LIAR GAME

If you enjoy “Death Note” or such a kind of battle of minds, you will like this manga too. “LIAR GAME” – literally, it is a game for liars. You couldn’t win the game if you didn’t become a liar. Cheating by cheating, betrayal by betrayal. Here’s one naively honest girl, who is suddenly involved in this game. She goes through the game with cooperation of a guy who used to be a super skillful swindler.

(C) Shueisha

CONCEPT

This is a story of an absurd game which involves a girl and a guy. The girl is NAO, who is too honest so that she delivers even one-dollar coin on the street to the police station. The guy’s name is AKIYAMA, who used to deceive and bankrupt a giant fraud company. One day, Nao receives a box with bills of 100 million yen (as much as 1 million dollars) and it is the start of her game. She asks Akiyama to help her, finding him on a newspaper.

All games are so unique. For instance, the first game is a battle between two people. First, both players are given cash of 100 million yen by the organization of Liar Game and told to take the opponent’s money. They have a month to scramble each other’s money. When the game ends, they have to return 100 million yen to the organization. The winner is the person who have more money at that time. S/he will get money s/he has taken from the opponent as the prize. In contrast, however, the loser has to repay the debt he/she couldn’t return at the end. Shortly, both the prize and the debt would be up to 100 million yen.

Like this, one of the game’s characteristics is the organization’s huge financial power and the possibility for players of not only getting a lot of money but losing it. Also, players can use any means to take the other’s money except for violence. So in many cases, they deceive one another, driven by the appetite for money and the fear of losing it.

POINT

First of all, the most interesting part is how Akiyama wins every game with his outstanding intelligence. Through games, Nao and Akiyama meet formidable enemies. She is too honest to deal with them and she is often deceived. But he absolutely makes her win all of them at last. His strategy is always smart and sharp. You’ll get kind of refreshed and pleasant feeling when he finally comes from behind and beats the opponent.

Nao’s growth may be another highlight. At first, she just cries when she is betrayed by someone she trusted and cannot anything about it. However, as she experiences various games helped by Akiyama, she learns to survive in the cruel world. It is not something like that she becomes a deceiver. She comes to realize the truth of the game and finds her way of winning with “everyone.”

The game itself or the relationships between players is also interesting because it is like the economics or the society in miniature. You’ll feel like you see human nature in the comic. So even though the game and setting are unrealistic, you have to sympathize with characters and understand their pressure, fear, and greed.

FOR REMAKE

In fact, this manga was made into live action TV series and movies, which turned out to be very successful. And I believe it could be successfully remade in this country too. The reason is that the game doesn’t strongly depend on the world or the setting. Because this work’s attractiveness is from the excitement to watch the game and be impressed by the player’s tactics, there is no big deal even if the country is the U.S. or Europe. In addition, although the original’s games are held in a huge mansion or a ruined building like the airport, they can be held in just a small room. Directors will be able to choose whatever setting they favor and adjust the story. By the way, Japanese live action remake added some originality to the project, such as eccentric sets, props, costumes, and impressive sound track by a Japanese musician Yasutaka Nakata, along with the pretty faithful story to the original comic.