Anime is a unique style of Japanese animation that has gained increasing popularity worldwide in the last couple of decades. Anime movies and shows also often explore elements not usually tackled in Western animation. One such recurring theme is gambling and the culture surrounding it. But why does this subject pop up time after time in anime? A few factors contribute to the prevalence of gambling themes in Japanese animation. Let’s take a look at some of them below.
Historical Precedence
Gambling in Japan ranges from a variety of games, including cards called hanafuda, which date back to the 16th century. One popular form of Japanese gambling is pachinko, or mechanical arcade games, which originated in Japan in the early 1900s.
Japan also popularized mahjong in the early 20th century, having imported it from China. Moreover, horse racing had already been developed in Japan by the 19000s. As a result, these more traditional games created a gambling culture within the country.
When anime finally arrived in the 1960s, it built upon this cultural familiarity with gambling. The writers and artists grew up with gambling as a notable part of the social world around them, so it wove naturally into their stories. The history of gambling in Japan does much to explain why it recurs as such a feature in anime to this day.
Gambling as a Story Plot
Setting aside cultural tradition, gambling also serves an important narrative function in anime. The element of high stakes inherent in gambling and a land-based or online casino setting makes it a very good plot where placing bets raises tension and the stakes.
For example, popular anime series such as “Yu-Gi-Oh!” feature card battles that involve strategic gambling. This upping of the ante makes the card games filled with drama and excitement. Upping the ante brings the competition to another level.
Additionally, gambling competitions in anime films, such as “The Castle of Cagliostro,” infuse the story with tension and uncertainty. In this regard, gambling has built-in drama, which is useful in creating compelling anime plots.
Character Development
Not only does gambling provide a scintillating plot, but it also builds character development in anime. How a character deals with a situation that can be considered risky or under much pressure tells quite a lot about their personality. Do they relish the thrill? Or do they go paralyzed by fear and indecision? Characters must make hard choices when gambling, showing parts of their true nature.
Similarly, anime discusses the morality involved in gambling. Characters may need to consider greed versus righteousness. They may be willing to give up everything for that one chance at winning big. The choices the characters make with regard to gambling will help the audience to understand character motivations and values. Gambling provides a perfect platform for testing characters in revealing ways.
Escapism and Fantasy
To most viewers, anime is a passage to a dreamland and adventure. The lavish casinos and high-risk gambler situations seen in the anime provide the viewers with thrilling visuals associated with the environment and lifestyle.
Gambling anime whisks the viewer away to glamorous locations filled with fancy clothes, ritzy locales, and high-roller lifestyles, making for a high-life setting. With gambling anime, viewers are able to see life from the perspective of the rich, all from the comfort of their homes.
Consumer Culture Commentary
While serving the purpose of entertainment, some anime make commentary on modern consumer culture. Gambling is one of many aspects of our present-day culture that reflects society’s obsession with making vast sums of money. By portraying the casino world’s dark side, anime skillfully critiques lavish spending, overindulgence, and greed.
For instance, “Cannon Buster” has its social commentary in the form of an over-the-top gambling oasis. The mindless slaving robots in the mines of danger contrast with the rich playing in the casino above them, creating a commentary on societal inequity. Amidst bright, flashy, and fun anime gambling, there lies a deep meaning related to economic and social issues.
Conveying Emotion
Anime uses dynamic animation and highly expressive characters. Gambling provides high-energy situations to capitalize on these visual storytelling strengths. Its exaggerated emotions and reactions help explain and show feelings of elation, desperation, hope, and despair.
Quick cuts between faces and targets heighten the sense of anticipation and suspense. Gambling tropes like rolling dice and playing cards also let animators show off their moves. The kind of visual flare possible in anime makes gambling a natural thematic fit. The medium and subject matter simply go well together.
Powerful Stories & Characters in the Anime World of Gambling
Essentially, gambling has been an active theme in anime based on reasons such as history and culture, the cinematic possibility of the subject matter, character development, the themes of escapism, social commentary, and emotional expressiveness. Anime creators know that a plot involving gambling has the power to be symbolic, and they also use their visual storytelling to make it look appealing to their target audiences.