5 gambler anime characters who were born for it (& 5 who can never win)

There are several intriguing anime characters skilled in the art of gambling, using strategy, deception, and sharp wits to win it all. However, gambling in anime isn't limited to money; the stakes can be as high as wagering a soul or playing for one's freedom.

While some anime characters excel at gambling, others are hindered by bad luck and rash decisions and always end up on the losing side. From Hakari to Tsunade, this article will explore five anime characters born for gambling and five who can never seem to win.

Disclaimer: This article is subjective and only reflects the author's opinion.

Kaiji Itou and four other anime characters who were born for gambling

1) Shigeru Akagi (Akagi)

Shigeru Akagi is the main protagonist of Akagi: The Genius Who Descended Into the Darkness and a supporting character in the series Ten. He is a gambler with a superhuman level of intellect, intuition, luck, and force of will, which he uses to win at mahjong against the yakuza.

When it comes to gambling, Akagi stops at nothing, resorting to blatant cheating, bluffs, and high-stakes bets, all while showing a complete disregard for his own life. Undefeated in mahjong, he embodies the perfect blend of luck and skill and is easily one of the greatest gamblers in all of fiction.

2) Kaiji Itou (Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor)

Kaiji Itou is the central protagonist of Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor. He is thrust into the high-stakes world of gambling to pay off his outstanding debt. For Kaiji, the stakes are always life or death, and losing is not an option. To survive, he must rely on his wits to navigate this dangerous gambling underworld.

Despite starting off as a naive and lazy guy who often lost while gambling with his neighbors, Kaiji eventually became addicted to the adrenaline rush of gambling. Every match he won reduced his debt. He might not have been a born gambler, but he managed to pull himself up and make gambling his strong suit.

3) Yumeko Jabami (Kakegurui - Compulsive Gambler)

Yumeko Jabami, the protagonist of the Kakegurui series, is a student at Hyakkaou Private Academy, an elite school with a curriculum focused on gambling. The environment suits Yumeko perfectly, as she is obsessed with gambling and will do anything to experience the thrill of a wager.

Yumeko often takes huge risks without considering the potential of loss. However, thanks to her sharp intellect and ability to read her opponents, she usually wins. Yumeko is one of those anime characters who lives for the excitement of a good gamble, no matter the stakes.

4) Daniel J. D'Arby (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders)

Daniel J. D'Arby (Image via David Production)

Daniel J. D'Arby is an antagonist and prolific gambler in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders. He tricks people into gambling with their souls and uses his Stand, Osiris, to extract them. D'Arby takes great pride in his abilities as a gambler and even claims to be the greatest gambler in the world.

There is some truth to this, as he manages to outsmart someone as intelligent as Joseph Joestar, extracting his soul. D'Arby is not above cheating and takes pride in it. He claims that everyone lies and cheats, making his actions fair. He is one of those anime characters whose life revolves only around gambling.

5) Kinji Hakari (Jujutsu Kaisen)

Kinji Hakari is a supporting character in Jujutsu Kaisen who runs a fight club for hand-to-hand combat between jujutsu sorcerers for money. He is a gambler who exploits other people's passions and directs them into gambling. He calls this passion "fever" and believes people can change their lives by directing their fever through gambling.

Hakari is one of the strongest jujutsu sorcerers in the series, with his fighting style centering around using domain expansion to hit the jackpot and overwhelm his opponents with unlimited cursed energy. Hakari's cursed technique, Idle Death Gamble, proves that he is one of those anime characters defined by their love for gambling.

Tsunade and four other anime characters who can never win in gambling

1) Tsunade Senju (Naruto)

Tsunade Senju (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Tsunade Senju, the Fifth Hokage of Konoha Village, is a legendary Sannin and the granddaughter of Hashirama Senju. She's one of the best medical ninjas in Naruto and is known as the world's strongest kunoichi. Despite such an impressive career, she is also a compulsive gambler.

However, she has terrible luck with gambling and has never made a single penny from it, even going into considerable debt. She became hooked on gambling as a child, picking up the habit from Hashirama himself. She has earned the nickname "The Legendary Sucker" because of how bad she is at gambling.

2) Faye Valentine (Cowboy Bebop)

Faye Valentine (Image via Studio Sunrise)

Faye Valentine is a former bounty hunter and member of the bounty hunting crew on the Bebop. She is a pathological gambler who sees gambling as a way to reduce the debt she has accumulated. Faye is not above counting cards and knows the game well enough to deal.

However, she is just a small-time, petty gambler who has earned a reputation for having terrible luck. Faye is never shown to win any money gambling, losing all she has, which further increases her debt. She is sarcastically called the 'Legendary Lady Luck' for how awful her luck is at gambling.

3) Paulie (One Piece)

Paulie from One Piece is the current vice president of the Galley-La Company and was one of the five dock foremen before being promoted. He is a famous gambler who is shown to be in crushing debt because of it. Debt collectors often pursue him for not paying back his loans.

Paulie tried to steal two suitcases full of money from Luffy when they first met to pay off his enormous debts, showing his desperate situation. Despite this, he is a kind-hearted person and is trusted the most by Iceberg. He is one of the anime characters who should avoid gambling.

4) Leroute (Hunter X Hunter)

Leroute is a supporting character in Hunter x Hunter and a prisoner in Trick Tower. She was used to test the participants during the 287th Hunter Exam. An expert in gambling, Leroute is very perceptive and manipulative, using her poker face as a weapon to win.

However, it is important to note that she was sentenced to 112 years in prison for illegal gambling and trafficking of endangered animal species. This shows that no matter how good she thinks she is, the gambling life doesn't suit her, as she ultimately ended up in prison for her escapades.

5) Gintoki Sakata (Gintama)

Gintoki Sakata is the main character of the Gintama series and a skilled samurai who fought in the Joui War in the past. He is also the founder and president of the Yorozuya, a group that does odd jobs and errands for a fee. He is extremely lazy and has many vices, including gambling.

Gintoki has terrible luck when gambling, rarely winning anything. He is often seen blowing all his savings at pachinko parlors and other gambling ventures. Because of this, he often ends up broke and has to run away when his landlady comes to collect rent. He's not one of the anime characters built for life as a gambler.

Final thoughts

In gambling, you win some and lose some. However, the person playing the hand can sometimes make all the difference. The individuals above are a testament to this, as some always seem to win while others keep losing. It's important for such anime characters to know when to fold and when to keep playing.

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Edited by Shreya Das