Kaiji - Ultimate Survivor, Episode 24: Conditions; 25: Investment; 26: Afterglow
Season finale for Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor! I'm not sure if I'll continue with the second season of Kaiji. We'll see -- I'm currently working through Gintama, and I kind of like to take a break after reviewing whole seasons. Maybe I'll do a whole-season or per-arc review of Kaiji instead of per-episode? Or maybe I'll do it with Dragon Ball Super, which I've been on-and-off watching through? We'll see. In any case, whatever my next anime project is going to be, it's going to be next year. Taking a bit of a break through December.
So anyway, these last three episodes is a big, big climax in the gamble between Kaiji and Hyodo. And Kaiji basically set up a bunch of rules, and makes a big show of trying to get something that Hyodo's men can't tamper with. Of course, Kaiji has decided on creating lots, since his army of yes-men have prepared a bunch of fixed tissue boxes with the winning lot stuck from the side. Kaiji makes a lot of fuss making lots and asking one of Hyodo's men to take a tissue box from the toilet, and when asked to empty the tissue box, the man pulls out the tissue from the proper opening. Kaiji also deliberately fucks up when drawing the winning lot and throws them to the floor, in order to disguise the real winning lot when he'll throw everything to the floor later on.
Again, Kaiji goes through this whole act throughout episode 24, and the tension is whether Hyodo will see through Kaiji's plan. Of course, Hyodo asks for several conditions of his own. The winning lot can't be rolled up so neither one can sneak in the winning lot from like their nail or something, both players have to roll up sleeves to not sneak in the winning lot, and Hyodo wants to draw first. They bet 100 million... and four fingers, as Hyodo brings in this horrifying torture contraption to cut off the fingers on Kaiji's hand if he loses.
And, well, as episode 25 starts (with an annoyingly long recap segment) Hyodo is practically orgasmic at the concept of such a high-stakes gamble that, unlike the previous game, relies entirely on dumb luck. Kaiji also notes to himself that this is his last gamble ever. And, well, episode 25 is just a huge, long sequence of putting the lots together, putting the winning slip in together... and the audience sees that Hyodo himself cheats, folding the winning slip slightly as they press it against the ground.
And, well, Hyodo draws first while hyping up his 'gambling god' hand, draws an empty lot... and when it comes to Kaiji's turn... the cheating lot on the side of the tissue box is gone. And Kaiji panics.
Episode 26 starts with this situation, where Kaiji just panics, unable to draw the winning ticket, and when the box gets passed over to Hyodo, he draws the winning ticket on the second turn. Kaiji loses all his money, and gets his fingers sliced off, ending with absolute and utter defeat -- I don't think he even gets to bring home the money from the E-Cards or the bridge games. And as he drives away from the hotel, Kaiji realizes a crucial thing as he clutches his fingers...
That Hyodo has actually been observing Kaiji, and how he is absolutely certain that Kaiji's cheating when Kaiji doesn't balk from betting all his money. Kaiji then realizes that Hyodo has been searching for the winning lot during his first turn, drew it up and crumpled it (making it illegal). And when Kaiji had his turn, he panicked instead of doing the same -- trying to find out the unknown -- and Hyodo actually gave him a chance to win by creasing the winning ticket. And if he hadn't panicked, he actually would've won. Hyodo's an interesting villain, a vile sadist who still gave Kaiji a winning chance, capitalizing in his panicking, and the season and episode ends with Kaiji swearing terrible vengeance on Hyodo next season.
Definitely a tense end, and a surprising one which ends with Kaiji losing once more, yet one that doesn't seem to be a kick-the-dog moment. It's a neat way to end the season, and I'll definitely check out the second season in the future. This one is definitely enjoyable. I do think that they dragged out the Hyodo mini-arc finale longer than they probably should, but I do like the E-Cards and Restricted Jan-Ken-Pon arcs very much. I do feel that the hotel mega-arc lacks good supporting characters and puts too much focus on Kaiji, Tonegawa and Hyodo while reducing everyone else to literal background, but eh, it's small complaint. The tension and execution of the story is still well-done and much appreciated.
My only problem with this last game is that although it justifiably made a big deal out of Kaiji losing his fingers, we don't actually get to see it being cut OR his screams of pain in the anime.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind Kaiji being able to reattach his fingers, but cmon, I wanted at least to feel his loss and pain, it would add to his regret and swear vengeance scene.
Also, I give you one tip to season 2: don't marathon it, like, don't watch more than 3-4 episodes in a row. I do like the events of season 2, but it's apparent it was dragged out to fill the 26 episodes standart. It's still worth watching, however.
Also, after S2, the next 3 arcs are manga-only, and although It's a little slow paced and redundant (also, I still don't entirely get the rules of the game in part 3), I assure you it's full of tricks, cheatings and twists as ever.
I dunno, I think part of it is censorship (which is a lot more tenuous in anime as opposed to manga -- a lot of stuff that is acceptable in even shonen manga get cut in anime), although in this case I really feel that the scene where Kaiji lost his fingers is more of a 'less is more' thing. Could definitely have done with more screaming, though.
DeleteI don't think the finale actually implies that Kaiji would ever reattach his fingers, and it's definitely quite disappointing that such a huge physical loss would be seemingly fixed, from what you seem to imply. One of the more insane high-stakes part of the final arc is how Kaiji is ready to essentially bet his own body parts and be mutilated for the sake of gambling, first with the eardrum and later with his fingers, and to have one of those changes reverted (and his ear will be covered by his amazing hairdo anyway) makes it not as concrete as a loss.
We'll see on whether I'll review season 2 or not. I like to take breaks between reviewing seasons, and I kind of want to get to watching Dragon Ball Super if I can find the time to do so... but we'll probably get to do both in 2018. Hopefully.
Whether we actually get to see his loss or pain make a difference or not... I'm a fan of this kind of character design progression, each scar has its own story and meaning and I find it awesome.
DeleteTrue true
Delete