zachariah.toy - 2015-07-28 03:45:14

When I first got into this series I was a little dumbfounded about how little sense Mahjong made to me. But by the end none of that matter in the slightest. This show is non-stop action and brilliant use of inner monologues between the side characters to mask Akagi's true thoughts, leaving you with a mysterious impression of a young man unbelievable to normal people like you and I. It's not about whether or not Akagi will win. Of course he's going to win, it's no spoiler when the narrator declares it on the first episode. It's about how he wins and the extreme measures he takes to manipulate his own unique brand of luck. The animation is pretty old and looks a bit jarring at first but Akagi thrives off this strange, masculine artstyle. The music is fitting and gives a heavy, impending atmosphere at every twist and turn. Character development is a little lack luster but if Akagi wasn't mysterious, he wouldn't be Akagi. Recommend for sure if you can handle not understanding the majority of what's going on and especially if you understand Mahjong.

lheaney - 2014-02-26 06:26:21

As someone who was never into mahjong, I was skeptical about this anime. It only took a few episodes to change that. Regardless if you are new to the game or understand mahjong to a mastery, the series can grip attention and intesify the moments of what may seem a rather ordinary game

STORY
The story takes place in a post World War 2 Japan, and focuses on a boy named Akagi, who one night randomly strolls into a yakuza mahjong game and plays...only to have a play style and genius that no one anticipated. This cunning and skill is what drives the series and puts our protaganist in various games with various circumstances.
The plot is not super thick, at all, as most of the series is not driven by story but rather a sort of "intensity of the moment" kind of deal. The elements of story exist as Akagi gets older and gets into new matches, but its nothing hard to follow. Its atmosphere created by the small amount of story as well as those who are built into it are what really make this show.

ANIMATION

The animation in this series is rather simple, but it does the job. Most notable about the animation is the art style itself. Its very odd and makes alot of people look crooked and creepy, which only adds to the gripping atmosphere of underground gambling.

SOUND
The soundtrack of this series is a bit underwhelming. Theres nothing terribly memorable and often times the music, rather than being brooding or suspenseful, is rather calm. It works in some areas due to Akagis rather cool and relaxed personality, but other times it can be dissapointing. The voices also match their characters well enough.

CHARACTER
Now this is where the series really stands out. The characters are what drive this show and the intensity of the matches that take place. Akagi is a genius, relaxed guy who seems to have zero fear of death and the drive to push others over the edge. And this is all accomplished in a simple board game. His character is the one that stands out the most.
Whats also neat is the other characters keep the mahjong games from beign boring by having their own attitude as well as their own playstyle. This is one thing I was shocked by and kept me so invested in parts of the series. Each match stood out.

ENJOYMENT
Here is where I will mention what really sells Akagi. Its a simple game but the atmosphere, the grit, and the interesting characters set up for a very interesting thrill ride on the mahjong table. The gambles themselves feel like so much is at stake, particularly in the last game that is played in the series. The sense of what will happen can be very unpredictable even if you just assume Akagi always wins.
Now this show is not perfect and its important to mention where this show falls short. The second half of this series really cripples the series overall with its pace and the fact that it drags on for so long. And as I mentioned the atmosphere is intense at times but with better music it could have been superb. Also it should be mentioned that this is not a show with action so if that is your cup of tea and board games are not, I advise staying away from this series. It can also be hard for people hwo do not understand the game of mahjong.

OVERALL
Akagi is a gritty, gambling filled trip experienced through mahjong that falls short in some areas but delivers a series that is unlike most. There is no glorious protaganist, just a game and a lot at stake.

bhermann - 2013-10-28 14:14:24

_{you could say that there are countless anime characters that represent the ideal personality of a true man who"beats"all others and fears no enemy( examples of that description : kenshiro from hokuto no ken , takamura from hajime no ippo, guts from berserk ,zoro from one piece,lelouch from code geass,kira from death note and so on).By looking this list of chars u will notice that even thought they have different powers they belong in different anime universes and have different goals and beliefs all of them are fearsome men with unwield personalities and you could say that they are the role models for a char that tries too be cool ,powerful ,original , cunning , smart and the most important the one who stands above all others.Well i had same thought until i watched AKAGI after that everything changed and i ll continue explaining how and why akagi molded my beliefs.}

Akagi is a hardcore gambler who survived a chicken game(a gamble where 2 people run with a car towards a cliff and the one who brakes first loses) and immediately after that he went to a parlor where yakuza(mafia) guys played japanese riichi mahjong(a traditional japanese gambling game that requires calqulation and psycological reading skills and a fair ammount of luck) while he was 13 YEARS OLD. At the same time a character named nangou was playing mahjong with the yakuza in order to erase his bets but he wasnt doing quite well to be honest he was 1 step away of getting destructed, akagi instantly realized the situation and gave him an advice which could easily kill him instantly but for his own fortune nangou survived a bit longer due to akagis advice, Nangou show the hidden talent in akagi and asked to play on his behalf , after 5 minutes by explaining to akagi the rules of mahjong akagi took his place and with his ingenious way of playing saved nangou after that akagi challenged greater opponents while in the same time he risked his own life in every game.

As a player akagi wasnt satisfied with the ammount of winning ,what he really wanted was a genuine battle where he and his opponent where risking their lives he believed that the real essence of gambling is a meaningless death and he wanted to get closer to that essence.

Always being the least favorite to win under hellish circumastances akagis personality based on confidence and carelessness about his own life lead him to victory ,in my opinion akagi is an example of a true man he is the meaning of the word fearlessness and what he desires is not mainstream things such as being the worlds strongest ,the savior of humanity or the ruler of the world behind the scenes. What he really wanted was a lifestyle of life threatening events that were in favor of his opponents, thats what made akagi a true gambler with no sense of fear.

well thats all i wanted to write about akagi i hope u watch and enjoy the series see ya later biatches!!!!