Manga like Buraiden Gai

RAINBOW: Nisha Rokubou no Shichinin

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Psychological

Six minors (16-17 years) answering to the nicknames of Joe, Mario, Suppon, Baremoto, Heitai, and Kyabetsu are put into a reformatory for offenses such as aggravated assault, swindling, flight, etc. Their stay in hell begins immediately. Accommodated by a doctor pedophile, they are placed under the watch of a despotic and brutal crew. Cellmates with a certain Sakuragi (called Anchan), the tension rises between the band of buddies and their new "friend." A brawl breaks out, and our six prisoners are done rossés by the mysterious young man, thanks to his boxing talent.

The story will not only follow the lives of these seven characters surviving in their hellish environment, but also their disillusions due to the rejection by the outside world and by their close relations. This is about the extraodinary and invincible friendships between these young men.

Note: Won the 2005 Shogakukan Manga Award for seinen/general category.

Tags: Historical , Rehabilitation , Tragedy , Seinen , Coming of Age , Philosophy , Heterosexual , Boxing , Disability , Revenge , Prison , Autobiographical , Fugitive , Gore , Ensemble Cast , Male Protagonist , Primarily Male Cast , Drugs , Suicide , Crime , Time Skip

Tobaku Datenroku Kaiji: 24-oku Dasshutsu-hen

Status: Releasing
Genres: Drama , Psychological , Thriller

The continuation of the Kaiji series, picking up immediately after the end of One Poker Hen.

One Poker has been concluded, with Kaiji emerging as the victor and claiming the 2.4 Billion Yen as a prize! But now, a new problem arises... how can the Asian Trio take it with them with Kazuya's Black Suits gathered right outside the entrance of the warehouse?!

Chapter count for this arc begins at 255 in the original tankoubon.

Tags: Fugitive , Survival , Male Protagonist , Primarily Male Cast , Seinen , Gangs , Cars , Crossdressing , Primarily Adult Cast

Tobaku Haouden Zero

Also known as Gambling Emperor Legend Zero.

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Mystery , Psychological , Thriller

Ukai Zero saves three troubled teens from a Suicide Website, and together chooses to work as 'Robin Hoods' of society. However, one of Zero's friends are caught by an organization he got in trouble with, and Zero is forced to enter a gambling competition hosted by a rich, rotten old man who is looking for talented gamblers to be his rep player. The reward money? ONE TRILLION YEN.

Resumed serialization as Tobaku Haouden Zero Gyanki-Hen on 7/13/2011 after a 2.5 year hiatus.

Tags: Shounen , Gambling , Death Game , Male Protagonist , Primarily Male Cast , Yakuza , Crime

Shuujin Riku

Also known as Prisoner Riku.

Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Drama

Ten years after a meteorite strike obliterated the capital. Riku Kurita, a tough 13-year-old surviving in the slums of the neo-futuristic "Tokyo," gets caught up in a crime and thrown into a prison at the edge of the world...!! Sentenced to 30 years for a crime he never committed, a young boy's desperate battle for freedom begins!!



Tags: Shounen , Martial Arts , Prison , Dystopian , Male Protagonist , Primarily Male Cast , Boxing , Conspiracy , Fugitive , Police

Saikyou Densetsu Kurosawa

Also known as The Legend of the Strongest, Kurosawa!.

Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Comedy , Drama , Psychological

Kurosawa is sick and tired of his boring, ordinary life growing old as the less popular site foreman in Anahira Construction. The turning point comes when his 44th birthday comes along, and no one remembers or celebrates with him. Realizing he lived a life without drive or purpose, Kurosawa tries to go past his comfort zone to turn his life around. Will his newfound shenanigans help him or hurt him when he gets caught up in fights with delinquents?



Tags: Philosophy , Male Protagonist , Delinquents , Bullying , Seinen , Work , Tragedy , Primarily Adult Cast , Primarily Male Cast , Homeless , Urban , Satire , Nudity , Samurai , Bar , Age Gap

Tobaku Mokushiroku Kaiji

Also known as Gambling Apocalypse Kaiji.

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Psychological , Thriller

Ne'er-do-well Kaiji Itou's shiftless existence is suddenly rattled by a visit from the yakuza. Burdened by debt and resentment, Kaiji is coerced into gambling for his worthless life. As the stakes grow higher and the rules become increasingly more bizarre, Kaiji must finally take the future into his own hands!



Note: Won the 22nd Kodansha Manga Award for general manga in 1998.

Tags: Gambling , Seinen , Survival , Primarily Adult Cast , Primarily Male Cast , Male Protagonist , Death Game , Card Battle , Yakuza , Class Struggle , Tragedy , Nudity

One Outs

Status: Finished
Genres: Psychological , Sports

The story begins when Hiromichi Kojima, the star batter of the fictional Lycaons in Japan's Pacific League, heads to the southern Japanese island of Okinawa to train and bring himself out of a slump. There, he meet Tōa Tokuchi, a 134-kmph (83 miles per hour) pitcher and the undisputed king of a gambling form of baseball called "One Out." At Kojima's urging, Tokuchi signs up with the Lycaons under an unusual contract: he gets 5,000,000 yen (about US$46,000) for every out he pitches, but loses 50,000,000 yen (US$460,000) for every point he gives up.

Notes:
- The main story was completed in 168 chapters with 19 volumes on 2006-10-19. An additional side story Giwaku no All Star Sen Hen (疑惑のオールスター戦編) was serialized from 2008-2009 and published as volume 20 of the series.
- Chapter count includes an additional chapter included in the 7th volume.

Tags: Seinen , Baseball , Gambling , Anti-Hero , Primarily Adult Cast , Primarily Male Cast , Philosophy

Akagi: Yami ni Oritatta Tensai

Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Drama , Psychological

While mahjong is a game that is often played with family and friends, it is also a game that is played in the darkest corners of society. Nangou is a compulsive gambler who has accumulated debt over three million yen. In a last ditch attempt to clear his record, he decides to wager his life on a game of mahjong with the mafia. Unfortunately, as the game progresses, Nangou only moves further from the prize and closer to death.

When all hope seems lost, the game parlor is suddenly intruded upon by Shigeru Akagi, a young boy on the run from the police. Desperate to turn the game around, Nangou hands the game over to Akagi after teaching him a few of the rules. The mafia can only smirk as Akagi sits down to play. However, they soon come to learn that Akagi is a natural born gambler. An imposing figure who does not fear death. One who is destined to become a legend.



Tags: Gambling , Mahjong , Death Game , Male Protagonist , Philosophy , Seinen , Primarily Male Cast , Kaiju , Anti-Hero , Yakuza , Tsundere , Time Skip , Historical , Afterlife , Gods , Demons , Board Game

Seizon: LifE

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Mystery , Thriller

Takeda is diagnosed with cancer and feels that he has nothing to live for. Hopeless, he decides to end his life. But when he is about to hang himself, the phone rings: the police have just found the corpse of his daughter, Sawako, who disappeared more than 14 years ago. Under Japanese law, the statute of limitations for murder only lasts 15 years. Takeda has only six months left: six months to live, six months to find his daughter's killer and deliver him to the authorities. After 14 years of silence and obscurity, the family ties are reborn...



Tags: Male Protagonist , Revenge , Police , Seinen , Detective , Primarily Adult Cast , Crime , Fugitive , Primarily Male Cast , Cars

Kiku

Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Comedy

Endou Kiku, a delinquent lone wolf, is pissed off with the world and everyone in it. Until he meets Senji and Sanji, who were just like him until they met each other. This one volume story follows Kiku as he finds out what it means to have friends and not be alone in the world, while also kicking ass and taking names in the meantime. This is the original Takahashi Hiroshi delinquent manga, predating his more famous works Crows, QP and Worst.

Tags: Delinquents , Shounen , Primarily Male Cast , Coming of Age , School