Akagi (2005)
Akagi is a mah-jong-centric Japanese comic, written and illustrated by Nobuyuki Fukumoto and first published in 1992. It is featured in the weekly magazine Modern Mahjong, and is a prequel to the author's previous work Ten, in which Akagi's titular character also appears. Due to its popularity, the manga has been adopted into two live-action direct-to-video movies, a 26-episode anime series which aired in Japan in the fall of 2005, and a live-action TV drama series.
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Akagi
2005Seasons & Episode
In the Midori Mahjong parlor, Nangou is trying to cancel his major debts by playing some Mahjong but this may be his unlucky day as he is losing badly. Just when the situation gets dire an unknown boy walks in on their game and with a simple word of advice and Nangou is able to survive. This may be the beginning of the legendary Shigeru Akagi who will shake the underworld.
On a stormy night, after winning his first hand of Mahjong, Akagi continues playing against Ryuzaki and his gang members, as he slowly awakens to his latent talents. Akagi quickly turns the tide in his favor and takes the lead, so Ryuzaki calls in his last resort, Rep player Yagi.
The silent battle between Akagi and Yagi ensues and nothing else matters except whose judgement in their own actions wavers first. Yagi knows that he cannot beat Akagi fair so he uses a form of cheating called the "caterpillar" in order to utilize the genius Akagi's weakness. As soon as Akagi learns this fatal mistake he decides to counter by taking them for all they've got.
It hasn't been long since Akagi's legendary victory in his first game of Mahjong and Yasuoka has already set up a match for him, in 3 days from now but Akagi wants more from him. He is called in by the gang he's supposed to play against and they want to make a deal but whilst there Akagi meets a mysterious blind man who will later be his opponent.
It is the date for the rematch between Akagi and the Kawada group and now with the stakes so high, they decide to go with the blind Mahjong master Ichikawa as Akagi's opponent. The only problem is that Akagi hasn't arrived, so Nangou is forced to take his place. Akagi makes it just in time but he has a lot of points to cover if he's going to win this. Let the Tse Ii Men begin!
The match has turned into a one-on-one "Tse Ii Men" between Akagi and Ichikawa and due to Ichikawa's effective strategy; Akagi is beginning to feel the pressure. However just when Akagi is at near with only 5,000 points, he's surprisingly able to make a comeback. Nonetheless with Ichikawa playing defensively there seems to be no end to this game, so Akagi decides to win even through more dirty methods.
Following the dirty stunt Akagi pulled, the game of Mahjong has turned into a sudden death with players left with only 10% of the points. With Ichikawa now using any means to achieve victory, Akagi must now turn the match in his favour but whose side will luck be on tonight?
At the Kawada group's headquarters, the fake Akagi (Yukio Hirayama) and the genuine Akagi face off to demonstrate their skills. Akagi insults the impersonator, because of his reliance on his mathematical skills and excellent memory, and shows him just how frightful his talents are. Following this he then returns to his workplace to find his senpais swindling Osamu in a game of Mahjong.
After winning the life savings of Kawashima and co. Akagi is in a spot of trouble as they want revenge. Soon after that Akagi is called in to have a match with his impersonator but right after witnessing the match with the Fujisawa group Rep player Urabe. However there may not be a follow-up match.
The Mahjong match between Urabe and the fake Akagi has been dragged on for long and the wager is now at 32 million. The boss of the Kawada group now realizes that the fake Akagi is missing something fundamental for a gambler and wants the real Akagi to play for him. However Akagi will only play under one condition and that is if Osamu plays first.
The Mahjong match between Urabe and Akagi continues and Akagi is planning to finish this with a big hand. Luck also seems be on Akagi's side, as coincidence after coincidence keeps on occurring.
Akagi leaves the table on a single wait, after anticipating his win and everyone, especially Urabe, is astonished by his bold statement. To everyone's surprise Urabe did deal into Akagi's hand and he won by "Hai Tei (Dora 4)", but the Kawada boss calls him back later to find out how Akagi knew he would win.
The gruesome Mahjong game between Iwao Washizu and Akagi is about to begin and with all the house rules put in place this could easily become a death match. However Akagi is not satisfied with the 20 million wager and request that Iwao increases it, tenfold. But it will take a lot to convince Iwao.
The game of Washizu Mahjong has begun, where Akagi wagers 2,000cc of his own blood and Iwao Washizu wagers of his entire 500 million fortune. Akagi starts of by playing defensively to gain points but he soon learns that this tactic won't work in Washizu Mahjong. The harsh reality of this game, surfaces.
The Washizu Mahjong death match between between Akagi and Iwao continues and Akagi managed to gain some ground with his "Tan Yao Dora 1". But Akagi is still in danger unless he outranks Iawao, by the Han Chan session. He must find a way to outwit Iwao before his luck runs out.
After patiently waiting for an opportunity to arise, Iwao lets down his guard giving Akagi a chance to strike by calling a Tong, Chun, 1 Man and is looks to be in Ten Pai but will this bluff pass? Onto the 2nd sessions and Akagi goes into it without transfusing the 600cc of blood back into his body. What could he possibly be thinking?
Well into the 2nd session Akagi causes a massive upset to Iwao and has a chance to transfuse his lost blood but yet again he refuses, just to focus on taking Iwao's money. Nonetheless Akagi picks up the momentum and begins to dominate this session but when it comes to the final round, there's a single tile that proves to be a major obstacle.
The 2nd session is over with Akagi's victory by baiting Iwao into dealing his winning tile allowing Akagi to "head bump". Akagi then explains the long process to Yasuoka and Ohgi, of how he managed to win in such a disadvantaged situation. Due the prior conditions, Iwao has a chance to back out of the match but will he take it?
The 3rd session has begun after Iwao Washizu chose to continue; Akagi has lost 1,000cc of blood and Iwao has lost 118.5 million of his fortune. Luck seems to be on Akagi's side, as he constantly gets favourable hands but this may not last long because Iwao seems to have natural born luck.
Well into the 3rd session of Washizu Mahjong, Akagi seems to be near certain death yet again with Iwao Washizu being one draw away from a Tsumo "Hane Man" win. But Akagi's calmness in the face of death proves nerve-whacking to him and even with his hand evolving to a potential "Bai Man", Akagi doesn't even flinch.
Washizu Mahjong continues well into its 3rd session and Iwao Washizu is overflowing with such luck that allowed him to achieve the unbelievable Dora 12, to win by a dealer "Yaku Man" if only he draws the "1 Pin". It's as if he is possessed by something truly evil, yet Akagi still doesn't flinch in the face of death and gets a chance to make his comeback.
Akagi's game of Washizu Mahong continues and having read the very thought process of Iwao Washizu, Akagi is able to capitalize on that by winning the next two sessions. Having lost a total of 1,400cc but gained a total of 313.5 million of Iwao's fortune, Akagi makes a compromise to continue this legendary match where the two wager their death and ruin.
Akagi is a mah-jong-centric Japanese comic, written and illustrated by Nobuyuki Fukumoto and first published in 1992. It is featured in the weekly magazine Modern Mahjong, and is a prequel to the author's previous work Ten, in which Akagi's titular character also appears. Due to its popularity, the manga has been adopted into two live-action direct-to-video movies, a 26-episode anime series which aired in Japan in the fall of 2005, and a live-action TV drama series.
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