I'm not a gambling man. I've never done it and I have no plans on doing it anytime soon. What I am interested in, however, is watching other people do it. Also, the game mechanics are really interesting. While not the most popular subject for a sports anime, the Chinese game of mahjong has been the subject of at least three anime, notably its Japanese variant, otherwise known as "Riichi Mahjong."
I've seen four anime about Mahjong so far and they are quite interesting to watch, even if you don't know the rules. I only have a passing familiarity with the rules, and I have only the slightest inkling on how to score. Once you build your knowledge of your game, I find that rewatching the series brings about its own rewards.
Without further ado, my rundown of Mahjong Anime.
I've seen four anime about Mahjong so far and they are quite interesting to watch, even if you don't know the rules. I only have a passing familiarity with the rules, and I have only the slightest inkling on how to score. Once you build your knowledge of your game, I find that rewatching the series brings about its own rewards.
Without further ado, my rundown of Mahjong Anime.
Gambling Legend Tetsuya
Luck: 3
Skill: 4
Strategy: 2
Cheating: Over 9000
More like Cheating Legend Tetsuya. Set in post-war Japan, Tetsuya is a hustler who is skilled at mahjong. One day, he gets swindled by this creepy old guy who cheats like a bastard. He later befriends the guy and learns the skills to be the top in Japan.
While not really as luck or skill (at least, non cheating) oriented as the rest of the anime on this list, Gambling Legend Tetsuya is a fun watch. The character designs and animation are really cheap and reeks of the early 2000s, when this anime was produced. It's a short series at 20 episodes. If you're interested in lots of cheating methods in mahjong, this series is for you. Plus points also goes to the fact that the guy who voices Itachi from Naruto voices the main character.
Saki and Saki: Achiga-hen
Luck: 5
Skill: 4
Strategy: 3
Adorableness: Over 9000
Take a cute girl anime, make it about mahjong, give the girls super special powers, and insert lots of yuri subtext, and you have Saki. The girls in Saki are all skilled high school mahjong players who usually have a cool power related to some aspect of mahjong. For example, the titular character, Saki, ends her hands by Rinshan Kaihou, completing a mahjong hand after drawing a tile after a kan. (It makes sense if you know the rules, but again, just imagine that it's hard to do something like that consistently in a normal game).
Dragonball Z-ish battle auras abound and lots of supernatural elements are present in this anime, and not a lot is devoted to strategy. Saki devotes itself more towards the luck aspect of mahjong, and no one ever cheats (are those supernatural powers cheating? I don't know). Saki consists of one 25 episode season, with a new season in production. A side story, entitled Saki: Achiga-hen, explores the plot of Saki from the perspective of another competing school.
Akagi
Luck: 4
Luck: 4
Skill: 5
Strategy: 5
Badass: Over 9000
Akagi is my favorite of the mahjong anime featured so far. Also set in post war Japan, Akagi Shigeru is a legendary figure in mahjong, who completely destroys his opponents by using a mixture of luck, brazen determination and ridiculously complicated psychological tactics. Akagi's mahjong is flow based and is dependent on the enemy's psyche and state of mind, and it's compelling television.
The character designs are ridiculous, but with Fukumoto's works it serves as an acquired taste. I guess one of Akagi's flaws is that the man is invincible, that he can't be beat. But for some reason, I find myself rewatching this anime series often. Also, the series doesn't give a conclusive ending; even after 26 episodes, the match Akagi was in does not end with that episode and continues in the manga for almost ten years (!)
Strategy: 5
Badass: Over 9000
Akagi is my favorite of the mahjong anime featured so far. Also set in post war Japan, Akagi Shigeru is a legendary figure in mahjong, who completely destroys his opponents by using a mixture of luck, brazen determination and ridiculously complicated psychological tactics. Akagi's mahjong is flow based and is dependent on the enemy's psyche and state of mind, and it's compelling television.
The character designs are ridiculous, but with Fukumoto's works it serves as an acquired taste. I guess one of Akagi's flaws is that the man is invincible, that he can't be beat. But for some reason, I find myself rewatching this anime series often. Also, the series doesn't give a conclusive ending; even after 26 episodes, the match Akagi was in does not end with that episode and continues in the manga for almost ten years (!)
The Legend of Koizumi
Luck: Pineapple
Skill: Carburator
Strategy: Seattle
Ridiculousness: (@_$)
World leaders (ACTUAL WORLD LEADERS), Hitler and Chairman Mao play insane Mahjong. Also, badass mahjong Pope:
Luck: Pineapple
Skill: Carburator
Strategy: Seattle
Ridiculousness: (@_$)
World leaders (ACTUAL WORLD LEADERS), Hitler and Chairman Mao play insane Mahjong. Also, badass mahjong Pope:
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| for God so loved the world, he gave us the pope... to kick ass |
There really isn't anything more I can say.
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