Kaiji! The most exciting show in a long time!

Excellent. Someone else is watching this besides me. Recommended for Akagi fans.

I've seen 5 episodes so far and I can say that they were definitely enjoyable to watch. The tension that takes place during the battles is really awesome and the same can be said for all of the smack-talking that goes on between the opponents. Furthermore, the drama here is most excellent and lends itself to being able to move at a slow clip while keeping things interesting. Definitely the best shounen show out right now.

THAT SAID... do not watch this show if you're a fan of logic or game theory. A lot of the moves are made based on guessing and conjectures that have a very flimsy foundation. Some of the strategies they use are completely suboptimal and it looks as though the only way our protagonist can win is because the scriptwriter said so. If you watch it really carefully, you should be able to spot all of the problems in their logic and reasoning. Hell Kaiji even admits as much during some of the matches. There's so much of it that if I paid more attention to it than I am right now, I could see the logical blunders detracting from the series.

For what it's worth, this series has really good drama and character development. While Akagi was someone that you pretty much had to respect, Kaiji is much more down to earth, and more human as a result.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by nanaman

Well, I wouldn't say that. It's still a very very good show for it's "shortcomings" in that department. It's not that bad is it? And really, I haven't read the manga so I don't know what'll happen, but since Kaiji is just awakening his abilities he might just get a lot better after a while.

While the series as a whole is good, the faulty reasoning/ logic holes do irritate me just a bit. Mind you, not irritating enough to detract from the overall enjoyability of the show, but it's there. No, it's not as bad as I suggested, but it was meant more as a disclaimer for those who are hardcore game theorists and/or logicians.

I've only been watching the series. Same as you. I have not touched the manga (nor is it likely that I will), but the similarities in the art styles between this show and Mahjong Legend Akagi are pretty obvious. The way in which tension is orchestrated is also very similar, which leads to a rather enjoyable watch. As I said earlier, this is the best shounen series out right now.

Originally Posted by JazzFlight

What kind of gambling are we talking about here? You didn't mention what game he's actually playing.

My guess is that they'll play through a variety of games as the anime proceeds. Currently

Spoiler:

they're playing a variation on Rock, Paper, Scissors. The way this game works is that each person gets 12 cards: 4 rocks, 4 papers, 4 scissors. Two players choose a card from their hand and putting it face down. After that, they'll simultaneously flip the card over to reveal whether they played rock, paper, or scissors. The winner is declared and then the players may decide to rinse and repeat if they want. The restriction is that they cannot return the card they've already played back into their hand.

What makes this even more interesting is the potential for bargaining and making transactions by buying other people's cards and or stars (which serve as a life counter of sorts).

There's nowhere I can't reach.

After going through up to episode 16, I'd have to say that the amount of suspense and tension is just so thick that you'd need to use a chainsaw to cut through it. The scenes involving the Starside Hotel were just nerve-wracking as all hell and it was by far one of the most brilliant moments where the intensity level just shot through the roof, especially during the second half of episode 13.

Anyhow, I'm at the point where they're playing another card game that is reminescent of the gambles that were shown in the final Akagi episodes. Still trying to figure out the strategy behind this one, but I suppose it all comes down to the tells and who is better at hiding them.

How ya doing, buddy?

Well, not only is it exciting, it can also be quite hilarious when paired with awesome effects. Video might be a bit spoilery though, so you've been warned.

YouTube Video

This video had me in stitches

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

After going all the way up to episode 20, I have this to say:

Kaiji is GAR. So GARsome that he just flips out and redefines GAR to a whole new level. I honestly could not believe the lengths to which he went through to win, but my respect for him just grew immensely.

This show just manages to keep getting better and better with a lot of it fueled by Kaiji's development from a loser into someone who has to keep becoming more cunning in order to survive. His mental growth has been outstanding due to the stresses that he's forced to overcome, but all of that makes for a very pleasing viewing experience. I'm completely blown away by what he's capable of now.

I was speaking idiomatically.