Akagi
Akagi
Akagi DVD box set
Akagi DVD box set
Genre Drama, Sport, Gambling
Manga
Author Nobuyuki Fukumoto
Publisher jp.png Take Shobo
Demographic Seinen
Magazine Modern Mahjong
Original run 1992-ongoing
Volumes 21
TV Anime
Director Yuzo Sato
Studio jp.png Madhouse
Network NTV
Original Run October 4, 2005 -
March 28, 2006
Episodes 26

Akagi (アカギ, Akagi) is a Japanese manga written by Nobuyuki Fukumoto about Japanese Riichi mahjong. It is featured in the weekly magazine Modern Mahjong, and has even been adapted into two live-action movies and a 26-episode anime series. Akagi is also featured in Fukumoto's prequel series Ten. Its popularity has also spawned a spin-off manga Washizu: Enma no Tōhai based on the early life of Washizu Iwao, merchandising of transparent tiles, as well as games on the mobile platform and Nintendo DS.

Story

The story takes place 13 years after World War II where thirteen year old Akagi Shigeru takes refuge in a mahjong parlor in Midori in order to flee from police officers. Here it is discovered that Akagi is a unnatural genius at gambling and begins to outwit and outplay the Yakuza, seasoned professional players. Throughout the series Akagi tests his wits against several opponents, each time raising the stakes on the line.

Characters

Akagi, age 13
Akagi, age 13

Shigeru Akagi (赤木しげる , Akagi Shigeru)
Voiced by: Masato Hagiwara (萩原聖人)

A 13-year-old amateur at the game of mahjong. He survives a game of chicken by lateral thinking. Akagi is introduced as a deceptively adult looking young boy, whose spark of genius transcends age and resides in gambling, especially in the game mahjong. Throughout the story, Akagi utilizes techniques other gamblers don't dare to, in order to sway his opponents: brazen cheating, extremely risky maneuvers, far fetched bluffs, a blatant disregard for his own life.

Nangou
Nangou

Nangou (南郷, Nangou)
Voiced by: Koyama Rikiya (小山力也)
A gambler who carries a large burden and debt. He gambles with his livelihood on the line. He lets Akagi proxy for him where it is discovered that there is more to Akagi than meets the eye.

Yasuoka
Yasuoka

Yasuoka (安岡, Yasuoka)
Voiced by: Tesshō Genda (玄田哲章)

A dirty detective who is looking for a chicken run survivor. He is one of the first people to realize Akagi's talents in mahjong, and takes advantage of this to great personal gain. In the manga he also plays the role of narrator.

Ryuuzaki
Ryuuzaki

Ryuuzaki (竜崎)
Voiced by: Nakata Koji (中田浩二 )

A gamber player who is dumbfounded by Akagi's inability to lose a single hand. He reluctantly calls upon their rep player, Yagi, to defeat the demon kid.

Yagi
Yagi

Yagi (矢木, Yagi)
Voiced by: Wataru Takagi (矢木)

The first professional mahjong player that Akagi plays and defeats. He acknowledges Akagi's talents but believes he can defeat Akagi due to his lack of familiarity with the rules.

Ichikawa
Ichikawa

Ichikawa (市川, Ichikawa)
Voiced by: Hideyuki Tanaka (田中秀幸)

A blind professional mahjong player. Ichikawa was a player that would play by the book, while Akagi played in various ways. He seems to be similar to Akagi, but Akagi denies this and proves it by defeating him.

Hirayama
Hirayama

Yukio Hirayama (平山幸雄, Hirayama Yukio)
Voiced by: Ginpei Sato

The representative mahjong player for the Kawada Yakuza group, after he was first discovered by Yasuoka. Despite his physical resemblance to Akagi, his playing style is based solely on mathematical calculations and probability, in contrast to Akagi's natural gambling insight and psychological manipulation abilities. He lacks the courage required to be a true gambler, making him unable to be beat Urabe by falling for his strong bluffs. He is eventually killed by Washizu for failing to beat him in Washizu mahjong.

Urabe
Urabe

Urabe (浦部, Urabe)
Voiced by: Morio Kazama (風間杜夫)

The representative mahjong player for the Fujisawa Yakuza group. He and Akagi fought over thirty-two million yen. Urabe was the person responsible for raising the stakes, so when he was defeated, he was brutally mutilated by the Yakuza.

Washizu
Washizu

Iwao Washizu (鷲巣巌, Washizu Iwao)
Voiced by: Masane Tsukayama

An old man who had made a lot of money, and one of the most powerful people in the underground. After building up massive funds from shady dealings in Japan's post-war era, he uses this money to tempt people -especially young people- to bet their lives for the chance to win a large amount of money. He enjoys doing this, so a match between Akagi and Washizu was arranged. Washizu and Akagi played mahjong in an unusual way, of which Washizu calls 'Washizu Mahjong' in which glass tiles replace most of the tiles that make the game different in many ways.

Narrator (ナレーション)
Voiced by: Toru Furuya (古谷徹)

Episodes

Main Article: List of Akagi Episodes

  1. The Genius Who Descended into the Darkness (闇に舞い降りた天才 Yami ni maiorita tensai)
  2. The Awakening of Talent (資質の覚醒 Shishitsu no kakusei)
  3. Strategy of the Maverick (異端の策略 Itan no sakuryaku)
  4. The True Pariah (本物の無頼 Honmono no burai)
  5. The Treacherous Tse Ii Men (裏切りの絶一門 Uragiri no zetsuichimon)
  6. The Talent of the Villain (悪漢の資質 Akkan no shishitsu)
  7. Innocent Demon (無邪気な悪鬼 Mujaki na akki)
  8. The Sign of Rebirth (復活の前兆 Fukkatsu no zenchou)
  9. The Authenticity of Genius (天才の真贋 Tensai no shingan)
  10. The Announcement of the Counterattack (逆襲の予告 Kyakushuu no yokoku)
  11. The Groundwork of Despair (絶望への布石 Zetsubou e no fuseki)
  12. The Magic of Coincidence (偶機の魔法 Guuki no mahou)
  13. The Path of the Storm (風雷の軌道 Fuurai no kidou)
  14. The New Chapter of the Demons (羅刹の新章 Rasetsu no shinshou)
  15. The Meeting With Evil (逢魔が時 ouma ga toki)
  16. The Mahjong Game of Destruction (破滅の闘牌 Hametsu no touhai)
  17. Proof of Genius (異才の証明 Isai no shoumei)
  18. The Chains of the Tiles (呪縛の牌姿 Jabaku no haishi)
  19. The Bewilderment of the Demon (鬼神の昏迷 Kishin no konmei)
  20. Hope and Folly (希望と愚行 Kibou to gukou)
  21. A Ray of Fantasy (一縷の幻想 Ichiru no gensou)
  22. The Contrived Shackles (作為の足枷 Sakui no ashikase)
  23. The Power of Luck (剛運の威力 Gou'un no iryoku)
  24. The Will of the Demons (魔物の意思 Mamono no ishi)
  25. The Temptation of Murderous Intent (殺意の誘惑 Satsui no yuuwaku)
  26. Madness and Darkness and…( 狂気と闇と… kyouki to yami to…)

Soundtrack

Mahjong Legend Akagi OST
Mahjong Legend Akagi OST
By Taniuchi Hideki
Release Date January 25, 2006
Genre Anime
Length 1:13:42
Label Elecrecords

Mahjong Legend Akagi OST
  1. 何とかなれ Nantokanare (Full Size)
  2. 果てしなき旅路 Hateshinaki Tabiji
  3. 旅路Tabiji
  4. 勝負師の魂 Shoubushi No Tamashi
  5. 神技 Shingi
  6. 幻影 Omokage
  7. 光の渦 Hikari No Uzu
  8. 緊張 Kinchou
  9. 神域の幻影 Shiniki No Omokage
  10. 愉悦の境地 Yuetsu No Kyouchi
  11. 迫る決断の時間 Semaru Ketsudan No Jikan
  12. 日常 雑踏 Nichijou Zattou
  13. 潮騒 Shiosai
  14. 対局を終えて Taikyoku Wo Oete
  15. 修羅の時空 Shuran No Jikuu
  16. 異才 Isai
  17. 真空の暗闇 Shinku No Kurayami
  18. 渾沌 Konton
  19. 豪腕 Gouwan
  20. 緊迫 不安 Kinpaku Fuwan
  21. 究極の一手 Kyuukoku No Itte
  22. 運命の羅針盤 Unmei No Rashinban
  23. 次なる局面 Tsuginaru Kyokumen
  24. 勝負 Shoubu
  25. 全精力の結集 Zenseiryoku No Shuuketsu
  26. 焦躁 Shousou
  27. 驚異畏怖 Kyouiifu
  28. オーラ Aura
  29. 狂気 Kyouki
  30. 死闘 Shitou
  31. ノスタルジー Nostalgie
  32. 天使 Tenshi
  33. 果てしなき旅路 Ver2 Hateshinaki Tabiji Ver.2
  34. アカギ(TVサイズ) Akagi (TV-Size)
  35. S.T.S.(TVサイズ)

Also known as

  • Legend of Mahjong: Akagi
  • Mahjong Legend Akagi: The Genius Who Descended Into the Darkness
  • Tohai Densetu Akagi -Yamini Maiorita Tensai- (Japanese)
  • 闘牌伝説アカギ 闇に舞い降りた天才 (Japanese)1

External links

Unless otherwise stated, the content of this page is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 License