Do you love anime as much as getting a royal flush at Texas hold'em or 'a natural' in blackjack?
In this article, you discover all the best gambling anime to watch when you are ready to get some casino fun...but you don't want to be the one who plays the games.
Touching on the dramatic side of gambling and exploring all the funniest situations that happen in the casino world, these anime about gambling are an incredible source of entertainment and wisdom.
Just, remember: the fact you may find a casino anime where the characters win millions doesn't mean you should expect the same to happen to you. Winning at casino games is hard and it depends on luck - even if, in the world of anime about gambling, things may seem to be...a lot easier than they really are.
1. Gyakkyou Burai Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor
Many anime fans are familiar with Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor. Not only this is one of the most popular gambling anime on this list, but it is also regarded as a masterpiece in terms of pacing, character interaction, and animation.
The main character of this anime is Kaiji Ito, an unemployed alcoholic who seems to love to get into serious trouble.
His difficulties become almost impossible to deal with when a loan shark decides to force him to repay a debt of 3,850,000 yen.
Given how complicated it would be for him to find the money, Kaiji embarks on a cruise with the precise goal to 'gamble' his way out of trouble.
If victorious, Kaiji would leave the ship with his debts paid off and 20,000,000 yen in cash. If not, he would be forced to work for the loan shard for (at least) two years.
This impossible challenge makes Gyakkyou Burai Kaiji home to some of the most intense gambling scenes in the history of anime.
If you are looking for thrilling psychological tension, this is the perfect anime to explore the most complicated and dangerous sides of gambling.
2. Rio: Rainbow Gate
Many of our readers consider Rio:Rainbow Gate to be the best gambling anime.
Rio Rollins is a well-known casino dealer that works at the Howard Hotel. Given her incredible successes and her proven casino strategies, Rio is also referred to be the 'Goddess of Victory' in certain circles.
If you choose to watch this gambling anime, expect to witness a lot of incredible wins thanks to Rio, as this skilled dealer brings good fortune everywhere she goes.
During the 13 episodes of the series, Rio also teaches others how to win at slot machines - just remember this is a casino anime and the strategies described in it do not work when you play games at the casino.
In actuality, such a dealer would be disastrous for any live casino. But, despite the fact that it doesn't make much sense, Rio:Rainbow Gate is a delightful, light-hearted viewing that we suggest to everyone looking for an anime twist to the gambling world
3. One Outs
This is a sports gambling anime about Toua Tokuchi, a talented pitcher who spends his time playing One Outs, a simplified version of baseball.
In this story, Toua plays for the Lycaons, a bad baseball team that can't seem to win any of their matches.
In an attempt to change the course of the season, the team hires Hiromichi Kojima. He is a skilful batter who is believed could help Toua and the Lycaons turn the page and hit all the wins they need to remain in the main division and win the title.
Things, however, are made more complicated by Saikawa, the team's manager. Since he isn't too concerned about winning, he decided to come up with an odd bargain that will set the scene for some of the most intriguing moments of this 25-episode anime series.
Every time Toua wins a match, the management is required to give him a prize of 5,000,000 yen. However, every time Toua loses, he is obligated to pay 50,000,000 yen to Saikawa as compensation.
This puts the player in an unusual predicament, as he now needs to outwit his own boss in addition to concentrating on the other squad.
There will be a great deal of planning, strategy, and mental games as a consequence.
4. Kakegurui (Compulsive Gambler)
With a high school anime for everyone, Kakegurui happens to be the one for us gambling nerds.
The Hyakkaou Private Academy isn't your typical educational institution. It is a school for children from Japan's wealthiest and most politically prominent families. In the world of Kakegurui, everything - even your social standing - is determined by your ability to gamble.
One day, Yumeko Jabami, a student who moved in from another school, challenges the whole hierarchy with her amazing gambling skills.
5. Akagi: Yami ni Oritatta Tensai
There's danger brewing for Nangou. He owes the yakuza 3,000,000 yen and his life hangs in the balance.
Nangou's luck changes when a mysterious character named Akagi shows up and changes the odds in his favor. It doesn't matter that Akagi doesn't even know how to play mahjong. He still wins, and he saves the old man from dying.
It turns out that the youngster has a talent for gambling, and we are treated to a performance consisting of (surprisingly) dramatic mahjong bouts with life-or-death stakes.
Despite its cartoonish graphic style, this gambling anime is serious about its subject matter. There will be no over-the-top expressions, shoddy efforts at humor, or superfluous love subplots in this movie.
If you don't know how to play mahjong, don't worry. You can use this gambling anime to learn.
The rules of this game are explained in great detail throughout the presentation of the anime, giving you the chance to learn how to play mahjong and enjoy even the most strategic aspects of Akagi's adventures.
6. Legendary Gambler Tetsuya
Following World War II, Japan is in ruins. Salaries are embarrassingly low, and the only way to make ends meet is to play mahjong.
Tetsuya, a young guy from Japan, is one of the many skilled gamblers who make a living off of unlawful activity.
Unfortunately, everything comes crashing down one day and a match with a cheater leaves Tetsuya broke. The guy comes to the realization that if he wants to live, he must learn to cheat back.
This gambling anime is great for mahjong fans. When Tetsuya is playing, he takes the game very seriously, but he also shares some philosophical life lessons with you.
7. Usogui
Episodes: 1 (OVA)
Year: 2012
Adapted from the same-named manga series, Usogui is a film that depicts the grim realities of illicit gambling.
Unforgiving and cruel are two words that describe the world in this show. Because people are prone to wager their lives, a violent organization called Kagerou is formed to maintain control over the participants.
The OVA follows Baku Madarame, a talented gambler. Usogui - the Lie Eater - is the name given to him.
He hopes to seize control over Kagerou and establish himself as the only ruler of the world by the use of his tremendous skills.
Because of its short length, the OVA does not have enough time to explore the complex universe of the manga.
Conclusion: If you wish to know more about Baku Madarame's experiences, you can start by watching this gambling anime and then continue with the novels written by Toshio Sako.
8. Saki
Saki, another mahjong-themed anime, takes the gambling industry far less seriously than the rest of its genre.
It's a story about Saki Miyanaga, a girl who lives in a Japanese big city. Mahjong brings up bad memories from her youth, therefore she avoids it at all costs.
Things take a dramatic change, however, when a buddy encourages her to become a member of the school's mahjong club.
Colourful Saki will appeal to people who are looking for a light-hearted, kawaii-filled experience.
9. Mudazumo Naki Kaikaku: The Legend of Koizumi
George W. Bush, Kim Jong-il, and Vladimir Putin walk into a bar...
This isn't the start of a joke; Mudazumo Naki Kaikaku: The Legend of Koizumi is a gambling anime where the world's most prominent leaders play mahjong - with one special rule: the loser must do anything the winner requests.
Prepare yourself for a slew of political jokes, outlandish comedy, and surprising story twists.
Just bear in mind that the anime is just a sliver of the original plot. To watch Hitler transform into the Legendary Super-Aryan, you'll need to buy the manga.
10. Imawa no Kuni no Alice (Alice in Borderland)
Imawa no Kuno no Alice is an anime that successfully blends gambling and role-playing video games.
Ryouhei Arisu, a high school student, yearns for more from his life.
His companions and he are suddenly transported into a fantasy realm known as Borderland by use of some kind of mystical enchantment. Here, their chances of survival are entirely dependent on chance.
The buddies are required to draw fortune slips with apparently insurmountable mathematical difficulties. If they provide the incorrect response, they will be surrounded by a sea of blazing arrows, which may kill them on the spot.
11. Death Parade
When it comes to gambling anime, Death Parade has the highest stakes on our list of the finest shows to watch.
Those that pass away find themselves in a bar with a bartender named Decim, who serves them. They are required to participate in a game whose outcome is determined by the outcome of a single spin of a roulette wheel.
People are told that if they lose, they will never be alive again, and if they win, they will be reborn.
But...is it the game or the person's moral decisions that matter?
12. No Game No Life
No Game No Life is an action-packed gambling anime where games are, literally, everything.
Step-siblings Sora and Shiro don't seem to fit in, yet they are two of the world's most talented video game players.
When the God of Games learns of their skills, he decides to transport them to his realm, Disboard, to use them. People in this country play games to solve all of their political problems.
Prepare for some high-stakes wagering and gambling tournaments if you decide to watch No Game No Life.
13. C: The Money of Soul and Possibility Control
Money is essential for our survival.
C: The Money of Soul and Possibility Control explores one of the darkest sides of gambling - and it does it in a terrific way.
This anime series about gambling takes place in a realm known as the Financial District. Here, desperate individuals gamble their way to prosperity.
The anime is about risking your future for a better present - with all the risks, mistakes, and tragedies this inevitably leads to.
14. Joker Game
While not concentrated on gambling, this anime features a lot of live poker games - to the point it is often referred to as the best poker anime in the world. This is a series about eight spies who have undergone rigorous training in order to become master manipulators. Joker Game is set around WWII, so it has plenty of reasons to be rough and grim.
