Kakegurui: Compulsive Gambler

Kakegurui: Compulsive Gambler

By ◯ - Saturday, May 13, 2017 - No Comments

Hi everyone! It's Nana~ Recently, I have been all about taking risks! After the initial hesitation, there is an adrenaline rush that is quite addictive. So it really is suitable that my current favourite manga Kakegurui, is all about gambling!

At Hyakkaou Private Academy, the sons and daughters of the wealthy have a rigorous curriculum of gambling where the winners live like kings, and the losers are treated like paupers. When Jabami Yumeko enrols, she turns the academy upside-down with her high-roller behaviour.

The premise is simple. What makes this manga more than its description though, is the mental manipulations! There has been many manga about gambling, and what makes them all so interesting aside from the game is the psychological aspect of it all. In different game settings, Yumeko loses control, takes control, and brings people to ruin even as she descends with them.

Yumeko's pretty far out, even for such a radical school.

Her foes are formidable: cheaters, tag teams, people who offer their body parts as stakes and many more. Her allies, not so much. Suzui Ryouta, the only male main character, is a stereotypical 'normal'; he reacts like 'normal' people would, and is basically there as a contrast against Yumeko so that her insane genius shines even brighter. Personally, I am keen to see if he will remain so submissive or if he will step up and take risks! After all, they kind of do nothing but gamble.

Characters and plot aside, the art is definitely also easy on the eye. The art in Kakegurui really reminds me of Kangoku Gakuen! It is stunning and obscene at the same time. The anatomy is definitely exaggerated, and I really love the violently contorted expressions that Naomura sensei draws.

Face closeups are pretty common.

Like, really common.

However, I do find this manga lacking in the character development department. If you ignore the prequel and spin-offs and read it on its own, it lacking in anything beyond the gamble. Personal life is skimmed over. How the school works and its authority is simply answered by adding a student council in. We barely even know what the characters think about each other. With the latest manga chapters involving so-called "family", perhaps we will start finding out more about the main characters, at least.

Overall, I'd give Kakegurui a solid 7 out of 10! I definitely recommend it to everyone who is interested in psychological manga! It might not be absolutely outstanding, but I reckon it makes a good pre-bedtime manga.

Written by Nana

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