Itou, Kaiji
Summary
Kaiji Itou serves as the protagonist of the narrative, depicted as an impoverished, submissive, and lethargic individual residing alone in a slum while perpetually burdened by financial obligations. He passes the time by participating in low-stakes gambling games with neighbors, a habit that consistently results in his defeat. However, when faced with mortal peril, Kaiji reveals a latent aptitude for high-stakes gambling that enables him to withstand the severe hardships he encounters. At the outset of the story, he inherits a crushing debt of 3,850,000 yen after a coworker manipulates him into co-signing a loan, leaving Kaiji responsible for the entire amount as interest compounds over the course of a year.
