The world of comics opens up a door of infinite possibilities with its engaging narratives and exciting plotlines. Comics can center on various themes and concepts; it could be school life, superheroes, horror, romance, and yes, even casinos and gambling.
Comics that revolve around gambling combine the adrenaline of gaming with an engaging story and striking visuals, giving you a one-of-a-kind experience.
In this article, we rounded up some of the best comics and graphic novels that revolve around casinos and gambling. Check them out!
Casino and Gambling-Themed Comics and Graphic Novels
Trying your luck in a casino and playing various games such as slots, bingo, roulette, and so on can be extremely thrilling. Reading about them is even more enjoyable in comic form, with stories having nail-biting arcs and an insane rush of adrenaline that you certainly won’t be able to get enough of.
Kakegurui
Kakegurui is perhaps the most popular modern ongoing manga(Japanese comic) centered around gambling. The series’ title translates to Compulsive Gambler and the story takes place at Hyakkaou Private Academy, a prestigious school with a student hierarchy developed through gambling.
Yumeko Jabami, the main character, is a recent transfer to the school and has a gambling addiction. Yumeko simply gambles for the thrill of it, unlike the other students in the school who gamble for financial or social gain.
With her exceptional observation ability, she devises strategies to turn the tables on her opponents, quickly disrupting the hierarchy of the school and drawing the attention of the Student Council.
Kakegurui has been adapted into an anime television series with two seasons. A live-action adaptation drama also aired in Japan in 2018, and a second season followed it in 2019. A live-action film adaptation with the same cast as the drama also premiered in 2019 and was followed by a sequel in 2021.
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders
The long-running JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is a highly popular manga series by Hirohiko Araki. The series is well-known for its distinctive art style, poses, references to Western music and high fashion, and well-crafted battles centered around the characters’ Stands which are psycho-spiritual manifestations with unique supernatural abilities.
In 2016, the series was reported to have over 100 million copies in circulation, and the figure exponentially rose to 120 million by August 2023.
The narrative of the JoJo series consists of various parts with independent stories and different characters. Among its current nine parts, arguably the most popular arc of the JoJo series is Part 3: Stardust Crusaders.
In Stardust Crusaders, the main characters Jotaro Kujo and Joseph Joestar, along with their peers and other Stand users, travel from Japan to Egypt to find and kill Dio, a vampiric enemy of Jonathan Joestar, Joseph’s grandfather.
Upon arriving in Cairo, Joseph, Jotaro, and their group enter a cafe to ask for information about Dio’s mansion. They encounter Daniel J. D’Arby, the cafe owner who also turns out to be a professional gambler and one of Dio’s men. Daniel challenges the Joestar group into various gambles in the cafe-turned-mini casino, tricking them into wagering their souls on the line.
Kaiji
Another manga centered on gambling is Gambling Apocalypse: Kaiji, written and illustrated by Nobuyuki Fukumoto. First published in 1996 and still running, Kaiji focuses on the titular Kaiji Ito who is a consummate gambler.
After graduating from high school and struggling to secure a steady job, Kaiji finds himself crossing paths with Yuji Endo, a loan shark who is seeking repayment of a debt that Kaiji had co-signed for a former co-worker.
Kaiji is given two choices by Endo: either he repays the debt over ten years or gambles aboard the ship Espor to settle it. After he survives the gambling event on the Espoir, Kaijicontinuously gets involved in high-stakes gambling matches, betting various things such as his own freedom, life, and even fingers during games such as poker and pachinko to name a few.
As of press time, the Kaiji manga currently has 91 volumes in publication and has three spin-offs. The series has also spawned two anime television series and a live-action film trilogy. A loosely adapted Chinese live-action film also premiered in 2018.
Casino Royale
Many are familiar with the James Bond franchise as a series of thrilling films, but it actually started out as a series of novels by Ian Fleming. Casino Royale is the first James Bond novel, published in 1953, and its positive reviews and popularity spurred eleven more novels written by Fleming, as well as numerous continuations by other authors.
Casino Royale has been adapted into two films and one television show, but not many are aware that it has also been turned into a graphic novel.
Adapted by Van Jensen and illustrated by Dennis Calero, the Casino Royale graphic novel centers on British secret agent James Bond gambling at the casino in Royale-les-Eaux to eliminate the deadly Le Chiffre by bankrupting him at the baccarat table. With luck shining on the enemy, Bond finds himself in a cat-and-mouse game with assassins and torturers targeting him.
Psychic Gambler: Betting Man
Manhwa or Korean comics don’t shy away from gambling themes as well. Compared to other series where the take on gambling and casinos is on the darker side, Psychic Gambler: Betting Man adds a dash of humor and irony to the theme. In this series, protagonist Jin-Goo has a superpower that allows him to see through objects.
Jin-Goo uses this power to undress women secretly, but later on, he realizes that his power can give him an advantage in casinos. However, despite having an insight into his opponents’ hands, Jin-Goo doesn’t have the gambling skills to back him up.
Conclusion
Comics that center around gambling combine the high-stakes thrills with compelling stories, character studies, exploration of various themes such as power, wealth, greed, desperation, risks and rewards, and many more elements that make for interesting reads.
If you find something in the list that caught your eye, definitely dive into it, and it could be your next favorite.
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