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Gambling Apocalypse: Kaiji, Volume 1
Gambling Apocalypse Kaiji Manga Volume 1 features story and art by Nobuyuki Fukumoto. One day, ne'er-do-well Kaiji Itou's shiftless existence is suddenly rattled by a visit from the yakuza. Burdened by debt and resentment, Kaiji is coerced into gambling for his worthless life. As the stakes grow higher and the rules become increasingly more bizarre, Kaiji must finally take the future into his own hands! Legendary mangaka Nobuyuki Fukumoto finally makes his English-language debut. The inspiration for the infamous anime by the same name and the Netflix live-action film Animal World takes readers into the dark side of Japan's post-bubble economic society by thrusting them into a world of debt, debauchery, and delusion.
544 pages, Paperback
Published September 24, 2019
13 people are currently reading
299 people want to read
About the author
Nobuyuki Fukumoto
576 books70 followersNobuyuki Fukumoto (福本伸行 Fukumoto Nobuyuki) is a Japanese manga artist well known throughout the Far East for his unique and original gambling ideas, deep psychological analysis of characters and distinct artstyle. Yakuza and gambling are recurring themes in his manga. In English speaking countries, he is known best as the author of Akagi, a mahjong-related manga. In 1998, he won the Kodansha Manga Award for Tobaku Mokushiroku Kaiji. An onomatopoeia "zawa" (ざわ…), meaning an uneasy atmosphere, appears frequently in his comics and is considered Fukumoto's trademark.
In June 2010, he visited Finland as a guest of honor for Desucon.
In June 2010, he visited Finland as a guest of honor for Desucon.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
April 7, 2023
I finished the first 13-volume arc and I’m an economist now. Great for people who love calculating probability, Marx, and also extremely, unspeakably ugly men. Kaiji is an Uncut Gems-level stressful protagonist, and I can’t believe there’s still 70+ more volumes after this.
January 9, 2021
A extremely long manga that basically is just gambling and tricks.
Kaniji the main character is basically a piece of shit who does nothing in his life but cheat and steal. So when he's given the opportunity to make some big money on a boat gambling he of course takes it. Little does he know if he losses, some horrible stuff is going to happen.
I'll be honest sometimes I was really bored of this series. I liked the idea, and some of the tricks to cheating and winning are actually cool. But a lot of pages just waste a way of repeating the same "oh no we're going to lose..." thing over and over again. It felt extremely padded at times.
But overall if like gambling and more Mature rated manga series, it isn't too bad. A 3 out of 5.
Kaniji the main character is basically a piece of shit who does nothing in his life but cheat and steal. So when he's given the opportunity to make some big money on a boat gambling he of course takes it. Little does he know if he losses, some horrible stuff is going to happen.
I'll be honest sometimes I was really bored of this series. I liked the idea, and some of the tricks to cheating and winning are actually cool. But a lot of pages just waste a way of repeating the same "oh no we're going to lose..." thing over and over again. It felt extremely padded at times.
But overall if like gambling and more Mature rated manga series, it isn't too bad. A 3 out of 5.
December 18, 2019
I was mildly shitting myself reading this. Fukumoto does well to build, maintain, and expand upon tension.
Went into this expecting it to be more episodic, like Kakegurui or early Yu-Gi-Oh!, so it was a little off-putting to have the manga start with a couple chapters before Kaiji actually gets on the boat, and then a few more before the Restricted R.P.S. game begins. This is good because it allows more time to get in-depth with the psychology of the players, but I can't help but think it might have been annoying to deal with its original weekly serialization, as every chapter seems to end on a cliffhanger as the Restricted R.P.S. game keeps evolving and devolving over time. Very thrilling read, but I was left with blue balls by the end, as the final pages teased a rather high-stakes janken match, and now I have to wait a while for the next omnibus volume to come out (or just read it online, I guess).
It's pretty fun that Kaiji himself begins as kind of a piece of shit, or something, down and out on his luck, vandalizing upper-middle-class cars out of a sense of discomfort with the low economic class in which he's trapped. He begins to rapidly transform over the short duration of the Restricted R.P.S. game, recognizing his former self in other players, scheming to help fellow losers take advantage of the rigged game.
Went into this expecting it to be more episodic, like Kakegurui or early Yu-Gi-Oh!, so it was a little off-putting to have the manga start with a couple chapters before Kaiji actually gets on the boat, and then a few more before the Restricted R.P.S. game begins. This is good because it allows more time to get in-depth with the psychology of the players, but I can't help but think it might have been annoying to deal with its original weekly serialization, as every chapter seems to end on a cliffhanger as the Restricted R.P.S. game keeps evolving and devolving over time. Very thrilling read, but I was left with blue balls by the end, as the final pages teased a rather high-stakes janken match, and now I have to wait a while for the next omnibus volume to come out (or just read it online, I guess).
It's pretty fun that Kaiji himself begins as kind of a piece of shit, or something, down and out on his luck, vandalizing upper-middle-class cars out of a sense of discomfort with the low economic class in which he's trapped. He begins to rapidly transform over the short duration of the Restricted R.P.S. game, recognizing his former self in other players, scheming to help fellow losers take advantage of the rigged game.
February 21, 2021
I would say this is not a book to read all in one go.....even though I couldn’t put the book down 😂 I ended up learning a lot about gambling and the tricks they would pull when their lives are on the line and my brain wouldn’t be able to comprehend how they did it 💀 There was a lot of dialogue and explaining which makes sense to have cause gambling is A LOT to think about and I really enjoyed it. I genuinely don’t think it’s for everyone cause of all the explaining and dialogue but for me, I already wanna buy the second book to see what happens
January 5, 2023
A 3.5 that I couldn't quite round up.
A fun gambling manga where the stakes, the game, and the strategy take precedent over characterization. I had fun with it.
The art's a little jarring at first but I got used to it; Fukumoto's pretty good at depicting intense emotions, though overall things aren't as "pretty" as other manga I've read.
A fun gambling manga where the stakes, the game, and the strategy take precedent over characterization. I had fun with it.
The art's a little jarring at first but I got used to it; Fukumoto's pretty good at depicting intense emotions, though overall things aren't as "pretty" as other manga I've read.
January 11, 2024
I simply cannot endure more. 550 pages and the cliffhanger is still during the first game (10 rounds of rock paper scissors)? I cannot.
Props to anyone who likes manga about gambling and stock market odds but I am a mere mortal who cannot sustain the will to live if I read more volumes of this.
Props to anyone who likes manga about gambling and stock market odds but I am a mere mortal who cannot sustain the will to live if I read more volumes of this.
March 4, 2025
What I did right was going into this manga blind. I am unashamedly a fan of spoiling myself so that I can unpack the story itself rather than spend my inner resource on anticipating the plot, but this is the kind of story that you have to experience. That is also what I love about seinen as a genre - it sometimes forces me to step away from my usual ways of engaging with a piece of literature.
To properly engage with this story, you have to be there with Kaiji. You have to ask yourself “is he getting betrayed again?” and then close the manga for a solid minute in pure unfiltered frustration when he gets betrayed again. You have to almost call him stupid and then remember that his continuing faith in people is integral to his character and part of what makes him a beautiful MC. You have to get the demo-experience of what it is like to weigh the risks and put everything at line.
Now as for the actual story. One thing I want to say I’ve liked right away is how you don’t have to be familiar with gambling at all in order to be able to read this. Fukumoto sets the gambling mood without requiring the reader to have prior gambling knowledge, he keeps us on edge with rock-paper-scissors of all things. A really good touch I have to say. When we play rock-paper-scissors, there is this short moment of fervent anticipation of what your opponent will choose. There is relying on luck and trying to psychoanalysis your opponent, as absurd as it might sound for a children’s game. A perfect, perfect thing to adapt into a psychological gambling manga.
That is just one of many things to point out when it comes to successful choices so obviously I won’t list them all. And, of course, some things were questionable. Like the plot line with the “balance guy” - not just questionable, it was outright bad. But the good things about this manga definitely outshine the bad ones.
All the symbolism is balancing on a thin line between “over explained” and “crammed into story for no reason”. Every comparison and allegory makes sense. It did fall into the “over-explained” half of the pool at times, especially in the first arc on Espoir, when Kaiji’s ‘friend’ was explaining his actions to us. But it is honestly fine when it’s the first arc. Later on, those explanations did not feel that forced as they were organically brought up to be a genuine revelation - if not always to us, then definitely to the characters, without the characters seeming stupid.
The emotional suspense has to be experienced, not put into words. I read this manga over a year ago, so it is a shame I can’t remember all the exact details that evoked emotions in me, but what I remember are the emotions themselves. Endless cycle of “maybe it’s going to get better” and “it was silly to hope for it to get better”. Every time you read into it as a fictional story written by a merciful author, the story reminds you that it reflects the real world, and some of the cruelest parts of it. You are left so fulfilled and empty at the same time once you close the final page.
Whatever can be criticized about the story is compensated by how good of a protagonist Kaiji is. He frustrates you, and he frustrates you a lot, but this is not the kind of frustration that you can tell author adds to the story just to play with your feelings. He frustrates you with sides of him that are part of his human nature which can only be suppressed, not changed, but the environment he’s in calls for revealing all the deepest depths of his human nature so it is hard to talk about suppressing anything. He gives you so much to work with, to analyze - just do it as much as you please, it is a whole feast.
I’ve said so much, but it feels like I haven’t expressed my excitement about this manga enough. Nevertheless, all I can say is that this is the kind of story that raises your bar and I believe that, by itself, says enough.
To properly engage with this story, you have to be there with Kaiji. You have to ask yourself “is he getting betrayed again?” and then close the manga for a solid minute in pure unfiltered frustration when he gets betrayed again. You have to almost call him stupid and then remember that his continuing faith in people is integral to his character and part of what makes him a beautiful MC. You have to get the demo-experience of what it is like to weigh the risks and put everything at line.
Now as for the actual story. One thing I want to say I’ve liked right away is how you don’t have to be familiar with gambling at all in order to be able to read this. Fukumoto sets the gambling mood without requiring the reader to have prior gambling knowledge, he keeps us on edge with rock-paper-scissors of all things. A really good touch I have to say. When we play rock-paper-scissors, there is this short moment of fervent anticipation of what your opponent will choose. There is relying on luck and trying to psychoanalysis your opponent, as absurd as it might sound for a children’s game. A perfect, perfect thing to adapt into a psychological gambling manga.
That is just one of many things to point out when it comes to successful choices so obviously I won’t list them all. And, of course, some things were questionable. Like the plot line with the “balance guy” - not just questionable, it was outright bad. But the good things about this manga definitely outshine the bad ones.
All the symbolism is balancing on a thin line between “over explained” and “crammed into story for no reason”. Every comparison and allegory makes sense. It did fall into the “over-explained” half of the pool at times, especially in the first arc on Espoir, when Kaiji’s ‘friend’ was explaining his actions to us. But it is honestly fine when it’s the first arc. Later on, those explanations did not feel that forced as they were organically brought up to be a genuine revelation - if not always to us, then definitely to the characters, without the characters seeming stupid.
The emotional suspense has to be experienced, not put into words. I read this manga over a year ago, so it is a shame I can’t remember all the exact details that evoked emotions in me, but what I remember are the emotions themselves. Endless cycle of “maybe it’s going to get better” and “it was silly to hope for it to get better”. Every time you read into it as a fictional story written by a merciful author, the story reminds you that it reflects the real world, and some of the cruelest parts of it. You are left so fulfilled and empty at the same time once you close the final page.
Whatever can be criticized about the story is compensated by how good of a protagonist Kaiji is. He frustrates you, and he frustrates you a lot, but this is not the kind of frustration that you can tell author adds to the story just to play with your feelings. He frustrates you with sides of him that are part of his human nature which can only be suppressed, not changed, but the environment he’s in calls for revealing all the deepest depths of his human nature so it is hard to talk about suppressing anything. He gives you so much to work with, to analyze - just do it as much as you please, it is a whole feast.
I’ve said so much, but it feels like I haven’t expressed my excitement about this manga enough. Nevertheless, all I can say is that this is the kind of story that raises your bar and I believe that, by itself, says enough.
April 4, 2021
Bought this first volume on a whim because the phrase "Gambling Apocalypse" makes me laugh but I wasn't sure if this 90's gambling thriller would really be interesting to me. However, I can't believe how fast I read over 500 pages detailing one night of high-stakes paper, rock, scissors.
This collection is filled with close-ups of the sweaty brows of so-called "deadbeats" (borrowing creditor's language, not mine) and somehow it mixes in the psychology of economics without missing a beat of tension. Maybe a few chapters feel a little padded but it was a thrilling read overall. The real kick in the face is that it ends on a cliffhanger, though, but I'm anxious to read more.
This collection is filled with close-ups of the sweaty brows of so-called "deadbeats" (borrowing creditor's language, not mine) and somehow it mixes in the psychology of economics without missing a beat of tension. Maybe a few chapters feel a little padded but it was a thrilling read overall. The real kick in the face is that it ends on a cliffhanger, though, but I'm anxious to read more.
March 2, 2021
i CAN and WILL die for Kaiji and Akagi and mr. Fukumoto over here. fucking brilliant
March 1, 2020
February 1996, Tokyo: Kaiji Ito is a loser. He’s long-term unemployed, isn’t taking any classes, and doesn’t have the grit to put in effort to improve his life. Kaiji’s also a gambling addict, which is unfortunate for someone who doesn’t have the money to spare. His main hobby is vandalizing luxury cars. That last comes back to bite him when a loan shark shows up. Turns out Kaiji co-signed a loan for a friend a few years back, and that friend has vanished. Not only is Kaiji on the hook for big bucks, but he’s damaged the loan shark’s car!
But all is not lost. Seems that the loan shark is recruiting for a special event, a night of gambling on a cruise ship. If Kaiji wins big, he can wipe out all his debt in a few hours. If not, well, welcome to a slave labor camp! It sounds kind of fishy, but the loan shark knows how to reel in the suckers, and soon Kaiji signs up for this offer.
Once on board and the ship is safely outside the Coast Guard patrol zone, the rules are revealed. The game is Limited Rock Paper Scissors using a small number of playing cards. The game seems simple at first, but there are a number of unspoken details, and every time Kaiji thinks he’s got a handle on things, the metagame changes.
It’s pretty clear that Kaiji’s going to need allies, but on a ship full of loser gambling addicts, who can he trust?
This seinen (young men’s) manga is part of the gambling subgenre popular among slightly older readers in Japan. Indeed, there’s an entire sub-subgenre devoted to the game of mahjong that the creator did a popular series, Akagi, for. But the subtleties of that tile game are a bit esoteric for Western audiences, so this is Fukumoto’s first work brought to America.
Good: The rock-paper-scissors game is simple enough that the audience can follow along with ease, but with the constant changes in the metagame, there are enough twists to keep interest up.
While Kaiji isn’t exactly a likable guy, he does have a straightforward personality and just enough naivete to be sympathetic. He doesn’t resort to betrayals and double-crosses, but uses “fair” trickery and strategy and plays honestly with his allies even when they’re more of a burden than an asset. I soon became invested in the question of whether he really can turn his life around, or if his half-assed attitude would sabotage his play.
The angular art style, especially for faces, is kind of ugly but works well to tell the characters apart. (Hard to tell if women would have the same variety, there’s not a single one in this first omnibus volume.)
Less good: The entire setup of the ship and its gamblers’ cruise seems needlessly elaborate and implausible. Thanks to spoilers, I know why this is happening, but in the moment it kept taking me out of the story.
Content note: some swearing, implied torture. Most senior high students should be able to handle this story.
Recommended to those who enjoy tense stories of high-stakes gambling.
But all is not lost. Seems that the loan shark is recruiting for a special event, a night of gambling on a cruise ship. If Kaiji wins big, he can wipe out all his debt in a few hours. If not, well, welcome to a slave labor camp! It sounds kind of fishy, but the loan shark knows how to reel in the suckers, and soon Kaiji signs up for this offer.
Once on board and the ship is safely outside the Coast Guard patrol zone, the rules are revealed. The game is Limited Rock Paper Scissors using a small number of playing cards. The game seems simple at first, but there are a number of unspoken details, and every time Kaiji thinks he’s got a handle on things, the metagame changes.
It’s pretty clear that Kaiji’s going to need allies, but on a ship full of loser gambling addicts, who can he trust?
This seinen (young men’s) manga is part of the gambling subgenre popular among slightly older readers in Japan. Indeed, there’s an entire sub-subgenre devoted to the game of mahjong that the creator did a popular series, Akagi, for. But the subtleties of that tile game are a bit esoteric for Western audiences, so this is Fukumoto’s first work brought to America.
Good: The rock-paper-scissors game is simple enough that the audience can follow along with ease, but with the constant changes in the metagame, there are enough twists to keep interest up.
While Kaiji isn’t exactly a likable guy, he does have a straightforward personality and just enough naivete to be sympathetic. He doesn’t resort to betrayals and double-crosses, but uses “fair” trickery and strategy and plays honestly with his allies even when they’re more of a burden than an asset. I soon became invested in the question of whether he really can turn his life around, or if his half-assed attitude would sabotage his play.
The angular art style, especially for faces, is kind of ugly but works well to tell the characters apart. (Hard to tell if women would have the same variety, there’s not a single one in this first omnibus volume.)
Less good: The entire setup of the ship and its gamblers’ cruise seems needlessly elaborate and implausible. Thanks to spoilers, I know why this is happening, but in the moment it kept taking me out of the story.
Content note: some swearing, implied torture. Most senior high students should be able to handle this story.
Recommended to those who enjoy tense stories of high-stakes gambling.
October 8, 2023
(note: reread, but initially read prior to joining Goodreads)
I tag this as "villain protagonist" because Kaiji is NOT a good person. In fact, he's a pretty terrible one, who initially spends his days frittering away money and vandalising cars out of spite. In fact, pretty much none of the characters are truly "good" people, except once they are put into dire straits, then they MIGHT demonstrate good qualities as a "finding themselves on the path to redemption" kind of deal.
So that's what makes this series stand out, that it's a series about horrible people, and crawling back up from the depths to which they've sunk.
This volume is intense. It's oversized as in larger page size but ALSO in thickness, so it's like two volumes in one! I don't see any indication that it's necessarily an omnibus, though, like with the Saving 80,000 Gold in Another World for my Retirement light novel. That makes me wonder about the decisions behind publishing this, then, since volumes 3 and 4 were pushed back from localised release for literally YEARS. Will the entire series get released? I sure hope so; even though the anime ended at a good point where it's possible to believe that MAYBE he and his friends cleaned up their acts and lived well enough ever after, a nagging part of me wants to see the rest of the story that I KNOW exists.
(This is me not having learned my lesson from all the warnings about Shokugeki no Soma season 5, possibly.)
Anyway, the art is solid, and the story is the "put someone into an unwinnable situation to show how he can win" stuff I absolutely LOVE to see, regardless of how ridiculous.
The only complaint I have is, despite the thickness of the volume, it doesn't actually finish the Espoir arc. Granted, getting even as much as there is into a single volume is pretty amazing, and shows that I've forgotten just how long they spent on the cruise, even though it was only one evening. It just makes me wonder if they might have had fewer release problems if it had been broken up into more standard volume sizes?
Recommended for delighters in schadenfreude... :p (or fans of Squid Game, for reasons)
I tag this as "villain protagonist" because Kaiji is NOT a good person. In fact, he's a pretty terrible one, who initially spends his days frittering away money and vandalising cars out of spite. In fact, pretty much none of the characters are truly "good" people, except once they are put into dire straits, then they MIGHT demonstrate good qualities as a "finding themselves on the path to redemption" kind of deal.
So that's what makes this series stand out, that it's a series about horrible people, and crawling back up from the depths to which they've sunk.
This volume is intense. It's oversized as in larger page size but ALSO in thickness, so it's like two volumes in one! I don't see any indication that it's necessarily an omnibus, though, like with the Saving 80,000 Gold in Another World for my Retirement light novel. That makes me wonder about the decisions behind publishing this, then, since volumes 3 and 4 were pushed back from localised release for literally YEARS. Will the entire series get released? I sure hope so; even though the anime ended at a good point where it's possible to believe that MAYBE he and his friends cleaned up their acts and lived well enough ever after, a nagging part of me wants to see the rest of the story that I KNOW exists.
(This is me not having learned my lesson from all the warnings about Shokugeki no Soma season 5, possibly.)
Anyway, the art is solid, and the story is the "put someone into an unwinnable situation to show how he can win" stuff I absolutely LOVE to see, regardless of how ridiculous.
The only complaint I have is, despite the thickness of the volume, it doesn't actually finish the Espoir arc. Granted, getting even as much as there is into a single volume is pretty amazing, and shows that I've forgotten just how long they spent on the cruise, even though it was only one evening. It just makes me wonder if they might have had fewer release problems if it had been broken up into more standard volume sizes?
Recommended for delighters in schadenfreude... :p (or fans of Squid Game, for reasons)
March 23, 2023
Despite the horrendous character designs and complete lack of diverse facial expressions (I swear Kaiji had the same shocked expression for 1o consecutive panels), the story is pretty engrossing. It's all about high-stakes gambling. At first, Kaiji seems like a deadbeat coward, but his cleverness reveals itself with each chapter and soon enough, you feel the suspense rising as the clock ticks down and Kaiji schemes to save himself. The game seems simple but that's the deception. You really gotta pay attention to what's going on if you want to feel smart and savvy, too. It's pretty old-school and not very action-packed, but it's definitely entertaining and has the potential to become even more intense later on.
July 28, 2025
7.5/10
I like Nobuyuki’s art a lot, it’s very stylish and unique. The characters, while not at all as badass as Akagi, are interesting and so is the story, though for being such a big book (not sure how many volumes it covers but must be at least 3 or so) it doesn’t get far narrative-wise, focusing solely on 1 ”game” and it’s not even done with it yet. That said the main aspect of gambling/finance is really cool and the in-depth explanations of all the tricks and thoughts are appreciated. I wish they would release an English translation of Akagi some day
I like Nobuyuki’s art a lot, it’s very stylish and unique. The characters, while not at all as badass as Akagi, are interesting and so is the story, though for being such a big book (not sure how many volumes it covers but must be at least 3 or so) it doesn’t get far narrative-wise, focusing solely on 1 ”game” and it’s not even done with it yet. That said the main aspect of gambling/finance is really cool and the in-depth explanations of all the tricks and thoughts are appreciated. I wish they would release an English translation of Akagi some day
November 7, 2021
to people that think this is slow and boring, i would say keep going. it gets much more intense... this manga was a big influence on the very violent show "squid game", if that gives you any idea. it's true though, that this is a very claustrophobic comic. i guess for me it didn't feel "slow" because I was absorbed by the action. RIYL squid game, uncut gems
January 9, 2023
I’m a fan of squid game and I heard this was an inspiration for the show. Just like the Netflix hit, this is a game where everyone puts their lives on the line to be free of their debts by participating in a game where only the smartest and most strategic gamblers will come out victorious. The tension thrives throughout the whole book of 500 pages, definitely didn’t disappoint.
May 1, 2023
Definitely a series where there is a lot to digest, these books will have to be read in multiple sessions. But overall still good, Kaiji is a fun read that challenges your brain. I enjoy the series so now that I’m reading it I get to relive the thought provoking games.
December 17, 2023
Been meaning to read this for some years, but didn’t realize until reading it what a heavy influence it must have been on Squid Game (just checked and the SG producer has acknowledged it as one of his influences). Starts off slow, but once the game theory kicks in it gets very compelling.
August 10, 2025
The anime of Kaiji itself was truly a masterpiece so I had high hopes for the manga and it delivered, the themes explored in this series are amazing and the suspense and mind games were perfectly written by Nobuyuki Fukumito, a brilliant volume one
dnf
November 11, 2020So boring
September 5, 2021
Marker: Finished Part 1
December 21, 2021
Very enjoyable, could have been a bit shorter though.
January 12, 2022
Magnetico, incredibile. Altro che i giochi di squid game. Super cervellotico ma anche super emozionante. Team Kaiji!
August 25, 2022
Read this after watching the anime - it's great, the pacing is better in the manga. Big thumbs up.
February 1, 2023
i love FKMT for the constantly bawling men representation here
March 15, 2023
This was weird, extremely outside of my comfort zone, but actually surprisingly enjoyable for me. 3.5 stars.
November 8, 2023
This would be the guilty pleasure of Xi JinPing.
January 8, 2024
2.5 stars (rounded up)
April 5, 2025
Most thrilling non-action story I have ever read
September 22, 2025
Need someone to play the evil mahjong w I wuv gambling
November 14, 2022
I read gambling apocalypse Kaiji and I thought that it was really good. There were good games and high stakes but in my opinion I would like to have seen a little bit more action.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews