A school gambling story that takes place in a prestigious school attended by wealthy upper-class students, where a strict class system based on gambling has been adopted. The highlights of the story are the absurdity of deceiving each other through gambling, reading each other's hands, and receiving large sums of money and popularity if you win, but humiliating treatment if you lose, as well as the negative side of capitalist society.
Saotome Meari's Profile
Source: Kakegurui © Homura Kawamoto, Toru Naomura/SQUARE ENIX, "Kakegurui" Production Committee
Her blonde hair is tied in twin tails, she is beautiful, and her birthday is March 8th. Contrary to her pretty appearance, she has a quick mind and is skilled at grasping the essence of games, making her overall specs high. Incidentally, she maintains a high hierarchy in a school where many of the students are wealthy, but in reality, she is one of the few students from an ordinary family.
Personality
She has a haughty and proud personality, and a strong rebellious spirit. She has a strong desire to improve herself, and sometimes shows an attitude of seizing her own future even if it means going against profit.
She hates losing, and hates being looked down upon or insulted by others. Also, she usually uses feminine language like a noble young lady like Momobami Kirari, but when she gets excited, upset, or angry during a competition, she speaks in an androgynous tone, or she speaks in a rough and rough tone like Ishima Mō.
Voice Actor
Source: Kakegurui © Homura Kawamoto, Toru Naomura / SQUARE ENIX, "Kakegurui" Production Committee
Minami Tanaka is the voice of Meari. Meari's emotions range from haughty queenly to intelligent, anxious, and happy. She perfectly plays the character with a wide range of personalities. You'll definitely discover new charms in Meari! Voice actress Minami Tanaka's passionate performance and the lustrous use of color really bring out Meari's charm!
Falling into rock bottom
Source: Kakegurui © Homura Kawamoto, Toru Naomura/SQUARE ENIX, "Kakegurui" Production Committee
After being defeated by the transfer student Jabami Yumeko, he ends up becoming "livestock, Mike". In order to regain his pride after being reduced to the lowest position, repay his debt, and escape Mike, he has no choice but to challenge the student council members to an "official match", but he is defeated by Nishinotoin Yuriko's life or death and ends up with even more debt. If he remains a farm animal and is unable to repay his debt, he will have to accept the "life plan" presented by the student council.
Source: Kakegurui © Homura Kawamoto, Toru Naomura / SQUARE ENIX, "Kakegurui" Production Committee
She will have to live a life where everything, including her marriage partner, is decided by someone else. Although there is no freedom of choice, the life plan guarantees a life of luxury... However, Meari takes an offensive step, saying, "My life is mine! I'm going to take back my life!" It's a decision that is typical of the proud Meari! Meari had been feeling a bit depressed for a while, so I was moved to see her back on the battlefield. After all, Meari is a perfect fit for a queen.
A Brilliant Turnaround
Source: Kakegurui © Homura Kawamoto, Toru Naomura/SQUARE ENIX, "Kakegurui" Production Committee
It was truly satisfying to see her cooperate with Yumeko to deceive the enemy and win. Who would have thought that the day would come when these two would fight together! It was an unusual collaboration, and a brilliant victory. Thus, Meari repaid her debt and escaped from the beasts. Even in a desperate and extreme situation, she used all her wits and fought with all her might! Even in a cornered situation, she was able to calmly judge and make the right choices; it takes more than just mental strength to succeed! 
Source: Kakegurui © Homura Kawamoto, Toru Naomura / SQUARE ENIX, "Kakegurui" Production Committee
Meari is extremely brave. I admire her integrity in colluding with Yumeko, who once framed her, in order to win. I hope she continues to be the undefeated queen Meari. After this match, Yumeko took a liking to her, and they reluctantly became friends.
An emotional queen
Source: Kakegurui © Homura Kawamoto, Toru Naomura/SQUARE ENIX, "Kakegurui" Production Committee
Until Yumeko came, Meari was the strongest gambler in the Hanagumi, but she also shows her emotions in situations other than gambling. She seems to hate being made fun of or ridiculed. Just as you'd expect from a queen. When it comes to gambling, one might imagine someone trying not to let the other person know how they feel, but Meari doesn't seem to be that type of person.
Source: Kakegurui © Homura Kawamoto, Toru Naomura/SQUARE ENIX, "Kakegurui" Production Committee
She's very emotional, getting angry when she's pissed and anxious when she loses. However, Meari's specialty is using her emotional ups and downs to her advantage in her acting to sneak attack. It's impossible to tell which parts were just acting. Meari's rich emotions, which may seem a weakness at first glance, are also her strengths. Her acting is also brilliant, as she behaves cheerfully towards her friend who turns against her when she escapes from being a livestock. I would like to emulate her ability to get along in life.
A loyal side
Source: Kakegurui © Homura Kawamoto, Toru Naomura/SQUARE ENIX, "Kakegurui" Production Committee
When Suzuki pointed out that she was monopolizing the prize money she won at the "Debt Settlement Rally," she offered it to Yumeko to repay her debt, saying that she "doesn't want to owe her anything." Although she doesn't usually show this side, her honest and serious personality sometimes appears. When she first lost, she thought, "Nothing good will come from getting involved with Yumeko," but after Yumeko gave her stamp of approval and called her a "friend♡," they started hanging out together. She may be surprisingly weak to pressure. Although she is usually cool and aloof, she also has a cute, slightly vulnerable side. She's full of little devil elements, and this is one of her charms.
The Popular Meari
Source: Kakegurui © Homura Kawamoto, Toru Naomura / SQUARE ENIX, "Kakegurui" Production Committee
Meari is pointed at and laughed at by her classmates. However, some people fall in love with her unyielding personality. Most of the key characters in the main story and "Twin", both enemies and allies, fall in love with her. Among them, Tsuzura Hanatemari is head over heels in love with Meari, who has admired her honesty since they were in elementary school. He believes in everything and follows her. It's not because he wants her to win for himself, but because he loves her so much that she never gives up no matter what.
The dominant student council members also take notice of her way of life. In the main story, the student council president tries to recruit her as an officer, and the vice president tries to get her on his side, so she is extremely popular. Above all, he seems to like Yumeko very much, and is always clingy. Meari is in a harem. In "So", Togakushi Yukimi, who ends up running the gambling den with her, and student council members Juraku Sachiko and Mibuomi Aoi set their sights on Meari. Juraku's reason for doing so is his sexual fetish for tormenting her.
Source: Kakegurui © Homura Kawamoto, Toru Naomura / SQUARE ENIX, "Kakegurui" Production Committee
Meari herself says that she will go along with any plan if it means they can become winners. However, the children who truly believe in Meari probably don't think so. In both the main story and "Twin", everyone knows that Meari will never compromise her sense of human justice, which she holds dear. That's why they can trust her and decide to entrust their lives to her. In terms of abilities, she's not a superman like Yumeko. But Meari whispers, "It's okay, trust me," and doesn't waver her gaze. She looks like a blonde twin-tailed prince.
The boy she's interested in is her servant, Pochi, or Suzuki.
Source: Kakegurui © Homura Kawamoto, Toru Naomura/SQUARE ENIX/Kakegurui Production Committee
In one game of "Twin", she accidentally lets slip that the boy she likes is "someone who is stupidly honest", and she actively treats Suzuki, who has become Pochi, as her servant, and gets upset when Suzuki shows sweetness to Yumeko. When they become friends through Yumeko, her reaction shows that although it is unclear whether she has any clear feelings for him, she is aware of him to a degree that she cannot remain indifferent to him, and her actions are ultimately those of a child who "bullies someone she likes".
The key person in the story! ?
Source: Kakegurui © Homura Kawamoto, Toru Naomura / SQUARE ENIX, "Kakegurui" Production Committee
After escaping from her life as a livestock, Meari is noticed by the student council for skimming off billions of yen, and is personally invited to join by the student council president, Kirari Momobami. It sounds like a good deal, but after hearing Momobami's thoughts on the livestock system, Meari declines to join the student council. It seems that being mocked as a former livestock is an event that Meari will never forget. "I will never forgive anyone making fun of me!" is a typical Meari reason. Momobami doesn't seem to understand why she was turned down. But she is truly a queen, not giving in to Momobami's intimidation. In the past, she was even recruited by an anti-student council group. Meari is a good gambler and is always in high demand.
Source: Kakegurui © Homura Kawamoto, Toru Naomura / SQUARE ENIX, "Kakegurui" Production Committee
The student council is dissolved, and the gambling student council election begins, but Meari doesn't seem to be very enthusiastic. Meanwhile, she even witnesses the vice-chairman's true face under his mask. Flags are flying all over Meari. Before Yumeko transferred to the school, Meari had been winning by relying on the trust of her friends. Yumeko, on the other hand, wins by her own strength. If Yumeko is a "genius type," Meari is a "hardworking genius." How will Meari move from now on? Will she end up joining the student council? Don't miss out on how Meari will perform in the future! ! Future developments depend on Meari! ?
Summary
Meari is a key person in both the anime and the original work. Her relationships with Yumeko and Suzuki are also interesting. The future developments are hot and you won't be able to take your eyes off them, so please keep an eye on Saotome Meari.
