「×を背負う女」 (Batsu o seou Onna)
“The Woman Who Bears the X”

With the Tower arc now over and only one episode remaining for Kakegurui (cry), you know what that means: crazy time. Well crazy gambling time, but that’s just a double positive confirming the blatantly obvious. Whenever a new game starts you know it’s going from zero to ridiculous faster than Midari regretting her life choices, and Kakegurui’s final act won’t be disappointing on that front. Gambling and auctioneering: what could possibly go wrong?

As the previous arc showed a lot of Kakegurui’s games are veiled in sly juxtapositions of gambling mindsets, and the latest game (well, technically bidding) follows the same format. Want to know how to overcome seemingly impossible odds? Learn the rules and exploit them. We have seen plenty of shrewd identification—i.e. reading the fine print—in previous games (look no further than the fun with taxes), but this one arguably encapsulates the principle best, with the rules (or lack of certain ones) in this auction both showing both who’s involved and how to walk away with victory. As little Runa’s committee never fails to mention, if the game doesn’t mention something it’s effectively free to use—all it takes is someone to identify it and understand how to apply it. Meari for example technically had the right strategy, but failed to consider like Yumeko the potential for other unforeseen changeups. In games where literally one move can mean the difference between success and defeat, such induction is critical to keep on carrying on.

The real fun though isn’t so much in the mechanics as the characters making use of them, and oh boy were we not let down on this front. Midari of course wins hands down just because she’s Midari and vainly sucking up to a thoroughly annoyed Yumeko will never get old, but Meari gets kudos too for showing up with the vice president in tow and actually sitting with the poor girl. Were the seats deliberately set up like this beforehand? No idea, but I know the arrangement makes it all the more hilarious. I do know it makes me really feel for Suzui having to sit in the midst of all this mentally deranged chaos though, because while he may have the strength to persevere, at some point the environment is going to eat him—and his hard-won earnings—alive. May not be this game, may not be the next, but it’s coming I guarantee it.

After all if the Momobami have been keeping this level of crazy in reserve, just imagine what our main presidential rival Terano has waiting in store. Best tighten those seatbelts boys and girls, this ride is about to go out with a bang.

 

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2 Comments

  1. I love this show. You never know how the crazy is going to come out, just that it is going to. I am going to miss it.

    At the beginning of the first season I wondered if Suzui was actually some kind of secret boss instead of just a view point character since he seems so out of place. From his actions early in the show it seems like his parents are not wealthy enough to buy him into the school so he almost has to be there on some form of scholarship and yet we never see any sign of the talent that got him into the most prestigious school in the world. I mean we learn more about throw away one shot characters then we know about one of the main cast. We even know more about Yumeko “girl of mystery” herself then we know about Suzui. Maybe he is just supposed to be Yumeko’s Dr. Watson but if so you would think we would get some kind of backstory for him.

    Magewolf

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