A Different, Yet Familiar Taste of Kekgurui
- episode : 6
- Style : drama, mystery, psychological, shonen
- broadcast date : August 2022
- Producers : Mappa
When the Kakegurui manga first hit shelves in 2014, it was an instant hit. After all, it manages to bring something unique and fresh to the story of what’s basically a death game. You could even say that Homura Kawamoto-sensei brought this dusty, niche style to a modern audience. Fan response to its anime adaptation was also overwhelmingly positive.
That’s why in 2015, Kawamoto-sensei created a spin-off series featuring one of the characters from the original series and called it Kakegurui Twin. And now, MAPPA Studios and Netflix have finally released the anime adaptation of this spin-off series. So is it as good as the original? Does it bring anything new to the table? Let’s find out through this review of the Kakegurui Twin anime mini-series.
discussion time
Kakegurui Twin is the story of Mary Saotome’s first year as a student at an elite high school called Hayakau Private Academy. She doesn’t come from a wealthy family, so she has to work really hard to be able to transfer to this high class school, hoping she can build a better future there.
Unfortunately, she quickly learns the true gambling nature of the school. He tasted a humiliating and devastating defeat by one of his classmates on the first day. Since then, he has promised himself never to lose again. In fact, his ambition to sit at the top of the school has now intensified even further. So begins Mary’s hellish journey as she makes her way through this brutal gambling den.
Why you should watch Kakegurui Twin
1. A Different Taste of Kekgurui
Since Kakegurui and Kakegurui Twin were both created by the same author and produced by the same studio, you can find a lot of similarities between the original and this spin-off. After all, the basic premise of the story is still the same.
The biggest difference will be the main character. But that’s all it took to turn the story into a completely different Kekagurui. Eventually, instead of the quiet but carefree Yumeko Jabami, we get the ambitious yet easily troubled Mary Saitome.
Both series may be centered around high-stakes gambling through a variety of games, but the way Mary approaches those games is completely different from Yumeko. After all, one only plays the game to enjoy, while others play to win. This dynamic gives the Kakegurui Twin a different flavor than the original Kakegurui. Both series are still delicious chocolate, but one is fizzy milk chocolate with almonds, while the other is straight dark chocolate.
2. A Highly Stylistic View
This is one of the distinguishing features not only of Kakegurui Twin but also of the original Kakegurui. The original manga is already beautifully illustrated by Kawamoto-sensei, but MAPPA Studio manages to add another layer of flavor to not only make the animation look beautiful, but also have its own unique style.
The biggest artistic choice that comes up immediately after you watch the first episode are the lighting and color choices. Kakegurui Twin has incredibly bright lighting and bright colors in almost every scene, with the most common colors being red and yellow.
This creates a unique view that makes it seem as though most of the view takes place during sunset. And you won’t find any muted, pastel or soft colors here. Everything looks sharp and saturated. This will force you to pay close attention to everything that is happening in the scene.
Why should you leave Kakegurui Twin?
1. Fast and Complex
Similar to the previous point, this is not limited to Kakegurui Twin only, but to the original Kakegurui and even most of the Death game genres for that matter. The point is a torrent of different games with complex rules unfolding to you at the speed of light.
If this were a manga, you would need to read a thick wall of texts for each game the characters played. Some may be simple enough, but here are some reasonably complex games that may require you to rewind the episode a couple of times to understand the rules. If that doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, then this series isn’t for you.
Kakegurui Twin manages to offer a distinct flavor of Kakegurui, while still introducing so many familiar concepts that make viewers fall in love with the original series in the first place. The games are exciting, the characters are interesting, and the visuals are mind-blowing. And since it is a spin-off and prequel, you can watch this series without watching the original first. So this could be the perfect getaway for those of you who have never seen Kakegurui before. So be sure to check it out.
Have you seen Kakegurui Twin? If you have, what do you think about it? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
