issue 19// vol 45

Raising the stakes

>» 'Kakegurul’ anime review

Lauren Kelly
Graphics Manager

 

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f you want an anime that's unlike
anything else on the air, check out
Kakegurui. The title loosely translates
to “gambling maniac,’ and it's entirely

appropriate.

The anime takes place at a private
school with a social economy completely
based around gambling. Those who
perform well have power, and those who
fail and go bankrupt become “house pets,”
entering a form of servitude to the other
students. Above them all sits the student
council, made up of the best and most
manipulative gamblers.

We enter the school alongside
newcomer Yumeko Jabami, who initially
seems to serve as our everyman character.
Like a regular high school anime, Yumeko
meets new students, turns some rivals
into allies, and navigates the troublesome
student council. However, Yumeko quickly
reveals that she is addicted to the high she
gets from risking everything at gambling.
This leads her to challenge tougher and
tougher opponents, putting herself in risky
situations just to chase this feeling.

People who are fans of gambling will
find a lot to love here. While some of the
games they play are more typical—such as
poker, rock-paper-scissors, and memory—

there are always interesting twists on them.
For example, Yumeko's first showcase
gamble is a game where fellow students
draw images of rock, paper, or scissors

on pieces of paper and Yumeko and her
opponent, Mary, receive a random selection
of three choices to throw. With limited
options, the strategy changes completely.
The stakes are always incredibly high, and
cheating is rampant, adding extra tension
to the matches.

The show's art and love of dramatics
elevate this anime beyond any others I
have watched. Although I haven't watched
Hellsing, | have seen many comparisons
between it and Kakegurui in terms of their
art styles and dramatic protagonists.

Still, Kakegurui is an anime that
is difficult to recommend. It's full of
stunning, entertaining animation and
exciting plot twists, but some of the sexual
content might be off-putting to certain
viewers. One character in particular who
is featured in a few mid-season episodes,
Midari, takes a joy in self-destruction that
could be triggering for some. In addition,
the pleasure that some of the characters
experience in gambling is shown in the
same way arousal would be.

If you're fine with these kinds of
mature themes, then give Kakegurui a
chance. The show is a bullet train without
brakes. The first season is available now on
Netflix, and the second season began airing
in January.

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Do you really like
what you like?

> ‘Late Night in Kauai’ by Childish

Gambino analysis

Sonam Kaloti
Arts Editor

 

major part of the art community

worldwide is the distribution of art—
in terms of how it is produced, how it is
presented, and which artistic creation is
granted supremacy over another. Really, no
single person, nor even a group of people,
should be able to decide what deserves to
be popular. Yet sadly, this formula basically
runs most industries.

Donald Glover’s (Childish Gambino’s)
“Late Night in Kauai,’ released in 2014,
features Jaden Smith and Glover’s frequent
collaborator Fam. The song’s outro—which
is written and performed by Fam—is heavy
on its criticism of social norms.

Fam begins by saying that Jaden
Smith is “dropping jewels” but people don't
believe him because he’s Jaden Smith.
Smith has become something of a meme
due to his odd statements made on Twitter,
such as “How Can Mirrors Be Real If Our
Eyes Aren't Real.” Fam’s statement suggests
that people may just dismiss any deep truth
Smith may be saying due to this perceived
lack of seriousness. Fam proceeds to say,
“But it’s all about packaging, right?”

Packaging can refer to a variety of
things, one being how we may perceive
something from only the outside, which
inhibits us from truly understanding the
deeper messages on the inside. This would
certainly explain the previous line referring
to Smith.

However, production and packaging
are a much larger part of consumerism
than would be expected. For starters,
everything from album covers and book

jackets to live show visuals drastically
changes how much an individual will
spend on something like a novel ora
concert. Yet, as the saying goes, we can't
judge a book by its cover—because the
packaging may not be reflective of the
content within.

“We don't even know what we like
anymore. We just know what the most
hype is,” Fam continues later in the outro.
This is a scary concept that focuses greatly
on the effects of bandwagons, mob
mentality, popularity, and of course, fitting
in. The entire world seems to be in love
with Drake, but is it because people enjoy
the lyrical and musical content or because
their radio, television, and friends are all
playing (and loving) it?

The most thought-provoking line in
“Late Night in Kauai,” in my opinion, is
when Fam goes on to mention a joke made
by Dave Chapelle, who is an American
stand-up comedian. In one of Chapelle’s
shows, he compares Pepsi and Coca Cola
and starts by saying that he has made
advertisements for both. Chapelle then
says, “If you want to know the truth, can’t
even taste the difference. Surprise! All I
know is Pepsi paid me most recently, so it
tastes better.”

This line alludes to celebrity brand
endorsements and following celebrity
trends with sheep-like obedience, even
though that entire system is corrupt. We
might just like whatever it is that has the
most money.

The question Fam poses is always
important to think about: “Do you really
like that shit you like? Or you like the way
they gave it to you?”

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