Live Review - Gambling Emperor Zero Part 2 80 - Bikou

The start of volume 10!
This is the finale to the rescue arc and I think part two entirely! Pretty exciting. I've enjoyed this arc, but it might have been a little too long for my tastes. It was a nice change of pace from the gambles, but I think Fukumoto tension works a lot better when there's really clear definitions of winning, losing, etc. Now there's a sort of unstructured thing where he has to get there first, but it's unclear how long he has, or what exactly will happen when he finds him, etc. Anyways let's see what happens with this next clue!

Gambling Emperor Zero Part 2 80 - Bikou
Scans by Hox

1
"Correct" and "Incorrect" lol yes thank you. Sometimes I forget Zero is like, the Fukumoto shonen series. I feel like he wouldn't have done this in Kaiji.

2
Some sort of hint for the stained glass room... hmmmm...

3
Nice shot of the crew heading out, beautiful drawing of the house. And I love the fact that all the subordinates have been squabbling out on the lawn for the last like, few hours or whatever. Lol.

4
Okajima going crazy, of course. What's Tatsuki figured out?

5
How's it going? Well, uh, bad. Since umm they're still looking. Obviously. C'mon Tatsuki use some detective skills. He knows it isn't in this room, he's only there to fuck with them. Fucker.

6
Ahh, he has the same note with the equations! But you're in the wrong room silly. Probably has something to do with like... adding up positions of the stained glass. I have no idea.

7
Lol, they're just brawling. Suezaki is in full despair mode on the ground.

8
Oh yeah, this is actually the first time Zero heard about "Bikou", eh? But he already understands. Good job Zero.

9
NGH! I bet they're gonna let Zero in just so Zero can be sure this isn't the room... act all defeated and sneak off to the stained glass room.

10
Funny for Suezaki to bring up Kijurou's life when he's the one who wants money the most lol. What's Zero gonna say? "lol you guys suck wrong room"

11
Yup: "get fucked losers lol". Basically. Sure.

12
Oh I figured Tatsuki already figured that out. But what's Zero's angle here? Double reverse psychology? Make everyone think he's leading them away so they redouble their efforts in this room? Zero just seems to want Kijurou's life to get saved, though.

13
Lol that's a really good reaction by the director. So Zero puts all the cards on the table. OK. What'll happen next? Stampede to the stained glass room?

14
Seems like he genuinely wants to cooperate. Probably mainly just wants Tatsuki's help, but does he know he's in there?

15
Ahhh... bikou has yet another meaning! Is this why Hox was so adamant about not translating it? Or I guess already those two meanings makes translating it sort of pointless.

16
He's really playing all his cards. What a good guy. Not about the glory or money for him, he just wants to find the guy.

17
More good reactions here. Zero looks pretty smug in that last panel there lol.

18
And then the final revelation... the true meaning of bikou... I have no idea cause I don't speak Japanese lol.

19
Haha cute. Is that a man's face? Only in the Fukumoto universe. Looks like Akagi. Does bikou mean nose? Nostril?

20
Aaaaaahahaha. Ridiculous. Well, that should convince the director. Now for the final stage: the stained glass room!

21
Yup, here we go! Zero looking pretty badass.

The Final Stage Begins!
I hope so at least. Should be exciting, Fukumoto drew the stained glass room very beautifully before and I can't wait to see more of it. This chapter was mainly just how that room could be reached through both paths of clues, so not super exciting. The nostril bikou thing was pretty clever, but I would never have guessed it... maybe if I knew the meaning of the word I could have figured it out, dunno.

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