OVA
Description
The character known as Ikki Sadakuni is an international terrorist who operates as a high-stakes gambler within the clandestine world of Kakerou. He earned his membership in this organization by defeating five of its members in gambles, a feat that resulted in two of those opponents losing their lives as compensation. His dedicated referee for these official Kakerou matches is Mekama Kirou.
Sadakuni is driven by a grand and destructive ambition. His primary motivation for accumulating enormous sums of money through gambling is to finance the purchase of heavy weaponry, including a rocket launcher, to carry out a revolution. His specific plan involves destroying Tokyo's stock exchange district, an act he believes will cause a major shift in human history. He harbors a deep contempt for gamblers, viewing them as noxious insects that corrupt Japan, even though he relies on gambling as the only practical means to obtain the vast wealth he requires.
In terms of personality, Sadakuni presents a consistently angry and sadistic demeanor, marked by a perpetually displeased expression and pince-nez glasses. He is wholly dedicated to his revolutionary cause and appears to have little interest in anything other than punishing those he deems unworthy. He claims to have no fear of death, presenting himself as a man who has conquered such primal fears long ago in service of his goals.
Sadakuni plays the role of a formidable adversary in the narrative. Prior to his main confrontation, he is seen skillfully winning 50 million yen at the casino of Ranko Kurama, leaving before she can formulate a counter-strategy and explaining that to stay would have risked his life. He eventually arranges a Kakerou gamble with Madarame Baku, known as Usogui, at an abandoned mine on the Shizuoka prefecture border. When it appears Baku cannot match the 1 billion yen Sadakuni possesses, he attempts to start a gunfight, showing a willingness to abandon the rules of a formal gamble. The game they play is a form of Old Maid where the loser of each round advances the construction of a scaffold that will eventually hang them. Sadakuni wins the first three rounds, bringing Baku to the brink of death, but ultimately loses when he draws high-numbered jokers in the final rounds.
His key relationships are primarily adversarial. His conflict with Baku is central, as Baku not only defeats him in the gamble but also deconstructs his ideology, calling him a foolish revolutionary and a foolish murderer. His bond with his referee, Mekama, is a significant one; Mekama serves as his exclusive official and remains loyal, expressing belief in Sadakuni's fearlessness even as they face execution together.
The character undergoes a notable and brutal development in his final moments. As he is being hanged on the scaffold he lost in the gamble, his professed fearlessness completely collapses. Baku contributes to this by removing his glasses, leaving him unable to see as the noose tightens. Faced with the reality that his revolution will never succeed and that he will die and be forgotten, his composure shatters, and he becomes a man desperate to survive, experiencing raw panic and terror. This reveals a stark contrast between his professed ideology and his true, vulnerable nature when confronted with death.
His notable abilities lie in gambling and manipulation. He is an adept and aggressive gambler, capable of winning vast sums very quickly, as demonstrated at Ranko's casino. He also possesses the resources and determination to coordinate a terrorist cell and acquire military-grade weaponry, implying organizational skills and dangerous connections within the shadowy world that supports his plans.
Sadakuni is driven by a grand and destructive ambition. His primary motivation for accumulating enormous sums of money through gambling is to finance the purchase of heavy weaponry, including a rocket launcher, to carry out a revolution. His specific plan involves destroying Tokyo's stock exchange district, an act he believes will cause a major shift in human history. He harbors a deep contempt for gamblers, viewing them as noxious insects that corrupt Japan, even though he relies on gambling as the only practical means to obtain the vast wealth he requires.
In terms of personality, Sadakuni presents a consistently angry and sadistic demeanor, marked by a perpetually displeased expression and pince-nez glasses. He is wholly dedicated to his revolutionary cause and appears to have little interest in anything other than punishing those he deems unworthy. He claims to have no fear of death, presenting himself as a man who has conquered such primal fears long ago in service of his goals.
Sadakuni plays the role of a formidable adversary in the narrative. Prior to his main confrontation, he is seen skillfully winning 50 million yen at the casino of Ranko Kurama, leaving before she can formulate a counter-strategy and explaining that to stay would have risked his life. He eventually arranges a Kakerou gamble with Madarame Baku, known as Usogui, at an abandoned mine on the Shizuoka prefecture border. When it appears Baku cannot match the 1 billion yen Sadakuni possesses, he attempts to start a gunfight, showing a willingness to abandon the rules of a formal gamble. The game they play is a form of Old Maid where the loser of each round advances the construction of a scaffold that will eventually hang them. Sadakuni wins the first three rounds, bringing Baku to the brink of death, but ultimately loses when he draws high-numbered jokers in the final rounds.
His key relationships are primarily adversarial. His conflict with Baku is central, as Baku not only defeats him in the gamble but also deconstructs his ideology, calling him a foolish revolutionary and a foolish murderer. His bond with his referee, Mekama, is a significant one; Mekama serves as his exclusive official and remains loyal, expressing belief in Sadakuni's fearlessness even as they face execution together.
The character undergoes a notable and brutal development in his final moments. As he is being hanged on the scaffold he lost in the gamble, his professed fearlessness completely collapses. Baku contributes to this by removing his glasses, leaving him unable to see as the noose tightens. Faced with the reality that his revolution will never succeed and that he will die and be forgotten, his composure shatters, and he becomes a man desperate to survive, experiencing raw panic and terror. This reveals a stark contrast between his professed ideology and his true, vulnerable nature when confronted with death.
His notable abilities lie in gambling and manipulation. He is an adept and aggressive gambler, capable of winning vast sums very quickly, as demonstrated at Ranko's casino. He also possesses the resources and determination to coordinate a terrorist cell and acquire military-grade weaponry, implying organizational skills and dangerous connections within the shadowy world that supports his plans.