Fans Of Netflix's Hit Thriller Bet Need To Watch The Anime It's Based On

The obsession with re-imagining anime/manga as American live-action adaptations has proven to be problematic. While there isn't anything inherently wrong with reframing these stories as live-action projects, most English-language adaptations tend to completely change the localized context or misunderstand the source material. Perhaps the most egregious example of this is Adam Wingard's "Death Note" adaptation for Netflix, which takes the premise of a beloved gateway anime and warps it beyond recognition. In Tsugumi Ohba's "Death Note" manga, everything that happens is rooted in hyper-specific Japanese legends and mythology, where words like "shinigami" (Japanese spirits of death) and "Kira" (a transliteration of the word "killer") are integral to the premise. Once this cultural context is removed, "Death Note" falls apart, as we are only left with disconnected concepts that can never form a coherent whole.

This is also the case with "Bet," Netflix's Americanized series adaptation of Homura Kawamoto's "Kakegurui," which has already spawned an anime series, two live-action films, and a Japanese live-action show (along with multiple spin-offs) over the years. For context, "Kakegurui" has been divisive since its inception, as its MAPPA animated adaptation (which popularized it) is a gross, over-sexualized mess, with fan-service often taking precedence over nuanced characterization. The fact that the story revolves around schoolchildren only makes matters worse, to the point where it becomes impossible to gloss over the glaring issues that plague this over-the-top story about high school gambling.

That said, "Kakegurui" brims with exaggerated style, taking a kitschy approach to tackling its central themes in a way that lends it a ton of personality. What's more, the controversial female characters in "Kakegurui" emerge as complex, authentic human beings with real agency and set out to dismantle the problematic social structures that govern their lives with their bare hands. These girls are situated front and center; their messy, contrarian impulses are dissected with wit and panache, even when the MAPPA series feels like an absolute trainwreck.

Unfortunately, "Bet" is even unable to meet these standards, as it's a rather dull take on an anime that has a distinct (though jarring) identity. Let's talk about the anime and the Netflix adaptation in greater detail.

Netflix's "Bet" mimics the anime's exaggerated style, diving right into the story with Yumeko (Miku Martineau), whose transfer to St. Dominic's shakes the very foundation of the student council. You see, this school doesn't have a standard curriculum; it's a place where students play games or gamble to rise through the social ranks, and anyone with the misfortune of falling into debt is deemed a "house pet" by those who reign supreme. You can already see where this is going and how slippery the slope can get, but "Kakegurui" embraces this singular setting with an enthusiasm that "Bet" cannot even begin to muster. Yumeko's presence in "Bet" is admittedly intriguing enough at first, as she makes student council heads Kira (Clara Alexandrova ) and her sister Riri (Anwen O'Driscoll) seethe over the presence of a wild card. Alas, this tension doesn't last very long, and everything goes downhill from there.

A glaring issue is the show's costuming, which doesn't even bother to accurately represent its anime/manga character counterparts. But even if we ignore this stylistic aspect, "Bet" doesn't work because of the limitations of its format, as live-action characters will always feel less sympathetic than the ones featured in an animated story. For instance, Yumeko in the anime can be as twisted as she needs to be, her face warping into a hideous mask whenever she gives in to her horrible and violent tendencies.

The anime medium can accommodate these intense visual extremes, which make it easier to digest the characters' more unsavory aspects and allows these girls to be brash, ferocious, and downright evil. Live-action, no matter how well-acted, cannot translate these quirks, thus making it easier to dislike characters outright even before they're allowed to bloom.

Despite these limitations, those unfamiliar with "Kakegurui" can still enjoy "Bet" on its own, as it offers a mostly intriguing experience for those who're interested in stylized high school drama. In case you want to check out the larger "Kakegurui" property (apart from what the MAPPA anime has to offer), I would recommend seeking out the 2019 live-action "Kakegurui" film, which walks the fine line between staying true to its source material and creating a distinct identity that works better for its format. This high-intensity adaptation is filled with charming performances, and its labyrinthine drama never runs out of style.