The Intense Gambling Anime That's Heating Up On Netflix Right Now

While Netflix has an evergrowing catalogue of movies and television with new things added every week, sometimes an older film, sitcom, or in this case, anime, just suddenly gains new popularity out of the blue. Netflix is quickly becoming one of the best places to watch anime, with the streaming platform picking up many Japanese series for international distribution as an official Netflix anime. While some recent Netflix anime releases include the first seasons of both "Trese" and "DOTA: Dragon's Blood," a less recent series that is quickly gaining more popularity is the dark drama anime "Kakegurui." 

Originally a manga series that started in 2014 and is still ongoing, "Kakegurui" is set at an elite boarding school where the sons and daughters of the rich and powerful gain power through gambling. The anime started airing the first season, which consists of 12 episodes, in July 2017, while a second season called "Kakegurui XX" premiered in January 2019 with another 12 episodes. There's also a live-action adaptation of the story, which also has two seasons so far. Netflix picked up international streaming rights for "Kakegurui" and aired both seasons shortly after their release in Japan, and it's done quite well. But recently, whether it's old fans waiting for Season 3 or new fans stumbling on the series, "Kakegurui" is getting a lot of attention on Netflix.

The anime series "Kakegurui" follows a teenage girl named Yumeko Jabami, who arrives at Hyakkaou Private Academy as a new student. At this school, there is an intense social structure determined by gambling, which can leave you either with power and privilege or paying off your debt for the rest of your life. When Yumeko first arrives, she seems like an innocent girl, but soon enough her real personality reveals itself, as Yumeko is fiercely addicted to gambling and does it just for the fun of it. She is also very smart and strategic, and she uses her honed skill at gambling to beat even those who are trying to cheat the game. Yumeko intends to bring chaos to the structured system in place at the academy, and that she does. 

While Yumeko is clearly a little crazy, other students like Kirari Momobami take it to a whole other level. As the Student Council President at Hyakkaou, Kirari has a lot of control over the hierarchy system and the students, and she has a clear disregard for others' wellbeing. Kirari and her rules become a main target for Yumeko, who plans to tear them down. Always at Yumeko's side is one of the first friends she makes at the school, Ryota Suzui, who she saves from a life of debt and humiliation. While "Kakegurui" is an extremely sinister and twisted critique of the world's obsession with capitalism, it's also just an exciting, action-packed show that anime fans are bound to enjoy. It's truly no wonder "Kakegurui" is getting so much attention on Netflix right now, and as it gains even more popularity, there's an even bigger chance that a third season will come out sooner or later.