This was one crazy ride. It’s just how it can grab you and make you always keep the pages turning and wanting more. I like this one quite a lot even though it was confusing at times. MILD SPOILERS AHEAD.
Kaji Takaomi, a down-on-his-luck debtor runs into Madarame Baku, a man who shows him how to make money through gambling however Baku is different when he gambles, he is calculated, ready to take risks and he never loses his bets. Kaji however soon discovers that Baku is well known in the gambling underworld as Usogui, the Lie Eater. He also comes to know about Club Kakerou, an organization that solely oversees gambles and makes sure that the loser pays up their ante no matter who they are. Kaji is pulled into this twisted world of gambling by Baku who makes moves that no one understands until he has already won.
Madarame Baku is a kind of main character that is difficult to write because this story is about gambling, there is no one ‘good’ here in the first place however the author still manages to make Baku into a character that you will be rooting for despite knowing that he is a thrill addicted, calculating, sadistic gambler who at his core is simply playing for the thrill and nothing more. To come to love such a character is truly a feat from the author however I also believe that the props have to be given for writing Kaji who starts off from a foolish person who idolizes Baku to a man who grows to gain a sense of self worth and becomes a useful ally to Baku, his growth come to be some of the best moments of the series. I also loved the development of a very specific character who everyone will come to know once they get into the story, the Prince Bee. There are also other characters who establish themselves well through their gambling or fights, these characters are also important because when the truly spectacular gambles are taking place, their thoughts mirror the reader’s and they can be the reader’s window into the world of Usogui while also maintaining their individual identities and taking actions that correspond to their personalities.
The early art of the manga is bad I’ll accept that however, it’s the story that uplifts Usogui, the intense gambles that take place with simple games like poker or highly complex ones. This mixture makes every gamble unique because special rules give loopholes for both gamblers to use and prepare hard-hitting surprises for the readers. Apart from the gamblers, another party is highly active in the world of Usogui and that is the referees of Kakekrou who oversee matches, these referees are not gamblers themselves however you will see every referee make a special place in your mind and that is because they provide the bulk of the fighting action that takes place and it lets them shine brightly in a story that primarily focuses on gambling and the mind games that come with it. There’s also the fact that the expert paneling of the story brings forward the foreshadowings and the interconnectedness that span the entire more than 500 chapters of Usogui and they are all incredible when you spot them.
The futility of gambling is something that can be drawn from the series because, towards the end of the series, even Baku accepts that no one can keep on winning forever, while there are positive themes of impacting people’s lives with one’s actions, friendships, and bonds, at the very core one can see how rotten and frankly destructive gambling truly is.
With 539 chapters released, complied in a nice 43 volumes, Usogui is a must-read for fans of the mystery genre who really like mind games, characters outsmarting each other, and some nice action. Usogui is confusing for some readers and it takes patience however it has an epic finale that is a huge payoff to the entire more than 500-chapter journey that brings all things to a conclusion and even sets us up for a nice little sequel if that day ever comes but it is not perfect so I’ll rate it a 9/10.
So that is it for this post guys hope you got some value from this. Thank you guys for reading to the end hit me up on Instagram and Twitter with your thoughts and if you have any ideas on what I should write about. Stay safe. Thank you again and I’ll see you all next week.
Harshit's reviews 