Kakegurui XX Part 3 Episodes 7-9

The rankings in the Student Council Election are shifting rapidly with new names entering the Top 10 for the first time while others rise and fall in the placings.  To shake things up, Yumeko draws in a crew of new opponents, one friend and an old enemy into a united game where trust is everything and even the tiniest bit of doubt could put everyone out of the running.  But there are those with more on the line than just ruling the school.  Sayaka Igarashi, loyal secretary to Karari Momobami, finally declares an open challenge to Yumeko: her friendship with Kirari against Yumeko’s love of gambling.  With Kirari as the dealer of the ultimate challenge, will Sakaya be able to do what no one else has and finally run Yumeko out of Hayakkou Academy?

One thing I often complained about the most in Kakegurui’s first season was that the rules of the multiple games went wayyyy over my head.  I was reminded of this during this weeks penultimate set of episodes.  Two major event games were played with some of the highest stakes and tests of character yet.  I get what’s on the line but the matter of the rules of the game, well I was back to just trying to keep up while paying attention to the character drama that emerged from it all…of which there was a good amount, as always.

This week, Itsuki, one of Yumeko’s first opponents later turned friend, returned to the scene after being here and there for brief snippets since XX began.  In what I thought was an interesting twist, turns out she’s been caring for the former Student Council Treasurer, who if you’ll recall was defeated so badly by Yumeko last season that his hair turned white.  I gave Kaede crap for rambling about how well he knew Yumeko during their duel.  But the fact of the matter is, he truly was one of the few to truly understand how Yumeko’s mind works.  He even went so far as to flat out ask if Yumeko has any remorse for the people who’s lives she’s ruined during her games.  On the one hand, Yumeko feeling remorseful for not feeling any remorse seems pretty cold and despicable.  On the other, everyone Yumeko has gone up against has, for the most part, come out a better person, from Itsuki to Yumemi to Mary.  Turns out, Kaede was about to join that group thanks to Itsuki and Yumeko, though Itsuki did most of the heavy lifting in a game that I still don’t get.

The Greater Good match was chalk full of twists, turns, a totally fatigued dealer who made me miss Runa and rules that made my head spin.  Throughout it all, we got an interesting social experiment of trust and betrayal and how it reflects human society…which is interesting considering the school where this series takes place: aka a sadistic kingdom run by a beautiful devil of a girl in Kirari.  And yet, somehow, Itsuki managed to weave her way into giving Kaede his fighting spirit back, even taking a pretty hefty defeat that took her out of the running for President.  In a way, Itsuki used the same shock tactics that Yumeko used on her in Season One to light Kaede’s spark and get him to go all Phoenix Wright on the whole game and even give Yumeko her proper due.  Naturally, at the end of it all, it was about Istuki fighting for someone she’d always respected but had come to love…even if someone as brilliant as Kaede couldn’t figure that out.

But Itsuki wasn’t the only one fighting for love.  After a season and a half of multiple threats and promises, Sayaka, aka Kirari’s secretary, finally challenged Yumeko in order to kick her out of Hayakkou forever.  What’s great about this challenge is that is has nothing to do with the Presidency and yet has a lot to do with the main plot and paying off a plot point set up all the way back in the first season.  Sayaka has always followed Kirari, for whatever twisted reason I’m sure we’ll learn during next weeks finale.  To see her mistress suddenly upend her own rule with this competition, spurred on by an amazing gambling experience with Yumeko, finally brought Sayaka’s frustration to the surface.  And Kirari took it all in stride, proposing a game that can end with the loser literally giving up their lives.  The Tower of Doors is the ultimate math test nightmare that I’d never be able to figure out (fun fact: I personally suck at math).  But it still continues Kakegurui’s tradition of creating unique experiences for Yumeko and friends to gamble in.  And much like XX all season long, the stakes have continued to raise themselves.  Lives are literally on the line this time.  The question is: Is this all worth it for Sayaka to prove herself to a girl who loves nothing more than the chaos around her?  Yumeko’s just having a blast regardless but to be honest im just used to that by this point.  Love her or hate her, that’s just how she is.

There wasn’t a lot of development on other ends of the season such as Mary’s move to become President with Ririka, Kirari’s sister, always at her side.  Rei actually let out some deep held anger at Yumeko’s reply to Kaede about the people who suffer in the wake of her gambling.  Meanwhile, Momobami ringleader Terano Totabami continues to make wins off on the side that keep her in second place right behind Kirari during the Elections.  With three episodes left and one of them having to wrap up Sayaka’s challenge, are we going to see the end of the Election before the end of XX?  Or should we keep our fingers crossed that we wont have to wait long for a Season Three?  Well place your bets on that question folks cause the Season Finale of Kakegurui XX is next week, see ya then.