Kaiji
On Nippon TV
A relentless psychological thriller about a desperate man trapped in escalating high-stakes gambling, where every game is a battle of wits against cheaters and the house itself.
Kaiji Itou is a good-for-nothing loiterer who spends his days drinking beer and stealing hubcaps—that is, until he ends up being tricked by his former co-worker. Unable to suddenly repay his friend's huge debt all by himself, Kaiji is offered a shady deal to participate in an illegal underground gamble on a cruise ship. This turns out to be nothing more than the beginning of his new life of hell—thrown headlong into a life-threatening roller coaster of mind games, cheating, and deceit.
Clusters
Where to watch
- StreamCrunchyroll, HIDIVE
- BuyAmazon Video
Questions people ask
Is Kaiji easy watching? No. Less comforting than 94% of series.
Is Kaiji sad? Yes. More sad than 84% of series.
Does Kaiji leave you hopeful? Barely. Less hopeful than 81% of series.
Is Kaiji scary? Yes. More frightening than 79% of series.
Is Kaiji violent? About average. Almost exactly mid-range.
These describe how the series comes across across its whole run, compared with other well-known series. They are not a content list — nothing here was counted or checked episode by episode, so for age-suitability or specific content use a classification board or a dedicated content-warning service.
Cinnamon Score
How much this series gives you that nothing else will, and whether it delivers.
Familiar shape, done well.
How unlike any other series this one feels
How much more it delivers than it promises
How much audiences actually like it
Ensemble
Everything like Kaiji, and what each one shares →
Like Kaiji
Nearest across the full emotional profile.
Same Mood as Kaiji
Nearest on what's most distinctive about this one.
Like Kaiji, But Darker
Similar, pushed toward heavier and more intense.
Like Kaiji, But Lighter
Similar, pushed toward warmer and easier.
Like Kaiji, But Less Popular
Same territory, far fewer people have seen it.
