In an interview, the creator of Squid Game revealed something unexpected about the inspiration behind the hit show. While most people assumed the series may have been influenced by real-life events, it turns out that a 2000s anime played a key role in shaping the story.
Squid Game quickly became a global sensation after its initial release, amassing millions of viewers with its intense story. Most people would be shocked to know that the series has some of its roots in anime. In this article, we will cover everything you need to know about the anime from which the author of Squid Game drew inspiration.
Which Anime Was Squid Game Inspired From?
Squid Game was inspired by Kaiji – Against All Rules, an anime that was released in 2007. The anime was created by Fukumoto Noboyuki, who is also popular for his other anime, Made In Abyss. In an interview from 2021, the creator of Squid Game, Hwang Dong-hyuk, admitted that he was influenced by many manga, like Kaiji, Battle Royale, and Liar Game.
Hwang Dong-hyuk explained that he put himself in the spot of the players in these series and wondered what he would do if he were in their spot. However, he found the games in Kaiji to be a bit too complex, so he decided to stick to kid’s games, which gave a far more eerie theme to Squid Game in its own way.
What Are The Similarities Between Kaiji and Squid Game?
The 1997 hit manga Kaiji features a high school main character who is a gambling addict, just like Seong Gi-hun, the main character from Squid Game. In both series, the main characters were being threatened by loan sharks, which led them to take part in a dangerous game when the opportunity came up. If they were to lose, they’d die, but if they win, they would clear a huge part of their debt.
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Both series also depict characters being subject to horrendous deaths on losing games. Kaiji has shown some pretty creative ways of killing people off, which tend to stir up all sorts of unpleasant feelings in viewers. Squid Game, too, featured some graphic and disturbing deaths to players who lost and didn’t fall behind Kaiji at all in this regard.
Interestingly enough, there is another anime that is strikingly similar to Kaiji and Squid Game, and it is called Tomodachi Game. The main characters of Tomodachi Game are almost in the same situation as the players, except it isn’t as graphic, and death isn’t a definite penalty. This anime, however, was released several years after Kaiji’s release, but it is still one of the better mystery anime from 2022 and is worth the watch.
What Is Kaiji – Against All Rules About?
Kaiji is an anime based on the Japanese manga of the same name, written and illustrated by Nobuyuki Fukumoto. It has been serialized in Kodansha’s seinen manga magazine Weekly Young Magazine since February 1996.
The anime’s plot revolves around the protagonist Itou Kaiji, a social misfit who has a crippling gambling addiction. When his friend defaults on a debt payment that he co-signed, the protagonist is forced to participate in a gambling game where he could earn vast amounts of money, but at the risk of his life. He had to play several kinds of games, some as silly as rock-paper-scissor, and some which were really complex. However, regardless of complexity, the cost of losing was death. A gruesome and graphic death.
About Squid Game
Squid Game is a South Korean survival show written and directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk. The nine-episode series released on Netflix on September 17, 2021 and has become an internet sensation.
It features an ensemble of Lee Jung-jae, Park Hae-soo, O Yeong-su, Wi Ha-joon, Ho Seong-tae, Kim Joo-ryung, Jung Ho-yeon and Anupam Tripathi. It became the first Korean show to reach No. 1 in the U.S.
The plot revolves around 456 people deep-in-depth, playing multiple dangerous games based on children’s games in a bid to win 45.6 billion KRW. The employees wear a mask with a triangle, square and a circle, signifying the hierarchy and an ode to the ‘Squid Game’ Koreans play.
It’s acclaimed for its dark satire, violence and the class and wealth inequality showcased flawlessly.
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