Mahjong & Crazy Rich Asians | Video Essay

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Accented Cinema - Episode 104
More like Crazy Riichi Asians, amirite?
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[@AccentedCinema]

I think most people of my generation only remember playing with Mahjong as if they are LEGO bricks.

[@lancergt1000]

Mahjong, the bane of every Yakuza/Ryu Ga Gotoku player

[@michealvega1373]

Mahjong Fucks! AKAGI!

[@seenbefore2803]

@@lancergt1000 I ended up getting my mother to play the Mahjong mini game for me lmao

[@WellBattle6]

Same here. Thing is, Mahjong sets and tables are expensive compared to say a deck of cards. People who emigrate overseas aren’t likely to bring a Mahjong set with them, so their children don’t learn to play in the first place. Plus, online mahjong is more inaccessible to people who have foreign languages as their main language than their mother tongue, especially when the actual terms used in the game are rarely translated.

[@haughtygarbage5848]

@@lancergt1000 it's wild, my friend who didn't want to play riichi was having such a hard time making money at the start of Judge Eyes. He couldn't afford the first disguise just through fighting gangsters so he quit playing. Meanwhile while my ass spent the first 5 hours in the parlor and built up a decent nest egg without really realizing it.

[@sonochinos]

Not only that but Rachel's hand is what's called 半色 (ban se) or half colour, which represents how she was a mix of both cultures she's a part of. Whereas Eleanor's is a 碰碰 hand, where all your sets are composed of triplets, cards of the same kind, signifying how she values those of her kind rather than someone like Rachel who she views as an outsider.

[@SamsonOng]

Damn, that's a good catch! Never thought about that

[@silky0439]

The psychology behind the whole movie including your incredible catch is absolutely mind blowing! Keen eye!

[@jonnyguydenton]

+Eleanor has 'centipede' from the beginning. Under Singapore mahjong rule, 1) it give winning point, 2) you are qualify to declare 'hu' (win). Often it's decided before a game, player hand with no point are not allow to 'hu'. This put Eleanor at advantageous position from start to reflect her status. Need no further explanation on why centipede chosen instead of rat, rooster or cat. Rachel got 4th flower (winter plum), this tile is worth no point for West seating player. -Rachel revealed a 'Fei' tile. This is wildcard tile, aka Rachel is 'wild'. BUT 1) this tile is not played in this manner. She still have 13 tiles, thus the wildcard is not used for 'Chi' or 'Pong'. 2) this tile is almost never used in Singapore mahjong. +Eleanor too have half-colour or mixed-colour (ruined by her 9-dots pong), in fact their tiles are at loggerheads, both yearning for bamboos (and optional red dragon). Possible that director changed mind/got late advise, I guess its intended to send stronger message of Rachel compromise, but message is too easily lost. Also like what is said, Eleanor completely different hand is continuity error (5th North wind tile said it all). However it's a missed opportunity to show Eleanor nature of insane level of cautious (never discarding unseen tiles, at cost of giving up opportunity of scoring big), how the environment shaped her into unforgiving person. Again, require audience with intermediate knowledge of mahjong. Reasonable not to include this. Rachel score: half-colour +2 point (+1 point for North Wind. Rachel left immediately, so this is last game of last round, which is always North wind. pong-pong-win ruined by sequels) Eleanor score: pong-pong win +2 points, white dragon+1, animal tile+1 (mixed-colour ruined by dots, four-conceals ruined by pong). It's probably to keep things real. Super winning hands are insanely rare, especially in 4-man mahjong. Not sure if there is intention to show how Rachel and Eleanor ruin each other's winning hands (lives) (Eleanor took all eight and nine bamboos ruining Racheal pong-pong-win, Rachael ruined Eleanor's dot pure-colour starting hand (omg))...let's not think too deep.

[@sc33h3o3]

​@@jonnyguydenton "too deep" lol

[@emilyau8023]

Wow that's a good analysis.

[@vickywong303]

I watched Crazy Rich Asians in Hong Kong and I think I was one of the few people who didn’t know the rules. But the moment when Rachel revealed her tiles, the audience just gasped out loud

[@sevenmillionhobbies7840]

I got chills reading this, and I wasn’t even there 😂

[@sterlingforbes3872]

That's very interesting, whereas here in the US, we had no idea how to play so that detail was lost on us but I love learning about this significance. If I had been in HK I would have asked my friends "why did people gasp?" 🙂

[@biocapsule7311]

Yeah... Singaporean here, my whole older and some younger extended family know how to play and do so every time there's a gathering. I don't, never did learn. But as I understand it, there a sizeable demographic of old Americans who do, so much so there's 2 rule variations.

[@jonny-liu]

Something you alluded to but didn't highlight is that Rachel won through 自摸, meaning she drew the winning tile, which also increases the winnings. That, in addition to her not using anyone else's tiles to form her sets, means she won purely on her own. Similarly, in her life outside of the game, Rachel doesn't come from a rich family and has had work hard to achieve everything she has, including winning Nick's heart. Yet she was willing to give it up for Eleanor and Nick to be happy.

[@wilsonchan5711]

That's something I hadn't thought of either, great point out!

[@yellowprime8491]

I love the look Rachel's mom (Kerry played by Tan Kheng Hua) gives Eleanor at the end of the game. You can feel the tempest of emotions behind it with just that glance.

[@lordalfa600]

The Cantonese woman glare. 😝

[@CortexNewsService]

Honestly surprised Eleanor was still standing after that look.

[@Argosh]

I've seen people describing that glance as just a respectful look. When I saw that in the movie the hairs on the back of my neck rose.

[@QualityCulture]

Yo this was my favorite scene from Crazy Rich Asians! Just loved how we didn't need to get an explanation of the rules to appreciate what was going on in the game. Just great visual storytelling

[@AccentedCinema]

Oh my god, I love your feature length video on Miyazaki!

[@R3TR0J4N]

"great visual storytelling" my man

[@QualityCulture]

@@AccentedCinema thanks! We been fans of your channel for a long time. Been very inspirational 😊

[@shaunnathedoRk]

love both of your channels!! *.* so happy to find out you're fans of each other's videos haha

[@shirleysmovieaftershow]

I am a fan of both your channels! Your materials are inspirational!

[@dionysius.l]

As a Hong Konger born and grew up in Hong Kong, Mahjong is deeply rooted in our culture, and is still very popular among people of all ages. There is a whole garage of Hong Kong movies in the 80s and 90s surrounding Mahjong as the main plot. Among these movies, perhaps the most well-known Mahjong movie, named Fat Choi Spirit (嚦咕嚦咕新年財) uses Mahjong as a metaphor about how to be a respectable person. A quote I am sure all my fellow HKer will know is “牌品好，人品自然好”, roughly translate to “a moral person is reflected on his Mahjong sportsmanship.” It would be amazing if someday you can talk about this movie, among all the other Mahjong movies. Anyways, love your videos!

[@AccentedCinema]

I tried so hard to find a copy of that movie! I only saw it once on TV but I vividly remember the quote as well.

[@dionysius.l]

@@AccentedCinema it’s not hard to find in Hong Kong. I’d be more than happy to ship one to you! Consider it a donation haha

[@zxdxz]

@@AccentedCinema It's on Disney+ (Under its STARS, at least in HK&TW regions) @Dionysius You thinks it’s not hard but it really become rare fast in hard copy format, just like others Hong Kong Movies.

[@sagara5293]

In addition, it also teaches that when we learn how to play when deal with a bad hand (Life). You can curse your life or you can be optimistic and journey one. Stay optimism and soon your bad luck is over and good luck will come. Another lesson I will always remember.

[@rinder5]

@@AccentedCinema it's on Netflix in some countries too

[@kunderemp]

As a Javanese who was born and grew up in Jakarta, I understand how Rachel's felt being out of place. Even as non-Chinese who have no idea about mahjong, I understand the message being conveyed in the mahjong scene because how both Constantine Wu and Michelle Yeoh express their emotion. This mahjong explanation confirmed that I got it right. I think Michelle Yeoh in this movie show Hollywood that she was not simply female Jackie Chan but she also can act in a drama.

[@yohannessulistyo4025]

Being half-Javanese and Chinese who witnessed quite a lot of mahjong games being played by my elders, it is indeed pretty realistic, except the use of English. They use languages that is very familiar and casual with them for gossipping: first Javanese and then Cantonese, and then Mandarin, and then Indonesian. Switching between 4 terms, to not let certain things go to kids watching them play. You can really feel the "othering" as the 4 players are really the ones into it.

[@jc3drums916]

To be fair, Jackie Chan can act in a drama as well, as this channel has discussed in a previous video.

[@shaunnathedoRk]

just wanted to point out her name is constance, not constantine :)

[@jasperli]

This is by far the best explanation to Mahjong I’ve seen. I tried writing an essay explaining the significance of Mahjong in High School and it was rough. Then I tried teaching some people who’ve never played before and I did even worse.

[@KRYMauL]

Agreed, it's way better than anything else. Though, I usually try to win and end up getting burned out because it's not nearly as fun as poker as I start actually thinking about my strategy.

[@Jaromir-Druzba]

Though I never even attempted to play mahjong. At least not yet. But I totally get what you mean. Back when I lived in China I used to play weiqi a lot. And I used it as means to "conversate" with my counterparts. It proved to be very helpful during establishing proper business relations on many occasions. Very subtle. As one Chinese once told me: "Do not listen just to words and do not observe just actions, but always observe their combination - through them you can find out about true intent." And weiqi was a perfect tool for this. And I suspect, so is mahjong. Thank you for your videos!

[@megumim6795]

I think, weiqi gets culturally, and socially MUCH MUCH higher status than Mahjong in all of east Asia...

[@AccentedCinema]

@@megumim6795 Unlike mahjong, you don't get laughed at for being having an old man hobby. You just get laughed at for being a nerd. Speaking from experience.

[@Jaromir-Druzba]

@@megumim6795 Well, after all weiqi is one of the "siyi" (The Four Arts). And it didn't earn its position for nothing. Personally, for me, when it comes to things that strongly influenced my development I could say that weiqi is among "Top 10" on the list... along with Zhuge Liang ;-)

[@Paulxl]

You should. There are videogames with very good tutorials.

[@John-k6f9k]

@@AccentedCinema I find that surprising. I live in the "West" and western chess is seen as a very nerdy thing. However in Eastern Europe and Russia, chess is a very "cool" game. I have heard that in Japan weiqi (or go as they call it) is a much respected pursuit. Surprising to learn that not all Asian countries hold it in such high esteem.

[@d.k.7471]

As an American who knew nothing about not only the actual rules to mahjong but also the culture of playing it, your essay on the subject really helps the scene hit more for me. Brilliant!

[@biocapsule7311]

From what I understand, the US have it's own Mahjong demographic. Enough that there's 2 US rule variations. I only know because in quite a number of US movies, there's usually people playing Mahjong in retirement homes scenes, didn't expect to see a household asian game in US, so I look it up.

[@Ariolander]

Mahjong was always the "game for old people" at family gatherings. I didn't bother learning it myself until the anime Saki aired in Japan and all my college friends wanted to learn to play together. I still like playing the game, I play it single player against AI on my phone all the time, but I still don't play with my family because I still dislike the gambling aspect.

[@elucified]

Mahjong can be played without gambling just like card games like poker can be played without gambling. Just use monopoly money lol

[@Ariolander]

@@elucified When I play with my friends, we use Riichi scoring rules and play for fun, points, high scores, and to socalize. Same with the mahjong apps I play on my phone. The style of mahjong my family plays is a gambling centric one with a wager/payout ruleset. Sadly, I can't play with the family without also gambling.

[@Lakhshamana]

Ah, a fellow Saki enjoyer I see.

[@Reydriel]

Riichi mahjong has the benefit of being perfectly playable without any gambling due to the built-in points system lol

[@KRYMauL]

I grew up playing it and my grandma really enjoys it. The problem I have though is the rounds last too long and I end up actually trying to formulate a strategy. I was never told about letting your elders win, but that tracks.

[@satorudo]

If you notice Andy Lau quickly shuffles his tiles into the middle after he 'loses' to ensure that the mother doesn't figure out that he let her win. Also colloquially the shuffling of the tiles is referred to as "Dry Swimming" in Cantonese which I find hilarious

[@GiantGeekGuy]

So that's why old people in my town who play mahjong never really "play" mahjong. Whenever I pass by them in a game of mahjong, I'm more interested with the grandma's gossip of how someone got married to a foriegner they didn't like, rather than watch them play the game itself. It's basically the TV playing in the background while your group of friends are talking, it's a socializing game. Thanks for pointing that out!

[@KRYMauL]

I'm always more focused on the game and end up loosing because I focus inwards.

[@immortes]

It's like how Vtuber groups will have convos over the sounds of them playing the game itself.

[@mattl2174]

Amazing video! As someone that grew up playing Mahjong with my family, I picked up on a lot of the same symbolism you picked up and even picked up a few nuances so thank you! I think one piece of symbolism which you kind of covered but I wanted to extend was around both of their win conditions, as there was even deeper symbolism in there. In Mahjong, there are two ways to obtain your winning tile. 1) Self pick (e.g., draw a tile from the wall, and it randomly is your winning tile) 2) Discard of your opponent Self pick is generally viewed as the more favorable/prestigious way to win since it's worth more points and doesn't really rely on your opponents. Growing up, my relatives would pass on a tile that the opponent threw out, holding out for a self pick win. When Rachel picks up the 8 bamboo, representing fortune, her picking up the winning tile herself (resulting in a self pick win) seems to be symbolic of her being self made for her own fortune. Eleanor on the other hand, capitalizes on a win, but through the discard of her opponent (Rachel). So not only did Rachel lose intentionally, she gave up her self pick win (e.g., as a result of her own hard work, but also generally viewed as more "prestigious"), as opposed to Eleanor, who won through capitalizing on her opponent, picking off the fortune of others. I just found this scene so deep on so many levels and I continue to learn more every time I watch it.

[@michaelbandada9887]

My mother used to play mahjong all the time when she was alive along with her cousins and other people Also, Michelle Yeoh portrayed the role of a haughty woman in Crazy Rich Asians which is a deviation from her roles as a fierce, no nonsense woman in all of her movies

[@Pantera29X]

oh my god youre talking about mahjong! my grandma and mom and their friends used to play it a lot at my old home, they had a fold up table and everything and i used to fall asleep to the sound of the tiles being mixed up, and sometimes if i was still awake i would be invited to mix up the tiles for them

[@silentsaturn7604]

This is actually my favourite scene of the film. I love it for the way it brings these women from different backgrounds (rich-poor, east-west, young-old) together like equals. As different as they are, they all know the game and it bring out something communal. Now that you explained a bit more about the rules and the significance of their moves, I love it even more.

[@alfthai]

Having played mahjong with my elders, and having my elders watch Crazy Rich Asians, the one thing you didn't point out is that in the final scene they are playing so slowly. My mother was literally yelling at the screen to tell her to play quicker.

[@crazychic210]

😂

[@immortes]

Huh funny my grandmother used to spend Hours playing Mahjong

[@compscijedi]

I learned to play Mahjong from my friend's mother and grandmother 20+ years ago. I love the looks I would get as a tall American sitting down to play a game with the older Asian parents, even though I frequently lost.

[@senseihEnRY16]

I don't understand blackjack, poker, mahjong, baseball, football, or go but everytime a film maker managed to make a plot point (or even an entire story) revolving around these games, even to audiences with no slightest clue about the games, always fascinated me.

[@yamikirin]

As a Singaporean that doesn't play mahjong, I still felt that the scene was good even if I didn't see the details you mentioned. Just that final part where she gave up the winning tile then showed her hand instead on turning it face down to be reshuffled was such a big " F you".

[@thedeltaray88]

normally in a social setting when playing mahjong, you would tend to show each others' hands just to show how close you were in finishing your hand. so it's pretty natural still

[@SamsonOng]

@@thedeltaray88 Ya but showing your winning tiles that you gave up is still a big fuck you xD

[@rosiepsong]

She wasn't being submissive. She made a deal with Eleanor.

[@hanng1242]

Interesting. This wasn't in the novel; it was added for the film.

[@d1v1nel2ight]

When my mom and I watched this the first time, we enjoyed this film because it reminded us of those silly Thai soap dramas we used to watch together back when I was little, but on the bigger scale. I didn't think much of the climax scene at the end because I didn't know the rules of Mahjong and therefore didn't try to understand the meaning behind it. Fast forward a few years later, I learned how to play Mahjong because I was trying to get the platinum trophy for the Yakuza video games series, and I was having so much fun playing Mahjong even though I'm not really good at the game, but at least I know the rules and how to play. Then, I came across this film again by and decided watch it. Now this film and especially this scene became one of my favorite.

[@cjtan0265]

Mahjong is pretty much ingrained in most, if not all, east and far east asian cultures. Another interesting observation in the film is that Rachel was introduced playing poker, you can never be more "western" than that, and she ended (well close to the end) the film playing mahjong--as you said reclaiming her identity as a chinese woman.

[@emanatingauras4017]

I can relate very much to Mahjong being the "old person game". At family gatherings, my uncles, aunts, and in-laws had a "secret table" in one of the backrooms where they would play Mahjong exclusively to gamble, and it's very intense. I watched my parents and grandparents play more casually at the visible table, and eventually learned how to play from them as well. I cannot win against the "secret table", but the face my grandmother made when I beat her for the first time was priceless (although, as the game goes, it had a significant component of luck). Love to see this kind of Mahjong storytelling in movies too.

[@thesalvadorianwarrior798]

Shamefully I learned how to play mahjong through Yakuza 0. I totally forgot about the main story and sat there for like six hours trying to figure it out. It was fun and I learned a lot. Real Mahjong got really hard. Real fast. Also I’m happy you showed a clip from hololive. Mostly Kiara.

[@shivorath]

Side note: In Yakuza games you play Riichi Mahjong, which is more complicated and competitive than most other versions. Riichi Mahjong is less of a vehicle for socializing and more a competitive game (not that it can't be both!)

[@haughtygarbage5848]

There's a nearly 4 hour riichi tutorial I've watched about 10 times all the way through, I often put it on in the background while falling asleep at this point its that comforting

[@michealvega1373]

Can I get a name to the video

[@haughtygarbage5848]

@@michealvega1373 How to Play Japanese Mahjong - A Comprehensive Tutorial by HanaYoriUta Looking again it's only 3.5 hours, and a good chunk of that is related to obscure variants/rules and explaining Yaku one by one. The meat of the tutorial is the first 90ish minutes, you can probably stumble your way through Yakuza or FF14 after that in you're in a hurry

[@michealvega1373]

@@haughtygarbage5848 thanks dawg.

[@manramen]

I love the realization that Elanor walked past Rachel's mom to get to the table where Rachel sat. That means Rachel wasn't just there with a plan, she was prepared and had backup.

[@charlesjim5649]

I believe the other significance behind the bamboo 8 was to signify Rachel was a "jook sing" (Western born Chinese), which Eleanor calls out and scoffs at because she believes Rachel is a product of her environment and only looks out for herself. Rachel disproves that by giving Eleanor the win and showing that she understands and is connected to the old ways as well as she foreshadowed by mentioning that her mom taught her how to play. It tracks along with your theory and observations very well also

[@michaelchan2568]

Not sure if someone already mentioned this but Eleanor's winning hand of All Pungs (對對和 hand with all matching triples) appears to symbolize her position of Conformity [and thus Sacrifice] vs having mixed tile suits that might be considered symbolizing Individualism.

[@defaulted9485]

The way I got into Mahjong is when my friend uses parables to score more Hans and Fus for Points. Why Riichi is a Yaku (Winning Condition)? Because you honor your labor and your earnest earning by not taking other's pieces eventually through sheer patience and strategy, you reap your own labor of patience. Why Dragon Triplets (Yakuhai) is a Yaku? Because you put the effort to gather and honor the Dragons. Why you should avoid getting penalized by a Ron? You can see the signs of a Ron. By discarding only the Riichi-ed Enemy discarded tiles (defense play), they cannot take the same fortune they dumped from others (Furiten, seen as a hypocrisy). What is a Furiten and why it loses you 30000 points? You were given by the heaven (example) a 1 Bamboo Fortune. You discarded the 1 Bamboo but makes a Bamboo Flush Hand. You can now only win if the Heaven gives you the second chance through a drawn tile (Tsumo). Why Mahjong is played through "a wall"? There once a village of a Pilgrim Monk, a Bamboo Farmer, and the Lotus Flower Gardener. With the passing of time, their houses are slowly decaying and eventually destroyed back into Earth. At the end where the Dead Wall (or a Temple) is left, they all gather in front of the heavens to be judged. Sometimes the monk finished his 9 Gates Pilgrimage (Chuuren Poutou), while the farmer has greened his Bamboos clean and tidy (Ryuuiisou), while the Lotus Gardener raised his Thirteen Orphans of the village as if their own flowers (Kokushi Musou). By the end of their story, they are awarded a place in heaven for their virtues.

[@kopisusu2000]

At around 8 and half minute, the graphic says "Rachel's Hand" as "Need 5 or 6 of Bamboo". Since it's 6 and 7 bamboo tiles in Eleanor's hands, I think the text should say "Need 5 or 8 of Bamboo", thus making sense of the fact that the [8 Bamboo] should have enabled her to win.

[@marcross52-95]

Mahjong is still very popular with the older generation here in the Philippines. This video has given me a new found appreciation for a game I always saw in the background of an afternoon gathering.

[@Anolaana]

Now I'm never going to unsee Eleanor's hand changing with the 5th "North wind" tile. Thanks! (That being said, excellent video, thanks for explaining all the symbolism!)

[@TheSebastianfan]

The way I see Mahjong is it's essentially a fancy game of Gin Rummy with extra steps. I played it a couple of times, and I really enjoyed it a lot. I have a small set, and I'm really wanting to find a group of friends to play. But in all seriousness, what I love about all table top games is the interaction and socialization with your fellow players.

[@kevinw9507]

From a personal perspective, my experiences with my family and mahjong follows the described trend and stereotype of the game. My mother actively forbade me from playing mahjong when I was a kid, even when my grandparents (who are no longer around) invited me to sit with them and learn the game. My mother claimed it promoted gambling. However, in hindsight, it was probably the best way I could have socialized and bonded with my grandparents whenever I visited them, despite the large language barrier that was present between us. I had always wanted to learn how to play mahjong as cultural enrichment, but now I regret never having learned, as the community where I live does not have social groups to do so.

[@atlasprime6193]

“And our elders love that because it means we’ll lose money to them.” Damn…

[@satorudo]

Everyone loves my mother in law for playing Mahjong with because she is so bad she constantly loses to everyone

[@myfyp2]

I was surprised when I was reading Agatha Christie's The Murder of Roger Ackroyd and came across a scene where the characters were playing mahjong and exchanging gossips. It was very interesting.

[@ServirLaPaix]

As an european living in China, Mahjong is really a social ability I had to learn here. Thanks to have bring the further details, and I never paid close attention how much details they put in that scene!

[@pavelczenski5908]

Some of the biggest celebrities in Taiwan, China and HK old and young play mahjong on a regular basis. The game is making a comeback.

[@edukid1984]

Well, in some parts of China mahjong never really went away.

[@akamikedavid]

Easily my favorite scene in CRA and, as someone who self-taught myself Mahjong with my friends since my parents didn't want to teach it to me because of the gambling connotations, I caught a lot of the symbolism that you mentioned. It's amazing the story within the story here where if you don't know the rules it still works and if you know the rules it works even more. I also really love the ways Rachel shows that her being Asian American is not a weakness, as Evelyn always seemed to believe it to be, but a point of strength that Rachel is proud of. This is certainly a movie that celebrates not only being Asian but specifically being Asian American/Foreign born Asian.

[@dbslayer7]

This video made me finally sit down and watch this movie and I can't tell you how much I need more cinema made by and for people of different cultures without dumbing things down.

[@TeeFannie]

I live in Canada but in a very Chinese neighborhood. I think about 50% of the neighborhood Chinese kids know how to play and will get together biweekly to play mahjong. I hope it makes a comeback and even more kids learn it, very very fun 💃 Eleanor's hand is chicken woo 🥲

[@team56th]

Whenever I visit this channel I feel like I’m right at home. I was 😂 when I saw that Vtuber clip at the beginning but that’s just spot on. As a younger East Asian, Mahjong is somehow trending amongst gaming and streaming audiences around me, and that’s where Accented Cinema begins its essays. It always feels so familiar to me in a way that it won’t for many others, and then it connects that to something bigger about movies.

[@justafloatingcoconut1368]

exactly. this guys also deep in the vtuber hole

[@MedalionDS9]

I don't get Mahjong's game rules but I love the sound of the blocks being mixed around... that shit was ASMR back in the day

[@johanoskarsson8209]

Thank you for including the Versailles bit XD. For good or ill, it really is a meme attached to your channel so I'm glad to see it kept alive. It's one of those little rituals. It's interesting to see Mahjong described though. I only ever played it on old windows computers in this game where you have a pyramid of mahjong bricks and try to match them two-by-two to remove it.

[@bestoftheshit]

This man somehow explained mahjong and the plot within 12 minutes 🀄️🀄️🀄️🀄️🀄️

[@jdjtbgs2]

Thank you so much for this explanation! My aunt taught me how to play mahjong when I was a kid but sadly I've forgotten all of it. When I saw this scene I knew right away there was a HUGE metaphor between the plot, conversation, and the mahjong match, but I never fully understood it because I didn't remember/know the rules of mahjong, and I know I wasn't going to learn all the complicated rules of mahjong for this one scene. Your video has finally given me the closure I needed :)

[@TheAristoCompany]

Damn, that scene was so much deeper than I thought. Thank you for sharing your analysis on it!

[@rujerez]

Siempre sentí que en esa escena había algo más que el diálogo de los personajes. Genial poder entenderlo ahora.

[@DrBunnyMedicinal]

Damn, but that is the best lesson I have ever seen into how Mahjong is played, and wow, does that enhance the climax of the film.👏👏👏

[@zeerae630]

Honestly this is one of the best written scenes of cinema I have seen in a while.

[@arcie3716]

The Versailles thing is gonna become a main stay on this channel 😭😭😭

[@Poln4]

I’m a Latin American living in Taiwan. Playing dominoes and cards with my family is exactly what you expressed about mahjong. I have tried to learn how to play here, but most people don’t play it anymore. On campus, it’s prohibited 🚫! Yes, cuz it’s associated with gambling and that’s illegal. I have played it twice during Lunar New Year in my friend’s grandma house. I have also played with an app. But it’s not the same that playing with people around you. I hope I can find a way to learn more. Thank you for this insightful video 😊.

[@chunellemariavictoriaespan8752]

As a Filipino with Chinese heritage, I've always wanted to learn how to play go and mahjong.... In a way, as a proof that I can play their field...

[@benjamintillema3572]

Growing up white in Midwest America my family played Mahjong. As a kid I would watch the adults play, sometimes one of them would ask me to make a decision for them. I remember one game on Christmas Eve going on for so long that I just went to bed instead of seeing how it would end. Eventually I learned how to play and now we play as a family once or twice a year when everyone is in town for the holidays.

[@ssjAnnaPaquin]

I started playing riichi less than a month ago, so the timing of this video is a pretty funny coincidence

[@kellielow385]

That final ending scene got me so good hahaha! I love your videos, it's hard to find channels that breakdown and explain Asian concepts without butchered pronunciation of Asian words/names, but also narrated by someone who genuinely understands the culture.

[@359339]

I loved that this movie was about Rachel winning the love of Eleanor. Nick is really just incidental.

[@mikeecho3092]

Yakuza series made me learn Mahjong and I loving it. Its like poker dial to 11.

[@FunctionallyLiteratePerson]

I tried to learn mahjong once and didn't get that far 😅

[@AccentedCinema]

That's the rite of passage for many young people.

[@Justanotherconsumer]

It reminds me of contract bridge in our family, though that was mainly a mechanism for my grandmother and her brother to squabble like children. It was sort of amusing. At 95 and 93, acting like they’re 5 and 3.

[@Kaegri]

I adored this scene when I watched this in the cinema, and I'm sure I play my family rules but the basic knowledge of mahjong really enhanced this scene. But I didn't know more Chinese cultural details, it's fascinating hearing the implications of an existing trope of young/old players. When Rachel had that 8 tile and she tossed it, I got very hyped and later explained it to my white friend so the story made more sense. The clip when she walks away hand-in-hand with her mum!! (and the mum's Look omg), the whole scene is so satisfying

[@Kaegri]

kinda unrelated, but anybody else play those kiddies' Mahjong which are all pokemon tiles, or something similar? 😆

[@DeadEndGoose]

I know the difference now, but part 3 of the Japanese series Kaiji is all about Mahjong. I think learning Japanese-style mahjong added to my experience as a reader. I literally had to stop reading, learn how to play the game myself, and then resume. IMO it added to the experience!

[@Lakhshamana]

I think Chinese Mahjong is a fair bit simpler compared to Riichi/Japanese Mahjong.

[@guridoraccoon6375]

same! kaiji is how i learned mahjong as well.

[@KathyXie]

I wanted to learn but my aunt didn't want to teach me because she didn't want me to become a gambler

[@AccentedCinema]

Pretty much the same story for most people in our generation. The stigma against it is strong.

[@cheeherrr]

I was surprised when i didn't see the Versailles lady...until i did. good one!

[@PeanutStrawberry]

Dude... the metaphor is making me cry, it's so beautiful 😭

[@cileft011]

my family didn't teach me how to play mahjong because they were afraid of influencing me to gamble. even once i was old enough and asked them to teach me, they were too busy gossiping to explain all the rules 😂

[@chelmin88]

thank you for explaining this so well (plus the underlying layers of nuance I didn't catch) that I couldn't explain properly to my sister. i will definitely be showing her this ^^

[@DerekLieu]

Awesome video! I've never played mahjong so I never would've known about something like this. Much appreciated, and super good job on the graphics explaining the game.

[@CortexNewsService]

I loved that scene anyway. But this actually makes me love it more. I love it when there's additional levels to a scene that takes a little extra knowledge to notices. Very cool. Also, I am living for the look Rachel's mom gave Eleanor as they left. Eleanor should have burst in to flames at that look.

[@KannikCat]

During one of our study tours, my Sifu taught us how to play Mahjong. Or, at least, he tried too... it took a few hours one afternoon and not sure it was well grasped by the end. But everyone had fun. :) Cool to see it explained in terms of cultural meaning and the relationships it fosters, and how the film uses both to great storytelling effect!

[@empatheticrambo4890]

As someone who plays online video games with friends who live far away, I really relate to the idea that a game should be a means to socialize

[@kylewitha_c308]

I was waiting for the halls of Versailles

[@octochan]

I was taught how to play mahjong by my relatives in Hong Kong when I visited in 2015, but I only really knew the basics. I'm aware there are ways to play for points that I haven't really internalized. But I still think of it as a game for my parents and aunts and uncles - something they did almost every weekend with my grandma before she passed.

[@AshVXmc]

Accented Cinema using vtuber clips is something I didn't expect, but a welcome surprise

[@AzukiPsan]

Great ending to a comprehensive, deep-dive video Essay. VER-SAIIII

[@talia-ks5op]

mahjong is actually still very trendy in hong kong, the culture thrives in university accommodations especially. There are many instagram pages for renting mahjong rooms (aimed at young people who use insta and cant play at home).

[@fighting.words.ma.library]

Thank you, that was educational on multiple levels. Well done.

[@silky0439]

This was Fascinating! Thank you So Much for taking the time to break all of this down to where it makes sense! I have Only played solitaire so the intricacies of the actual game I never learned. This was amazing!

[@chartypeplays2396]

One other thing I like about this scene is the look from the other two ladies at the table after Rachel leaves. They may be half-deaf, but through the game they can still see what was just said.

[@AncientAesthetic]

You have a knack for drawing tears from my eye. Now I can appreciate this scene because of you.

[@snwbubble]

I was always taught that if someone discards a tile that allows you to win, you reveal your hand without moving the tile into your hand first. But this video was a great breakdown of the scene that definitely gave me more appreciation for the film. Thanks!

[@wretchedref]

Just watched C.R.A. for the first time and this video is exactly what I needed, thanks!

[@NecroPredator]

I remember being very impressed with this scene when I watched it in the cinema. Very symbolic.

[@0seraphic]

thank you for your hard work on your video essays

[@cantrip7]

I play riichi mahjong and it is a wonderful game. That literary level of communication occurs in the game regularly. It is so fun to play against the psychology of your opponents, psych them out, etc. I know it wasn't really the point of the video, but I encourage everyone to learn mahjong or some other table game which gives you an access to a part of life you may have overlooked previously.

[@jasonsgroovemachine]

This is one of the few channels I get excited about when I see a new video. Thank you so much for being here.

[@carlreischies4841]

when i watched the movie, i had a feeling that there was a story behind that scene, i deliberately looked for a video that would explain it. i found it, thanks!

[@Belbecat]

I like how her "My mother taught me how to play" was referring to the mahjong game but also life in a way.

[@MrQuocanh80]

Versailles! Thank you!

[@raytsh]

Passionate Go player here. I was still very happy to see Go in Knives Out despite them not handling the stones properly. It still means more exposure for this, in the west still, obscure game, what is a good thing! Also, I really like Knives Out in general.

[@rafafr9]

Theres a video of a guy analysing their moves to see if it made sense. Their main gripe was the way in wich they placed the stones too.

[@davadh]

Bruh, Hikaru no Go is the best table top show that respects the game.

[@Marcie101164]

Thank you for explaining the scene & game. I understand now.

[@m.n.2971]

Though at the time I understood what Rachel had a chance to win but gave it away, from the way the scene was frammed, this video allowed for a much deeper compreension of it and the background of the film. I really enjoyed this!

[@fyang1429]

The line in this movie you showed so many times was already showing its deep insights in many ways. Now thinking back, I am surprised that I never asked why you didn't make a video about it for so long. Nice job as always!

[@Michael-sq3nf]

i love an asian talking about asians much needed in 2023, surprisingly

[@kklum6998]

Splendid deduction on each movie. Kudos.

[@dsatt57]

OMG thank you for this!!! So much depth and as a person who doesn’t know how to play, this adds so much!

[@MadTeaMarie]

I'm catching up on your videos, and I'm enjoying them so much! They're educational, thought-provoking, and I find the subtle humor to be a vivid reminder of my late parents -- both teachers. I don't know how someone so young can have such a delightful deft touch with history, philosophy, and culture, but you are truly gifted.