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I wouldn't think this review needed to be written but I need to address the elephant in the room: the premise of this anime is completely unfeasable. Look, I had fun watching this but you really need to suspend your disbelief here.

In modern times an unknown beam turns everyone to stone, including a high school kid who is such a genius that he single handedly jump starts civilization when he happens to wake up more than 3000 years into the future.

Now, what is absurd about this, it sounds cool, right? Right, but for a show that supposedly relies on science, it shows very little common ... sense from the beginning, as follows:
- when the protagonist awakens ALL traces of civilization have disappeared (remember, concrete, metal super sturdy structures) which might even have happened after more than 3000 years (but probably not since we have structures that have literally been here for 5000 years). However most of the humans turned to stone remain

- A small part of Humanity (like 6 people) managed to survive but when the protagonist wakes up not only are the descendants STILL alive (I mean how could they have gone on living for more than 100 years with such a limited gene pool is beyond me) and, get this they actually are still in the stone age. They haven't developed at all, they barely hunt, they barely even gather and they have no agriculture. Modern civilization as we know it developed within 7000 years give or take with a massive wave of development within the last 200 years. Assuming, for a wild moment that 6 modern day people could create enough offspring to last 3000 years (which scientifically they COULDN'T) they should AT LEAST be bronze/iron age with iron weapons, clay buildings at least and agriculture. They are instead a small village with like 50 people living of fish and with straw huts

I just... can't. I had to completely shut my brain off while watching this and when he invented cellphones I decided this was a parody.

Ok so I don't usually bother writing reviews because I mean why bother. But this anime was just so bad that I cannot help but give my opinion on this, because the rating is overinflated to the max. I've seen my share of trashy isekai (don't judge it's a guilty pleasure) and this is bad and right up there with the worst of them.

THE ANIMATION
Not something that I usually pay attention to overmuch, but it is pretty good, the CGI isn't atrocious (I'm looking at you, Arifureta).

THE MUSIC
Unremarkable.

THE CHARACTERS
Huge harem with copy/paste personalities for EVERY girl except the most excellent Delta.
...
THE PREMISE (Spoilers and it's going to be big because the story is actually pretty confusing)
So the entirety of this show hangs on the fact that it is a parody of isekai but it actually takes itself too serious and ends up not being a parody so much as an extensive collection of isekai tropes that... uh, yea that's it.

So the story is as follows: the main character is a high school guy with a severe Batman complex. While he seems entirely unremarkable by day, the perfect NPC, he actually trains a lot and goes around beating up biker gangs and generally bad guys. However, this is done mostly to cater to his own fantasies of being a sort of anti-hero. But he gets to thinking that it's not enough. He can't beat an atomic bomb so he considers himself too weak. Literally that's his reasoning.

One day, after an encounter with the much overused truck-kun, he is reborn as the son of a minor noble with a cheat of almost infinite magic power. After rigorous training in magic and using all the fighing techniques of his previous life (the fighting techniques of this world don't hold a candle) he resumes his activities of chasing around bad guys, taking their loot for funsies and maintaining an NPC persona by day. The whole thing is basically a game.

Soon he finds a follower in a young elf girl he saves quite by accident. He makes up a story about a secret mission to fight against a shadowy organization (the Cult of Diablos) and collects elf waifus to create another shadowy organization. But the thing is, the enemy he invented is quite real and his followers actually pick up on this and leave to fight the enemy. MC-sama is sad. Then he goes to school in the capital and decides to be a shadowy anti-hero again. The organization he started, Shadow Garden has grown quite big. However MC-sama is only being Batman for the funsies so he really doesn't care or know about the Cult. He thinks his waifus are enabling him and that it's all a game. Funnily enough his selfish actions end up accidentally dealing blows to the Cult and because he is so OP he crushes them while collecting even more waifus on the way and making the current waifus marvel at his intelect and foresight.

MY HUMBLE OPINION
As you can see, if you read the above, it's quite a funny premise, but the execution is garbage. The MC is so OP the fights get boring and it's a turn-off that everyone is so dumb. Every. Single. One. The villains are simplistic, the backstory makes no sense and the worldbuilding makes even less sense... there is sort of medieval clothing, but then there are weapons and steam trains. Despite the magic, it's largely unused. Sometimes we get glimpses of very advanced tech that comes out of nowhere. The intentions of the Cult of Diablos remain in shadow, thei're just mwahaha villains.

It's parody poorly done.

The only redeeming quality is that it is addicting.

So... yeah. This is fundamentally a bad isekai. But judge for yourself, of course.

I'm not one to write reviews. In fact this is my first one. It's just that I've read some of the negative/critical reviews of this show and, while I totally agree with them, I felt the need to address the why of me liking this show.

First, the required synopsis: Kakegurui follows the adventures of Yumeko Jabami, a transfer student at Hyakkaou Private Academy. This a school for the wealthy, where your rank in the social hierarchy is decided by high stakes (rich kids) gambling. This "supposedly" prepares the children of the wealthy and powerful to think strategically, deceive when needed and take controled risks. Yumeko, ... however, is different: she is mysterious and she gambles for pleasure.

SLIGHT SPOILERS AHEAD.

In one word: it's so preposterous it works. IF you can suspend your desbelief, ignore all the red flags (like gambling addiction being portrayed in a positive light) and treat this as a battle shounen anime, which is what Kakegurui IS.

It's difficult to reconcile, especially because there are no super-powered male self-inserts in this anime. I'm not being critical of OP male self-inserts. Just stating a fact.

Actually, in Kakegurui the OP/genius character is a woman, most competent "villains" are women and the male character takes the role of a minor addiction there to be the "support" of the main character. It's basically backwards from the usual shonen. Even Food Wars, while a different type of battle shounen, is more identifiable as that because of the male protagonist.

Anyways, that said, the entire thing is complete hogwash. While responsible, very moderate gambling (or more specifically "gaming") can help with strategizing and taking controlled risks, the overall premise makes it look like the entire school is a den of gambling addicts. Every character is completely twisted, the system in place (that makes slaves of people in debt) is way too much even if you want to teach kids a lesson in real life consequences and Yumeko is not that brainy and not that brilliant of a strategist to begin with.

Still, I enjoyed watching this immensely. It's vibrant, the character's madness is strangely appealing and the games were fun to watch. You just need to turn off your brain and let the show explain its gimmicks to you.

Do not expect Liar Game and similar, these are basic battles with clear winners. There is little tension but everything in Kakegurui is made to appeal to the senses. It appealed to me, certainly, I thought it was funny and so over the top that it definitely doesn't take itself too seriously.

So, if you're expecting complex puzzles and a well-rounded story, look elsewhere. This is brainless entertainment, pure battle shounen. And that is ok.

7/10