"Kakegurui" is a manga written by Kawamoto Homura that began serialization in the April 2014 issue of Gangan Joker. At Hyakkaou Private Academy, where the way you are treated from that day onwards changes depending on whether you win or lose a gamble, it's heaven if you win and hell if you lose. This work, in which a character named Jabami Yumeko transfers to the school and repeatedly gambles, is full of horror, fun, and thrills. This time, we'll be introducing Mushibami Erimi, a member of the Hyakuzoku clan from "Kakegurui".
Mushibami Erimi's Profile
Source: Kakegurui © Homura Kawamoto, Toru Naomura/SQUARE ENIX, "Kakegurui" Production Committee
Head of the Mushibami family of the Momobami clan, she has been making a living by "torture" for generations. She dresses in gothic lolita fashion and carries a stuffed animal named "Imomusshi-kun." He calls people he is not interested in, such as Ryota Suzui, "mobs," and is treated like a child by the other representatives. He challenges Jabami Yumeko to a game in order to crush her first, and together with Ishima Mō, who happened to be at the gambling hall, they play a "finger-cutting guillotine" using the torture device he always carries around with him.
The opponent of the craziest duo
Source: Kakegurui © Homura Kawamoto, Toru Naomura/SQUARE ENIX/Kakegurui Production Committee
At first, she was able to proceed with ease because the guillotine had a safety plate installed, but when the two of them proceeded with glee and Yumeko casually said something, she assumed that the plate had been removed and was overwhelmed with fear. She cried as she was encouraged by Mō's rage and Yumeko's provocation, and although she was ultimately defeated, Yumeko praised her for her stubborn attitude and recognized her accordingly. In the gambling introduction in the 7th volume of the book, it is said that it was unlucky to have chosen the two, the "craziest duo" who would never pull out their fingers, as her opponents. In the extra manga in the comics, she has a bad feeling towards Mō and tries to win him over with torture tools to overcome her feelings, but fails. She is also not so cruel towards people outside her league, as she comforts Mō who is depressed after Yumeko has given up on her.
What is the Momobami Clan!?
Source: Kakegurui © Homura Kawamoto, Toru Naomura / SQUARE ENIX, "Kakegurui" Production Committee
To get straight to the point, Momobami Kirari reigns at the top of the Momobami Clan. That's why they all share the nickname "Momobami." There are quite a few branches of the Momobami Clan, and all of them have surnames that start with "○bami." In other words, everything is derived from Momobami. It really feels like the Momobami family has other branches under their control. In other words, Momobami Kirari not only controls the ultra-prestigious school, Hyakkaou Academy, but the entire family at just 17 years old. A genius who has used the bloodline of the Momobami family and the brand power of the ultra-prestigious school to wield enormous influence in the political and financial world in just under two years. The president, Momobami Kirari, has decided to hold an election with her own position as student president at stake.
The Benefits of Being Student Council President
Source: Kakegurui © Homura Kawamoto, Toru Naomura / SQUARE ENIX, "Kakegurui" Production Committee
They decided to participate in the student council president election. So Momobami created the livestock system at Hyakkaou Academy and made connections with the political and financial world. There seems to be a formula that says becoming student council president = having power. Because of this, the story goes that the branch families of the Momobami clan gathered together in search of that power. Who would have thought that the setting of the school being connected to the political and financial world would be utilized to this extent? It seems that it's not just about the "life planning chart". The main story of "Kakegurui" seems to be the battle between Hyakkaou Academy and the Momobami clan for the succession to the family headship. The gambling-addicted battle, which has also involved the student council and is centered around the main character, Jabami Yumeko, is accelerating.
VS Yumeko & Mō
Source: Kakegurui © Homura Kawamoto, Toru Naomura / SQUARE ENIX, "Kakegurui" Production Committee
The method of student council election is, of course, gambling. Each student has votes, but the rule is that each person has one vote, and the votes must be taken away by gambling. All students are candidates and voters. It's a gambling survival game set on campus. The person who is the best at gambling becomes student council president. The first showdown is between Yumeko and Mushibami Erimi, a gothic lolita girl who seems to be the only one in the Momobami family who is mocked by her own family.
Source: Kakegurui © Homura Kawamoto, Toru Naomura/SQUARE ENIX, "Kakegurui" Production Committee
The rule for the election is that the election officials must also be present when gambling, and Erimi challenges Yumeko to a game with the tools she brought with her. Along the way, they happen to meet Ikushima, a member of the beautification committee who was once defeated by Yumeko. While Ikushima is excited to see her again after such a long time, Yumeko gives him a cold look and gives him a cold response. She then hides behind Ryota and nibbles at his sleeve, which is a very obvious and cute moment.
Source: Kakegurui © Homura Kawamoto, Toru Naomura/SQUARE ENIX, "Kakegurui" Production Committee
Erimi brought a guillotine for cutting fingers. There are 20 strings tied to the guillotine, and if you cut any one of them, the guillotine will fall and cut off your finger, just like in the world of Kaiji. It looked like a game of Russian roulette, but the rules were that all three players put their fingers in at the same time and took turns cutting the string. The first person to get scared and pull out their finger lost.
Source: Kakegurui © Homura Kawamoto, Toru Naomura/SQUARE ENIX, "Kakegurui" Production Committee
Of course, Erimi had set up a guillotine for Yumeko and her friends' gambling! This guillotine is designed so that even if the blade falls, the fingers are protected by a metal plate. Erimi, the only one who knows about this, tries to take pleasure in watching Yumeko and the others tremble in fear, but Yumeko and Ikishima are excited and overjoyed at the risk of losing their fingers.
Source: Kakegurui © Homura Kawamoto, Toru Naomura / SQUARE ENIX, "Kakegurui" Production Committee
On the other hand, when Yumeko asked the election official, "Did you remove it?", Erimi thought something was wrong, and her heart was torn to pieces with fear. This turn of events, where she plots evil and challenges Yumeko, only to be cornered in return, is the most brain-juice-filled.
Source: Kakegurui © Homura Kawamoto, Toru Naomura / SQUARE ENIX, "Kakegurui" Production Committee
As the number of strings dwindles, Mushikui Erimi's face becomes all crumpled with tears. Then, with just two strings left, Ikushima makes the outrageous move of cutting both at the same time. Erimi pulls out her fingers and loses. Ikushima also loses for foul play. Ikushima, who had trampled on the moment of the gambling, a gambling game with a 50/50 chance that was born of chance, received the greatest scorn from Yumeko. And the final winner was Yumeko, who received two votes.
Summary
The gambling game "Finger-Cut Guillotine" is over! It was a gambling game that was terrifyingly thrilling and should have been won by Erimi, even with the cheating, but... her opponents were Yumeko and Ikushima, and they were just too bad. At first glance, the Momobami clan seems like a pushover, but there is also a Momobami clan that easily defeated Nishinotoin, who had defeated former student council member Saotome Meari, so be sure to keep an eye on the Momobami clan!
