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The Best Episodes of Kaiji

Every episode of Kaiji ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Kaiji!

Binge this in 19h 56m•Peaking at 9.0/10

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

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Nippon TV
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Seasons2

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
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    Kaiji Season 2 Episode 8 - Nemesis
    9.0/10(177 votes)

    S2:E8

    Kaiji shows everyone that Ōtsuki is cheating by using his special dice. He then tricks the foreman into betting again while Kaiji and his group use their own "special dice", with a 1 on each side, and thus Ōtsuki is forced to pay 5 times the amount they bet, losing 2,535,000 perica in total. Just when Ōtsuki was about to give up for the night, Kaiji reminds him that he still has to deal one more time according to the rules. The Forty-fivers then bet all 3,042,000 perica against the dealer.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  2. Kaiji Season 1 Episode 21 - Heart and Soul
    8.8/10(205 votes)

    S1:E21

    Onto the final match of E-Card and Kaiji decides to go for another life or death gamble, as he has come up with a way to take advantage of this disadvantaged situation.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  3. Kaiji Season 1 Episode 9 - Resurrection
    8.7/10(248 votes)

    S1:E9

    Kaiji is in the other room waiting to be resurrected by his comrades, however Andou is having second thoughts and decides to betray Kaiji by selling his stars. It doesn't take much for his last hope, Furuhata to betray him as well.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  4. Kaiji Season 1 Episode 20 - Departed Souls
    8.7/10(185 votes)

    S1:E20

    Kaiji has figured out Tonegawa's method of cheating and decides to use this to his advantage by recklessly wagering the maximum remaining length available (18mm). But this isn't completely reckless, since he's thought of an idea to win the 2 remaining Slave rounds.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  5. Kaiji Season 1 Episode 14 - Dying Spirit
    8.5/10(203 votes)

    S1:E14

    At the Starside Hotel 8 people now remain on the 74m bridge-crossing of death. Faced with imminent death, they all want to give up but Yukio Tonegawa ignores their pleas of mercy and in a mere 3 minutes only Kaiji, Sahara and Ishida remain.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  6. Kaiji Season 1 Episode 26 - Afterglow
    8.5/10(178 votes)

    S1:E26

    The final scene of the night of lunacy begins. The name of the game is "Tissue Box Raffle" and Kaiji's plan, to win on the first draw seems to have run into a dead end.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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    The 20 WORST Episodes of Kaiji

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  7. Kaiji Season 1 Episode 19 - Limit
    8.4/10(162 votes)

    S1:E19

    Onto the 9th match, this is the most crucial point for Kaiji who only has 4 more matches and 4mm till destruction. His mind is full of so many conflicting thoughts and even without the confidence in his choice he somehow managed to win to ensure his safety. Yet something feels off about the whole turn of events and through his deductive skills Kaiji realizes that they are cheating.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  8. Kaiji Season 2 Episode 26 - A Future For Us...
    8.3/10(132 votes)

    S2:E26

    As Ichijō is removed by the men in black, Kaiji tells him to fight his way back to the surface for a rematch. Meanwhile, Kaiji's friends cash in the balls he won for a total of over ¥729 million. Kaiji, Sakazaki and Endō settle their debts and split the remainder for almost ¥190 million each, from which Kaiji must pay back his friends in the underground labor camp.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  9. Kaiji Season 2 Episode 7 - The Magic Dice
    8.2/10(123 votes)

    S2:E7

    When the foreman sees that the Forty-fivers have bet all their money, he suspects that Kaiji has discovered how he is cheating. A backstory is then shown of when Ōtsuki and his men started cheating after purchasing special dice without the 1, 2 or 3 dots. Back at the game, Ōtsuki is forced to play with normal dice, taking his chances, but then suspects that Kaiji does not know how he cheats, so on the final throw he uses his special dice. Suddenly, Kaiji grabs the dice before they stop rolling.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  10. Kaiji Season 2 Episode 25 - Tears of Resentment
    8.2/10(123 votes)

    S2:E25

    Even with the plates filled to the brim with silver balls, Ichijō's secret weapon, the Curtain of Wind, prevents Kaiji from winning and Kaiji has run out of money. As he is dragged away, Sakazaki appears swearing vengeance on the machine, and gives Kaiji another ¥10 million which he again 'borrowed' from the company safe. Kaiji starts playing again with renewed vigor. The bottom plate is now awash with balls, but none can pass the curtain of wind around the winning hole. The machine appears to groan, and with the plate overflowing with balls, some cascade down the winning hole. Horrified that Kaiji won, Hyōdō sentences Ichijō to 1,050 years underground.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  11. Kaiji Season 1 Episode 8 - Iron Hammer
    8.1/10(201 votes)

    S1:E8

    There are only 5 minutes left and only Funai is left, so Kaiji challenges him to a final match wagering 5 stars. Kaiji has the edge because he knows that either way he will be sent to the "other room" but Funai is reluctant to except this unfair wager. In the other room Kaiji pins all his hopes on being resurrected.

    Director:Yoshifumi Sueda
    Writer:Kazuyuki Fudeyasu

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  12. Kaiji Season 1 Episode 3 - Game
    8.0/10(213 votes)

    S1:E3

    Trapped in the depths of despair, Kaiji teams up with Furuhata and Andou but their group is already in a shambles, when Andou decides to backstab them. Kaiji doesn't let this affect him and he comes up with a plan to win, yet they first need some stars and someone to take the bait.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  13. Kaiji Season 1 Episode 7 - Proclamation
    8.0/10(185 votes)

    S1:E7

    The 4 hour game of "Restricted Rock Paper Scissors" is nearing its end and Kaiji's group is forced to join Funai's idea of reshuffling all the cards amongst the remaining participants. However soon afterwards they are stuck in their tracks with no one to play against. Kaiji was finally able to stop Funai from getting any more matches, after revealing his cheating plan and also comes up with a risky plan to survive.

    Director:Nanako Shimazaki
    Writer:Mitsutaka Hirota

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  14. Kaiji Season 1 Episode 11 - Revelry
    8.0/10(174 votes)

    S1:E11

    Kaiji accepts the invitation to the next party at the Starside Hotel and he recognizes a few familiar faces from the dreadful night on the Espoir. Kaiji is really determined this time not to fall for any tricks however the gambling event this time is "Human Derby" which the spectators are gambling on.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  15. Kaiji Season 1 Episode 13 - Monster
    8.0/10(176 votes)

    S1:E13

    10 people including Kaiji have volunteered for the Human Derby on the final bridge, 22 stories high, which spells instant death if they fall. After deciding which order they will go in, the pathway to salvation opens but it may not take much for the monster they've all kept hidden away within themselves to awaken.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  16. Kaiji Season 1 Episode 22 - Execution
    8.0/10(149 votes)

    S1:E22

    The final judgement has been met by Tonegawa, as he believes he has discerned Kaiji's plan of purposely splattering the cards with his blood but he was only being lead by Kaiji's true plan. Now all that's left is for certain formalities to be taken care of; for Kaiji to receive is money and for Tonegawa to sincerely apologize.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  17. Kaiji Season 2 Episode 9 - Applause, and Then...
    7.9/10(107 votes)

    S2:E9

    Kurosaki intervenes and tells Ōtsuki that he has no choice but to play, and in the end, he loses 18,252,000 perica which Kaiji splits equally between the Forty-fivers. Kaiji then asks Kurosaki to approve their requests for the one-day outside pass and he agrees. The Forty-fivers insist that Kaiji should keep the money and twenty one-day outside passes, leaving him with ¥800,000 (around US$7,800) to gamble for the team and pay off their debts. Now back in society above ground, Kaiji meets Sakazaki Kōtarō who is looking for a partner to win big in the illegal casinos. Kaiji accepts his offer, and is taken to an illegal casino where he sees a huge Pachinko machine called "The Bog". Each ball is worth 1,000 times more than normal and the jackpot is worth ¥550 million, more than enough to free Kaiji from debt.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  18. Kaiji Season 2 Episode 12 - Heaven's Fall, Man's Fall
    7.9/10(104 votes)

    S2:E12

    Sakazaki ignores Kaiji's warning and continues sinking money into the Bog, while the casino manager gives instructions to initiate the 'block' which controls the flippers, stopping the balls descending into the winning zone. Although Sakazaki is close to winning he collapses and the casino manager, Ichijō Seiya, introduces himself and reveals that they are using brass balls today which are not affected by magnetism. They leave with a little more than ¥6 million after losing over ¥43 million in two hours. The next day, Kaiji spends hours back at the casino, staring at the machine, then goes to the staff room to cash in one ball he found, insulting Ichijō but also gathering information about the casino's operations.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  19. Kaiji Season 1 Episode 2 - Open Fire
    7.8/10(223 votes)

    S1:E2

    The event that will decide the fate of Kaiji and the rest of the debtors, onboard the Espoir, is a game called "Restricted Rock Paper Scissors". Following the explanation, Kaiji is then approached by Funai (the other person who borrowed 10 million) and it turns out that he's a repeater. He wants to team up with Kaiji and Kaiji accepts, not knowing what he just gotten himself into.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  20. Kaiji Season 1 Episode 5 - Deadly Decision
    7.8/10(200 votes)

    S1:E5

    Both having thought of the buyout strategy, Kaiji challenges Kitami to a Rock Paper Scissors death match but Kitami doesn't accept. So they have a different kind of battle.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  21. Kaiji Season 1 Episode 18 - Trifled
    7.8/10(151 votes)

    S1:E18

    The game of E-Card that Kaiji put his hearing on the line continues into the 2nd Round and even though Kaiji has come up with a plan, it still doesn't stop him from losing the next match. Confident now that he has found a way to win, Kaiji bets 10mm for the next match but it may end up causing an upset for the rest of the game.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  22. Kaiji Season 2 Episode 6 - The Storm Arrives
    7.8/10(112 votes)

    S2:E6

    Kaiji and Ōtsuki prepare to face each other over cee-lo, each thinking they have an edge. For the first few matches, Kaiji does not bet over the old limit of 20,000 perica and everyone gets bored with Kaiji betting so little. On a challenge from Ōtsuki who must deal twice, Kaiji bets his entire 52,000 perica and signals the Forty-fivers who each bet 92,000 perica, for a total of 507,000 perica.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  23. Kaiji Season 2 Episode 15 - All-in Bluff
    7.8/10(105 votes)

    S2:E15

    Sakazaki enters the casino to challenge the Bog again, dressed as a Komusō monk. He plays the machine, quickly losing his stake of ¥6 million, then attacks and damages it. Ichijō is suspicious of his behavior and realizes that it is a distraction and rushes to his office to find Kaiji there. Ichijō has Sakazaki beaten up and Kaiji tortured, then they are thrown out into the street. Days later, the Bog is repaired and operational again. It is Kaiji's final day on the surface and he arrives at the casino to challenge the unbeatable Pachinko machine.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  24. Kaiji Season 2 Episode 16 - The Battle Begins
    7.8/10(105 votes)

    S2:E16

    On Kaiji's last day above ground, he challenges the Bog and Kurosaki warns Ichijō that Kaiji must have a plan, and Ichijō's reputation is on the line. Kaiji starts playing and more balls than expected drop between the pins and Ichijō is suspicious. It takes him some time to realize that Kaiji somehow entered the staff room and doctored the setting gauges for adjusting the pins so they were set wider apart. Panicking, Ichijō has the 'block' turned on, directing the balls away from the winning path.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  25. Kaiji Season 2 Episode 18 - Iron Gate
    7.8/10(105 votes)

    S2:E18

    Kaiji continues to play, with every ball deflected by the flippers until one ball makes it through to the plates below, the flipper rods bent because the replacement rods installed after Sakazaki smashed the machine were modified by Kaiji. Ichijō starts to panic and then receives a phone call from Hyōdō telling him to let the game continue and not bring the corporation into disrepute, under penalty of death. Ichijō now relies on his three rigged bottom plates to foil Kaiji's chances of winning.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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Best Episodes Summary

"Nemesis" is the best rated episode of "Kaiji". It scored 9/10 based on 177 votes. Directed by Unknown and written by Unknown, it aired on 5/25/2011. This episode scored 0.2 points higher than the second highest rated, "Heart and Soul".