Itou, Kaiji

伊藤開司

The protagonist of the narrative. Kaiji is impoverished, oppressed, and indolent; he resides alone in a slum and is perpetually in debt. He passes his time engaging in low-stakes gambling with neighbors, though he invariably loses. Despite this, when his life is threatened, he reveals a notable latent aptitude for gambling, enabling him to withstand the adversities he encounters. At the story's outset, he is burdened with a 3,850,000 yen debt after a coworker persuaded him to co-sign a loan, leaving Kaiji responsible for the entire amount, including interest accrued over a year.