Squid Games’ Anime Double Reveals New Live-Action Adaptation

Squid Game’s third season brought the monolith for Netflix to a close, and while future spin-offs have been hinted at, the return of the deadly games remains a mystery. There might have never been an official Squid Game anime adaptation, bringing the heart-pounding story to the medium, but there are plenty of series that have comparable death games. One of the biggest remains Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor, a series that began as a manga in 1996 and eventually received its own anime adaptation. Now, the anime gambler is returning to the world of live-action and is bringing back some familiar faces.

Kaiji: Jinsei Revenge Game has been confirmed to hit theaters in Japan on January 29th, 2027, next year. Alongside a new trailer hinting at what is to come, the movie confirmed that the actor who brought the gambling star, Tatsuya Fujiwara, would be returning to the role. First starring as the titular character in 2009 with Kaiji: Jinsei Gyakuten Game, Fujiwara would return for 2011’s Kaiji 2: Jinsei Dakkan Game and in 2020’s Kaiji: Final Game. As of the writing of this article, there hasn’t been a new Kaiji anime adaptation confirmed for the small screen down the road, so this live-action adaptation is your best shot at returning to this gambling world. You can check out the new trailer below.

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The Return of Kaiji

To hype up the new Kaiji film landing next year, star Tatsuy Fujiwara discussed returning to the dangerous gambling world, “Returning to the world of Kaiji for the first time in seven years, I feel that its unique worldview, including Fukumoto-sensei’s ideas and scripts, has become a very enjoyable piece of entertainment that resonates even in this day and age. Furthermore, with the evolution of technical aspects such as CG and VFX, I am very much looking forward to seeing how the director and the CG team will create the world of the realistic steel beam crossing. I believe the final work will surely satisfy everyone, so I would be happy if you could come and see it in theaters.”

While the original anime adaptation, which is available to stream on Crunchyroll, did receive two seasons, this is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Kaiji’s story. Since releasing its first manga chapter in 1996, the series has continued to follow the tragic gambler’s life as Kaiji can never quite get away from the deadly games that have destroyed his life. Surprisingly, the anime did receive a spin-off series focusing on a surprising character. Mr. Tonegawa: Middle Management Blues decides to follow the villainous middleman who helps put together the killer games for his employers, taking a very different approach to the dire universe. Even if no new anime are ever confirmed, Kaiji’s future in the realm of live-action is assured.

What do you think of Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor returning next year with a new live-action adaptation? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!