u/AdministrationOnly17

(very creative title, I know)

I was watching a storytime video last week about a college girl who was caught in a dangerous situation involving a creepy neighbor. Her story reminded me so much of Nao because she was also a college student living alone, and though her parents were both alive and healthy, she didn’t reach out to them for help because she thought that they had enough to worry about already. In another video, she also explained that her and some college friends got scammed yet she wasn’t able to get back on her feet because she was too scared to reach out for help.

I think I found the real life Nao in a way. They both grew up super sheltered, both were lonely, and in the end, none of the authorities stepped in. Except, beginning Nao had it even harder because the authorities were the perpetrators themselves.

So, I can’t imagine how many Nao’s there are out there in the world. Yes, Nao is realistic. If I was able to randomly stumble upon a Nao through Youtube, how many more similar stories out there that are untold (or worse, because they are unable to)?

I think the people who call Nao unrealistic are actually pretty naive themselves to think people like her don’t exist.

^(It’s pretty ironic because in later videos she had to respond to hate comments saying that she made up these stories.)

Disclaimer: Spoilers for the second to last game!

>!Human Auction is so, so under-appreciated.!<

>!After 4 years or so, I’ve finally revisited this arc, and despite diving in cold, headfirst without rereading the build up tensions from previous rounds, I enjoyed it so, so much.!<

>!In terms of high iq plays, I understand why this might not be a highly rated arc to many fans because the strategies implemented were pretty straightforward. But in terms of character drama? Peak, absolute peak.!<

>!First, this round was absolutely my girl Nao’s era. I heavily disagree when people say that she got sidelined in this game just because she was physically taken out early from participating. In fact, it says a lot about how powerful of an influence she has over the other players when the direction of the entire game as well as the end result played into the palm of her hands, despite the little time she was given. Mind you, she wasn’t even able to communicate with Akiyama or the two other players she was relying on at the time—the author had to find some way to nerf her. It’s so satisfying to watch her move with the confidence and trust that she’s built, there were so many moments when she was told (by both Akiyama and mainly Yokoya) how idealistic she was being, but she kept searching for paths that others didn’t see. There’s this one moment where Yokoya points out a fatal flaw, and she was already in a situation where there was absolutely nothing she could do. Still, she didn’t fall into despair, continued searching, and looked at it in an angle that Yokoya didn’t anticipate. The ability to keep going in dire situations is one of the best lessons Nao’s learned from Akiyama, in my opinion.!<

>!(Fun fact: During this arc, I’ve given her the nickname “Truth Princess.” It’s a little corny, I know, but I thought it was fitting because she’s playing the “Truth Game.” It’s sad that this was the second to last game in the series because Nao still lacks a bit of foresight and errs when executing her plans. If given a few more games, considering how fast she learns, I’d definitely crown her as “Queen” instead.)!<

>!Second, Kaneko is such an underrated side character. She is the story’s physical embodiment of Nao’s good karma coming back to her. This is where Fukunaga, a character that Nao had slowly been turning towards morality from almost the very beginning, comes in. Kaneko experienced total deceit and domination through Yokoya and could’ve easily become jaded as the rest, but because of Fukunaga, she was able to maintain her “goodness”. It’s so eye opening to see the second “villain” of the story not only turn to the good side, but also inspire others to do the same as well. Though Nao’s actions and good deeds may seem more passive and has less definitive “gotcha!” moments than Akiyama’s plans, it ultimately ties back into the story’s themes about the prevailing nature of trust. Alas, this is the last time we see Kaneko, but in the little screen time she was give, she’s made a big impact on both the story and the thematic message.!<

>!That said, justice for Fukunaga!! I still can’t believe she wasn’t able to show up in some way, but I guess her absence is symbolic in itself. (I had tears in my eyes when Kaneko described Fuku’s last moments, truly such an amazing character with a satisfying enough redemption arc.)!<

>!Third, the auction itself was such a fun, emotional rollercoaster. This one speaks for itself, so I won’t yap too much LOL. The “fight” between Yokoya and Akiyama, Nao and Yokoya just bickering in a room with two other randos (I’m officially a Naokoya shipper after hearing Natsuki Hanae), of course the dealers being as dramatic as possible, watching the NPCs absolutely fumble with their public speaking skills, etc etc. Up above, I’ve included a picture of my favorite panel from this arc. It’s just so heartwarming to see AkiNao’s bond shine through in the cesspool of fear and self-interest.!<

>!(Also, Nao thinking that no one would bid on her made me want to give her a hug.)!<

>!Im curious to hear your thoughts! I was surprised to see that there wasn’t much discussion about this arc, even on past posts in this subreddit. I think I’m going to reread the Pandemic Game next, which I remember rating as THE most underrated arc when I first finished the manga.!<

>!TLDR: Human Auction is great, and you should go reread it!!!< >!😡!<

Side Note: Has any other manga readers held themselves back from rereading the manga until this season’s end? I’ve personally held back from the featured rounds because I really wanted the anime to feel like a separate experience and pretend to be like an anime-only lol. It’s been super fun because I’ve been so surprised by different plot points since I’ve literally forgotten all the strategies up until this point (I only clearly remembered the first round).

[Disclaimer: Obviously, major spoilers who haven’t read the end of the manga.]

In about a week, the 6th chapter of “The Last Game” will be released.

There’s been a lot of rumors that it will be the last one, so I cannot help but to feel sad and disheartened. After so many years, the announcement of a sequel left my heart soaring with hope that we’d get to see many things, but if the next chapter is really the last chapter, then there’s probably only room for the conclusion of the game, and that would be it. For me, that feels disappointing because it almost feels like the ending of the original manga all over again.

>!In my opinion, I feel like things are only starting to pick up in the 5th chapter, and more truths are being revealed. It’s really hard to see this game being wrapped up in just one chapter, especially since I have a feeling there needs to be a lot of room left to explain the shadow organization as well as how exactly the LG players will “win” over them, whether ideologically or in reality. After all, we’re talking about an organization that has been there for decades, if not almost a century (?) It’s not easily dismantled in three days I feel, if they’re that powerful. I’ve read theories, and it’s not like I don’t agree with them, but no matter what potential solutions there are, it will feel really rushed to conclude in one chapter.!<

>!In addition, I’ve been hoping that Nao in some way will play a big part in this. I guess I’m less worried about this part because of how active she is and the chapters clearly pointing her in a direction (with Akiyama making her a key part of his plan). Though, I hope that she is even more impactful in some type of way. My favorite parts of Liar Game have always been the moments when Nao acts completely on her own, finds success, and completely surprises the audience as well as Akiyama, Yokoya, etc. The first chapter already gives her a little moment (which was awesome to see right off the bat), but I can’t help but wish for more.!<

>!There’s also just so many little things that I felt like are loose ends that need to be tied up. For example, Akiyama holding a broom? It’s not like Yokoya is making him clean his summer house for renting out the place for 3 days (unless-?)!<

>!And, on a little side note, I wish there were scenes that showed us directly how much Liar Game has affected how they go about their daily lives. One of my favorite parts was when we get to see a glimpse of Nao doubting and making observations of her professor that led to her classmates realize her growth. I wish that type of scene with Akiyama, Fukunaga, and Yokoya as well.!<

>!I’ve always known that it was going to be a short sequel, so I guess expecting to see all my favorite aspects of Liar Game condensed into one was always a bit of a stretch. Still, I could not help but hope.!<

>!Either way, I’m extremely grateful to see these characters again. They look so much happier and relaxed, it makes me feel relieved.!<

Since the strategy-packed Days 2 and 3 of the Contraband Game are coming up, I wanted to say something that I’ve been holding back for a little while.

Please, please, please, try your best to engage with the games’ rules and the strategies that each team implements. More specifically, think about the how and why rather than just what happens.

This comes from a manga reader who had access to all 201 chapters and blew through it in 3 days. It was a fun ride, but in retrospect, I truly regret not sitting with each chapter and thinking about things more carefully. “How did Akiyama find this out? Why did Yokoya make this move? Why did Kaitani construct the games this way, and what loopholes can be exploited?”

This is a no brainer, but in stories where psychological games are the focal point, they are best enjoyed through an active and engaged mind. To anime-onlys, I understand that anime is a place where people escape from real life, and so it’s easy to watch it passively as a place for relaxation. To new manga readers, I personally know how tempting it is to just click “next” and get that instant rush of satisfaction by finding out what happens next. However, I think you’ll extract a lot more value out of this series if you really sit down with it and allow it to work your mind. In hindsight, i’s easy to look back on earlier strategies and think they are simple, but that’s mostly because of confirmation bias. My motto is that you can only truly appreciate how hard something is if you’ve tried it yourself.

[spoilers for ep 13!!!]

>!This post also comes from a place of slight frustration. I’ve been keeping up with how people have been reacting towards the reveal of Kikuzawa’s betrayal and it’s been… annoying, to say the least. The problem is that, we as the audience, are in the meta, we know that Liar Game is a story, and so along with it comes for the need of plot twists and drama. It’s not hard to predict that there was a betrayal coming up, especially when a side character like Kikuzawa suddenly gets more screen time. The question is: how will the players inside the game find out? What clues and hints give it away? How will they come up with substantial evidence to support their theory? These questions Akiyama answers for us clearly, but online, I didn’t hear anything close to his answer about adding up the math of the 290 million, as well as why Kiku suddenly stopped smuggling money. Yet, I hear many downplaying the strategies, saying that this was “too easy” to figure out and that Liar Game has become predictable. Sure, it’s easy to run with a trope and find success, but can you really credit your intelligence when you didn’t do the work? Nobody is questioning the “how”, and that’s frustrating because that is really where Liar Game shine!<s.

Ultimately, take my advice with a grain of salt. The media is in your hands, and you can decide however you want to consume it. I just wish more would truly appreciate how, for a lack of a better word, GOAT-ed Liar Game is. It’s okay, if you aren’t able to predict every strategy, that’s the entertainment value this franchise provides. While the manga was still airing, Shinobu Kaitani himself took many long hiatuses in order to write the next arc, and so I think some appreciation and gratitude is in order for his effort in writing this masterpiece.

Edit: Of course , I know the people who probably need to hear this the most isn’t on this subreddit, but I still wanted to put the sentiment out there.

Disclaimer: Rant-ish

Sorry if this is super repetitive, ppl probably have already reiterated this a thousand times already, but HOLY CRAP WHERE WAS THIS IN THE FIRST COUR (just watched ep 14, late again 😭)

Ofc I know the reasoning behind it all (26 episodes is A LOT, and adapting such an old manga was already a financial risk so I knew they didn’t have much a budget and the one they already had needed to be spread thin with so many episodes), and it’s really more of a rhetorical question but omg I would’ve loved to see this quality in the first few rounds. Either way, I would’ve been deeply grateful to even get an anime after so many years but still… wow… this just made my week, if not my entire month.

I’m so, so happy. I need to rewatch the episode (happily) because I just kept giggling and kicking my feet without actually paying attention to what Akiyama was saying towards the end.

What a massive dub.