Kakegurui Review

Genre: Drama, Game, Mystery, Psychological, School, Shounen

What is it about?

Unlike many schools, attending Hyakkaou Private Academy prepares students for their time in the real world. Since many of the students are the children of the richest people in the world, the academy has its quirks that separate it from all the others. By day, it is a normal school, educating its pupils in history, languages, and the like. But at night, it turns into a gambling den, educating them in the art of dealing with money and manipulating people. Money is power; those who come out on top in the games stand at the top of the school.

Yumeko Jabami, a seemingly naive and beautiful transfer student, is ready to try her hand at Hyakkaou’s special curriculum. Unlike the rest, she doesn’t play to win, but for the thrill of the gamble, and her borderline insane way of gambling might just bring too many new cards to the table.

What did I think?

Well, guys, I don’t know what I think. The whole time I was watching, I was thinking: “this is reaaallllyyyy not my thing”, but I still couldn’t stop watching. Let’s begin with why this wasn’t my thing.

First of all everything was so overdramatic, it’s like: okay guys we get it this game has high stakes you don’t need to over exaggerate everybodys’ reactions like that. Thinking of it what was up with those reactions? Every time something got even a little bit intense everybody turned in like a gross, ugly version of themselves and started sweating like pregnant nun at confession, it was just gross. That brings me to the art, I really didn’t like how everything was drawn. It helped the whole dramatic atmosphere, but I just didn’t like looking at it.

Oh, I should also mention I really didn’t like the opening. I know it was supposed to be artistic or something like that but it was just weird and annoying. The whole anime didn’t actually feel like an anime. It was kinda drawn like an anime, but that is the only anime element I could find. As you can see Kakegurui really wasn’t for me. So why did I keep on watching?

Well believe it or not but Kakegurui actually has a really good story. The story is so good I kept watching even though I didn’t like the art, or the overdramatic atmosphere or the opening. This never happened to me before so I’m a bit confused right now. Even though I didn’t like watching it, I needed to know how it would end. I JUST HAD TO KNOW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN NEXT. And isn’t that actually all a good anime needs? Who cares about the art if you will keep watching anyway…

So as you could see a lot of mixed feelings about this one. If you don’t really mind overdramatic things this might just be the anime for you, but if you don’t like it I would suggest you find out for yourself if the story makes it worth your while.

By the way, even though I really loved the story, the ending was kind of an anticlimax. It is painfully obvious they wanted to make an ending that keeps the possibility of a second season.