I just finished episode 16 of Kaiji.
Spoilers ahead so don't, you know, read them if you haven't watched the show.
My opinions:
Restricted Rock Paper Scissors Ark:
it was great.
The amount of awesome Intensity combined with the timer created the perfect 24 style feel, which is good cause I love 24.
I liked Kaiji's character development, he was gradually getting smarter and more independent as the ark moved on.
These 9 or 10 episodes kept me completely on the edge of my seat and even though some things in the very beginning were sort of predictable, by episode 4 it compensated by making it so I wouldn't have any idea what would happen next.
In the end I have nothing really to complain about.
Pretty great, 'nuff said.
The Balance beam thingie ark:
Even though this ark was just as good if not better than the first ark when it comes to suspense and such, and even though the insanity and cruelty effects were plain awesome I have a few problems with this ark.
1.) What was the point of Sahara's character? I mean they made him out to be a main character yet they killed him off like that, I don't have a problem with new characters created just to be killed off but they made this guy seem like he'd be important.
2.) I think the general challenge of this ark was really random, I mean rock paper scissors was random too but at least that was gambling. In this it was just like they picked out a completely random dare-devil challenge out of Fear Factor.
3.) As I said earlier it was just as suspenseful as the previous ark but I didn't like it anywhere nearly as much, even though it had some cool insanity effects I just felt it was too drawn out and pointless.
/End complaints.
My thoughts in general:
After the very last episode of the Rock, paper, etc. ark the narrator said that their was 67/103 people that made it upstairs.
Is it just me or would it have been better if immediately after the rock paper scissors game and the buying + selling time all 67 people went on to a second challenge?
A second challenge similar to rock paper scissors, only different enough to not be stale.
If they did this the second ark wouldn't be so random, it would've still probably have been entertaining and they could've gone into more character development and they could've had kaiji, Ishida and Kitame team up or something and get back at all the bad guys I.E. Funai(Again just for giggles), Andou, etc.
END SPOILERS
Whatever, just my thoughts.
The e-card challenge looks promising and I will start(And probably finish) that tomorrow.
All in all, it's a great series.
