Kakegurui - Compulsive Gambler -, Vol. 16

賭ケグルイ / Kakegurui #16

by Homura Kawamoto, Toru Naomura (Artist), Timothy Gifford (Translator)

Kirari, Ririka, and Mary stand on a veritable battlefield in their ongoing winner-takes-all gamble. The twins’ respective wills burn brightly against each other―a situation where even Kirari must doubt her own self-awareness. But what about Yumeko? What move will she make now that she’s been forced off the board? The end of the student council presidential election fast approaches!

Genres: Manga, Drama, Graphic Novels, School

258 pages, Paperback

First published September 22, 2022

Reviews

[daph pink ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

How in the world did that come to a close? I feel exactly how Sayaka does right now. With no new chapters in sight, it's too much for me to handle. How am I going to survive?

[donutdot · Rating 4 out of 5]

the election arc is FINALLY over!! but what even was that ending..... i knew it would be status quo all along with Kirari back in her seat but i feel kind of underwhelmed?? Mary losing her queens to Kirari's kings?? no way......

[Rod Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, at least the election story arc is finally over . . . but it has dragged my interest in this series straight into the ground.

The next volume is going to be a flashback to the early life of the protagonist, so I might still pick it up, but I'm very close to being done with this series at the moment.

[Stefanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The longest arc with the highest stakes ended in the most underwhelming way possible, cool.

[Christopher Saunders · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second arc of Kakegurui finally closes in this volume, and what a finale! Kirari has Ririka and Mary on the ropes until a neat bit of backstabbing keeps the two challengers alive - and breaks Kirari's hold on her sister. Meanwhile, Yumeko continues to pointedly avoid gambling matches with anyone, while the Obamis and Sayaka continue vote-buying schemes to crowbar their way into the Presidency. I had my doubts that Kawamoto and Co. would wrap this story up satisfactorily, or at all, but the writing in this volume is unusually tight and compelling. Most of it focuses squarely on the menage a trois between the Momobami sisters and Mary, as they try to outwit and backstab each other in an increasingly tense gambling showdown. While Mary largely views the match, and her relationship with Ririka, as a means to an end, Ririka takes strength in her friend's "iron will" and finds ways to subvert Kirari's domination of their relationship. Even a status quo affirming conclusion seems imminent, until Yumeko (as always, the ultimate Diabolis ex Machina) arrives with a resolution that upends the "house pet" system and renders all the self-centered, short-sighted scheming of her classmates irrelevant. On level, it feels less like an organic plot development than the mangaka writing himself into a corner; but the present reader found it immensely satisfying, possibly the only way this story could have ended without betraying its characters, allowing Yumeko to save the day without compromising her "compulsive gambler" urges. The manga is ongoing in Japan, but as of this review no further volumes have been translated; if this were the last volume, it would be a satisfying end to a weird, wild, addictive series.

[Jack Reynolds · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm happy the Student Council Election arc is over. While it's clear Kawamoto had fun making several pivots, I don't think the one here worked out well in his favor. The focus feels too split for the ending, and Sayaka's plan subverts her development despite most of it still being framed around her devotion to Kirari. Yumeko's absence is also felt significantly in this volume, and I wish we saw a little more of her before the reveal. Let's go, upheaval. It's what she does best. We also find out who's the older twin among the Momobamis. That was delicious.

We'll be stepping back into Yumeko's past for the foreseeable future of the series. That sounds appealing, especially given the crumbs Kawamoto's dropped so far, but it's going to be another while before I'll be able to put in an ILL request or check it out (after Jujutsu Kaisen Vol. 24, I'm not going to buy it unless I want to). The appeal of Kakegurui is wanning on me, I'm afraid.

[Yoshiro · Rating 4 out of 5]

POPKulturowy Kociołek:

https://popkulturowykociolek.pl/kakeg...

Szesnasta odsłona serii skupia się na ukazaniu dalszego wątku wyborów do samorządu szkolnego, wraz z zakończeniem tego etapu historii. Na placu boju o stołek przewodniczącego pozostało już tylko kilku uczniów. Każdy (lub prawie każdy) jest mocno zdeterminowany do tego, aby odnieść ostateczny sukces i gotowy jest dosłownie na wszystko. Przyjdzie nam więc tu obserwować dużą dawkę „hazardowego szaleństwa”, które prowadzi do zaskakującego finału.

Hazard, knowania, oszustwa, przekupstwa – tego rodzaju elementy szczelnie wypełniają mangę, potęgując napięcie udzielające się czytelnikowi. Wszystkie ona jednak dość dobrze znane są fanom cyklu, bo pojawiają się w serii prawie od samego początku. Szesnasta odsłona serii to jednak również kilka scenariuszowych niespodzianek. Jedną z nich jest zepchnięta na dalszy plan Yumeko. Nastolatka z nieznanych nam powodów unika nowych hazardowych starć i na pewien czas znika z pierwszego planu historii.

Pierwsze i najważniejsze skrzypce odgrywa tu trójka Kirari, Ririka i Mary. To na ich pokerowym pojedynku twórca skupia największą uwagę, dodając do tego oczywiście porcję wyrazistych emocji. Wątek ten okazjonalnie przerywany jest scenami z innymi uczniami, którzy ciągle biorą udział w toczącej się walce i każdy z nich ma w tym jakiś swój ukryty cel. Wszystko to powoli wraz z przeczytanymi stronami nabiera większego sensu, ostatecznie wyjaśniając się w wielkim finale. Tomik oczywiście kończy się w taki sposób, aby ponownie mocno pobudzić ciekawość czytelnika i zachęcić go do sięgnięcia po kolejną odsłonę....

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

My goodness!!

I keep going back and forth with this series and it’s a complete mindf*ck! I can’t tell whether I absolutely love its genius or I’m half-crazed with all of the chaotic shit going down!

Despite feeling starved of Yumeko Jabami’s presence, I have been sucked in by the gambling dramatics of Kirari, Ririka and Mary. I’ve loved learning more about the Momobami sisters (especially Ririka who always gets sidelined) and seeing the showdowns and side bets Mary and Ririka set up was pure genius! Talk about hooked!

And now that Jabami has entered the stage once again…I just know volume 17 is going to be a fascinating read since it’s her origin story. I wonder though what this means for the rest of the series…are we leaving the Academy and all its students behind? Whatever the outcome, I can say that this has been a truly unique and often thrilling reading experience.

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Freaking finally this overdrawn election is over. Not my fav. Yumeko was mostly missing for this and the last volume until the last pages reveal. Not sure if the series overall was worth my time but the concept was a lot of fun…before the election.

[tammy]

6/16 finished ch 93 and will probably forget about kkg for another six months, but by then this vol will probably be finished so it works out. RIP grassroots Mary tho

[aleo · Rating 3 out of 5]

predictable but ok

[Vic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tego się nie spodziewałam... *mindblown*

[escapingbyreading · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.

[Isaiah Geraldez · Rating 5 out of 5]

this series is literally genius it never fails to make me invested

[tearstainedpages · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn’t feel like a proper ending to such a long arc. And overall felt like it was too obvious and underwhelming for Kirari to win the election. Still love the great manga panels, the art is great

[Austin · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a finish feels like it's been years

[Less · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kirari stood on their NECKS the whole time, but it's nice to see her being defeated.

[Kingy_T · Rating 4 out of 5]

**4.5 stars**

I won’t lie I was a little gagged at the end. Can’t believe there is only one more volume left!

[Sua °❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vaya manera de cargarse todo

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈😏😏😏🃏🃏🃏

[Blessing · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

I loved it alot! Tho the arc was long asf, I liked the ending it was spectacular!

[juuls]

kirari defeats ririka and mary, but is ultimately propelled to victory in the entire election by sayaka's side scheme to buy out the remaining votes and transfer then to kirari; yumeko seizes the opportunity to destroy hyakkou academy by donating her votes to house pets that they then sold to sayaka for 100 million yen, upending the house pet system entirely as all house pets were able to buy their humanity back - all so yumeko could finally gamble with a kirari untethered by her attachments and responsibilities

[Kyle Coates · Rating 5 out of 5]

The presidential election somehow managed to end as expected but with a big twist! Excited to see what comes next