Watch "Mahjong Legend Akagi: The Genius Who Descended Into the Darkness" on Netflix USA

On a stormy night in 1958, a legend begins — the legend of a mysterious man named Akagi, who will one day come to rule over Japan’s shady underworld.

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Stunned by Akagi’s rapidly blossoming mahjong skills, Ryuzaki realizes he’ll need help to win and calls in a veteran named Yagi to play for him.

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Now in danger of losing a finger in the game, Yagi strikes back at Akagi using a technique called the caterpillar. But Akagi has a trick of his own.

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An increasingly confident Akagi negotiates the terms of his upcoming game and introduces himself to his next opponent with a game of Russian roulette.

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When Akagi fails to arrive at the match and the players can wait no longer, Nango takes his place. He starts strong but soon falters against Ichikawa.

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The flow of the match is not in Akagi's favor as Ichikawa pulls ahead. At the start of the next round, Akagi is dealt a bad hand and decides to bluff.

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As the tense battle between Ichikawa and Akagi finally nears its end, Ichikawa employs an audacious sleight of hand to stack the odds in his favor.

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Amidst growing excitement for the upcoming 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games, rogue detective Yasuoka visits the Kawada-gumi with an unexpected visitor in tow.

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Upon hearing the imposter Akagi claim that logic beats instinct every time, the real Akagi dismisses his impersonator’s methods as second-rate.

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As Akagi bids farewell to his former factory job and disgruntled coworkers, Ishikawa appears with an invitation from the leader of the Kawada-gumi.

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Seeing the imposter Akagi struggle in his game against Urabe, Kawada warns Ishikawa that they’ll need to bring in the real thing to secure victory.

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A stunned Ishikawa struggles to understand Akagi’s strategy against Urabe as the difference in points between the two players grows to exceed 70,000.

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Urabe realizes too late he’s fallen for a carefully laid trap. After Ishikawa returns and finishes the game, Akagi explains his flawless technique.

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When the body of a young man who mysteriously died from blood loss turns out to be a familiar former gambling partner, Yasuoka follows a hunch.

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Intrigued by the possibility of a true challenge, Akagi sets off to hunt a monster — the suspected murderer Iwao Washizu — at Yasuoka’s invitation.

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Unperturbed by Washizu’s transparent attempts to frighten him, Akagi disregards his opponent’s murderous boasts and calmly asks to raise the stakes.

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Akagi takes an early lead in a risky game between himself and Washizu. But ever confident in his own skills, Washizu remains fearless and undeterred.

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Yasuoka discards a tile that Akagi needs, but Akagi ignores it in favor of a more opportune moment. Washizu brims with confidence in the next hand.

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Akagi’s bluff catches Washizu off guard. Now scrutinizing Akagi’s moves and motives more carefully, Washizu plots potential paths to victory.

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After refusing a blood transfusion in favor of increasing his potential monetary winnings, Akagi begins round two with his own life on the line.

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With little blood left to lose, the stakes couldn’t be higher for the beleaguered Akagi. Though he's close to a win, one tile holds him back.

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Akagi explains that he hoped his reckless act of refusing blood would stir fear deep within Washizu’s mind and cause him to make a crucial mistake.

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Round three begins with Akagi down a substantial amount of blood. Akagi has an advantage in the early stage, but Washizu has a great stroke of luck.

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Washizu gleefully savors the thought of Akagi’s impending doom. But to his great annoyance, Akagi remains unflappably calm in the face of it all.

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Washizu radiates with murderous intent as though possessed. Yet his madness merely bounces off Akagi, who remains unperturbed as he builds his hand.

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Washizu loses his composure at Akagi’s words. Akagi closes in on Washizu as the hunter and the hunted trade roles — but the battle isn’t over yet.

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