Akagi: The Genius Who Descended into Darkness and the Akagi Anime are gambling stories that depict the younger days of Akagi Shigeru, the "legendary mahjong player" who appeared in "Ten: The Perfect Mahjong Player." The story is famous for its slow flow of time, with an emphasis on psychological portrayal, and the final game took 20 years from start to finish. We would like to introduce you to Washizu Iwao, the strongest opponent with whom he fought such a fierce battle.
A monster who combines luck and skill...! Career of "Iwao Washizu"
Washizu graduated from the former Imperial University in 1912, and at the age of 22, he joined the Ministry of Home Affairs' Police Bureau, which is now known as the police. In 1932, he became a Special Higher Police Inspector, and in 1940, he rose to the rank of a Deputy Inspector General, which is now known as the Metropolitan Police Department, but he suddenly retired in 1942. This was in anticipation of Japan's defeat in World War II and to avoid being pursued as a war criminal.
After the war, he founded a management consulting company...!
After the war, he founded the management consulting company "Kyousei" at a time when such an idea was unheard of. However, this was because he knew about urban development and the establishment of laws in advance thanks to the connections and scandals he had made during his time as a police bureaucrat, and he has continued to use this information to obtain unprecedented amounts of money to this day, and continues to reign as the king of the dark world.
The king of darkness stained with madness...! Washizu Iwao
Washizu, who has survived through turbulent times with his own abilities and luck, collapses in his old age. Washizu, who has continued to reign as a king who can be forgiven no matter what he does and who will never be judged, is unable to resist the phenomenon of aging and falls into despair. He begins to hate young people who are less talented than him, and this hatred causes a certain incident.
The culprit of the blood-sucking incident...!
In 1965, a strange and bizarre murder occurred in the streets. The body of a young man was found with most of his blood drained from it. The culprit was none other than Washizu Iwao, who, backed by his own good fortune and financial power, forced people to take on games they had no hope of winning, and then murdered the losers. However, the crime was on the verge of being prosecuted, and Washizu mobilized all his money and connections to get out of the predicament, but he ended up giving up most of his assets.
A selfish 75-year-old child...! Washizu Iwao
Washizu, who continued to reign as the Emperor of Darkness, has an extremely selfish personality...! Washizu in the past was understandable, but Washizu now is in a situation where no one can oppose him, and even though he has in fact killed many young people, the money and power he has are enough to make him a super self-centered monster, even if he is not unscathed.
Charismatic Washizu Iwao...!
He gets angry over small things, drools during a game, and lashes out like a child when he fails to win with Yasuoka's head flip. However, this selfishness can also be said to be the charisma of a king, and he is loved by his subordinates, and when he is on the verge of life and death, he shows his charisma by instantly subjugating the dead.
A man loved by God...! What is Washizu's strength?
When the points change due to a direct hit or a tsumoagari, Washizu pays in cash and his opponent pays in blood. Therefore, Washizu's strength was that he could crush his opponent with the pressure of his financial power and the will to risk his life, but this did not work on Akagi, who did not hesitate to throw away his own life, and he was put in a difficult situation by Akagi, who used this against him.
A man with heavenly luck...!
In psychological warfare, Washizu is constantly manipulated by Akagi, but Akagi still recognizes him as his strongest opponent, "the same kind as me," and the reason for this is that he has a godlike fortune. In terms of luck alone, Akagi evaluates that he is far inferior to Washizu. The battle between Akagi, who relies on intelligence, insight, and bad luck, and Washizu, who has an unfathomable fortune that blows away even Akagi's intelligence, is a fierce battle that will last for 20 years in real time.
Washizu is cornered and possessed by a god...!
Originally, Washizu kept missing his chances due to Akagi's strangeness and pressure, which did not even consider his own life, but he showed such good luck that he would have won easily if it had not been for that, and the more cornered he was, the more his luck became divine and his senses became sharper. He lost his funds and had to settle with blood, and Washizu had his blood drained and fell into a coma, but he recovered safely and showed even more divine good luck at that time.
Washizu dies...! And then we enter Kochikame time...!
After having his blood drained, Washizu falls into a coma, and for some reason, he finds himself in a hell that has nothing to do with the world of mahjong or gambling...! It's a hell where demons toy with the dead. Washizu falls into a coma, dies once, and steps into hell. He gets lost in a gag space-time that has no elements of mahjong or gambling, or in other words, the space-time of Kochikame.
Washizu with the dead at his command...!
It was a world where big-sized demons toyed with the dead, but Washizu's physical strength at that time had returned to his prime, when he was able to use the "Washizu Copter" (the name of the technique will be revealed in a later spin-off work) to escape into the air by rotating the iron ball attached to his neck. So Washizu rebelled against the demons. Despite his small size, he showed great fighting skills, and with his charisma, he led the dead to follow him and started a rebellion in hell. (Note: This work is Akagi)
King Enma who rules over Hell...!
The rebellion, led by the undead, gains the upper hand thanks to Washizu's efforts, but the situation changes dramatically with the appearance of King Enma. (Note: This work is about Akagi.) Even Washizu is forced to bow down to his majesty, which he cannot resist, but he is revived by remembering his obsession with Akagi.
Defeat King Enma...!
Washizu, who remembered his fight with Akagi, can no longer stay dead, and his obsession awakens his attachment to life and he is resurrected. He slaps King Enma and returns to the world of the living. Washizu's giant body shrinks rapidly after returning to the world of the living, but he somehow manages to reach his original mansion. (Note: This work is Akagi)
The final battle with Washizu who has returned from hell!
Washizu, who literally returned from hell, is finally back. And now he will face Akagi in a truly final battle to settle things.
Washizu Iwao Summary
Washizu Iwao is Akagi's strongest enemy and the de facto final boss of the work. Due to the long serialization, he has been treated as a secondary protagonist, and even a spin-off work depicting Washizu's younger days has been released. He is an incredibly strong character, and the episodes he has is also mind-blowing. However, I think that without this character, Akagi's charm would be halved! Washizu's exploits are interesting in many ways, so I definitely want you to watch the show!
