The Manga That Lies To You

[@akirasaito1551]

Fun fact, Liar's Game taught me what an MLM is and helped me get my mom out of one before it got too bad

[@sonicsupa99]

OH WOW that’s great!

[@SchnozMeister]

Is that actually for real? That's great, and good on you for looking out holy shit

[@akirasaito1551]

@@SchnozMeister Yeah, it started with her buying a bunch of weird tasting vitamin powder that she tried to sell, which I found weird because she's definitely not the salesman type. Then later she told me about what the "sales" group she joined was doing and how she got into one (her 'friend' recruited her). My brain got working and I managed to convince her to stop buying more bs product and quit the group. I actually used the male lead's mother's self-ending act as a "real story" to scare her lol

[@Royal3Z1]

Welcome to the nhk for me

[@CatKittyCutie]

I wish I had the same luck as you. My aunt tried to say I was going after her small business and blasted me on social media as the bad guy because I warned her and others about it. I even tried to explain it’s not a small business but an MLM I even did some research and sure enough it’s an MLM that’s been screwing over the sellers and buyers over.

[@DefaultSeaTurtle]

One of my favorite manga by far. The moment that always stuck with me was when a few of the LGT Officials were debating on who was the most dangerous contestant. Some said Yokoya, some said Akiyama, but one said it was Nao. She was the only contestant who was able to get people to act in ways that *did not* benefit them. Her presence destabilized the entire logic behind the plans of other players.

[@jinjinjinrou]

Like you said, Nao is dangerous because she is a wildcard to the pre-established money earning formula they have.

[@Sublime.888]

what other mangas do u enjoy? I really need like new ones to read PLS AND THANK U🫶🤝💗

[@jinjinjinrou]

@@Sublime.888 give a genre

[@heyiamd6301]

@@jinjinjinrou Is there a manga as good as Liar Game?

[@jinjinjinrou]

@@heyiamd6301 give Gamble Fish a try if you haven't yet

[@soc7967]

I could not ever imagine forgiving people scamming me, but for Nao to be able to forgive people like that and not become twisted like them, she's definitely someone who can make people around her live happier lives. That is what I call true strength.

[@buntado6]

Her stupidity at not detecting lies repels, her nobility at forgiving liars attracts.

[@annabellthedoll9953]

​@@buntado6 She's not stupid she's naive.

[@bonbonbot8444]

Navity is there when you are not experienced. she got experience of her life only to fall prey to same thing again and again and again. so I don't think she is naive either she is just idiot. @@annabellthedoll9953

[@alastor8091]

Same thing.

[@eline7214]

I identify a lot with nao so i loved reading the story. Makes me happy to see morals and forgiveness are still valued things which is nice

[@Plotbunnyhunter]

Nao is great because she embodies the idea of "EVERYONE deserves kindness and dignity" and uses it to unionize the exploited.

[@SerCrispinCole]

Yeah but it's as dumb how she executes it. Just the basic rough idea. She approaches it ideally neglecting everything other possibilities. That's what make me hate her.

[@ChangedMyNameFinally69]

Well not everyone does

[@introprospector]

Unionize? Like in a socialist way?

[@ChangedMyNameFinally69]

@@introprospector Yes

[@introprospector]

@Scott's Precious Little Account go away nobody was talking to you

[@Yatoru1]

MAD PROPS for covering Liar's Game. One of the best psychological mangas out there, but strangely enough, the whole genre pertaining to mangas like Liar's Game is severely underrated so it's awesome to see you cover it! Just like all ur vids, this was incredibly well done. Your editing and execution are just top tier all around.

[@thomtom3070]

For real. There’s not much besides liar game, death note, Kaiji, and one outs

[@LDW12887]

Tbh it became extremly boring in the end.

[@NexenTriz]

Is it similar to One Outs?

[@thomtom3070]

@@NexenTriz yes

[@rizkyagungshahputra215]

@@thomtom3070 try to read usogui it is by far my fav manga aside liar game

[@MissCaraMint]

I don’t think Nao is comically naive in the first game. This teacher is someone she would have looked at with respect for years. Someone who’s job used to be to take care of her. Combine that with just how absurdly unbelievable the situation actually is, Nao acted the way a lot of young people might act in that situation. I mean she actually did call a lawyer to consult with. And the logic that the game depends on the two targets not knowing each other is somewhat sound. Her actions are what a normal young person would be. True there are moments where she does things that are a little more naive than is usual, but not that often. We are only suspicious because we are readers. We know the tropes, and can anticipate things Nao can’t. Because we know Nao is the protagonist in a story, and she simply doesn’t.

[@SchnozMeister]

Yeah I think I might've been a little unfair to her in that first arc, but my main point was mostly the disconnect between her perspective and the reader's perspective. It's like in horror movies where you're watching a character enter a dangerous location and internally screaming "dont go in there!!"

[@MissCaraMint]

@@SchnozMeister Well yeah, we have the advantage of knowing that Nao is the protagonist in a story. Obviously certain things have to happen to move the plot forwards. Nao doesn't have that knowledge. Same logic with horror protagonists. Especially skeptics who don’t believe in the ghost or demon or whatever. They look like a stubborn idiot to the audience, but their point of view is the one most normal people would have in real life. They can only be viewed as dumb because we the viewer know that the world of the story they are in does have magic and all that. It's the privilege of that knowledge that we have that makes those who don’t have it look stupid.

[@MoistCheeks]

I think Nao is comically naive in the first game. You have to be very, very socially stunted(or sheltered in a utopic community) to provide the equivalent of $800,000~ to ANYBODY based upon a verbal promise.

[@willyeeton4390]

To add, it seems like Nao was entered into the game against her will and without her knowledge. She couldn't initially know that her teacher wasn't in the same boat, as she'd probably assume a schoolteacher or other authority figure she respected could also be honest enough to be targeted like her.

[@kyrohowe3156]

@@willyeeton4390 though unrelated, I did watch the live action adaptation and I recommend it since it did the manga justice

[@GartLa]

Okay just watching this made me think "Some mangas need some anime adaptation"

[@akirakilluar]

They had live action adaptation though. Like Alice in Wonderland. Not same scale of product though.

[@Red_Lanterns_Rage]

more anime would be good lolz I mean we can't have enough good anime right?? lolz

[@guttaslimes]

This is true. I've been saying this about this manga for at least a decade. I'd want a good production company behind it though. I refuse to have it done poorly.

[@Puuuurrrr]

The J drama was actually rly good I would highly recommend!

[@maddiemcnugget1076]

As mentioned by another comment, there is a live action adaptation and that seems to be the popular method for deception media in Japan. Also horror media.

[@cervicalvertebrea]

I like the aspect of Liar Game where the characters are forced to play a game against one another by a shady organization, and the protagonist decides that she wants to work with her designated enemies against her real foe, the game masters. I love high-stakes games stories where the characters identify the game masters as the true foe.

[@WTFBustahBrown]

Watch Kaiji

[@cherny9189]

Like danganronpa?

[@yuhhbaby3179]

SQUID GAM

[@akim1909]

Try tomodachi game then, you won't regret it 😊

[@fathiibrahim4050]

Try communism

[@arosegaming4793]

I love Naos development because she starts as a naïve and shallow goody two shoes- someone whos being 'good' but only because they've never had their goodness challenged. But Nao shines because the longer things go on, the more she grows, the more determined she becomes to remain a good person. Most people in the world a neutrally aligned. They're good when its convenient for them or as long as it remains easy. It takes *effort* to be truly good. It takes choosing, every day, to try and do the right thing- not because its easy, but because its what should be done. Good people forgive over and over, but don't only become doormats. They strive to not just *see* the best in people, but strive to *bring out* the best in people. Liar game could have so easily become about someone naive learning about the 'real world' and how to act in a way that befits the 'real world' and make 'real friends' based on the difficult 'real world' understanding- but instead, they have her develop her goodness. She learns how to move in a dishonest world without compromising on her base standards- which is not necessarily honesty, but rather trust. I loved Liars game. 6/5 stars.

[@ChangedMyNameFinally69]

Ehhh forgiving bad people isn't a sign of being truly good, if anything that's part of the naivete she should've grown out of

[@arosegaming4793]

@@ChangedMyNameFinally69 I can't think of anything requiring more strength than forgiving, over and over, people who have wronged you because you see the best in them. I can think of very few things as pure or as good

[@ChangedMyNameFinally69]

@AroseGaming Problem is their best does not need to be seen. And if that behavior isn't corrected they will only hurt others. Usually these types don't change or even feel remorse for their actions

[@arosegaming4793]

@@ChangedMyNameFinally69 If someone is going to change, it will be done through love, not hate. Now, not everyone could or should do what Nao does, but it's not naivete or weakness for Nao to choose to keep loving others even after she learns about the "real side" of the world, but rather a strength that combined with her charisma leads to the conclusion we see in the Liar game: everyone trusts her and relies on her to save them and she does- through the trickery she's learned from them

[@ChangedMyNameFinally69]

@@arosegaming4793 Okay you can be a good person and not forgive shitty people?

[@ewormXD]

While the ending of the Contraband Game is certainly a game-changer for the entire manga, I cannot overstate how beautiful the ending of the Musical Chairs Game was. That was THE point that makes you realize Kanzaki Nao is ESSENTIAL not only to the themes and morals the manga tackles, but even to Akiyama's plans and schemes. Once again, rather than portraying him as simply the #1 of the three brains at play, the manga makes it perfectly clear that his plan went off without a hitch only because of what kind of person Kanzaki Nao is and the trust Akiyama is willing to place in that person. And that's besides the IMMENSELY SATISFYING, most out-of-the-box play in the manga all about out-of-the-box plays. Pulling off the strategy dismissed right off the bat by everyone - very much including the readers! - as impossible.

[@rexviperfan]

"Is it the perpetrator’s fault for lying, or is it the victim’s fault for believing” It's the perpetrator. End of.

[@joearnold6881]

Right. Victim blaming is BS

[@samugames0]

It's the victim fallacy: "the victim can always be blamed (by someone who wishes to for their own benefit, like the perpetrator) unless they're 100% UNABLE to do anything to change their situation"

[@rexviperfan]

@@samugames0 ; I feel like it's also a defense mechanism we use subconsciously. "That wouldn't/couldn't happen to me because of X and Y reasons." In that way you are subconsciously defending yourself in the situation where you are "in the victim's shoes." In a case where you couldn't hypothetically 'defend' yourself from the situation, only then is the victim's situation more heartfelt/compelling.

[@gingeremu4475]

yeah, that whole spiel really just... I disagreed with. I understand that he's trying to say "It's not always good to be honest all the time and its not good to lie all the time" but... come on dude. I'm at fault because my ex said he'd never cheat on me and I believed him? Or a child is at fault when their dad says they'll be home soon? Nao wasn't at fault for trusting someone she looked up to and respected. She had known this man for years as a kind and gentle man. Why is it her fault he was a lying douche? Especially when the theme of the manga is TRUST AND COOPERATION! you cant condemn it one chapter and praise it the next. And you especially cant blame the person who followed said theme.

[@ZeroNumerous]

Well congratulations, you're wrong. Simply put, by maintaining this idealistic view of humanity and society you only serve as a useful idiot to liars and scam artists. As long as you believe "the victim can NEVER be wrong for being victimized!" then you encourage a complacent mindset that allows said liars and scam artists to take advantage of others. Should we blame the victims for their flaws? Absolutely yes. Should we blame solely the victims? Absolutely not. It takes a liar to scam someone, but it takes a fool to fall for it. Coddling victims for their flaws only leads to more victims, not less. Trust an cooperation is not BLIND trust and cooperation. That is the entire point of the manga. The theme is trust and cooperation within limits, paying attention to what others do and say, and believing your own eyes not someone's words. It's not blind faith that saves Nao. It's Nao's own observational skills that do.

[@cyncynshop]

I remember Liar's Game, people were clamoring for Nao to die because she's "annoying" and "stupid". Now it's axed people were missing the manga's presence. Welp.

[@squirtluigi]

ooh it was axed? so that's why it ended that way

[@BigBallsLover6969]

I didn’t even know this manga existed until this video so you can speak for yourself…

[@2007ghettonissanaltima]

>creator releases product >people hate product >creator stops caring for product >people now miss product

[@JustAFCasual]

Spoiler - I liked it a lot but at one point I remember MC got out of the games then immediately got tricked into joining again. Made me so mad that I dropped it and never read it again. Forgot about it until today and it’s been a year or two 😭

[@SerCrispinCole]

Missing for Akiyama not for nao. She sucks.

[@maaduufan5140]

When i 1st watched Squid Game, I was like 'Isn't this just like Liar Game?'. Both have the same theme & motivations, even the main 'boss' at the end is similar. However, the character development is way more complicated & satisfying in Liar Game. I hated Nao in the beginning but ended up cheering for her at the end. I thought Akiyama was so perfect at the beginning only to find out the he was also a flawed human being at the end. I truly love the dynamic between the two main characters. I just can't help but think how Squid Game will turn out to be if the main characters are like Nao & Akiyama.

[@MrBopper2888]

Watching this video, I was literally thinking this same thing

[@sophiep6718]

im pretty sure liar game had an influence on the creation of squid game

[@SerCrispinCole]

I sympathized her in beginning but totally lost my nerve in the end. How can she be so smart and dumb at the same time?

[@makkapetanovic6838]

Look up the anime and manga "kaiji" it's almost exactly what squid games is. The creator has said Kaiji had a big influence on the show

[@idleishde6124]

Squid Game literally rips off half its content from Kaiji. It just put a few new games in and new paint. Kaiji was also better because Kaiji didn't involve just killing people, there was a point to indebting people. Kaiji ran so Squid Games could walk. But most people have no taste which is why Squid Games is more popular, you have to dumb it down for the stupid masses.

[@FelbyIkendy]

i found this video like 5 days ago, got 10 minutes in and was like "aight im sold" and i have no finished reading the first 100 chapters and this is definitely one of the best manga ive ever read so thank you for letting me find out about this manga!!!

[@SchnozMeister]

Great to hear, glad you're enjoying it my guy

[@Lilyium]

Nao may not be realistic in a relatable sense but there are people like Nao in reality. I really appreciate the manga covering both sides of victims and predators as it brings awareness to issues like scams.

[@jyuts4359]

I think the Japanese live-adaptation is worth to mention. It's exciting, goofy, shocking and really good. It follows the manga quite accurate except Fukunaga's gender (who's btw the best in the show) and few storyline decisions. I liked the actors and sillyness of the show, the music is also pretty good.

[@maaduufan5140]

It was a bit over-the-top & unrealistic at times but I enjoyed the drama a lot. though it sucks that they changed Nao to other character for the movie. I just found out it got Korean version. Maybe I'll check it out

[@jyuts4359]

@@maaduufan5140 I actually wasn't so disappointed by the movie. The devs took a long break before making this so, I hadn't much expectations. I disliked the Nao's replacement at first, but the actress was fine to me. She was down to Earth and wasn't so naive and innocent and she was capable of lying and betrayal. I definetely love Akiyama's development as a wise teacher, mentor and matured player in the game. He was also kind of father figure to the new main heroine. If Nao reminded him of his mother - the ideal woman, partner with compassion, unconditional love and devotion to her believes, new girl was more like a child to grow to a serious player in the cruel social games.

[@Blackberryfae]

Not once did I find Nao annoying or unrelatable; the very first arc tells you what kind of person she is, and she stays true to that. I actually liked that about her!

[@vincentthendean7713]

One of the manga's main draw for me was Akiyama because he looks and feels like what happens if Light was a good guy. SPOILER It's a shame that the manga got axed before the third act.

[@Lacasadepepal]

Akiyama is better than light🙂

[@totallyyohan8894]

It's sad to see most of the best mangas/manhwas getting axed

[@tinytroll1005]

What does it mean getting "axed"

[@burgerflipper6969]

@@tinytroll1005 extremely rushed ending due to no funds or being forced to stop by publisher

[@SemekiIzuio]

Well guess I wont read it

[@solrun9524]

Seeing the best in people is a gift, its often seen as being naive or dumb, but it doesnt always have anything to do with that

[@kathrineici9811]

It seems more like a disability tbh It makes you vulnerable to everyone who wants to take advantage of you

[@angstqueen9360]

Using Zero Escape music in this video is a stroke of genius-- I noticed it when you were talking about a zero-sum game. I can't help but applaud your work here.

[@purplefrog0135]

Used to love this one when I was younger! I saw a interview with the creator of squid game and he mentioned this as an inspiration and that was the first I had heard of it in a decade. Nice to see it get some new eyes on it.

[@techgirlz9052]

Woah seriously? Where can you see that interview? Well to be honest I am not satisfied by the ending I wish there could be more it was kind of rough

[@SchnozMeister]

I dug the idea of the ending to LG but yeah I'm not gonna lie it was pretty abrupt

[@IraserH]

Makes sense 'coz while I was reading Liar's game, it felt like Squid game.

[@Aki-ll3jg]

Solid video. Read Liar Game a couple years ago and loved it. I like to call manga in this genre "debt games" in reference to the death game genre. There is a lot in common between the two and I enjoy both genres for similar reasons. What inspirations do you draw from when making videos? What other people do you watch that inform your style?

[@SchnozMeister]

Thanks, and I really like the term "debt game" to describe that sub-genre, it's pretty clever! As for inspirations, man there's a LOT, but to give you a short answer: the creators that I draw the most influence from usually provide unique perspectives on media that I enjoy which are informed by an analytical and/or personal viewpoint. You're gonna have to excuse my lack of specific examples for the time being, but I'll probably end up making a video about the people who inspire me sometime in the future.

[@cervicalvertebrea]

I thought of Debt Game for this type of story too, when you want the high stakes and betrayals of a Death Game, but without permanently removing the characters who lose.

[@EggBastion]

Hey Aki, maybe check out _Lines in Motion_ or _Beyond Ghibli_

[@JuriAmari]

@@EggBastion those are good channels. I also recommend Lexa&!. He covered a manga similar to the Liar Game that really gave me food for thought. It’s called Life is Money.

[@nevermind8675]

As someone who will regularly watch KZbin videos on media that I have no intention of consuming just to learn more about it without having to spend additional time myself, I totally clicked on this video intending to just spend 20 minutes learning more about this series and then go about my day...until Akiyama was described as a character like Light and Lelouch a couple minutes in, and I just had to pause the video and start reading it myself, without spoilers LOL. So two days later, I've finished reading the series and have come back to finish the video. And I'm really glad that I decided to do so. I had such a fun time reading Liar Game. Writers who can effectively conceptualize new games and have their characters find clever ways to use the rules to their advantage are SO impressive. Although some arcs were somewhat less impressive than others overall, Kaitani really showed off how impressive his gamemaking skills are through this series. The Contraband Game and the Musical Chairs Game were some of the most intriguing manga arcs I've read in a long time. The characters, like you mention, are also so excellent. Other than Akiyama, Nao, and Yokoya, whom you mentioned, I also really loved Fukunaga. Her character development rivals or even surpasses Nao's, and I teared up in the final arc, when she sacrifices everything to trust Nao's ideology. Although the ending wasn't perfect, I still had a blast reading it and will definitely reread it in the future. Thank you for pushing me to read this story!

[@SchnozMeister]

That's awesome dude, glad you enjoyed the series and the vid!

[@misscheif]

Glad you brought up the mouth thing, i think it's adorible and unique 😁 it makes me smile every time I see a panel with it

[@SchnozMeister]

Liar Game characters be like :^O

[@СергейБилалов-ж9ц]

Man, as Russian, I really appreciate that you converted 100 yen to rubles. That small detail really did something to me. For 65 rubles you can buy a bottle of milk or mid tier ice cream. Or you can buy a ticket on a bus

[@SchnozMeister]

Ey after getting roasted a couple times for not converting to Euro, I really appreciate this comment, you're very welcome :^)

[@sure3304]

damn, i remember reading this after looking for manga like deathnote. I was hooked and kept reading it.

[@dunnejos8423]

A manga that says f*CK you to mlms? My two niche interests coming together? Now I have to read this!

[@amayakirisu]

I've watched this video like more than 6 months ago, but it stucked in my mind that i couldn't help but read the manga, and man, its good. I'm in chapter 79 right now, but its one of my favorite series ever to read, thanks so much for showing this to me and ohter people!

[@SchnozMeister]

Eyy sick, glad to hear it

[@hungrysloth9189]

I don't know why this just got recommended to my algorithm too late, but thank you for appreciating Liar Game! This manga sustained my psychological manga fix all throughout my college life, and the games have a lot of twists and turns without need for violence. The Japanese live action is also incredible, and despite the slow burns, the essence of the characters were played religiously (aside for the fact that Fukunaga looks entirely different).

[@krawzu]

It feels really good to see your favorite manga being covered in such a great video and by someone who loves it. I'm kind of alien to anitubers as a whole so I don't use to watch this kind of videos, but you really got me here. I'll definitely check your other videos 👍 (One Outs from Kaitani is also great btw and the thing he does with the mouths and faces in general is even more exaggerated there lol)

[@SchnozMeister]

I've been eyeing a couple of Kaitani's other works, but I think i'll take you up on that and start with One Outs, I'm legit curious about the mouths now lol

[@krawzu]

​@@erika-yi3gx aoko spotted

[@mae123love]

Love One Outs! I simp for smart bois like akiyama and tokuchi 😍

[@years-ti7xl]

I'm surprised this hasn't become an anime yet. Akiyama would potentially be one of the smartest characters in anime.

[@ivithome]

But it has a jdrama

[@Afreshio]

@@ivithome doramas are trash. fukunaga is just too ridiculous and over the top, the acting generally speaking is dogshit... just avoid this dorama. some people are saying the kdrama is decent. may have to look that up

[@kimtaehyungsock]

@@ivithomeand kdrama too

[@KuichikunsAllicat]

I am so happy I got this recommended to me. I lost track of this manga over a decade ago and could never recall the title's name, thank you for covering this manga so I could rediscover it again!

[@SchnozMeister]

that's awesome!

[@xina9032]

This video was randomly in my recommendation and it's a great video! And the funny part is that I have read the manga years ago, but forgot about it, so thanks for re-introducing it to me

[@kyleefaren3075]

This was my Death Note rebound but it turned out to be such a gem.

[@quikksped]

This was my DN, CotE, Code Geass, Tomodachi game rebound and it's better than most of them

[@marinadallazem]

I know this is so off topic but I loved hearing aitsf and zero escape bgm in this video😭😭they're some of my fav game franchises (uchikoshi ilysm) and I always love seeing stuff related to them around

[@SchnozMeister]

Uchikoshi-stans rise up

[@kinko143]

This is the first manga that I've ever read. I resonated with Nao a lot all throughout the series because the time that I read this series was the darkest time I had in my life. I'm in love with the wacky, zany, characters that we meet all throughout, it also allowed us to be swept away by the story and not think about real life, the thrill of playing for different reasons, like power, pride, and honesty. I enjoyed Liar Game a lot and re-read it once a year, I think this is the perfect time to re-read it! #YokoyaGangForLife

[@edfmed1080]

My favorite moment in the manga is when Shinichi declares his victory during the voting game, and how his careful planning created a situation where it was impossible for him to lose.

[@megumintobuna-4537]

I vividly remember watching the kdrama adaptation of it years ago and liking it quite a bit. I'm usually not the one for psychological mangas or movies(mainly bc my damn brain cant keep up with more than the most basic stuff) but this looks great!

[@misha130]

I actually only watched the live action series of this and still liked it a lot

[@SchnozMeister]

I've heard good things about it and I'm honestly down to check it out. Live action anime/manga adaptations def have a vibe of their own

[@mama_iri]

I remember being drawn into this series by the cover art of the 1st volume. As I read, I knew the series was underrated and beautifully made, yet I could never vocalize why. Running into this video, 10 years after discovering the series, validated all of those rushing feelings I got when Nao developed as a character or whenever Akiyama outsmarted the round's "antagonist." This video carefully paid respects to a series close to my childhood and I seriously thank you for creating such a great homage to the manga.

[@frostkiss2]

Was obsessed with this manga in my later teen years and it's good to see that people still know of it (in the west. In Japan and SK it's pretty famous). Your analysis was so good!

[@colby_247]

Because the manga never got release in English.

[@RagingHamster]

The final story arc really made use of the entirety of the series to make some crushing observations on the strategies employed by Akiyama, Yokoya, and Nao. Yokoyo had been grooming his team and more specifically his second-in-command to accept a personal loss for Yokoya to achieve a victory, at which point Yokoya's followers would expect to be compensated and rewarded based on all previous history with following Yokoya's orders resulting in positive net outcomes for their 'team.' Of course Yokoya was planning to rug pull at the very end, leaving all his followers in the dust after he won, his previous actions were just a form of psychological conditioning to get his followers to depend on him. It was an effective strategy, but it only worked on a limited number of people. Which brings us to Nao and Akiyamas final deception... Nao had built trust over the course of the series by acting altruistically and against her own self interest. EVERYONE trusted Nao to some extent, even Yokoya while consciously distrustful fell for Nao's fake information because he subconsciously trusted her word. Which brings us to the full power Nao commanded at the end with her own rug pull, she was able to affect everyone. Everyone implicitly trusted her, so her subtle injection of information was not questioned by anyone, forming the foundation of a giant deception to turn the tables at the end. An altruistic deception that until this point in the liar games, had never been utilized by Nao.

[@imstupid880]

Still can't believe this came out after One Outs, it really feels like one those one-hit-wonder breakout series. What a ride from beginning to end. Also, that Made in Abyss background music just works perfectly.

[@DaySun88]

This is one of the first stories I’ve ever read I thought I was the only one Great video. Great concept. Great quality. Thank you

[@Lyander25]

Ahh, the algorithm blesses me with a video about a manga I haven't read in forever. Thanks for covering this! Your presentation style is great and I honestly appreciate being reminded of a manga that brought me as much thrill as this did ages ago.

[@Jean-gf7ul]

This manga recommendation came at a crucial to my attention and I thank you. I resonate with Nao to a T, idealistic, naive, honest, and extremely gullible. Just recently I had my self esteem and trust severely shattered and it really made me question whether it was worth the heartache to continuously wear my heart on my sleeve and believe in the best of others. Each day I would wake up and an overwhelming sense of pain, hurt, and wave of relentless sadness had me consistently and continuously cry throughout the entirety of the day and for weeks. However, I was able to recover thanks to grace of others who did support me with their generous trust and kind words. This manga has really helped me to learn the value and power of trust, deception, and doubt. I am extremely grateful to have read this manga as I feel empowered to go through my silly idealistic notions but rather than blindness, through doubt and a real willingness to learn about others :)

[@jacobpresley7112]

i read liar game several years ago, when i was still in high school. it always stood out and deserves to be read again. thanks for making a video like this

[@gentsaxon9544]

Hell yeah mate, been a big fan of battles of wit so I’m sold in the first half. Looks like your editing is getting better with each video and the way you deliver is both informative and soothing. Top notch work broseph, keep up the great work!

[@SchnozMeister]

I appreciate it man, I always seem to learn something new with each video in terms of editing, writing, etc

[@HyakuyaFutaba]

Liars game is the first manga I ever read and I still adore it 8 years later

[@KookieKooker]

Great video! Led me to discover a really great series i hadn't heard of. I had a really good time reading through it. Such a shame that the ending feels rushed. It's probably the only major complaint i have about it. All the games were exciting and the two main characters were exceptional and complimented each other super well.

[@AchicoXion]

Thank you for putting a song list with timecodes in the description! I’m around 6 minutes in and I really wanted to check if it was a song from 999 without having to listen to every song from the soundtrack ahah.

[@lefe8746]

I've been meaning to check this manga out for a while, since it's from the same author as one of my favorite mangas, "one outs". I can see a lot of similarities, looking foward to diving into the series!

[@Cara_dawn]

“Is it the perpetrator’s fault for lying, or is it the victim’s fault for believing” Me: Deceit is the fault of the deceiver -Kurapika

[@luckymankwok]

This manga gave me hope to be a strong but kind person like Nao. In the later games, Nao not only learned to read other people's mind and intention, but her kindness was the determining factor for winning the heart of other players to help her in the long run.

[@BostonTerrierLOVE]

Oh my gosh I haven't seen anyone talk about Liar Game before and it's such a fantastic manga!! I never finished it because I was reading it as it came out and caught up, but now that I know it ended, I gotta! Great video, thank you for talking about the messaging of this very cool story.

[@noxturne16]

i really love Liar Game!! so cool to see someone talk about it

[@ireysword]

Absolutely love Liar Game! While I love the games themselves and the mind games a lot, what I adored the most was the character development. Not just Nao (Tho that is just *chefs kiss*), but Akiyama as well as Fukunaga of all people. I like that she becomes an ally throughout the games and even sort of friends with Nao. Which is huge considering that Nao has no social circle. That's besides the point that Fukunaga is one of the few well handled trans characters in manga/anime. The live action adaptation was also nice but the Manga is leagues better. I always wanted to write a battle royal style fanfiction with the Liar Game crew, the Kakegurui crew and the Yu-Gi-Oh! Crew. Maybe throw in a few danganronpa and zero escape characters as well. The carnage would be brutal lol.

[@diophantine6677]

I read this manga when I was 16, and while I loved following all the mind games and trying to guess what happens, I didn't quite understand it thematically until I re-read it at 23 with some more life experience. One of my favourite manga that really gets you to think, not just logically but about perspectives.

[@ultranativefric]

I really liked Liar Game when I was in high school and didn’t understand why there was more coverage. Happy to see it get extensive review and bringing it to the forefront for people! Thank you! I also couldn’t help but notice, I believe you had Revolutionary Girl Utena as your background for the VPN Ad? Would you be doing a video on that franchise? Or was it just for the advertisement to protect your computer?

[@SchnozMeister]

Eyy thank you, and nice catch! Yeah, I do want to make a video about Utena at some point, but it's probably not gonna be in the near future. I only have some rough notes at the moment, and I probably need to watch it again so I can really do it justice.

[@ultranativefric]

@@SchnozMeister Thank you for answering! It’s one of my favorite animations! And no problem! That makes sense for the essay. Whenever you have the chance to and feel ready, I’ll be looking forward to it!! 😃 I still have more of your videos to tune to!

[@hnaw1360]

Nah man the wide mouth thing is a great touch to me. It really makes all of them seem like monsters by unhinging their mouth.

[@Baku-Madarame]

Finally a viral video on this underrated manga with Akiyama the genius🙌

[@notsam7928]

I really loved this and waited literally years for the final few chapters! so good.

[@philguer4802]

I read this and loved it. Unlike Friendless Game, the rules and elements are precisely defined,and you could almost close the book and try to solve the problems by yourselves as they appear.

[@LadyoftheLab]

You totally didn't catch me stopping ten minutes in, reading the whole manga in two days, finishing it and going "Hm. Yeah. 's pretty good."

[@augustgremaud2738]

I read pretty far into this as a teenager and COMPLETELY forgot about it! Definitely gotta go back and start again.

[@crunchyTOP24]

Might be time for a reread.. the twists and turns are so good

[@T7_OG]

Finally SOMEONE THAT APPRECIATE LIAR GAME most people i know are idiots they don't appreciate this masterpiece because it will torture their brain

[@horrorpill]

I really love this manga, it is one of the smartest manga out there but underrated. The theme was clear from the get go: Good Vs. Evil. This is represented by: Nao Vs. Liar Game. In the end you realized that Nao has a full proof credibility that you want her in your team: "You can trust Nao, and she will not betray you no matter what". Being trustworthy and honest are highly important values, more valuable than money. Yet, we always forget that. No wonder rich folks said finding a "trustworthy" person is really hard. The fact that we, as humans, value money more than the life of human in general is a great lesson presented in this manga.

[@marvelous_jack5228]

Another upload from you makes an alright day turn into a great day

[@SpacedogD]

I got introduced to liar game from the live action adaptation, and i have to say it's one of the few live action adaptations that are well executed. Erika Toda's portrayal of Nao is amazing.

[@Noirtwilight]

Great video, glad to see some appreciation towards Liar Game.

[@yonassamuel4082]

love the way you described this, I haven't read this in over a decade!

[@musicfan01]

I'm super late lol, this got recommended to me, and I was surprised by someone covering Liar Game! Great manga, super under appreciated!

[@barbarrojaa.c.4761]

I haven't even watched the video yet. It was just a happy thing to see Liar Game pop up again and remember about it. It was a masterpiece. And I wamt to say, thinking about it, and I great take on a genre that is too nihilistic. The world is bleak, the abuse and how abusive, manipulative people improve their lot is ripe in the world. But in the end, the power to socialize and band together, im a realistic manner, is what makes Nao incredible. And not her original guillible self, but an honest person willing to learn and be hurt and still accept and move on. I have to reread the manga

[@JohnDoe._.]

I love this manga too bad it didn't get anime adaptation till today. But got multiple live-action adaptation.

[@maysilversi8253]

I read the whole manga in middle school and completely forgot about it. This was a nostalgic recap

[@barbi1858]

I love this manga. A couple of years back, I chose Liar Game to be my "manga to read on the train everyday" but I ended up reading it at home. I couldn't stop. I have to warn about the ending, though. It is not good. This manga is for those who enjoy the journey more than the destination.

[@SchnozMeister]

Ending-wise I wouldn't say its bad so much as just rushed. I actually really dig the idea itself though; that even though corporations and governments may always be corrupt, it's *people* who can change and look out for each other in the end.

[@心怡-z9r]

liar game got me back into manga. will forever stay in a special place in my heart

[@Omagadam1]

An author can only write a character as smart as the author is themself. The author must be a galaxy brain irl. Absolutely loved the manga and wish they animated it

[@SchnozMeister]

I think I heard in an interview once where a mangaka was like "these characters seem smart because they think of genius ideas in a few seconds, but in reality it takes me entire days to think of this stuff."

[@Omagadam1]

@@SchnozMeister yeah, that absolutely makes sense. I think the genius of it more so lies in the fact he could come up with it at all. Just comparing to something like Arthur Conan Doyle writing Sherlock Holmes; I think it's clear that Sir Doyle wasn't nearly as smart as Sherlock, to the detriment of the stories. Maybe I'm just a smooth brain giving the mangaka too much credit but Liar Game really did feel brilliant

[@akiyamaswife]

​​@@Omagadam1onsidering the fact that LG's continued for 10 years, he must've taken a great time and effort to make the characters so smart

[@Whitedudeabove]

As SchnozMeister explained, the intelligence can definitely surpass the author. The author can take his sweet time researching everything the character needs to know. He can also write the other character's to behave in ways that makes the genius character seem smart. If the genius character predicts what someone will do next, then it's entirely up to the author if he had a galaxy brain and actually predicted it correctly, or the author can make it so that he was completely off the mark.

[@asoulinsearch4267]

Thanks for the Somnium music, I spent several minutes trying to figure out where the melody was from :D

[@SchnozMeister]

Hell yea :)

[@willzulu8844]

This was the first manga I had to stop reading because my brain couldn’t keep up with the complexities of the games, I think I got to the third game when I dropped it a decade ago, but I’ll be picking it back up now that I have a masters lol, thanks for the video!

[@thestreakingninja]

Wow i haven't thought of this manga since high school... thank you for covering it and reminding me of it! Time to go and read it again! I remember stopping because i had to wait for chapters

[@SchnozMeister]

Ayy nice, glad you enjoyed :) Have fun with the manga!

[@timbuckley321]

This is a great manga and awesome vid man. The story, art + your analysis is concise and comprehensive, giving us a good idea of not just the words in each panel but what the story might have actually been trying to say.

[@FarCritical]

Liar game was my first psychological battle/"death game" manga and I cherish it for that. It's so cool to see it getting some love and for Nao to be seen past her comically naive first impression

[@Kairi98503]

So Nao seems to be or at least coded to be autistic. 1. Unusually high trust in others (to the point of being seen as 'gullible') 2. Strong sense of right/wrong or justice 3. Unable or difficulty understanding social ques 4. Few serious social connections (usually family) These are just a few solid things I could pick out. I don't really have much more to say about it, just saw that and thought others might find it interesting. Well, I guess if I had anything to say about it, is that in the case of 'whos in the wrong' when a scammer takes advantage of someone, I would say it leans heavier to the scammer being in the wrong since they are taking advantage of someone that isn't neurotypical & would be more vulnerable then someone who is. It would be the equivalent of blaming a blind person from falling off a ledge when the architect neglected to have a guard rail or wall put in. So with that in mind of Nao really is autistic that makes this story so much more fucked up as a concept.

[@MikuCat11]

I was thinking of this, because for some reason I related from her

[@_Tao__]

source: i made it the fuck up

[@Kairi98503]

@@_Tao__ primary source: I am diagnosed with ASD and sometimes pick up on traits that look suspiciously neurodivergent based on the criteria for ASD and my own experiences.

[@_Tao__]

@@Kairi98503 basically you made it the fuck up

[@Kairi98503]

@@_Tao__interpretation is the meaning you find in media and art, not everyone has the same interpretations since everyone has different life experiences and outlooks. If someone from a minority group sees themselves in the story or the characters that the creator did not intend, their interpretation is no less valid then one the creator intend. As the interpretation adds more possible layers to a fictional story that will appeal to more people. These interpretations are now called head cannons in fandoms or online. They are generally seen as not apart of the official cannon of the word and are just there, much like interpretations, to make the work richer in a way that appeals to fans. TLDR: if you don't like my interpretation of what I or others see in this made up story based on our own experience or knowledge, then move on. You don't have to even acknowledge my comment from nearly a year ago. If it really troubles you that badly that you feel the need to comment, then go bitch about it to your pillow wifu, I am sure she would enjoy that conversation.

[@joseibarra7735]

Bro I just realized I watched this video first before I came across your vagabond and berserk video. Dang so I’ve been watching you for a long time without even knowing it. Good stuff bro

[@nemmito7243]

Wow! me encanto como explicaste el manga, felt this, me hizo el dia deberia retomarlo, te quedo increibleeee!

[@SchnozMeister]

¡Gracias! me alegro que lo hayas disfrutado

[@AngDevigne]

Such an in depth video! Loved it!

[@venny4041]

thanks without you i would had never discovered this manga .

[@_O_Fusca_Rebaixado]

Welcome back, missed you

[@yimmick]

have you read one outs? its also by the same mangaka with a similar theme of debt/gambling but set in baseball. the protag is like a more morally grey akiyama. i thought it was really fun, relating mind games with baseball!

[@SchnozMeister]

Not yet but I do wanna eventually check out the rest of Kaitani's work

[@songsayswhat]

Wow. I read this years ago and loved it but never heard anyone talking about it. Great to see it in the spotlight!

[@Electronica27]

damn ngl Liar game got some stuff I've been thinking about too. Some Christians would tell their fellow Christians say to look up to the athiests when they treat others with kindness, as they are doing it for the sake of doing it instead of the sake for their god.

[@DisappearingBunny]

I would be so happy if it got an anime adaptation. There have been some live action ones I think but I don't remember them being very good or covering a lot of the manga.

[@tristantries9211]

I think the victim perp blame game is summed up in that "fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me." Type deal. It's not your fault for getting scammed once but it is if you fall for the same thing twice. Like should people prey on people ? No. But should you actively invite people to prey on you and have no sense of self preservation? I had a friend who left his rent money in cash in his car dashboard and went to the gym late at night- it was stolen. I felt bad for him naturally. However when he did the exact same thing AGAIN and it was stolen AGAIN I just felt angry at him. Like you didn't learn ANYTHING!? I actually stopped being friends with him cause that's all he does. Mess up and not learn and not listen to anyone. He comes to my house and stays for days moping and crying about his relationship ending saying his ex gf is the most wonderful person he ever met blah blah and then I find out in less than a month he met some random chick 3 states away and ran off to be in a relationship with her and live with her. I was like ....officially checked out of your life dude lmao

[@SchnozMeister]

That's rough dude, it's easy to just not think about stuff critically but cmon man there comes a point where you can't blame anyone but yourself. Glad you were able to cut them out

[@Petrichorus-]

29:10 I also wanted to point out that the silhouette of the bracelets along with the position of her hands almost makes it look like she’s handcuffed. This was my first thought before I realized they were bracelets.

[@SchnozMeister]

ooo that's kinda sick ngl, I can totally see that

[@raulramirez6031]

If you enjoy thkis type of manga I HIGHLY RECOMMEND, YOU READ USOGUI (the lie eater) that manga will always have you on your seat questioning and the games they play within the series may seem complicated but the more you read the more you start to get the bigger pic of all of the characters

[@SchnozMeister]

There were a few other comments mentioning it, def gotta check that one out sometime

[@emperortea2061]

Glad your back I loved your CM videos. Excited to check this out ab to read it now!!

[@TeeQueueSA]

Kanzaki goddamn Nao is the absolute best protagonist in any psychological manga ever, period.

[@blazearmoru]

I wondered where the fuck my infatuation with game theory came from, and I totally forgot that I binged this series multiple times in my childhood :o the ending though...