Top 10 Gamblers in Anime

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“Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!” I think I can speak for everyone that it’s always a nice and satisfying feeling to win a bet or a gamble. We all did this at one point in our lives, perhaps it was in a casino, or it was during the New Year’s gathering with friends and relatives, nevertheless it’s always a fun thing to experience. Although some might gamble for fun, others might consider gambling as a much more serious thing. So in this article, we’re going to look closer into anime characters that share this trait. So, without further ado, let’s roll the dice!


10. Faye Valentine from Cowboy Bebop

  • Episodes: 26
  • Air Date: April 1998 – April 1999

Taking the 10th spot of the Top 10 Gamblers in Anime, we have Faye Valentine from Cowboy Bebop! Now I know this anime is quite ‘old’ per se, but it’s still a very good and entertaining anime to watch. It’s about a group of bounty hunters in space known as ‘Cowboys’ and their adventures through the galaxy.

Faye Valentine is one of the members of the bounty hunting crew of the ‘Bebop’ which was led by none other than Spike Spiegel. If we look into her character, Faye is considered a bad egg which is showed through her actions throughout the series. Gambling, smoking, drinking alcoholics, you name it, she's done it. But despite having so much bad reputation, Faye usually gets away with what she wants thanks to her beauty and charm, which is shown in the series how much she takes care of her body.


9. Daniel J. D'Arby from JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken: Stardust Crusaders (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders)

  • Episodes: 24
  • Air Date: April 2014 – September 2014

Moving on, we have Daniel J. D’Arby from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders! Daniel plays as an antagonist in the second season of the JoJo franchise. He is known to be a member of the Egypt 9 Glory Gods, an elite faction of Dio Brando’s army. In terms of appearance, he has a pretty slick and smooth appearance, which really suits his role as a gambler.

Not to be tricked by his calm appearance, Daniel is a very cunning person and claims to be the world’s most renowned gambler. It is shown in the series that he is an expert on cheating and sleight of hands to mislead anyone he faces. He firmly believes that anyone who is stupid enough to be cheated deserves it.


8. Leroute from Hunter x Hunter

  • Episodes: 148
  • Air Date: October 2011 – September 2014

Manipulating her way to the number 8 spot on the list, we have Leroute from Hunter x Hunter. From her appearance, you could probably judge that Leroute is a shady character from her slanted eyes and smile. Thanks to her notorious reputation, she made it into this list. If you’re wondering what kind of reputation, the answer is that she was initially sentenced to 112 years for illegal gambling and the trafficking of endangered species.

Her ‘sneaky snakeness’ was shown in the series, as she is able to easily trick Leorio into a bet that eventually serves her purpose. Her sentence was ultimately reduced by 50 years thanks to her sharp, manipulative mind.


7. Paulie from One Piece

  • Episodes: 779 - Ongoing
  • Air Date: October 1999 – Ongoing

This next character on the list comes from the popular anime One Piece and its none other than Paulie. Paulie was first introduced in the series during the Water 7 arc, where he works as the Dock One foreman of Water 7. He is often seen with a cigar in his mouth, similar to Smoker.

Paulie is very much a gambler and it’s been shown in the series that he tried to steal suitcases full of money from Luffy to pay off his gambling debts. Despite his foul intent, he is still a genuinely kind hearted person. He is also known to be very prudish when it comes to women in regards of how they’re clothed, this is shown throughout the series as he complains to them.


6. Uno from Nanbaka (The Numbers)

  • Episodes: 13
  • Air Date: October 2016 – December 2016

Ever gambled so hard that you end up in prison? That’s what happens to Uno from Nanbaka. Uno is held in Nanba Prison for some serious gambling issues, but thanks to his gambling traits, he learned to have extremely keen observation skills as he is shown to know one’s characters just by watching them.

Once a gambler, always a gambler. This phrase fits Uno perfectly, as he still makes bets whilst in prison even though they were for fun. As for his personality, Uno is considered to be a kind and easy-going person, often portrayed to be a pretty ‘chill’ guy.



5. Celestia Ludenberg from Danganronpa 3: The End of Kibougamine Gakuen - Zetsubou-hen (Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School - Despair Arc)

  • Episodes: 11
  • Air Date: July 2016 – September 2016

Taking the number 5 spot on the list, we have the badass Celestia Ludenberg from Danganronpa 3! In hindsight, this girl appeared to be very soft-spoken but don’t let her fool you! She has earned the title ‘Ultimate Gambler’ and the ‘Queen of Liars’ amongst her peers. That in itself can already tell you not to mess with her.

Overall, this 19-year-old girl is very dangerous, as it was shown in the series, she does not feel any remorse whatsoever to get what she wants, winning. She also tends to manipulate others into killing each other, and often times does it so easily thanks to her talent of being able to tell lies and make them believable, hence earning her the title ‘Queen of Liars’.


4. Shigeru Akagi from Touhai Densetsu Akagi: Yami ni Maiorita Tensai (Mahjong Legend Akagi: The Genius Who Descended Into the Darkness)

  • Episodes: 26
  • Air Date: October 2015 – March 2006

Ever wonder what it feels like to be born a natural gambler? Being destined to be a legend in gambling? That’s the life story of Shigeru Akagi from Touhai Densetsu Akagi! Let’s take a closer look into this genius gambler, shall we? His true calling to gambling, especially in Mahjong came about when he was at the age of 13, when a desperate compulsive gambler hands over a game of life and death against the yakuza to Akagi, he slowly realizes his true talent in gambling.

Shigeru Akagi often aims to go against what the opponents expect him to act or do, for the purpose of making himself unpredictable to the eyes of his rivals. As a result, he isn’t fazed when it ultimately comes down to wagering even his own life. This, of course, is backed with extreme calculative mind and patience from Akagi, making him a true legend in gambling.


3. Tsunade from Naruto

  • Episodes: 220
  • Air Date: October 2002 – February 2007

Now I’m pretty sure this next character on this list will be familiar with the lot of you. We have Tsunade from Naruto! Tsunade is very well-known for her incredible medical jutsu. She can literally heal someone back to health from the brink of death using her jutsu, albeit consuming a whole of lot chakra. She is also known for her signature move, the Creation Rebirth, where she is able to heal any wounds she receives, making her more or less invincible.

Despite her powers, she is also known to be a very compulsive gambler. As it was revealed in the series, she picks up the love for gambling from her grandfather, Hashirama Senju. Unfortunately, she sucks at gambling, and it got to the point where people refers to her as ‘The Legendary Sucker’ thanks to her extremely bad luck. Nevertheless, this doesn’t stop her, making her a true gambler.


2. Toua Tokuchi from One Outs

  • Episodes: 25
  • Air Date: October 2008 – April 2009

Taking the number 2 spot on the list is Toua Tokuchi from the baseball anime One Outs! Just like every other character on this list, Tokuchi is a very smart and successful gambler. What happens when you combine that with his abilities in baseball? You get one hell of a baseball player. It is shown in the series that Tokuchi has a history of 499 wins and 1 loss to Kojima which ultimately made him join the Lycaons Baseball team.

Toua Tokuchi is a very well laid-back and calm person, and it shows with his poker-faced expressions even when he is in a pinch. He calmly assesses the situation and figures out a way to defeat even the toughest opponents which are a trait that is very valuable amongst all gamblers. You’d be very amused to see how the mind of this genius works and how he handles different scenarios in a baseball match.


1. Kaiji Itou from Gyakkyou Burai Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor (Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor)

  • Episodes: 26
  • Air Date: October 2007 – April 2008

And the winner of the Top 10 Gamblers in Anime list is none other than Kaiji Itou from Gyakkyou Burai Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor! Unlike other gambler characters on this list, Kaiji is considered to be a complete loser and often finds himself constantly in debt. It is not until when Kaiji’s life is in danger that he slowly showed promising talents in gambling.

It’s always a great thing to see how the creators push Kaiji’s character to the limit, with him enduring several hardships but in the end coming out on top as an underdog. Kaiji learned some very important life lessons along the way, albeit being the ‘hard way’ as he was cheated and manipulated by other people. In the end, he might never be a gambler as flashy as the other characters on the list, but he sure has come a long way to be a more mature human being.


Final Thoughts

Gambling can be something fun but when the weight and value of the wager increases, it becomes a much more serious issue. Players or gamblers will always have to be ready both physically and mentally, not cracking under pressure when the odds are stacked upon you and never let emotions get the better of you. That’s how great gamblers are born. Are you one?

That’s all for the Top 10 Gamblers in Anime! Who is your favorite gambler? What’s your favorite gambling scene? What would you do in that situation? Be sure to leave your thoughts down in the comment section below telling us what you think of the list!

Touhai-Densetsu-Akagi-Yami-ni-Maiorita-Tensai-Wallpaper Top 10 Gamblers in Anime

Writer

Author: Winfrey Widjijanto

Hi! My name is Winfrey and I come from Indonesia. I’m currently residing in Jakarta to pursue my bachelor degree but I hope in the near future I get to travel to new places including Japan! Still in search of my passion though, but so far, music and writing seems to interest me the most. (Just starting out) Desperately trying to learn new things and striving to become a better person each passing day. Cheers from Jakarta!

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