Gambling has given creative people incredible scope for various combinations of genres in a casino setting, or involving the proverbial poker. Robbery, psychological drama, thriller, even thrash about a game of rock-paper-scissors, various themes of online casinos with no deposit free bonus.
Despite the age of the idea itself, works on the subject continue to pop up, including a crazy manga where gambling people driven to madness, unsustainable stakes, and very, very, very, very many innuendos are at the center of the story. What's this obscenely long introduction for? In a short series of articles about "etti", the first one we'll look at is a relatively new manga and anime based on it - "Kakegurui" or "Mad Gambling" in Russian translation.
"Kakegurui" has been published in "Gangan Joker" (Square Enix's shōnen magazine) since 2014. The authors are mangaka Kawamoto Homura (Rengoku Deadroll and Bunbu Ryoutou), with Toru Naomura (Tari Tari and Shitsurakuen manga) responsible for the illustrations and covers. Also, a spin-off, Kakegurui Twins (2015-present), was released.
Their work together has become very popular in Japan and the US. If you go on Pixiv (the main social network for mangaka and aspiring artists), you will almost immediately see a couple of artworks in your feed. Not the least of which is the anime series (divided into two parts: Kakegurui and Kakegurui xx), released in 2017 and 2019, produced by MAPPA Studios (one of the major studios at the moment, known for Yuri!!!! on Ice, Inuyashiki, Dorohedoro, and the final season of Attack on Titans).
The manga tells about a special academy, the most elite in the country, from which the future rulers of the world come out. However, learning sciences is not the main thing, because first of all cunning, the ability to bluff, as well as a sharp mind are valued. All of this is found out through an incredible amount of gambling during breaks and after school. Those who can't pay their bills become "pets" - slaves in general charge with no rights (almost). Ryota Suzui, the narrator on whose behalf most of the story is told, has also become a pet and has no hope of returning to his former status until he strikes up a friendship with a new girl, Yumeko Jabami, who is the protagonist of both works, the titular Kakegurui (meaning "gambling addict").
One of the main strengths of the tittle are the characters, almost everyone has a double bottom, takes risks for their own reasons, their own character and different fetishes (playing on the nails of the defeated, for example), but this does not apply to the narrator. Yes, he's not the protagonist, but for a character who is directly involved in the story he's too pale, even without comparison to the others. As my friend said "he's just furniture here". His thoughts are barely interesting to follow, the only thing amusing about him is the amount of "oh shit" moments Ryota picks up on. On the downside, I can count the relatively simple plot hiding underneath the setting and characters. At its core, for the first couple volumes everything going on is just another shonen about climbing the ladder up (albeit the plot starts to unfold later on).
These shortcomings do not override the pluses, including an excellent protagonist (a good decision to show her from the outside and reveal her gradually), whose gambling addiction, intelligence and smile makes you drool, and at some points, nervously swallow. Charismatic antagonists who are worth getting to know personally, as well as gamblers of all stripes, the course of which is always interesting to watch. Special mention should be made of the jazzy soundtrack and animation - bright, smooth, with an interesting color palette and non-standard angles (the opening is beyond praise).
Opening of both seasons
The red line through the manga and anime is the etti elements. Unlike hentai, etti never shows the direct act of sexual intercourse, only hints of sexuality and unlike the same "Chinese porno cartoons" in which sex is the goal, etti elements are another expressive means that can be used for different tasks. In "Kakegurui", all the hints, such as the angles on the legs, Yumeko's flirtations with others during the games, the characters' touching each other, etc., carry several meanings.
First, it's one way to show some characters' obsession with gambling, as they play not for money, status, or anything else, but for the constant sense of danger. The harder the game and higher the stakes, the more ecstatic they get.
Secondly, the theme of the relationship between "man" and "pet" is often brought up in the story, how dependent and disempowered the "pet" is in relation to his master, and in this context the etti elements, in addition to fanservice, show two sides of the same coin - the adoration of the "man", whose greatness is undeniable, and the lowliness of the "pet", whose position is close to that of a slave.
Mary Saotome, one of the deuteragonists, has time to be both in the skin of a "man", where the etti elements associated with her present her as powerful and inaccessible, and as a "pet", where everything speaks of her miserable position, so other angles are taken, behavior is changed, etc., to show how inferior all the people of her similar hypostasis are.
