Clannad? Shana? Gundam? Meh, who needs them when you’ve got Gambling Apocalypse Kaiji!

Although this show seems to be the red-headed (and pointy nosed) step-child of the fall anime season, here at EW it’s the number one item on our Must-Watch list right now.

Read on and perhaps you too will be converted by Fukumoto Nobuyuki’s masterpiece…or at least nosestabbed into submission.

Also you’ll learn what the heck “zawa zawa” means.

First off everyone, I do apologize for my lack of input during the past week. Due to the relentless nature of my flu symptoms, it was virtually impossible to even muster enough cognition to watch an episode and take in more than “ooh pretty colors and sounds!”

On the other hand, that was probably your best chance to enjoy the new Maple Story anime animu, since I think that’s pretty much its sole merit.

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Fortunately, I’ve finally recuperated somewhat and been able to get back on track. Or back on chair…as it were. Ahem…

From the very onset I was thrilled about Kaiji. In previous posts I’ve expressed my enthusiasm for Akagi, the mahjong themed gambling series which aired in 2005/2006. Ever since it ended I’ve been clamoring for more intense gambling action.

Enter Kaiji, a degenerate loser who takes out his pent up aggression and failures out on various and sundry import vehicles, stripping them of their insignias and slashing their tires. Under normal circumstances, he’s just a typical NEET (Not Employed, in Education, or Training), but when backed into a corner he becomes a deadly gambling genius. Or something like that.

If you’re not already familiar with Akagi, right now you’re probably wondering, “What on earth could be fun about watching a bunch of guys sit around and play mahjong?”

Make no mistake, I thought the exact same thing until I actually sat down and watched a few episodes. The strength of the show is not in the gambling itself, it’s in the storytelling, and the same could be said of Kaiji. The whole set up of both shows is really just a canvas on which Fukumoto can paint an amazing story - a dark tale of the yakuza underworld, full of mistrust, greed, betrayal, and brilliant gambling coups of strategy and luck.

Having read some of the original manga, I can assure you that there’s a fascinating story brewing, alternately illuminating the darker side of human nature, and reveling in the natural humor of a bunch of bums suddenly given a hundred thousand dollars. Let’s just hope Kaiji stays true to the original.

I love when a series shows the main character in the absolute depths of failure or mediocrity. It’s the same kind of anti-hero that makes for great stories like Scorcese’s Raging Bull or, on the more comedic end of the spectrum, The Dude from the incomparable Big Lebowski.

For some reason we instantaneously empathize with characters who start with nothing and then through a twist of fate end up with the potential of gaining everything or losing even more. So from the get go, I’m already thrilled about Kaiji. The cheap liquor, the chain smoking, the ambitionless deadbeat attitude; it’s priceless.

Aren’t you talking about yourself there, Guff? Maybe that’s why you empathize with him so much; you two have a lot in common.

Remember kids, this is why you don’t co-sign on other people’s loans!

Zawa zawa!

By the way, and this isn’t completely relevant to the overall story or any of the characters, but damn it I absolutely love the “zawa zawa!” sounds throughout the episode. I mean the letters pulsate as the phrase is pronounced for crying out loud.

Especially when they come at random scenes that are more expositional and have no inherent tension or trepidation, it’s just so amusing.

Manga is always packed with random sound effects floating through air, but usually these aren’t included in anime adaptations for the obvious reason that anime has actual sound. Fukumoto, however, is somewhat infamous for “zawa zawa”, a sound effect he made up himself, thus they apparently decided to incorporate it into the show.

It’s derived from the Japanese verb zawameku (ざわめく), which means “to be agitated or unsettled”. Much like the “audible sharpness” of swords in samurai flicks, Fukumoto created a sort of “audible tension” to help convey the gravity of the situation to the reader.

The fact that they actually included it in the animated version is simultaneously hilarious and awesome. Hearing the disembodied voices randomly calling out “zawa zawa” made me crack up repeatedly, probably ruining the mysterious vibe, but making the show highly entertaining nevertheless.

Is dat sum Sony?

LOL product placement. I suppose can’t really blame them, though. While Hollywood movies are already rife with advertising gimmicks, until recently anime has been a relatively untouched market. It seems to be an area with a lot of growth potential, so now advertisers are starting to take note and jump on the bandwagon.

It seems like it’s working pretty well for Pizza Hut, anyway.

Man, that yakuza dude really worked Kaiji over. He does the whole “good cop, bad cop” routine all by himself, even. Aspiring lawyers and used car salesmen, start taking notes.

The whole scene where Kaiji is baited into the scam was interesting, because while you loathe the fact that he’s being scammed into even more debt, you’re also dying to find out what’s on that boat.

…and the boat is even named “Kibou no Fune”, the Boat of Hope, which almost ensures that it’s a one-way, all expenses paid trip to the bowels of hell itself, with complimentary enslavement and suffering on board.

I can’t…I really shouldn’t…it’s already such a stale joke…ah what the heck…

NICE BOAT!!!

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Sorry, I just couldn’t hold it back.

I had to say it one more time.

And the games begin, which of course require more borrowing for the horribly destitute. How ironic.

Wait, you mean gambling is not the preferred course of action to rid oneself of massive debt?! Surely you jest!

Gentei Janken! Restricted Rock Paper Scissors! The deadliest of all gambling games! Or something…

I actually have no idea how you’re supposed to make something as innocuous as Rock Paper Scissors into a high stakes gambling event. But it certainly makes it endlessly entertaining to watch.

By the way, the G C P on the cards stand for “gu”, “choki”, and “pa”, or rock, scissors, and paper, respectively. Interestingly, however, those are not the actual words that mean rock, scissors, and paper. Rather, they’re sound effects. Yes, more sound effects.

As you may know, Japanese is much bigger on onomatopoeia (words that represent sounds) than most western languages. They have sounds for things I didn’t even know could make a sound. The zawa’s in this series are a perfect case in point.

“Gu” is the sound of grabbing, a clenched fist, thus representing the hand sign for rock. “Choki” is the sound of cutting with scissors or a knife - choki choki choki. “Pa” is a popping sound, representing the way you go from a closed fist and then “pop” your hand open suddenly to declare paper.

Well, the games have started for Kaiji, and I must confess that I’m quite enthralled, eagerly awaiting the next release.

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Which, coincidentally enough, happens to be today! All right!

Oh wait, you have to wait for Triad subs. Ha ha ha ha. Silly gaijin.