[Categories: Anime Reviews]
Kaiji: first impressions
Not much has wowed me this season. Granted, Gundam 00 started well, ef and Blue Drop intrigued me and even Clannad promises good things but there wasn’t the equivalent of, say, Gurren Lagann or Dennou Coil to make me feverishly check daily for torrents for the latest episode. It’s all going to take second place to DVDs and other activities (such as the essay deadline that I’ve only just discovered is NEXT SODDING WEDNESDAY, dammit), or so I thought. Enter Ultimate Survivor Kaiji.
Everyone’s favourite low-life
A grandiose title such as this suggests that the show has Huerrgh! running through it like a stick of rock; indeed, it’s a darkly comical, gritty and hard-boiled affair that mainstream fandom will probably ignore. If my viewing schedule were a cocktail party, Gundam 00 would be everyone’s favourite brand label beer, the likes of Clannad and ef would be the sickly sweet lemonade mixer but Kaiji would be the dubious-looking moonshine brewed in my mate’s shed (presumably, Mokke is the soothing cup of sencha to nurse the raging hangover that follows). Y’see, it’s everything the rest of the autumn/fall season isn’t: it’s not pretty, it’s certainly not cute and there’s not a sakura tree or bishoujo in sight. In other words it’s a sweaty, cigarette smoke-laden breath of fresh air.
Pointy nose + mullet==win
Kaiji is a gambler, a jobless bum and a petty criminal. Series that place a down-and-out anti-hero whose pastimes include playing cards and slashing tyres are rare to say the least, but the point where Kaiji wins out is when it presents a character who’s at rock bottom and makes us feel sorry for him. Thanks to an unscrupulous former work colleague who’s done a runner, our Kaiji has been lumbered with a debt and the loan shark in question has given him an ultimatum in paying it back.
He’s about to make an offer he can’t refuse…
The story feels like something right out of a Tarantino movie with other scenes reminiscent of Brian de Palma and Martin Scorsese flicks: Kaiji is one of a group who have been given a chance to clear their debts by one big, desparate attempt at the hands of some shady corporate types. The objective? A game of Restricted Rock Paper Scissors. Hardcore! It’s already sowing the seeds of a twisting storyline that surprisingly doesn’t necessarily need a detailed knowledge of gangsters and gambling to appreciate though, which is a bonus.
Do you feel lucky? Do you? Punk?
Kaiji is also really, really, striking visually. The ‘hard-boiled’ vibe is carried over by the bold lines and rough, angular character designs that wouldn’t look out of place in an American pulp comic. In terms of soundtrack the op theme is a suitably rocky number and even the atmospheric sound effects literally hover in the background with gleeful abandon (cheers to Guff and Orion for explaining the latter point). Kaiji himself is an artistic masterstroke: he’s dirty, scruffy and has an 80s hairdo and an outrageously pointy nose. Genius!
The moment of truth
The opening episode is only setting up our hero’s predicament but I have to say I’m hooked already. This is just what I was looking for: mature, solidly written yet entertaining with a wicked sense of humour - another Studio Madhouse triumph in my book. After all, it has gangsters, pointy noses, gambling and mullets…what more could you possibly ask for?
Posted on October 18th, 2007 @ 11:15 pm
I take it you’re watching the Triad fansubs of this? If you run the video right to the end, they include like a one-second flash from the Kaiji manga and scenes they’ve pasted in look really interesting - especially the one after the first episode, with Kaiji all bandaged up and looking really knackered - something tells me he’s going to be doing more than playing Rock, Papaer, Scissors! Also, the opening\ending themes are awesome Japanese rock songs.
Anyway, so far its been awesome, the antithesis of all this moe nonsense.
Posted on October 19th, 2007 @ 11:40 am
you know for something that is supposed to be a show ” that mainstream fandom will probably ignore.” it sure is blogged a lot,and triad is very dedicated releasing the first 2 episodes really quickly,faster than a lot of other shows.
What was funny is that the 2nd episode reminded me of yu gi oh lol
on another note genjo released episode 2 of blue drop,it might not be enough to make me forget my fustrations with the first episode but it sure is a huge step in the right direction (to me atleast).
Posted on October 19th, 2007 @ 11:07 pm
@Bateszi: I must admit I didn’t catch that bit at the end, although since Kaiji is thrown into this situation so quickly I’m sure the writers have much more in store for him! Being at rock bottom such as he is, the guy literally has nothing to lose and no ties - plot-wise, he’s a blank canvas. Anything can happen!
@totoum: Those were my initial thoghts - it turns out that Kaiji has made more of an impression than I expected. Anime bloggers are a discerning lot so I have high hopes that it’ll get the attention it deserves in the blogoshpere, if nowhere else. Point duly noted with Blue Drop though - the first ep left me with mixed feelings.
Posted on October 22nd, 2007 @ 11:20 am
[...] brightly colored, sakura-spewing moe shows, this is a breath of fresh air. Well, stinky cigarette smoke laden fresh air, [...]