Akagi is famous for its slow pace, with emphasis on psychological portrayal. In particular, the Washizu arc, which began in volume 7 of the manga, was serialized monthly and took an astonishing 28 volumes to complete, from volume 7 to volume 35. The serialization period was roughly 20 years. That's a one-night gamble. We've put together a summary of the Washizu arc of Akagi, which took 20 years of real-life time!
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Washizu Chapter 1: It all started with a strange murder case...
It all started with the discovery of a strange young man's body buried in the mountains. The body was buried underground and had all of its blood drained from it. When detective Yasuoka checked the body, he discovered that it was Hirayama Yukio, aka Nise Akagi, his former partner. At this point, Yasuoka had a hunch.
The Dark Emperor Stained with Madness
The perpetrator of the crime was Iwao Washizu. He was the emperor of the dark world who had run through the turmoil of the postwar period, and even though he had achieved everything through his own efforts, he could not escape "old age" and "death". Driven mad by this fact, he hated young people simply because they were young, and with the backing of money and power, he made them risk their lives and took the lives of those who lost.
Washizu Chapter 2 Akagi confronts Washizu...!
Detective Yasuoka and Inada-gumi's underboss Ogi team up to pit Washizu against Akagi in an attempt to take all of Washizu's assets. The three players who face Washizu are explained the rules of Washizu Mahjong. Three of the four tiles are made of transparent glass, there is a combination play, and if there is a direct transfer of points, Washizu pays cash and Akagi pays blood as a gift, and after the end of a half-game, the game is settled according to the difference in points. Washizu can choose whether to continue or not after each round, and Akagi can replenish his blood after each half-game.
The beginning of a long battle...!
As soon as the match begins, Washizu realizes how different Akagi is. Before the match even begins, Washizu proposes a tenfold increase in the rate to hasten his death, and Washizu's courage and his sharp nerve, which is beyond the imagination of ordinary people, make him realize that he is a completely different opponent from his previous opponents.
Washizu Chapter 3: First Round...!
Washizu showed off his natural luck, and even had the opportunity to take Akagi's blood with a tsumoagari from an early tenpai, but something different about Akagi, who has darkness on his side, definitely made Washizu shrink back and backfire. In the last round of the first round, Washizu made Suzuki play a risky tile as insurance, but Akagi overlooked it and he was hit directly and the game ended.
Washizu Chapter 4, Round 2...!
Akagi refuses to replenish his blood before the start of the half-game. After that, Washizu wins a Mankan and he loses a total of 1100cc of blood. After that, Akagi gets a direct hit of Haneman, but still refuses to replenish his blood. The second round was Akagi's pace from start to finish, but in the last round, Washizu draws a hand with Nishi-ha, Hon-itsu, Dora 3, which looks like a jump man, and Akagi is in a pinch with Nishi, but he takes advantage of Washizu's mistake and heads off Suzuki's intrusion. Akagi wins the second round as well.
Washizu Chapter ⑤ Rounds 3-4...!
From here, Washizu lost his tempo, while Akagi was doing well from start to finish. However, in the East 2nd round of the 3rd round, Washizu's Liangsou concealed triplet was transformed into a monster Dora 12 by Kandora. Suzuki could have inserted it as it was, but Washizu aimed for a direct hit and did not win. Yasuoka drew the last I-pin, so Akagi made a move, and Washizu called and discarded I-pin, winning Ron. He experiences such a climax that chemicals in his brain run wild, but Yasuoka knocks him off his head. Washizu ends up not being able to earn any points.
Blood Discard...!
From then on, Akagi dominates the field from start to finish, winning the third round by a landslide. Akagi also stops the fourth round, causing Washizu to lose a large amount of cash. Washizu is completely exhausted and it seems he will not continue, but Akagi adds the condition that all blood he has lost so far will be discarded, so the match continues. It continues to the fifth round. This is the 13th volume of the book.
Washizu Chapter ⑥ Round 5...!
In the first East game of the fifth round, Washizu uses his great luck to force a flow and aims for a win with a high-level tsumo, but Akagi tries to avoid it by inserting a move into Yasuoka, but Yasuoka's hand is a high-level hand of Baiman, so Yasuoka escapes with a chi instead of a ron. However, this choice backfires in the worst way and he ends up with a 3-kanshi renjou dora 4 himan.
The momentum shifts to Akagi...
After that, Akagi had a lethal amount of blood drained from him, but he survived by using a trick to transfuse 500cc of blood beforehand. From then on, Washizu was shaken and was unable to grasp the momentum, which backfired, and he also let his guard down against Yasuoka, causing him to lose points. From then on, Akagi completely dominated the field and played in a series of impossible ways. It seemed that Akagi would win the last round after hitting a double full point and move on to the sixth round, but Akagi refused to stop the win. He declared that he would continue.
The game continues...!
Even after the consecutive wins, Akagi continues to steadily increase his score. From Washizu's perspective, if Akagi wins a consecutive win, the chance of defeating him increases. However, when Akagi wins four consecutive wins, it becomes clear that Washizu's funds are running out. This was the reason why he had continued to take risks and win consecutive wins up until now.
Akagi misses the big fish...!
After that, Washizu learns that if he throws in, it's all over. However, he is in the same situation as Akagi, and he remains bullish. However, with the advice of his subordinates, he finally chooses to run away and let Suzuki in to end Akagi's winning streak. That was the right choice! Akagi let the big fish go and was sure that the tide was turning in Washizu's favor. This is the 16th volume of the book.
Washizu Chapter ⑦ The long, long sixth round begins...!
In the first East round, Akagi was the only one who noticed that the momentum was not with Akagi but with Washizu. Washizu was steadily reaching out for high hands, but Akagi was not in that momentum. Akagi dodged Washizu in the first and second East rounds, but in the third East round, he realized that it was him, not Akagi, who was in the momentum. Akagi managed to turn Washizu's luck against him by bluffing with tiles hidden in the darkness, but Washizu's luck continued.
Finish with a small four-colored tile
It all started with Yasuoka discarding East, and Washizu was confirmed to have a tile one color with Suzuki's insertion. An incredible stroke of luck. However, Washizu didn't win and instead waited for a draw. However, Akagi held the winning tile, and immediately afterwards Washizu drew North. If he swapped it with Naka, Suzuki's insertion would result in a double small four-colored tile. Washizu goes for luck and tries to win by tsumoagari, but he knocks down a tile that Suzuki discarded, making it a draw. It's unclear whether that was the right move, but this leads to a huge difference of 96,000 points.
The next two rounds
Washizu's good form continues in the next two rounds, and he has a kokushi musou tenpai. However, Akagi threatens him with a no-ten reach, hinting at kokushi musou, and he throws away his tenpai. After that, Washizu draws the winning tile, the white, in the next round. This game ends with Suzuki winning by tsumoagari.
The tide is turning in Akagi's favor
From there, the tide turns in Akagi's favor. He wins a direct hit of 3900, and in the next game he also wins a direct hit of Oyaman. At this point, Washizu's funds are almost at their lowest. Just when it seems the game is decided by a large margin, Akagi regains his breath. In the subsequent consecutive games, Akagi also wins a direct hit of Oyaman. At this point, Washizu is unable to pay cash, so he has to bet his own blood on the game. So far, there are 21 volumes of the book.
Washizu Chapter 8 Round 6: Death Match with Blood at Stake
The blood-at-stake death match begins, and Washizu makes a desperate reach to change the flow. It was a choice that temporarily brought a good opportunity, but Akagi, who didn't reach, was defeated and blood was taken...! . After that, Akagi got a direct hit and more blood was taken...! However, Washizu, who was on the verge of death, awakens. His great luck is revived again.
South Round 2... An impossible draw...!
Starting with a double reach and a kick to Akagi's dealer, Washizu, who was in high spirits, continues to make a reach in the next round. Yasuoka uses a hidden supin in his left hand to block the shot, but this backfires and Washizu wins a draw in the next round, and with 4 hidden dragons, he wins a jumping draw. This causes Akagi to lose 300cc of blood. However, Akagi is not dead and is back...! Akagi, who is still staggering but full of the feeling of being alive, moves on to the third round in the south. Up to this point, we have 24 volumes of the book.
Washizu Chapter 9 Washizu Mahjong is about to get long...! South Round 3
Akagi, who has returned from the brink of death, fights hard in the next South Round 3, using darkness to his advantage against Washizu, who has luck on his side. Washizu's hand stops in the darkness. He thinks only about not throwing in the money and moves forward. In the end, Akagi waits for Washizu with three North pieces. Taking advantage of Washizu's gap, Akagi waits for the North and Washizu throws the North, but Akagi doesn't win and aims high, skipping the second North. With the third North, he hits the bottom of the river and wins. 28 volumes so far.
Washizu Chapter 10 Washizu falls into hell...!
After having his blood drained and falling into a coma, Washizu arrives in hell, where demons play with the dead. He leads the oppressed dead and starts a rebellion in hell. Then King Enma appears and Akagi bows down to his majesty, but he revives and slaps King Enma hard, fueled by his obsession with Akagi. After that, Washizu regains his vitality and returns to the present world. Then, with both of them in extreme conditions, the final battle, South Round 4, begins. So far, 30 volumes.
Washizu Chapter ⑪ Washizu Mahjong Decision...!
The two of them were dealt tiles that seemed to be enchanted by the gods. Washizu has a kokushi musou hand, while Akagi is waiting for seven tiles in a pure suit. After 10 episodes of dealing the tiles, the final battle begins. In order to negate Washizu's winning move, Akagi discards his seven-tile waiting and calls, resulting in the elimination of Washizu's kokushi musou hand. However, Washizu then pulls a demon hand and, with support from Suzuki, is guaranteed to win. However, Washizu is unable to continue to the end and dies. His subordinates begin life-saving measures, and the battle is decided. There are 35 volumes so far.
Washizu Chapter ⑫ Washizu Mahjong Afterwards...
Although Akagi won, the match was won by Washizu, and he disappeared without receiving any reward. Washizu is revived by his subordinates' life-saving measures. Washizu cannot let this end like this and searches for Akagi, but he cannot find Akagi's whereabouts.
【Akagi】Washizu Mahjong Arc Summary
I have summarized the Washizu arc, but it took about 20 years to reach its conclusion. 28 volumes in the tankobon format. Moreover, it took about 14 years to complete the 6th round, which took 19 volumes. It was a match that took an enormous amount of time. 20 years for a single night of matches. And 16 years for one half-game is a unique work. I think Akagi has left a legend in many ways!
The original Akagi manga is of course interesting, but the anime also has many exciting scenes that convey the tension, making it a very worthwhile work, and I'm sure there are many people who want to enjoy both the manga and the anime.
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