One of the 2010s' most popular anime series has made a return in a drastically reimagined form, as Netflix has released a new Kakegurui live-action series calledBet. The streaming service has found itself involved with several productions, both within Japan and in North America, that have brought beloved anime and manga series into live-action.These Netflix live-action adaptations includeDeath Note, Fullmetal Alchemist, Cowboy Bebop, Alice in Borderland,andBleach, to varying levels of success.
In 2023, the streaming service released its most positively reviewed live-action series withOne Piece. The fantasy series brought Eiichiro Oda’s beloved tale of Monkey D. Luffy’s (Iñaki Godoy) quest to discover the fabled One Piece and become King of the Pirates into live-action, with critics and audiences both finding themselves near-unanimously pleased. WhileOne Piecewill return with a second season,Netflix is also set to adaptMy Hero Academiainto a live-action project, alongside returning to the world ofDeath Notewith a new reimagining underStranger Thingsshowrunners, the Duffer Brothers, showing their continued investment in adaptations.
Bet Is An American Live-Action Adaptation Of Kakegurui
BET sees the next generation of social high-rollers gamble on claiming even more power
On May 15,Betwas released, revisiting a world of addictive high-stakes gambling that dominated the late 2010s anime community.The series is an adaptation of the 2017 anime Kakegurui, which brought Homura Kawamoto and Toru Naomura’s manga to screen. InBet, audiences are enrolled in St. Dominic’s, an exclusive private school for the next generations of the upper class, where social standing comes above all else, and the student body will take any wager to try and climb the hierarchy.
Amidst the cut-throat and power-hungry students fighting for supremacy is Yumeko (Miku Martineau), a recently transferred second-year student whose harsh childhood shaped her into a passionate gambling prodigy with few limits to what she will gamble to uncover the truth of her parents' deaths. Together with Ryan (Ayo Solanke), the pair set out to disturb the status quo, drawing the attention of the Student Council and the order of the school. However, in an institution where student deaths aren’t out of the norm, their games not only have the highest rewards, but deadly stakes.
Netflix’s Bet Is Not The First Kakegurui Live-Action Adaptation
Prior toBet’srelease, Netflix already had extensive involvement with theKakeguruifranchise.Alongside serving as the international streaming home for the original anime, the streaming service also hosted a Japanese live-action adaptationin 2018 that ran for 15 episodes across two seasons from January 2018 to April 2019. The series was a direct adaptation of the manga, with Minami Hanabe taking on the role of Yumeko in live-action.
While Netflix eventually hosted it, Kakegurui Twin was originally released on streaming competitor Prime Video.
Although no new season has been released since 2019, the Japaneselive-actionKakeguruiadaptationwas revisited with a movie duology that featured the television cast reprising their roles. Furthermore,Kakegurui Twin, a spin-off web series that saw Aoi Morikawa reprise her role as Mary Saotome. As such,Kakeguruifans have already been treated to much of the anime series finding its way into the realm of live-action.
How Netflix’s Kakegurui Live-Action Show Compares To The Anime
Bet Adds New Layers To Kakegurui’s Cast
Bethasn’t limited itself to being a 1:1 translation of the manga, anime, or prior series. Alongside reimagining the majority of the characters and locations within a western setting, the series has also been given new layers, such asYumeko’s new quest to uncover the truth of her family’s demise, rather than being motivated by the love of the game.
There is also a bigger role for Ryan when compared to his Japanese counterpart, Ryota. As such, there are enough new reinterpretations inBetthat can draw in both fans who like the original series and new viewers who are not familiar with the anime.
