Kakegurui

At one end of the critical spectrum I bet we have the anime faithful who feel betrayed in whatever capacity, and at the other I'll wager we have friends and families of the live action adaptation. I'm putting my money on Yumeko, since Ms. Martineau is clearly having a field day playing an unhinged gambler with a hidden feudal Japanese clan agenda. The rest of the cast is acting like they have an actual stake in this game, and the overall vibe is I daresay, delightfully mischievous, with a sprinkle of Sex Education (minus the good vibes). Plus, how can you go wrong with the message that the world is controlled by soulless cheats who run it like a roulette table with a hidden switch. Of course our true overlords are the tech idiot savants who are ruining the planet, but their avatars on this remake of Kakegurui will do.

I skimmed the anime before years back so I do know the overall vibe of it but I know nothing about the plot so I can't tell if this is a good adaptation... however it does say "based on" so doubt it's going to be that similar. There's also a Japanese version that follows anyway?... now for this show. It's okay?

It's toned down but it retains some of the anime vibes to it especially with how some are dressed and the acting can get campy which might turn some people off. All I can say is that Miku Martineau as Yumeko is PERFECT. She delivered the crazy camp albeit toned down so well I never once felt weirded out too bad the rest of the cast didn't level up to her. They're just there. There's a lack of intensity with the way the characters play off each other.

The plot is alright. The thrill isn't so thrilling for me since the games end so quick and they took out the overly crazy way the characters act in the anime so it doesn't hit the same. They feel like normal gambling students with bad fashion sense. The school doesn't feel "elite" more like a school for delinquents.

What I totally love about this is the way it's edited. It's flowy yet choppy and just really giving anime edit. The music isn't so bad either. Overall it's fine. Nothing I'd rave about nor something I hate. I'll watch a season 2 if they ever get renewed but I'm not on my knees for it.

I'm by no means the target audience for this series; I don't like manga particularly and I'm 40 years old. I was simply bored and looking for a fun watch. And mostly, this was a fun watch. I liked how Yumeko was portrayed and I think she, and all the other characters, could have been way more over the top.

I didn't care much about the plot to be fair. And the sentimental bits I could have done without.

Sometimes it's just nice to watch something that requires zero thought. Plenty of serious stuff around to watch if I'm in the mood for it.

I went in expecting nothing. I left it having had some good laughs and sorta wondering what a second season could bring. Won't hold my breath for it but I'd watch it if I had a couple days off work.

By the way, just look at the writers' names to know it's Americanized. Not necessarily a bad thing. Ymmv.

I wasn't familiar with the source material but I am a casual watcher of anime. That being said, I understand that the acting style, characters, storytelling, cinematography, etc. Are all influenced by anime. I kept that in mind as I watched it and was happily entertained. I was glad to see that it wasn't overtly sexual but still playful, with hints of spiciness. I don't know where the story is going, but I'm glad there was no obvious supernatural or superpower aspect because the show doesn't need that. I think it's just the right amount of being over the top in terms of believability. Some characters are quite likeable, especially the main character Yumeko, played by Miku Martineau. I first noticed her in the movie, Kate, and I felt it was only a matter of time until we'd see her in other projects. I was actually pulling for her to be in the new Karate Kid movie, but I think this show fits her better. I hope Bet gets a second season because while the first season was good, I'd really like to see them take it to another level.

It isn't actually that bad if you stop comparing it to the anime. The plot is good and the charcters are designed to portray their personalities that follow the plot. The aesthetics of the series were also not so bad. I liked that they made the student council stand out with the black suits as well.

We can all agree to disagree that this series would have been better on its own though. But lets remember that it is BASED on Kagegurui, it is not meant to be accurate.

Miku did a great job portraying Yumeko and the rest of the actors did their best. A reminder to be kind to the actors as it is not their fault for being casted.