There's Already a Squid Game Anime

[@HurricaneDDragon]

It’s hilarious that people say Squid Game is “original” and “you’ll never see anything like it” when it is literally the latest in a long established genre

[@Billy193]

My thoughts exactly. I feel like a guy who was into something before it became cool. True, I didn’t see squid game specifically but I’ve seen that type of genre (Asian death games I call it). Seen it a lot in animes and heard of it in other Korean movies.

[@adewilliam9047]

Legit thought "Oh, more Battle Royale stuff? Like Mirai Nikki and Deatte Go-Byou Battle? Pass."

[@LaineMann]

Considering that I’ve taking to calling it “As The Korean Gods Will”, I’m glad I’m not the only one who noticed this.

[@jacketofthe80s13]

@@Billy193 its mostly just a death game if people wanna go far back watch the deer hunter that was the first movie with money and high risk involved.

[@wings6139]

Squid Game isn't original. Even the author of SG said that he is inspired by Battle Royale, Liar Game, As The Gods will and Kaiji etc..

[@PatchCornAdams723]

There is a guy who I've recommended Kaiji to for TWO YEARS. He asked for an anime recommendation, I gave him Kaiji, and he's just never checked it out. That wouldn't be so bad, except one day when I saw him, he IMMEDIATELY told me "Omg you HAVE to watch Squid Game, you've never seen anything like it, I guarantee it." Really got under my skin for some reason.

[@marvelsandals4228]

Same happened to me, so I watched Squid Game, enjoyed it, then told him "so, remember that one show I told you about? Well, I think if you watch it you'll notice that it is VERY familiar." He doesn't usually watch shows with subtitles, but of course he did for Squid Game, so he can't use that excuse anymore. He finally started watching it haha

[@Baltiquee]

If i was you i would literally tell him squid game is a copy pasta

[@Egg-oh2dh]

Your profile picture looks beautiful

[@danielalorbi]

What did you say in response?

[@sharpnelshots]

Fuck man....

[@sniffitsblog]

Every time someone says "I loved Squid Game, wish I could watch something else like it" I come in, like a Jehovah's Witness, spreading the good Kaiji news.

[@luisfernandocenteno5391]

Squid game.is.god but kaiji is more strategic and not gore .

[@amvschool7414]

Not gore ???????? 🤣 Lmfao

[@omgdin]

@@luisfernandocenteno5391 gore is what makes the deadly games fun to watch

[@turtlesrprettycool3379]

@@omgdin sociopath

[@omgdin]

@@turtlesrprettycool3379 kk lol

[@MangoTurtlenova]

Kaiji is one of the most criminally overlooked anime I’ve ever seen

[@kaitotatsuya]

try Akagi.

[@Nyma6000]

And its one of my favourite animes aswelll

[@siddhanthravichandran3245]

Is season 2 good? Of kaiji

[@NoirLouisStream]

@@kaitotatsuya same author, correct? Fukumoto-sensei really know how gambling works and how to set a stake. Currently Kaiji in manga is about running away with prize money after surviving one poker game with 2 immigrants. The ultimate goal is to sent back the immigrants and get away with money while in middle of being chased by Teiai group special enforcer.

[@kaitotatsuya]

@@NoirLouisStream but Akagi is 5x times better than kaiji since the MC is fearless and coldblooded

[@rubyjohn]

Kaiji is one of the best stories I've ever read in my whole life. I hate people saying Squid Game is unique and original while ignoring Kaiji's existence, but I do love to see more people enjoying this genre -- gaming with high stakes to show both the bright side and dark side of humanity. What a great video!

[@isltdairwvs808]

Well not everyone is into manga or anime. Only a small percentage of the world will know about it.

[@Harsh1650]

@@isltdairwvs808 Well it is not about being into it or not, director of SG even said that it is inspired by kaiji, Liar game, etc. but those article that are saying things like "Original" or "Best thing you will ever see" these things just shows these writers want to get their papers published without doing a proper research to ride the hype train.

[@phlaryx7145]

It’s not that people are “ignoring” Kaiji and other Death Game stories that came before Squid Game. They simply are unaware of them and Kaiji. Ignoring implies that they refuse to acknowledge it. Being unaware just means that they didn’t even know in the first place. But I do see your point.

[@blck0ut572]

Whats so good about kaiji is the game mechanics are usually diverse in one arc you'll see a simple mechanics but with a complicated way to win while the other arc is as simple as going from point a to point b but with a harder physically and mental strain. Plus kaiji has an even more realistic real world philosophy behind it and a fairly realistic protagonist.

[@PETBOY]

The Kaiji Similar theme has been around for a long time. Stephen King - Running Man(novel) and etc. The main character of Stephen King Running Man is set in a very poor state with no daughter hospital bills, and is a story of participating in a death show. Kaiji already has 3 japanese movies. Famous Japanese actors appear. but research did it not get good reviews from critics and they didn't work at the global box office.

[@8ENSON]

shame that the anime didn't blow up as much as squid game

[@mothersbasement]

Hoping squid game's success will shine a light back on Kaiji

[@Broncomat12]

itt just shows how small anime in reality compared to the rest of the world even though its been on a huge rise for the past few years

[@brodericksiz625]

I like Kaiji a lot, but my favourite thing from the same author is the Mahjong manga Akagi (it had one season animated by Madhouse of all studios, but it doesn't cover even half of its longest game).

[@gestureflow2143]

The kaiji artstyle is garbage in general

[@Gabe413]

@@gestureflow2143 you take that back punk

[@nishidohellhillsruler6731]

I'm just gonna say it: it's not ok for everyone to pretend Squid Game isn't just Takeshi's Castle.

[@ThePreciseClimber]

As long as it's not Takeshi's Challenge. Oh God, Takeshi's Challenge...

[@BewareTheLilyOfTheValley]

Lol!

[@SanFran51]

With Murder.

[@nishidohellhillsruler6731]

@@SanFran51 only slightly more so :D

[@KoroPSI]

Omg I remember that show. My mom showed it to me!

[@colbybarron8879]

I love that Geoff in no longer a self-proclaimed shitbag, and now using his ending format to make either jokes or reiterate the themes of the video. That’s what we call growth

[@mistahwalls]

Its all post Evangelion

[@takemetoyonk]

It begets the question "what if not mother's basement?"

[@Sarrienda.]

Not growth, it is character development.

[@TOSkwar22]

@@mistahwalls That was the best ending he could possibly have created for that vid, and I think of it every time I get to the end of one of his videos now.

[@Radi_vvanker]

True, love that for him

[@asdfghjjhgf]

The reason why Kaiji is not as well known as Squid Game is because the marketing methods in Japan and Korea are completely different. In Japan, marketing is basically focused on the domestic market. Japanese manga publishers and anime companies think that selling in Japan is enough. Japanese anime that becomes popular overseas is not something that they voluntarily spread overseas, but something that spread overseas on its own. Korea, on the other hand, focuses on overseas marketing from the beginning. That's why they advertise in English and sell to Western streaming services like Netflix. In addition, the Korean government is investing a lot of money to promote Korean content overseas. So, due to the current differences in marketing between Korea and Japan, Korean content is more likely to spread overseas.

[@Ishaanjit]

Thats a really good point, i agree

[@sahasra_loveyourself_]

Truee

[@docaz9453]

true all mangas are basically fan translated cuz japanese just dont care about international fans 😭

[@mfreak1126]

Except Japanese content still makes more money than Korean one. Anime alone beats K-pop and K-movies combined.

[@akanta5746]

@@mfreak1126 that's mainly because Japan has 5x the amount of people as Korea. Even with Korea's international marketing efforts it can't hold up to Japan's far bigger population

[@purplepolecat]

The spin-off anime "Mr. Tonegawa: Middle Management Blues" is also a must-watch, especially if Kaiji left you wondering about the logistics of organizing a death game.

[@George_M_]

What studios should emulate isn't the death game (though they can, that's fine), it's the societal subtext. I fear it will be like the Dark Age of Comics, when everyone borrowed the aesthetic and missed the other points of the comics that started it.

[@mothersbasement]

"The Rob Liefeld of Death Games"

[@thegleeman7535]

It'll be overdone in the same way as dystopia was overdone following Hunger Games. Most imitators will miss the subtleties and social commentary.

[@andynonymous6769]

Can you explain to me more about the societal subtext of comics that people like liefeld missed? Like for example, I read a little essay once analyzing superman and batman. They said that superman represented patriotism and hope, a good propaganda piece during WW2. But after the war batman rose in popularity, and he reflected the disillusionment following the war. He was somewhat an anti hero, worked outside the law, and came from trauma, yet he still had the same goals as superman. I thought that was a cool interpretation. But then I looked at how superman and batman were like right around when they first appeared and tossed all that nuance out the window in my mind. They were pretty goofy as far as I can tell. But it sounds like maybe I was just looking at a goofy era. So what I'm trying to ask is how do comics reflect society?

[@DavidJohnson-fc9bn]

@@andynonymous6769 I assume George M is referencing Watchmen, and the way so many 90s comics thoughtlessly aped it's grim and gritty tone and setting (especially the graphic violence) while missing that Watchmen was using those things for an actual reason (reexamining and deconstructing the superhero genre) and not just because they were "adult."

[@nielsjensen4185]

@@andynonymous6769 Watch Superman vs the Elite and then you'll understand that most people, including the one who wrote that piece, get the character wrong. The crescendo of that story is what inspired the, IMO, tepid Injustice universe and shows that Clark Kent takes a conscious choice in all his interactions as Superman to act the way he does. He's a boy scout by choice and the alternative is utterly frightening, to say the least, and best summed up in this exchange: Question: "Is that... Superman?" Reply: "Not anymore." As the speaker realises the sheer code brown of an unchained Superman. And comics reflect society since the creators are products of that society. It can best be summed up in the subconscious desire for a fascist daddy in the transformation of Batman from a serious and competent character in the late 80s to the total parody of himself he became in the 90s. Aside from Knightfall few Batman stories from that time are reproduced as the angst in those are so think that you can cut it in blocks.

[@TheRealGuywithoutaMustache]

Squid Game, to say the least, has been a sensation around the globe, because the show's beauty is how it accurately portrays how people would act, when driven to fight for their own survival.

[@uddinmashrafe]

ok

[@uddinmashrafe]

bruh you said it was a copy of Kaiji and doesn't deserve to be popular on another video

[@hadiferlan3760]

You mean "Americans".

[@fbi1307]

@@uddinmashrafe LO

[@fbi1307]

@@hadiferlan3760 No, literally around the globe.

[@rayvaughn4855]

Both of these shows pale in comparison to the masterpiece that is total drama island.

[@scp--297]

It be like that.

[@dimitrijames00001]

Yessss

[@Stormer13]

A true work of animated brilliance

[@kristenmccaig1637]

Chris McLean is truly the most sadistic of game show hosts.

[@Leroset]

Finally, a person of culture.

[@Yeroc357]

"I'd wager 3 whole centimeters" was criminally underappreciated

[@AesttseA]

true! that put a smile on my face

[@achehex]

I wonder what it sounds like devoid of context.

[@rampant9358]

Emphasis on criminal

[@rampant9358]

@@usurper1091 when kaiji played emperor card with tonegawa (the CEO of the evil company that makes the games) kaiji played with cm in his ear (each cm lost made a tiny drill get closer to his inner ear) instead of money

[@NOU-iw3gb]

@@usurper1091 in ur mum

[@burningsoutherncross3146]

"Kaiji" "Liar Game" "Battle Royal" "Kami-sama no Iu Tori / As the Gods Will" "Alice in Borderland" "Gantz" "Danganronpa" "Mirai Nikki / Future Diary" "Tomodachi Game" ”Bokurano" "Sword Art Online" "Deadman Wonderland" "BTOOOM!" "The Promised Neverland" "Darwin's Game" "Gleipnir" If you are familiar with Japanese anime/manga/games/LNs/movies, Squid Game would remind you of those titles. EDIT:Added some titles

[@reveredokay]

true. when I watched Squid Game, i immediately thought of Kaiji.

[@InnerAtanih]

Promised never land doesn’t fit here. They are not playing a game of life or death to win anything. They are simply trying to survive. Having seen all the anime on this list, I still thoroughly enjoyed squid game

[@JK-tw3ne]

And all of those ripped off Running Man from the 1980s with Arnold Schwarzenegger. Or Escape from New York from the 70s. Japanese just stole ideas like everyone before them.

[@kevinwijaya759]

@@reveredokay same me too

[@ソラパン-w3b]

@@JK-tw3ne Don't get into that plz. I love both Running Man and Escape from New York. But I wouldn't call those original either. You are just looking at the "survival aspect" of the plot. You know Spielberg and Lucas both admired and paid tributes to Kurosawa in their own films. I wouldn't call that a rip off at all. It's all different and original in a way. However, Squid Game and Kaiji have too many similarities in plots and that caught many ppl's attention. don't get me wrong I liked both. Squid Game has simple entertaining element for broad viewers and Kaiji has deeper psychological plot.

[@User5770]

The "if it were me, I would simply win" reaction feels like a microcosm of the way people rationalize abusive systems and see themselves as the certain winner even when the reality is odds are they'll simply be chewed up and abused by that system. Its something I think we're all familiar with, and have probably even fallen into ourselves at least once in life. And that's my favorite part about both Squid Game and Kaiji: They both actually have something to say. Sure it might be thinly veiled and not especially subtle, but that doesn't mean what its saying isn't worth thinking about. And besides sometimes the point is worth beating in with a sledgehammer.

[@johnnywu8708]

That reminds me of people that think they would be at the top of the food chain if the world was like their video games. Meanwhile, they fail to realize that any advantage you have in a video game, other people have too. That and they forget that there are top rankers in video games as well.

[@User5770]

@@johnnywu8708 To use Squid Game as an analogy, a lot of people seem to see themselves as the 1 winner, completely blind to the fact that there are also a requisite 455 losers who will die in the process for every one of those.

[@marocat4749]

Or capitalism, revering wealthy people and abusive on a pedestal that no one deserves. Or " i can be rich too" which is intentional destrying the solidarity that people no atter how low there can band together to leverage in numbers. And not play the game as wanted by the people who created that game.

[@djjimmaster8261]

Are you guys kidding me my first thought was "There's no way I'd make it all the way through"

[@afiffarhati4580]

@@djjimmaster8261 exactly LOL

[@masterstylez6960]

Kaiji was the first thing I thought of when I saw the first episode of this show.

[@snowhunter7536]

Well I thought of it as a better version of Saw and Escape Room.

[@yoshikagek.7031]

same

[@Medascott]

It was the first thing I thought of when I read the description

[@senko_gt]

Yep

[@pedromrls6]

same

[@phlaryx7145]

The glass hopping game instantly reminded me of Kaiji walking across steel beams from one sky scraper to another.

[@Lucien_M]

It reminded me of Tip-Toe in Fall Guys

[@randompanda3415]

the glass hopping "game" was bs tho

[@masterzombie161]

I love that Arc

[@owenlennon2668]

me too

[@zioncruz7302]

I legit couldn’t stop thinking about Kaiji as I kept watching Squid Game

[@nightlight8305]

thank you for making this video. I was so confused watching people claim that squid game is original and new when japan has been doing death games forever, whether it was kaiji, alice in borderland, as the gods will and a bunch of other manga.

[@sheilamissustigerlily2183]

and battle royale!! the OG of it all

[@ThereAndBackOnceMore]

First off, I loved Squid Game, but when convincing my S.O. to watch it early on all I had to say to him was "it's basically live action 'Kaiji'." (To which he scoffed but watched, then loved.) I think as anime lovers, it's easy for us to forget that the everyday person isn't consuming Battle Royale premises on the regular. Squid Game did not feel "new" to me. But what's remarkable about Squid Game is that it was undoubtedly well done, while keeping it's plot not overly complicated it made itself super accessible to a global audience. Squid Game did something most anime and dare I say most television do not. Which is in one season it covered a complete story arch. Beginning middle and end. While leaving room for more story to tell in the future. And I honestly hope that it inspires some new really well thought out Battle Royale concepts in media to come, although I am also bracing myself for the coming garbage that will also follow this cultural phenomenon. I'm also looking forward to Netflix picking up and investing in more "Non-English" series. There are so many talented people around the world with amazing ideas and concepts that could use the funding a powerhouse like Netflix is able to offer. And Squid Game just proved it can be very profitable for Netflix in return. I'm stoked for more content. (LETS GO!)

[@leahdavis9434]

Netflix does a ton of kdramas and currently has a successful south African series, you're just not watching them

[@ThereAndBackOnceMore]

Hi@@leahdavis9434. I'm not really sure if you got my point so I wanted to elaborate. You're right NetFlix does have other competitive non-English titles. I personally wouldn't put K-dramas and South African titles in the same lane as Squid Game when we are talking about huge money making properties though. There is"Alice in Borderland" and "Sweet Home" which were both very exciting shows I would consider in the same lane but they did not get nearly the same viewership that Squid Game did. (I could break down the reason I think that is, but I don't think it's too important for the moment.) And when it comes to viewership I would say "Lupin", "Dark" and "Money Heist" have also shown promising turn around for Netflix. (French, German, and Spanish) My point was that NetFlix puts way more capital into "English Titles". Because until just recently there was a bias towards watching shows in English but Squid Game has proven that the tides have officially turned. Netflix investing in "foreign titles" is absolutely in there interest as a company. And Netflix as a company has a lot of money set aside for investing/producing new properties. So from a business perspective, the success of Squid Game should lead to Netflix taking more chances and investing in ideas from writers and directors around the world. I am excited to see more content coming from everywhere. Because I personally benefit from more content and have always been happy to watch something regardless of what language it's in.

[@joyc.e.7511]

@@leahdavis9434 That's kind of the point, media from other countries getting popular, more people watching them.

[@goodbrainwork]

With all due respect, fuck that "what's remarkable about Squid Game is that it was undoubtedly well done" notion, it's remarkable only because it copied all the good parts from Kaiji. It doesn't matter if Kaiji is unheard of, doesn't matter if Squid game is enjoyable, it is still a ripoff. Strip away all the elements it copied from Kaiji, what has it got left? Organ selling, undercover cop, and rich white people spectators, AKA the worst parts of the show basically.

[@VtuberTheory]

@@goodbrainwork Kaiji is my all time favorite anime. What squid game does better is casting a spotlight on intimate personal relationships. The relationships between characters, even ones that got almost no screen time like the one between Gi-hun and his wife, have more complexity and impact than the ones in Kaiji. Meanwhile, the games themselves in Kaiji were much more cerebral and dramatic, and the psychological aspect took center stage. Of course the personal stories are there in Kaiji as well, but they are simply not as well developed because most of the screen time is devoted to the games themselves. I cared about Kaiji a lot, but his pals not as much. In squid game, I found myself very invested in the side characters too, which is rare for me. Again- even side characters with little screen time had intricate and tragic backstories. That’s the difference.

[@thepredman9lol266]

Honestly I've been waiting for this video. It always hurts to see Kaiji's unique and special concepts go unseen, and everyone goes wild for Squid game. Is it the nose....? *Sigh*

[@presswerks5476]

yeah, it might be the schnozzle lol

[@wakrusgumbo]

My policy is: any time anyone mentions Squid Game, I'll tell them "If you liked it, and you like anime, try Kaiji! It's one of the big influences to Squid Game. You'll love it!" I want as many people watching Kaiji as humanly possible. The anime only made it a few arcs in!

[@xXasd012xX]

@@wakrusgumbo i wish a lot of anime fans are like you. Most of the comments made by weebs are "squid game is overhyped and aint even original and it stole from kaiji. Watch kaiji instead"

[@S----ml9ej]

Koreans copied not only "Kaiji" but "Kamisama no Iutoori" and "Imawa no kiwa no Alice". Koreans always rip off some Japanese old dramas, anime and manga.

[@Antoine893]

... who sighted? Punish him!

[@phosphorescenceking6114]

Literally just started re-watching Kaiji after finishing Squid Game. It's so much more relatable now as an adult working for minimum wage. My greatest hope from Squid Game's success is that, it's popular because of the base appeals of combining really likable high energy cute characters with serious stakes, unlike most western violent media which tries to be more "mature" by having low energy characters and a dour-ass tone all the time, which makes the events less endearing than something like this show. So, since more people in the west finally get the appeal with this big hit, it could open the door for tons of other similarly appealing properties to become more widespread too.

[@natyinthehouse]

As much as i wish it would, I dont think this show will make people write better written characters.

[@ShermanWilliamsVideo]

"....base appeals of combining really likable high energy cute characters with serious stakes" American movies used to be like this.

[@craigyeah1052]

Haha, same, it was so funny to see this video posted after. Already on episode 11.

[@mousekateer627]

I wish, but I'm sure Hollywood would look at squid game and think "a popular show with killing and gore" blank on everything else and make it worse with bland acting and cheap cg.

[@dwmlue9299]

Unfortunately, what will end up happening is every single Western-produced property using this formula will just end up being "Hunger Games, but Saw."

[@apex2000]

Kaiji they currently digging the facility.... So could imagine squid game is a sequel? Lol

[@jakirachan]

Nah it's kaiji but in Korea

[@hugofontes5708]

Hm... Your head canon will make a fine addition to my collection

[@reallifeamogus915]

They're making a safe place for VIPs

[@Flapjack3734]

Imagine if Kaiji was one of the first squid game winners 👀

[@reallifeamogus915]

@@Flapjack3734 tbh he would probably die first

[@Mente_Fugaz]

kaiji is amazing! so underrated... i hope it gets more popular now

[@PETBOY]

Kai-ji was influenced by the genre rules of past death games and Hong Kong gambling films.(ex, God of Gamblers series)

[@Burago2k]

Kaiji is the Berserk of gambling, except the mass doesn't know it and thinks squid games is some original new thing and the creator and every other stupid rating sites all suck eachother off saying its original when it copies something thats older than a lot of people who watch squid games.

[@fish3977]

19:55 the strike was actually a real thing. the autoplant workers ocupied the factory for nearly 3 months facing militaristic attacks from the cops

[@DemagogueBibleStudy]

The history of organized labor and student activism in Korea is pretty interesting stuff.

[@TheSlipperyNUwUdle]

Jesus that’s horrifying. I need to look more into that.

[@theworld6710]

I wouldn’t say Squid Game is the most original, but it seems more focused on assembling and refining old ides rather than doing something entirely new. I think that’s fine because not just anything could do that. The fact it was able to put all of it together, ensure it works, and make it the hit is a testament to its general quality

[@halycon404]

Shrug. I wouldn't say refining. Per say. Like, greek myths of evil human like gods gambling on the outcomes of mortal games. It's about as old as it gets. There's been thousands of these stories. Every permutation of them has been done with every setting and setup. Squid Game is done well. But it's real defining feature is Netflix is about as mass market as it gets. It's easily accessible across the globe. For people who aren't much into reading it comes out of nowhere. But it's always been here, and there's plenty of novels that did it better.

[@hafirenggayuda]

Observing some Korean show that are booming in past and present, I make some assessment. That is, Korea is good at adapting and marketing their show globally. Many of their shows are not original, or just recycling old stories, but manage to attract audience.

[@PETBOY]

The Kaiji Similar theme has been around for a long time. Stephen King - Running Man ETC.

[@hafirenggayuda]

@@PETBOY if you read King's story, then you know "The Long Walk" (Bachman) I personally like it better than running man

[@PETBOY]

@@hafirenggayuda The long walk is also famous. But The main character of Stephen King Running Man is set in a very poor state with no daughter hospital bills, and is a story of participating in a death show.

[@VihnNem]

My man actually decided " Fuck it, dyeing my hair anime-protagonist red and going back in"

[@shironeko94]

I'M SO GLAD YOU MADE THISSS My friend and I were discussing why SG didn't hit the spot for us, and you've essentially put all our thoughts about why Kaiji is ultimately still the king of the genre to us into words. People need to know that Kaiji exists aaa While I do admit that I did enjoy parts of SG, it always rubbed me the wrong way that SG was marketed as being original and intense, when as you've mentioned, it had clearly referenced so much *cough*thebridgegame*cough* from Kaiji, who I would argue is superior in the way it builds intensity, explores the entire game and depths of rule exploitation and establishes variety in its high stakes (slavery *or worse* v death).

[@NoReplyAsset]

Kaiji is honestly so underwatched. I love the style of it especially

[@WeebJail]

oh my god ali is so precious he didn't deserve to die

[@ekremt.4864]

Thanks for the spoiler.

[@WeebJail]

@@ekremt.4864 dude they obviously all die basement says that in the video lol

[@WeebJail]

@@thismeaning9 yea thats maybe the opposite of racism, they were showing how pure and trusting he is while the guy labeled the good son did the worst possible thing to him, you may be racist if you're this willing to jump to terrible conclusions about koreans just because you saw a brown dude

[@ekremt.4864]

@@WeebJail welp didn’t finish the video cause he said there’d be spoilers lol

[@WeebJail]

@@ekremt.4864 and yet you read the comments lol

[@Medascott]

I started reading Kaiji last year when I found the first volume at Barnes and Noble. It's such a good read, but sucks it's taken about a year for the 3rd volume to come out (looks like it might finally release next month).

[@thinBillyBoy]

I mean. Have you considered yohoho-ing?

[@RollingCalf]

Go watch it

[@xselinisx]

*Squid Game blows up giving an easy excuse to promote Kaiji again*

[@mothersbasement]

Walter White Voice: You got me.

[@azurepulse1870]

@@mothersbasement Are we finally at the age where the teens and college kids who watched Kaiji and other anime as it came out are finally able to bring their influences out onto the mainstream stage for a wider audience as working professionals? I really hope so.

[@vxicepickxv]

I fail to see the problem here.

[@sarov7658]

@@azurepulse1870 twitter wont allow it lolol

[@MGNew]

@@azurepulse1870 no

[@Henvir27]

The quality of the drama presented in Kaiji beats Squid game easily xD i always get sad when i see someone talking good about Kakegurui and doesnt even know Kaiji

[@StarEco64]

"it's easy to have your debt snowball" ain't that the tru- oh fuck I gotta pay my credit card by tomorrow! Thanks basement 😅

[@Ravenscannotfly]

I actually think the twist makes episode 6 even more interesting cause it's almost like the old guy is testing the main character who he's grown a liking towards on whether he has what it takes to continue because he'd rather the person he's sacrificing his fun for is someone who's less likely to die

[@nyashacarter7065]

I'm so glad I'm not the only one who immediately thought of Kaiji.

[@bartnail2856]

The writer said he read kaiji battle royal and liars game so I'm betting a lot of people saw the similarities

[@davidcruz3756]

Squid game is a simpler take on the death game genre, but that gave the actors a chance to really bring a lot to their characters. Which helped people connect with them. Edit: And as mentioned in the beginning of the video we can expect many more death game stories for at least a year or two. Buckle up folks it's going to be a hell of a ride.

[@loneaxe1986]

Alright Lads, see you guys in 2 years, I wonder if anything good will come out of all this.

[@TheNzFox]

@@loneaxe1986 I STRONGLY suspect a lot of shows will think the point is the games themselves and focus on them resulting in a lot of poor copy cats

[@loneaxe1986]

@@TheNzFox At least we will be getting out of Isekai hopefully, I mean, anything is better at this point.

[@ltofe7]

That was the point of using kids games

[@TheNzFox]

​@@ltofe7 production-wise it was giving something that is simple, easy to understand and can cross language barriers a horror twist. Story-wise it was using games from the hosts childhood as a kind of final send off

[@lukapetrovic412]

Man, Kaiji is so underrated. I watched it like a month ago and it was such a masterpiece. 10/10

[@chihayaxx2922]

kaiji +battle royale +kami sama no iutouri＝squid game

[@evilpandsaysyo]

I think my favourite part of Squid Game was that they chose to make the games so simple - it meant that the focus was on the relationships between characters and the parasitic nature of money more than on figuring out the trickiest way to play. I've already been looking for more Battle Royale stuff to watch, my first, right after squid game was Juni Taisen: Zodiac War. That show is so stupid, but it was pretty fun

[@bluehikari6945]

Ehm have you seen kaiji? Since the games in kaiji are also simple. For example rock paper scissors :)

[@_Tizoc_]

@@bluehikari6945 the games remind more of As The Gods Will than Kaiji except for the bridge. I think we have to acknowledge there is probably more than one major influence.

[@bluehikari6945]

@@_Tizoc_ yup agree

[@bluehikari6945]

@@_Tizoc_ yup agree

[@bluehikari6945]

@@_Tizoc_ yup agree

[@tully6648]

When I saw that Squid Game was trending, the first thing I thought of was Liar Game. The live action version. Which is a much tamer version of either SG or Kaiji (people lose a lot of money but not their lives [well, they aren't murdered on the spot for losing, anyway], it's more focused on how to be tricky with its games). So I started re-watching that, and I'll probably be back on Kaiji next.

[@marocat4749]

The creator is a fan of liar game., so that makes sense.

[@emperortea2061]

Is there any violence in liar game that the reader sees?

[@tully6648]

@@emperortea2061 I can't remember, honestly. The last time I saw the series was with the movie that was out in 2010, and I stopped reading the manga around 2012. This was apparently some time before the 2012 movie came out, because I didn't know about it until now. I'm only a few episodes into re-watching the series, but the only violence we've seen so far is Akiyama's flashbacks to his mother's post-suicide pose, which has some blood in it. Overall, I'm pretty sure that there was no active violence since I'm pretty sensitive to that, but is HAS been a decade, so... 🤷 Mostly I remember the series focusing on some VERY hammy trickery among the players, and lots of people going into despair as they went into crippling debt. (Most games start by lending each player 100 million yen, and with the promise that if they lose it that they will repay it "By any means necessary.") The first season of the live action series aired in 2007, so the effects feel pretty BUDGET in 2021. IF my memory is correct, then Liar Game is pretty much a PG version of Squid Game, Kaiji, Kakegurui, etc.

[@tully6648]

@@marocat4749 Is that so! That makes me strangely happy to hear.

[@cristygestiada904]

〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️

[@sxblck]

It is so funny, to me at least, that this channel has spoken so much about Kaiji that even without watching a single episode or reading a single chapter, as soon as a co-worker described Squid Game to me, my brain immediately went “Wait… Isn’t that just Kaiji????”.

[@faeb.9618]

i was on the bus and the chick sitting next to me was watching squid game on that glass panels scene and i straight up thought it was the kaiji live action for a while

[@StarshineStranger]

Had the EXACT same reaction omg

[@angelusvastator1297]

Me but with Alice in borderland

[@Ana-px9nb]

I just think "wait... that's isnt't just your turn to die but whit more deaths?"

[@NingenjaNaiSaikou]

@@Ana-px9nb "Your turn to die"? Isn't that just danganronpa but a flash game?

[@TakehisaYuji]

the best thing about Kaiji is that you can rewatch it numerous times and still feel the same every time.

[@amvanime1825]

×(Squid game has created on 2008)　 〇(Squid game ＝ kaiji (manga 1996 )＋ As the God's will (manga 2011 )＋Alice in Borderland (manga 2010)

[@ДимитърИванов-е5ъ]

Someone told me about squid gane and then I proceeded to talk how good Kaiji is for 10 minutes.

[@yesthisismyname9977]

I would not like to be your friend

[@anonymous_4276]

I WOULD like to be your friend.

[@jklight2957]

Awww you think the world revolves around you and your experiences

[@S----ml9ej]

@@yesthisismyname9977 We don't need friends with plastic surgery lol

[@NOTHING-yx2xd]

@@jklight2957 yes most humans think that

[@brunobucciaralick3914]

It's too late to watch this now, so I'll come back tomorrow; just gonna say that liar game is just as amazing as kaiji and it deserves to be mentioned more, people always forget about it😭

[@SSX1799]

Yeah Liar Game is so underrated! Definitely slept on because it doesn’t have an anime

[@aRo93]

And there's a live action LG series and it's pretty good! Becomes different than manga later, but still it's worth the watch.

[@yoruageha]

I was just going to mention Liar Game. Still my fav battle royale-esque manga.

[@HaganeNoGijutsushi]

Liar Game is in many ways also very similar to Squid Game (in some way the whole organisation thing is even more similar than Kaiji's) and the games are really interesting, but the ending of that manga is one of the most atrocious rush jobs I've ever seen in a medium full of them.

[@theJohnOTD]

liar game gang let's goooo

[@Raktus]

I feel like an odd man out... I watched Squid Game and my first thought was Eden of the East meets Battle Royale. Especially with the big bad reveal... as someone that loved Eden of the East, I instantly knew who was running the game.

[@mooncake_00]

Nobuyuki sitting there be like Everyone: Squid game's is so unique Nobuyuki in 2007: Boi what-

[@marvelsandals4228]

Fukumoto is busy taking his sweet time with the manga like at this point he's just trolling the world seeing how much drama he can derive out of ordinary situations

[@mooncake_00]

@@marvelsandals4228 XD

[@marvelsandals4228]

@@mooncake_00 He knows anybody still reading the Kaiji manga is addicted and he's got us by the balls haha we'll keep reading until its done

[@mooncake_00]

@@marvelsandals4228 true that

[@SamLabbato]

kaiji's manga's still going strong and I love it

[@bgforever]

SAME! I love parts 5 and 6, me and my brother played one hand poker irl(instead of the machine we used markers) and he loves the game! I recently finished reading the newest chapters and I love every one of them

[@bgforever]

I hope Kaiji will rise again and that it will get a third season some day...

[@thepants1450]

i can't find it anywhere please help

[@bgforever]

@@thepants1450 a few hours ago was the latest chapter release, so you have plenty to read :)

[@RobinMask]

mario super market arc

[@PedroFerreira-bk2rl]

I first watched Kaiji when you recommended it in that Kakegurui analysis, and I can't thank you enough. Thank you, Anime Pope.

[@palapeura375]

Kaiji was a spiritual experience foe me!

[@cvox607]

The world wasn't ready for kaiji when it came out...and when it was they settled for the next best thing RIP zawa zawa....we didn't deserve you

[@andrer4508]

haha, ZAWA zawa ... r.i.p love you forever kaiji

[@hugofontes5708]

My brain still plays that SFX sometimes

[@saininj]

Wholeheartedly agree. A lot of what it takes for something to blow up is timing and luck. It took the creator Squid Game 10 years to make the show a reality, so the world wouldn't have been ready for it back then either.

[@AlliwantisAIDSHelpImKidnapped]

Rip zawa zawa

[@ak.8161]

@@AlliwantisAIDSHelpImKidnapped who?

[@Crimsontears83]

I've been making this comparison as soon as i saw the first episode too. Glad I wasn't alone in the whole, "If you watched anime, you'd be home by now" Kaiji deja vu.

[@zekiz774]

When I heard the premise I instantly thought of Kaiji

[@masterzombie161]

I make the comparisons to these shows all the time and everyone is like “what is Kaiji?”

[@ibm30rpg]

SG is just Alice in Borderland except everyone only cares about money and themselves.

[@Tenma2411]

When people talked about squid game as if its being the first in its genre i were like "bruh, never heard about kaiji?"

[@00Clank]

I appreciate that Squid Game has enough differences in focus to not just be a lesser Kaiji. In the end I do prefer Kaiji for having more tension and depth in it’s games.

[@anonymous_4276]

I think Kaiji's suspense was also beyond Squid Games'. Squid Game had great suspense but Kaiji was just on another level.

[@dylanpritchard3620]

Fuck I love Kaiji, and hope for another season soon.

[@misery_shun]

I really hope so T-T

[@heitorsantoslima9289]

Madhouse doesn't produce second seasons (exception being Hajime no Ippo). What you saw is what you got.

[@nausheensiddiqui8745]

@@heitorsantoslima9289 kaiji has a s2 right?

[@heitorsantoslima9289]

@@nausheensiddiqui8745 Yep, but is more like a season 1 part 2 in the way it was produced.

[@thef1rmament]

Why don't you just read the manga, then?

[@theprince5573]

It should be a crime to not watch and underestimate kaiji. Literally one of the most thrilling things i’ve ever watched. Likeable characters, relatable struggles, social commentary and a bit excentric dramatics. It’s just so perfert, whenever “deathgame” media is mentioned i also can’t help going “have you watched kaiji?”

[@Omni798]

The reason I won’t watch it is because it’s ugly as hell. It’s age is palpable and the style itself is unbearable to look at.

[@theprince5573]

@@Omni798 well i’m sorry you can’t adapt to unique styles that aren’t sparkly anime eyes and reduce it’s quality down to being subjectivly ugly and old, which only aplies if you think 2008 anime are old. Really a shame you can’t get over your pickyness and enjoy a well made anime for it’s many other qualities. And to be honest i’m not sure why you replied with such a rude comment, on a video about kaiji, to a kaiji fan, making a kajij loving comment. But you do you i guess

[@Omni798]

@@theprince5573 I replied because a lot of people are complaining that others aren’t watching Kaiji. I personally love the feeling and appearance of old anime. Serial Experiments Lain has one of my favorite styles. Anime doesn’t have to be new and sparkly, I prefer it not be. Im fine with watching shows with low budgets and poor quality as well, so long as AT LEAST the style of the animation isn’t revolting to look at. If you’re trying to defend Kaiji on the basis of my tastes being shallow then you really are blind. Have you seen the show? Have you looked at it for half a second? It’s unbearably ugly. I’m all here for the premise and would love to watch it if it weren’t so damn ugly. I don’t really find a problem with that 🤷‍♂️ I just think it’s stupid for people to ask why this show didn’t get popular when the reason is very, VERY apparent.

[@Omni798]

@@theprince5573 you love Kaiji? That’s great! I’m glad you do. I wish I could move past the style too. I just also want to point out that the style takes away from any tension and investment I may have while watching. It’s so goofy and off kilter it actively hampers the shows ability to deliver. Just my opinion.

[@theprince5573]

@@Omni798 kaiji is actually well animated regardless of style, done by studio madhouse. Yes i’ve looked at the show and guess what? I got used to it after 2 episodes. I’ve seen you comment your dislike of the style several times in this section now and honestly it’s abvious you are either trolling or think your opinion is more important then it is. There have been many shows with arguebly unfitting styles that have captured audiences and revolutionized anime. But in the end, it’s fine to just want the typical anime styles and not get into expirimental things. But you really should stop commening your dislike and hate of kaiji in this comment section. It’s unnecessary and bringing the mood down. If it’s not for you then it’s not for you. Just find an anime you like, and comment something nice abt it in a video revolving around the other anime you actually enjoy. I won’t reply to you anymore because it’s clear you’re not changing your opinion and just want to nag around a topic that’s entirely subjective. I don’t have time nor patience for that, have a good day.

[@KingJrXI]

Kaiji, Death Parade, King's Game, Darwin's Game, Deadman Wonderland, Dice, Nerve, Alice in Borderland, Squid Game, (the VERY BEGINNING of SAO if you ignore the trash that is the rest of it) etc... Death Games and Death Game like shows, comics, movies, and anime are highly common. They may be all slightly different but it's basically it's own genre that we've seen plenty of times. Many things fit the premise, some do it better some worse some different but it's been done. Doesn't change how amazing Squid Game was, just I wish people would recognize the genre as a whole and not pretend Squid Game is the progenitor of this idea. Love it all regardless though.

[@nohiroart]

it's so sad that nobody knows about kaiji! the show is one of my all time favorites but so underrated - thanks for putting it in the spotlight, kaiji deserves some love!!

[@khaaaled2007]

Had a bunch of friends watch Kaiji recently because they liked Squid Game and they all loved it, Kaiji is really underrated, too bad it never had a dub to make it more accessible

[@cryptic2702]

“dub bad and sub good”-elitist sub watcher

[@hyrulianwhovian5399]

So true, it physically hurt me when I saw Kaiji finally get a US blu-ray release that didn't come with a dub. That probably means it will never get one.

[@soppa112]

@@cryptic2702 only english speakers like dubs, gtfo

[@bluehikari6945]

Well, as for the sub VA is a pro mahjong player and the villain actor from the cure movie. So i think it made kaiji have deeper engagement with the audience.

[@NyxSebasxD]

I'm so glad a big anime youtuber like you is showcasing Kaiji. Definitely needs more recognition

[@Crazylexi0110]

Please extend the reach of Kaiji. Let people know how good it is. You did to me and Kaiji made me fall in love with the genre.

[@sopliplily2204]

spoiler alert: I will be discussing the games in Squid Game The genius of Squid Game's games aren't from the games themselves, which are all very simple. It's in how the games connect to each other to draw an overarching narrative... First two games are Red light, Green light, and Honeycomb: these games are to weed out contestants who cannot obey the rules or cannot psych themselves to act according to the strategy. If they freeze up - they die; if they tremble too much - they die. Third game: This game is to show whether a team can kill another team due to the rules of the game Fourth game: This game is to show whether an individual can kill another individual due to the rules of the game Fifth and Sixth game: These games are to show whether an individual can kill out of their own agency. If you aren't a cynical hater or had certain expectations from the games already, you would have found the show to be very bingeworthy. This is probably why; even the games have a digestible allegorical structure to them that resonates with our reality.

[@RengokuGS]

What is the overarching narrative? You never actually gave it in your post.

[@sopliplily2204]

@@RengokuGS It's an allegory about natural competition and greed so it can apply to many things, but if you want a direct example: the life of a salaryman in modern day capitalism. Games 1) and 2) Usually when people get hired for a company they undergo a weeding out process for competency; Game 3) then, their companies compete with other companies where many go bankrupt and few survive (or sectors of the same company compete and sectors that generate losses or generate the least profits take the brunt of the blame for the company's underperformance, so they get fired); Game 4) eventually, the members' outperformance separates them from other members, where some are fired while others are promoted; Game 5) if a member survives long enough and keeps climbing the ranks, eventually he will reach a plateau in the company's rank so if he wants to reach a higher place, he must backstab his superiors, the company, and Game 6) ultimately, himself (or his own morals.) At any moment in this process, the man can stop and leave his role, but he will also have to deal with the fact that he worked so hard to arrive to where he is or he may just have to recycle this process again in a new setting.

[@RengokuGS]

@@sopliplily2204 is this something actually stated by the creator?

[@Lanny985]

There's nothing genius about it. The first game is literally a carbon copy of the first game in as the gods will.

[@cryptic2702]

@@Lanny985 bro what ? Do you know how long red light green light has existed

[@thinBillyBoy]

Yeah I was thinking if this was Kaiji they would have pointed out that you just need 10 marbles from the opposite player. Not all the marbles. So many lives wasted and it wasn't even pointed out for that delicious despair soup. Probably because they didn't think of it.

[@alonsomunoz4096]

Told my wife exactly the same thing. Wasted opportunity lol.

[@justmonica9253]

There's the possibility that the loophole doesn't exist in the korean explanation of the game. Not saying it isn't there, I don't know korean, but that might be what happened.

[@siliconhawk]

Bro i was literally thinks this the entire time. I was like that of man and ali survives right. But bruh

[@dominicmagtibay7462]

It's a mistranslation. The squid game said that you need to have all 20 marbles of you and your partner's.

[@kingcrimson4133]

I've considered the potential loophole of both players agreeing to mutually co-own the marbles. Don't know if that'd work though.

[@JoJoestar]

What I really loved was how after a certain point it wasn't about the game but how to survive. I know that isn't an entirely fresh take in the battle royal genre but Squid Game did a really good job with developing characters to like or hate and have a lot of weight despite short introductions. I really wish the subs were more accurate - a lot of characters were saying totally different things then what the subs were saying.

[@ordinalchaos]

Just curious about how bad some of the translation is, could you give an example?

[@poopfarder]

@@ordinalchaos even though I don't know a lick of Korean, you can hear Ali call Sangwoo "hyung" instead of Sangwoo even though the subtitles put it as him calling Sangwoo by his name. When you look up "hyung", its a term akin to calling someone, particularly someone older than you, your older brother. Please correct me if I missed any details though.

[@Lexie-lh8pk]

Ali talks very formally to everyone (likely because Korean is his second language and he only ever learned formal Korean). Hyung in this context doesnt mean he is referring to Sang-woo as his big brother. Hyung is an honorific. Ali is respecting Sang-woo as an older male.

[@REChronic54]

I don't think its just the appeal of "death games" that made Squid Game so hyped up. The making of it is just really solid. All the characters are engaging, the filming and editing, the way scenes are structured is done so good. Plus live action has always been more digestable to the masses than animation, sad to say. But as a person who didn't like the show as much as other people did, I can totally see why it blew up.

[@craigyeah1052]

I think the characters are okay, but I'm picky about characters. With that said, I'm in the same place. Also, while the games aren't too interesting to me the first game did a better job of setting the shock and sudden escalation that makes you want to show you friends than most death games do.

[@samu-chan]

Not

[@SKINNYWRIST5]

No.

[@nielsjensen4185]

Those things are just effects that contribute to the popularity of Squid Game. The reason is that the narrative themes of Squid Game are something most people can identify with. Most people have had a boss that acted aloof, distant, and generally only saw them as a source of entertainment forced to work a dead-end job they felt was killing them with the only alternative also being dead by starvation and generally having a super shitty life Make no mistake. Squid Game is an indictment of Capitalism as a predatory environment that only serves to alienate the "have" from the "have-nots" in a way where they end up as their entertainment.

[@REChronic54]

@@nielsjensen4185 Yup, I forgot to include the themes of the show. But yea basically its how the show presents all of that too. People may not point out how something is filmed/edited or how the colors and design are done but it all subtly reels everyone in.

[@muhammadsyafanurikhsan3969]

Finally kaiji has more attention

[@Suchwerewolf]

“When the Kpop cop gets shot” is a weirdly soothing tongue twister

[@pippyharrison9745]

I probably wouldn't have watched Squid Game if I hadn't seen it compared to Kaiji. And I wouldn't have watched Kaiji if it weren't for your videos. So directly or indirectly, you've introduced me to 2 of my favourite shows. Thanks

[@technicallythecenteroftheu1349]

Fine jesus I'll watch Kaiji. Counter-offer: YOU read the Cosmere, Geoff. Do it.

[@farookajose]

I second!

[@Elegiast]

*I’ll* take that offer! It has a cool name, which is enough for me.

[@ElijahRhyne]

Love seeing another Brando Sando fando

[@azurepulse1870]

Or Wheel of Time, given Brando's inspiration from it, work on it, and the upcoming Amazon adaptation. Cosmere can come after, once he's been introduced and has some relevant current media to call upon for a wider audience.

[@hugofontes5708]

Deal

[@ChozoFS]

When I first heard about Squid Game, my immediate thought was "that kinda sounds like Kaiji." I've only read the first several chapters of the manga, but it was great from what I read.

[@lionpaw315]

Kaiji is soooooo good. Like every time I say that I feel bad cuz I feel like an elitist hipster but like dude. duuuuude. Also saw a post saying "squid game is only popular because the masses haven't discovered danganronpa" and I can't stop thinking about it

[@hugofontes5708]

Firstly, mind-blowing obviousness, didn't catch that one, thanks Second, is the premise of Danganronpa related to money? I figured it was just good old insanity

[@azurepulse1870]

@@hugofontes5708 It's a deathgame meets phoenix wright. Someone has to commit a murder and get away with it in order to win. If they do, everyone else dies. If they don't, they die and everyone who is left has to go through it all over again, but with access to more things. And there's actually a lot going on behind the scenes in the wider world outside of their narrow focus on this death game. But yeah, not related to money really, but more personalities and circumstances, which is where a lot of the similarities come through.

[@bootlegryn5765]

As someone who watched Danganronpa (didn't have a platform nor money to play it) that was my exact thought when my aunt mentioned Squid Game to me

[@ChronoShadow69]

My wife described the first episode to me, and when she got up to, "And then they all have to play a game-," I interrupted her with, "Of Extreme Rock-Paper-Scissors. TO THE DEATH!" She busted out laughing and asked how I knew it was a kids game. ...Clearly I have failed her.

[@slickestrick4117]

I actually thought Squid Game was a live action Kaiji adaption when it was described to me and was shocked when I saw that it wasn't, considering how similar they are

[@GhostlyTekk]

I recently watched all of kaiji a month or two ago and my god it was absolutely incredible

[@CanalPapaco]

GUYS Read the Kaiji manga, it goes waaaay beyond the anime already and it gets even better, Kazuya is one hell of a villain. If you don't like mahjong please know that it is only 1 arc about it after where the anime left off. And the runaway arc is an AMAZING pay off to everything Kaiji went through until now.

[@clownform]

I can't get through the mahjong arc I don't understand it!!! But I'll try one more time

[@craigyeah1052]

If you DO like mahjong, add Akagi to your list, by the same guy and goes even deeper. I didn't understand it at all and it was still not bad (I just wanted more Kaiji)

[@looniemoonie5955]

Runaway Arc is awful. I'm sorry. Big fan of Kaiji here, but any other Part is better than the current one. It's just too bland and damn long. No excitement about it.

[@CanalPapaco]

@@looniemoonie5955 The reason I love the runaway arc is because we finally get to see Kaiji using his experience to fool Teiai for good, but I see how it can be boring to some people when suddenly the goal becomes about getting some paperwork done and just shopping without people watching you. Btw, I read Akagi (same author) and I shit you not, the last mahjong match is 200 chapters long, all about the same night and it took 20 years in real life to be fully published, so when I started reading Kaiji I was half expecting some really dragged out stuff, but Im having fun nonetheless

[@mat5631]

I tried to read it but I don't have a single about what mahjong is and Google didn't help, do you think it would be fine for me to skip part 3? Is there some important overarching plot points?

[@666lupine666]

day1: hundreds are mowed down by relentless machine-gun fire. day2: people manage to convince their captors to release them, barely. day3: people return having realized that it is better to get mowed down by machine guns or shived in their sleep than face the economic realities of our current, actual world. Jimmy Fallon might want to tell you how sleek and sexy this all is, but I will thank you not to listen to him. People, too, will tell you that Daredevil was about hallway fights, rather than political and corporate corruption. I am not asking you to be a revolutionary, but please consider thinking your own thoughts, if only within the confines of your own mind.

[@aramisscabott6747]

Thd best part of Kaiji is the grounded stakes. Losing is not equal to instant death; therefor Kaiji is allowed to lose; which adds a lot to the tension.

[@RazorEdge2006]

Kaiji + Battle Royale = Squid Game

[@kirsten2030]

After you’d recommended it I watched Kaiji and it made me feel so anxious I was physically sick and I think that was BECAUSE it was so easily based in the real world. If you’re into that and have a thick skin and stomach Kaiji is fucking amazing

[@remedy00]

It IS really anxiety-inducing. When I recently rewatched it, my partner who is very cynical about anime was full-on crying/wheezing/freaking out at so many points that I gave up counting them. I've never seen him react SO strongly like this before to any animation... Damn. If you get immersed in Kaiji, it is a powerful experience.

[@marvelsandals4228]

Yes, it is a little dramatic...okay VERY dramatic, but the situations are plausible. Maybe the details would be a bit different, but it's the plausibility that makes the danger so much scarier. Being shot for losing is scary, sure, but how about being sent to "the other room" and sent who knows where, never to be seen from again. The later is more plausible and way WAY scarier to me.

[@thepants1450]

oh yeah glad im not the only one. when the skyscraper walk happened I was in cold sweats and I didn't realize how clammy and clenched my hands were doing that. there were moment i had to pause and take a moment even

[@marvelsandals4228]

@@thepants1450 I also love the fact that the participants were all survivors from the preliminary round. They all successfully crossed the steel beam once already and the beam across the skyscrapers is the exact same dimensions and materials. The scenario is identical, so logically if they didn't fall the first time (when they were competing) it should be easy to cross the second one. The only difference between the games exists in the players' MINDS. They know that the penalty for losing is worse this time. That one little fact is enough to make them have mental breakdowns and start freaking out and you know what...that's probably what would happen if you found a group of people desperate enough to agree to this. They probably would freak out and lose it halfway there due to being overwhelmed with fear.

[@MrDuck-po3wy]

7:30 i think the race on the steel beams in Squid game is supposed to be a hopscotch imitation.

[@jamesstewart8500]

Sigh. I was supposed to be watching horror movies this week, but now I've spent the last five days binging Kaiji. Thank you

[@netnoob77]

I really got to rewatch Kaiji. I remember enjoying it immensely many years ago.. and while many are raving over Squid Game, I remember Kaiji being better.

[@DurianKing]

Squid Game takes Kaiji's premise and mixed it with As The God Will's childhood-games-turn-deadly type situation, and BADUM! A recipe for success.

[@NeostormXLMAX]

i hate that no one acknowledge the similarities and the blatant plagiarism regarding as the gods will, only bringing up kaiji

[@janinebelleestrada7096]

@@NeostormXLMAX when I first watched squid game I thought of as the gods will but without magic & gods that will send your soul straight to immaturime after you get blown to red marble bits. Death game competitions really do sell depending on their time.

[@anonyme4881]

To be fair I liked Squid game more than Kaiji anime. (I didnt read the manga) The simple game that dont dragged on forever (the rock paper cizor is dragging on in nearly 6 episodes (2 hours....), personnally I found it very boring, I nearly dropped the series because of it) were more fun to watch (at the cost of tension and mindgame, but maybe the manga could patch that for me) and the focus on multiple character was far more interresting for me. In Kaiji lots of side character are absurdly evil and will scam you at every opportunity, and it detatch you from them. (Not counting the main antagonist) In Squid game you have a lots of everything with a big majority of life victims. Some are humans, they helps each others, sticks together, betrays, and are stupids like a humans Even the gangster, someone portrayed as the evil smarty and scammy dude in Kaiji's rock paper scizor game who cover himself with tons of cash to get bought back is the most miserable character in squid game Also Squid game got a way better visual design. While having the same synopsis, both series are worth to watch and have their pros and cons. Notably how debt works. Squid game did a very poor job at showing it Also Kaiji games are more funnier because there are more strategy, at the tendancy of dragging things forever Note that Squid game arent fun to watch past the Candy trials, where just after it became a tragedy While in Kaiji you are overall excited to see him winning. The cost of defeat is being a slave, but they were already slave. Its not as dramatic. The accent is way more to the games themselves than the msifortune of all the Human Kamikaze that are in these game

[@peter_panda3069]

My biggest hope is that Squid game shines some light on Kaiji so we can get a god damed third season, please madhouse, please

[@Sarahmint]

It's interesting to me when people call common tropes like "battle royal" (or "unfulfilled romance" in a personal instance I've had in a classroom) as unique. Have you not seen Hunger Games (or Pocahontas, Disney's Hunchback, or Constantine)?

[@healingv1sion]

Enders Game too. This should be considered a common trope at this point

[@gabrielsebastianelhagezote1486]

or you know BATTLE ROYALE, which is where the genre got is name and not nearly enough people have read it or at least watched the movie.

[@hugofontes5708]

Indeed, "this piece of media on is original and unique" either strongly implies the uniqueness lies elsewhere or that there's some subversion... It at least *should* lol

[@yurinabesima]

People fighting to death for entertainment has been a thing since the roman gladiators in real life, and even older to that when it comes to legends and myths. Anyone that sees this trope and instantly calls it a rip off of another thing simply does not know of how common it is.

[@dragon-kun199]

It’s Interesting cuz I Found the hunger games almost unwatchable, almost falling asleep five Minutes In. Meanwhile I binge Squid Game In A Couple Days. Feels Like entirely different genres to me.

[@cubemage3336]

7:30 the "race across the steel beams" game, as you call it, is also a kids' game. Remember when we were kids, we would walk on white tiles only? And that touching other tiles would mean death? This is that, but touching the wrong tile really DOES mean death.

[@hayek77ishida76]

Havent watched it but i hate that kaiji doesnt get mentioned or credited. And I Just know that when others talk about squid game im gonna immediately tell them to watch kaiji. Dont wanna be that annoying guy but i cant help it. The bad part is that most will not even consider watching kaiji.

[@MrTigracho]

Finally, Kaiji is getting the attention it fucking deserves.

[@YUTAB-ck9rp]

I hate to say this, but this really shows the whole dynamic between every other Japanese and Korean pop culture as well. Japan do something new and is satisfied with themselves, then Korea comes in, commercialize it better and claim it's their original idea. Even K-Pop idol culture is originally Japanese idea and I HATE that no K-Pop fans ever show respect to the original Japanese idol culture. When Japan imitates and takes something from other cultures like we have always been doing, we would ALWAYS show respect to the original culture and would never claim it's our own or look down on the original culture like Korea does.

[@Silver_Ws_t]

When my brother told me about squid game, I immediately thought I heard this story before, isn’t this just Kaiji? He had no idea what Kaiji was…

[@andrewjordan7991]

I'm so glad you did a video on this! My partner was explaining Squid Game to me but didn't mention the name of the show and I was like "You watched Kaiji?!" They are so similar but both are so good!

[@wyattmason8838]

I've been telling people that tell me to watch Squid Game that they need to watch Kaiji!

[@SnuSnuDungeon]

Red light Green light has never been so terrifying with that horrifying robot girl looking at you with that uncanny valley face

[@egg8490]

I thought the daruma game in " As The Gods Will " was far more horrific

[@rainycloud10]

@@egg8490 Same. Daruma game was the first thing that popped into my mind too.

[@AlliwantisAIDSHelpImKidnapped]

I mean, is a card game where everytime you lose a gadget slowly drifts inside your ears to the eardrums thus destroying your eardrums, or furtheremore your brain? more terrifying? ;)

[@gokugomez1037]

Squid game is a critique of capitalism. It speaks on the rising inequality in South Korea.

[@anonyme4881]

I prefer Squid game because of its focus on humanizing side character and better pacing (Kaiji anime tends to drag things for too long), but Kaiji is WAY far better at showing inequality

[@V2ULTRAKill]

@@anonyme4881 if the kaiji anime is paced to slow try the manga

[@anonyme4881]

@@V2ULTRAKill Yeah maybe one time, Kaiji was still a great watch Usually when most of problem is bad pacing manga do a fantastic jobs. But I also prefer Squid Game because the side character are more plausible humans than Kaiji's side character, and I have tons of things to do so maybe an other time

[@ARCANODESINE]

like every other dorama, it gets kinda boring when you wlatch so much with the same idea

[@ziquaftynny9285]

Holy shit. I never realized how similar they were until you pointed it out. Funnily enough I watched Kaji a few weeks ago then tried Squid Game on Netflix and never saw the connection.

[@Skeiths]

Don't get me wrong, I liked Squid Game and I think it's great and I'm also glad it's getting so much recognition that it deserves, but Kaiji is just on another level for me, It's legit my favorite anime ever.

[@gregkrazanski]

kaiji is a masterpiece. really one of the best most underappreciated anime out there. akagi as well. i think what i like better about kaiji than squid game is that kaiji often figured out a way to manipulate the game host's cheats in his favour. but also he sometimes lost with horrible consequences. it's just so great