Manga like Gin to Kin

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

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

Ten: Tenhou-doori no Kaidanji

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Psychological

Takashi Ten is living his life as a rep mahjong player. A kind person at heart, he also possesses an ingenious talent in mahjong. One day Ten meets Hiroyuki Igawa, a student player who 'plays by logic'. Hiroyuki is overwhelmed at Ten's playing style which involves anything besides logic, and soon becomes one of his close friends.

Being the rep player he is, Ten had to play against some Yakuza. The chance of victory seemed to be on Ten's side, but then the yakuza decide to call their secret weapon, a legendary rep player called...

Tags: Seinen , Mahjong , Gambling , Yakuza , Philosophy , Male Protagonist , Primarily Adult Cast , Time Skip , Primarily Male Cast , Kuudere , Suicide , Tragedy , Amnesia , Board Game , Poker , Golf

Sanctuary

Also known as Sanctuary.

Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Drama , Thriller

Two young men vow to transform the destiny of Japan, by any means. As children, they survived the horrors of the Cambodian killing fields together. Now, can they topple the leaders of both the Japanese Parliament and the yakuza crime syndicate?

Although cold and calculating when need be, Hojo and Asami exemplify the traits their colleagues lack: loyalty to friends, compassion for the downtrodden...and an irresistible way with women.

Deputy Police Chief Ishihara sets out to expose their ingenious machinations, but instead falls helplessly in love with Hojo...

Tags: Yakuza , Politics , Seinen , Crime , Primarily Adult Cast , Urban , Noir , Nudity , Police , Tragedy , Triads , Gore

Ginyanma: Janki-tachi no Densetsu

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Psychological , Sports

A collection of short mahjong-centric stories by Nobuyuki Fukumoto. Contains two one-shots and a five-chapter story. 1-5. Ginyanma (銀ヤンマ) A five-chapter story about a match between detective Ginji Hirai and a man named Shimura who cheats by switching the tiles. Gantatsu (ガン辰)
A one-shot about a terminal cancer patient Tatsumi Asai who is known for his trademark tile marking trick and playing his final game to help his son. Endoh (遠藤)
A one-shot about a match between the rep player of N Association Tetsuo Endoh and his apprentice Shougo Morikawa to determine if Morikawa is ready to lead a new generation.

Tags: Seinen , Mahjong , Yakuza , Gambling , Police , Detective , Primarily Male Cast , Male Protagonist , Anthology , Board Game

Usogui

Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Psychological , Thriller

There are gamblers out there who even bet their lives as ante. But to secure the integrity of these life-threatening gambles, a violent and powerful organization by the name of "Kakerou" referees these games as a neutral party. Follow Baku Madarame a.k.a. Usogui (The Lie Eater) as he gambles against maniacal opponents at games—such as Escape the Abandoned Building, Old Maid, and Hangman—to ultimately "out-gamble" and control the neutral organization of Kakerou itself.

Tags: Gambling , Male Protagonist , Primarily Adult Cast , Death Game , Seinen , Crime , Philosophy , Martial Arts , Amnesia , Memory Manipulation , Poker , Anti-Hero , Mafia , Primarily Male Cast , Tragedy , Gore , Fairy Tale , Terrorism , Aliens , Guns , LGBTQ+ Themes

Seikimatsu Bakurouden Saga

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Thriller

The story is about the silver gambler Saga, an injustice trader who only makes a living by gambling. If one wins, one step up. With the fun and fun style of the translation of meomaycacbu's dirty story through "Sora yori takaku", read the man's welcome to see the man with the purpose of "Peeling money off all other gamblers".

Included one-shot:
Volume 6: Shounen Shoubushi Ken

Tags: Gambling , Seinen , Mahjong , Golf , Board Game

Gintama

Also known as Gin Tama.

Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Comedy , Drama , Sci-Fi

The samurai didn't stand a chance. First, the aliens invaded Japan. Next, they took all the jobs. And then they confiscated everyone's swords. So what does a hotheaded former samurai like Sakata "Gin" Gintoki do to make ends meet? Take any odd job that comes his way, even if it means losing his dignity.



Included Bonus Chapters:
Volume 1: Dandelion (One-shot).
Volume 2: Shirokuro (One-shot).
Volume 24: 13 (One-shot).
Volume 38: Bankara-san Ga Tooru (One-shot).
Volume 41: Special Lesson.

Tags: Found Family , Samurai , Parody , Meta , Swordplay , Male Protagonist , Aliens , Philosophy , Shounen , Episodic , Tragedy , Space , Historical , Anachronism , Ensemble Cast , Time Skip , Police , War , Dystopian , Fugitive , Robots , Ninja , Ghost , Homeless , Assassins , Crossdressing , Idol , Shrine Maiden , LGBTQ+ Themes , Body Swapping , Gender Bending , Judo , Drawing , Gangs , Female Harem , Dissociative Identities , Afterlife , Amnesia , Cult , Military , Reincarnation , Nekomimi , Conspiracy , Politics

LIAR GAME

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Psychological

Wishing she would live up to the ideal, Kanzaki Nao's father named her thusly for “honesty”. Nao has more than lived up to her father's wishes--even exceeding them and earning the label of "a foolishly honest girl". This makes Nao the least qualified candidate for the high stakes 'Liar Game', where winning requires deceiving the opponent out of their money and losing means receiving massive debt. However, that doesn't stop a box containing a hundred million yen in cash and a card informing her of her participation in the game from arriving at her doorstep, nor does it stop her from being promptly tricked out of the entire sum of money. Upon hearing that a genius swindler, responsible for the bankruptcy of a major corporation, is being released from jail, Nao goes to the swindler, Shinichi Akiyama, to enlist his help. With that, the two are drawn into the dark, greed-filled, and deceptive world of the Liar Game.

Tags: Gambling , Seinen , Primarily Adult Cast , Female Protagonist , Death Game , Cult , Ensemble Cast , Transgender , Bullying , Conspiracy , Coming of Age

Mudazumo Naki Kaikaku

Also known as Reform with No Wasted Draws - The Legend of Koizumi.

Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Drama

Modern diplomacy is settled through high-stakes games of mahjong in this cult classic starring a fictionalized Prime Minister Junichirō Koizumi. First serialized in Kindai Mahjong magazines, the 16-volume series pits Koizumi against caricatured world leaders including George W. Bush, Kim Jong-il, Vladimir Putin, Margaret Thatcher, and others.



Included one-shots:
Volume 3: Ritz season.1
Volume 4: Oretachi Kenou Shineitai
Volume 11: Ritz season.2
Volume 12: Lacross Shoujo Katagiri Ririn-san wa Totemo Moteru
Volume 13: Ritz season.3

Tags: Seinen , Gambling , Mahjong , Parody , Politics , Death Game , Satire , Male Protagonist , Primarily Male Cast , Primarily Adult Cast , Super Power , Military , Robots , Surreal Comedy , Aliens , Space , Board Game