The Stakes are High at U.S. Convention Film Premiere this June 15-17 at the Anaheim Convention Center Source: BAM! Marketing, Publicity & Promotions press release Official Site: am2con.org Official Movie Site: kaiji-movie.jp Special Thanks to Chase Wang
The extremely popular and highly anticipated sequel KAIJI 2 (???2, 2011) is to be screened EXCLUSIVELY at this summer’s most anticipated Anime, Manga and Music event AM². Two screenings will be available -- one EXCLUSIVELY for Passport holders ONLY and the second for Passport holders preferred (with general attendees as seating permits). Ever since first appearing in 1996 as a serial manga in Kodansha’s Young Magazine, KAIJI has amassed a cult-like following, recording book sales of over 18 million copies and leading to a box office hit film adaptation in 2009 entitled KAIJI (???????????, Kaiji Jinsei Gyakuten Geemu). More info and attendee registration can be found at am2con.org. “With our growing guest list, screenings and activities AM² will be the place to be this summer in Southern California for all that is anime and manga,” states Chase Wang of AM², “Get your Passports today and join us for all the fun!” The much-awaited second film is set to hit the screens as KAIJI 2, based on what many assert is the most popular episode from the comic book series, The Greed Swamp. Kaiji author Nobuyuki Fukumoto was at the center of the screenplay writing process for the sequel, adding a new high-risk game of his invention to ratchet up the psychological intensity. There’s Chinchirorin, the “dice game from Hell” that lifts Kaiji out of an underground slave labor existence to take part in Princess and Slave, a live-or-die game of choice, and finally, the “Man-eating Swamp” -- a monstrous pachinko machine capable of instantly destroying lives of anyone dazzled by its big payoff. On his own, Kaiji stands little chance of beating any of these games. But that won’t stop him from staking his life on saving his friends and restoring everyone’s lives!
SYNOPSIS
Three years after the ultimate life-or-death game with Teiai Group, Kaiji (Tatsuya Fujiwara) was entrapped by Teiai and again back in the underground, forced to do hard labor. One day, Kaiji wins a bet to get out of the underground with 1 million yen, and promises the other workers that he will save them.
But to do so, he only has 14 days and needs 200 million yen! Kaiji meets his former rival Tonegawa (Teruyuki Kagawa) and learns that there is a chance to turn the tables in the game. It was a monster casino machine that will make 1 billion yen if you win... Can Kaiji make enough money in the limited time?!
GAME DESCRIPTIONS
GAME ??? Escape from Underground with Hell’s Dice (Chinchirorin). Chinchirorin is a traditional dice game long popular with the masses involving 3 dice and a rice bowl to shake them up in. But here in the underground mining camps of the Teiai corporate empire, the game has been given some new rules. One man plays the “house” while the rest are his clients. A client stands to earn a multiple of the amount bet depending on the dice roll. For example, if he rolls a 4, 5 and 6 (called a “gigolo”), it pays off double; a triple roll of the same number between 2 and 6 earns him 3 times his bet, and all ones has a 5-fold payoff. But a roll of 1, 2, 3 (“hifumi”) and a client must pay the house twice what he bet. Any cheating or foul play discovered results in the perpetrator paying back 4 times the bet. The client determines how much he wants to bet up to a maximum of 100,000 “pelicas”. GAME ? The Ultimate Multiple Choice “Princess and Slave” An original game dreamed up by Nobuyuki Fukumoto that is not found in the original story, the “Princess and Slave” plays on a primal life-or-death decision. The “slave” (player) is locked in a chamber surrounded by 3 doors. Behind one of the doors is his beautiful princess. But behind the other two doors lie ferocious and starved lions. The slave must push the button on a panel opening one of those doors. If he opens the door to the princess, he (and the princess) earns their freedom. The twist is that the princess actually knows which number door she stands behind and can tell the slave whatever she wants. But will she tell him the truth?
GAME ?? Monster pachinko machine: “The Man-eating Swamp”. A standard pachinko machine pays off 4 yen for every metal ball that falls into a retrieval hole. By contrast, a ball won on the Monster Pachinko machine pays 1,000 times that, or 4,000 yen. Hit the jackpot and a player can take home a billion yen ($10 million). But there are two major obstacles to overcome. The first is a “forest of nails” on the pachinko board that is designed to send the pachinko balls in every direction but the right one. Any balls that manage to clear the forest then enter the 3-level “kroon” – three concave dishes that funnel the balls into winning and losing holes: 3 holes on the top level, 4 holes on the middle tier and 5 holes on the third and lowest kroon. With only one winning hole per level, the odds of a ball passing through all three to earn the jackpot is 60 to 1. Doesn’t sound too bad. But is that all there is to it?
STAFF
Directed by Toyo Sato Screenplay by Nobuyuki Fukumoto, Junya Yamazaki, Sachiko Oguchi Music by Yugo Kanno 2011/Drama, Thriller/Approx. 133 min
AM² PASSPORTS
Entrance to AM² is free, but attendees can avoid the anticipated huge lines at autographs, premiere screenings, workshops, main events, concerts and panels by purchasing a "priority entrance" Passport fast pass for the event. The Passport fast pass will also provide holders with premier seating options at Main Events and at Concert events as well as major discounts with theme parks, retailers and local restaurants. Concert events are only accessible via a purchased Passport or concert ticket. Bypass the lines and get your Passport today and experience the difference! Potential exhibitors and artists interested in exhibiting at this event can also email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for additional information and rates. AM² current activities include Exhibit Hall, AMV`s, Arcade, Summer Festival, Behind the Voice Actors Studio, Masquerade, Cosplay Chess, Dances, Fashion Shows, Table Top, Console Gaming, Workshops, Panels, Concerts and more! Follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/AM2Con. Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/AM2Con
About AM²
Located in Anaheim, California AM², established in 2010, is a multi-day (3 days) 24 hour event with no general attendance/badge purchase requirement and is aspiring to be a key meeting place for fans that share a common interest in Asian music, Animation/Anime, and Comics/Manga. Nominal fees are charged for certain activities that attendees choose to participate in. AM2 will be held on June 15-17, 2012 at the Anaheim Convention Center in sunny Anaheim, California. More information can be found at am2con.org.
For more information on KAIJI please see the previous coverage here on SciFi Japan: