Japanese toy company Good Smile Company's best-selling "Nendoroid" (ねんどろいど) series is scheduled to release a Nendoroid figure of "Kaiji Itou" (伊藤カイジ), the protagonist from the popular series "Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor", in November 2024, priced at 6,800 JPY.
The work "Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor" (賭博黙示録カイジ) was created by Japanese manga artist Nobuyuki Fukumoto. It began serialization in Kodansha's manga magazine "Weekly Young Magazine" in 1996. The story initially follows protagonist Kaiji Itou, who, after co-signing a loan for a friend, is tricked by Endou onto the gambling ship "Espoir" to participate in "Restricted Rock-Paper-Scissors" with other contestants. To repay his debt, Kaiji decides to fight his way out, and the powers of his wisdom, courage, and extraordinary guts awaken one by one. The series currently has six major arcs, with cumulative sales of over 21 million tankōbon volumes.
In the original work, the protagonist Kaiji is typically an idler who casually vandalizes roadside vehicles and spends his days gambling and drinking, living on the fringes of society. After a fateful encounter with the Teiai Group, he seems to become inextricably entangled. However, whenever Kaiji faces increasingly perilous situations, he always manages to find a way to survive, demonstrating extraordinary courage and an unwavering resolve that allows him to overcome dangers time and again, even acquiring immense wealth. Yet, as soon as he settles into comfort, he reverts to being an ordinary person.
This Nendoroid Kaiji Itou figure stands approximately 10 cm tall and faithfully recreates his appearance from the original work. It includes three interchangeable face plates: a standard serious face, a hearty drinking and eating face, and a teary-eyed, "egg-drop soup"-like sad face. As for accessories, it naturally comes with the iconic "Give Kaiji a can of beer!" beer can, a grilled meat skewer, interchangeable lower body parts for a cross-legged sitting pose, and a clear background plate featuring the "ざわ..." (zawa...) sound effect, which frequently appears in the manga to represent the murmuring and commotion of a crowd.
Nendoroid Kaiji Itou
Suggested Retail Price: 6,800 JPY (tax included)
Scheduled Release Date: November 2024
Size: Approximately 10 cm in height (with base)
via： GOOD SMILE COMPANY