Kaiji

Fast & Furious 4

There is nothing new in this genre, just pack in fast cars, good-looking girls, fight scene and crashes, couple with a plot that explains why certain things take place and you earn back enough to create another serial. There is nothing fantastic here, yet I don't know how to describe it.

Ok, I just got back from cell, actually feeling groggy. Guess I should sleep for an hour more tomorrow, a balance of work, gym and social activities is important, yet I'm still trying to figure out what's the right mix.

Alright, I'm not here to sacrifice sleep and blog about Fast & Furious, in fact, it is for another movie that is not out in Singapore just yet. There is this huge advertising board at the City Hall MRT station, and in place of The 20th Century Boys III, there was the poster for Kaiji - The Ultimate Gambler.

The movie came out in Japan in October 2009, I was in Japan then and had wanted to catch it. I am a huge fan of the comic book series of this psychological thriller whereby Kaiji - a 26-yo bum, was caught up with debt when he unwittingly became the guarantor of a loan taken by his friend. To repay the loan, he had to take part in an unusual gambling ship 'Espoir' (1st Series) where fellow debtors pit their 'skills' against one another to clear their debt, the losers will be thrown underground where forced labour is conducted till they can clear their debt. 

The illustration in the comic is horrible but the message behind it is strong, yet dark. Every series is contained within the pre-determined 13 books and at no one can predict whether it is a happy or sad ending. The comic portrays the various aspects in the human life, and in relationships: Trust, Promise, Unity, Greed, Betrayal, Skeptism, etc and as Kaiji participates in each round of unimaginable game, he grows, and there are plenty of theories (unfounded or otherwise) that one is unable to deny its truth in this godless society.

It has left a huge footprint in me and I'm glad I get to catch in soon in March (though I have already read the story). Kaiji is the voice of many in this world - A desperate desire to do a wholesale change in their lives - such resonance that I can imagine as real, a real force in the society, when one doesn't have hope in the Eternal One.