshell, is WHY people need to watch Kaiji, and then if they enjoy Kaiji, DEFINITELY check out Akagi, as well as the rest of Fukumoto's works.

PS. This is such a fucking epic post I just made, don't be surprised if it's copy/pasted into HealingTouch with pictures and video and such.

Beeslo · **Posted:** Fri Jun 06, 2008 3:35 pm

meh

nah, it does sound interesting. Its just I hear you talking about this one all the time...and yet, I had no idea what it was about...

Link · **Posted:** Fri Jun 06, 2008 4:57 pm

Beeslo wrote:

meh

nah, it does sound interesting. Its just I hear you talking about this one all the time...and yet, I had no idea what it was about...

Watch it Beeslo. For realsies.

I converted both dudeman23 & sollah along with a few other non-believers.

Beeslo · **Posted:** Fri Jun 06, 2008 5:41 pm

Link wrote:

Beeslo wrote:

meh

nah, it does sound interesting. Its just I hear you talking about this one all the time...and yet, I had no idea what it was about...

Watch it Beeslo. For realsies.

I converted both dudeman23 & sollah along with a few other non-believers.

give me a link to where i can find them...and possibly I will...

KH · **Posted:** Sat Jun 07, 2008 7:36 am

Although Kaiji's plot seems to me like a realistic Yugioh Duel, I'm not a fan of the animation. :ouch:

Link · **Posted:** Sun Jun 08, 2008 7:21 pm

KH wrote:

Although Kaiji's plot seems to me like a realistic Yugioh Duel, I'm not a fan of the animation. :ouch:

Honestly, most people aren't when they watch it. But 4 or 5 episodes into it, it pretty much grows on you. At least that's how it's been for a lot of folks I know who've seen it. I'd really say just forgo the animation itself if you have an issue with it, and try to watch for the sake of the plot.

In my eyes, the statement you made is no worse than a current-gen gamer stating they won't play chrono trigger because the graphics look like crap.

PS. Beeslo, http://www.the-triad.net

Arremer · **Posted:** Tue Jun 10, 2008 4:54 am

Eh, it was amusing, but it's no Gurren Lagann. ;-)

Link · **Posted:** Tue Jun 10, 2008 9:02 am

Also, on the subject on initial D, this is another anime with a weird art style that many aren't used to. But it's superb story telling really make up for it all.

Electricity · **Posted:** Wed Jun 11, 2008 1:58 am

*facepalms* and i have to WORK with this guy :serious:

needs more soundtrack.

Link · **Posted:** Wed Jun 11, 2008 9:36 am

HassMD wrote:

*facepalms* and i have to WORK with this guy :serious:

needs more soundtrack.

Yeah I'm gonna upload the Akagi soundtrack and also link to the Kaiji soundtrack if it's still on the web. Don't worry.

Vic_Niguel · **Posted:** Sat Jul 19, 2008 4:08 am

A friend of mine is obsessed with Akagi.
She plays mahjong almost everyday, and is dying to get her hands on the DS game.

She also plans on forcing me to cosplay as Kaiji at Onicon.

Link · **Posted:** Sat Jul 19, 2008 10:17 am

Vic_Niguel wrote:

A friend of mine is obsessed with Akagi.
She plays mahjong almost everyday, and is dying to get her hands on the DS game.

She also plans on forcing me to cosplay as Kaiji at Onicon.

I demand pictures of this! You need to make a pointed nose out of construction paper!

Vic_Niguel · **Posted:** Sat Jul 19, 2008 12:32 pm

It's in November, so we'll have to wait and see what'll happen until then.

LimePenguin · **Posted:** Sun Jul 20, 2008 9:11 pm

Heh, I like these shows. They're really...different!

Link · **Posted:** Wed Aug 20, 2008 2:36 pm

LimePenguin wrote:

Heh, I like these shows. They're really...different!

LimePenguin has excellent taste.

Churchy · **Posted:** Thu Aug 28, 2008 5:20 am

My anime knowledge isn't that great but I definately recognise the characters for some - I think my friend may have mentioned these series before. I'm always keen to try out new or different things so I'll give these a look in - thanks for the post link!

Link · **Posted:** Thu Aug 28, 2008 8:45 am

Churchy wrote:

My anime knowledge isn't that great but I definately recognise the characters for some - I think my friend may have mentioned these series before. I'm always keen to try out new or different things so I'll give these a look in - thanks for the post link!

Excellent, let me know what you think!

Link · **Posted:** Wed Oct 22, 2008 12:54 pm

LIVE ACTION KAIJI!!!!!!

http://thehealingtouch.wordpress.com/2008/10/22/news-of-the-now-rising-sun-edition-live-action-zawa/

Starring Tatsuya Fujiwara AKA The guy who played Light in Death Note and Shuya in Battle Royale!!!!!

Link · **Posted:** Fri Apr 08, 2011 9:24 am

Season 2 is out, Triad hasn't fansubbed it yet but the Raw is floating out there as well as some other group's subs.

mscupcakes · **Posted:** Fri Apr 08, 2011 10:12 am

Link wrote:

Season 2 is out, Triad hasn't fansubbed it yet but the Raw is floating out there as well as some other group's subs.

Which groups? Eclipse do fantastic fansubs.

UNKNOWN ANIME OF JULY: Kaiji, Akagi, & Misc. Zawa Zawa

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