Usogui, a manga precisely constructed by Sako Toshio, presents an extraordinary saga of Baku Madarame aka Usogui (Lie Eater) where his ambition is to annex the Club Kakerou Organization where the "Referees" overlook and preside over the gambles in which their members are engaged.

The wager set during the Kakerou matches isn't simply just a huge sum of money, it is the life of the human itself which unlocks the entrance for intense high-stake gamblings making the reader undergo an agitated state of restlessness, experiencing the fierce environment themselves without even being present there. To top it off, the thrill developed by Madarame Baku as a consequence of his prodigious intellect frequently made my jaw drop as I proceed to contemplate what had just happened. The ability of the main character to foresee every possibility that might behave as an obstacle to him and accurately make the best decision favorable to him is a very admirable proficiency that I would very much like to improve on.

Albeit being a gambling manga, Usogui undertakes an impeccable job of executing Martial arts in the domain of gambling. Such well-choreographed battles followed by polished art often captivated my attention with a hypnotic sentiment. Every battle which takes place doesn't feel out of the place and essentially has some meaning behind it, rather than fighting akin to mindless beasts, they are more like battles between conflicting ideologies.

Each character plays a significant role in the plot, having distinct characteristics and habits, making them note-worthy. Throughout my whole reading session, there was not a single character that I was disappointed in, the antagonists encountered from beginning to end were remarkably diverse making them unique on their own.

Though what piqued my interest was the concept of Kakerou and the Referees, despite being introduced as a plot device at first, but later developing into individual personalities. Every referee strived to be incomparable and unmatched and had to fight for a higher position even if their life depended on it. Their only goal is to perfectly preside over the gambles without any controversy no matter what impediment might emerge.

In my opinion, Usogui shines the most when it comes to the foreshadowings leading to the pinnacle of plot twists ever witnessed, this is more perceptible in the later stages of the manga, the accumulation of every single detail during a gamble leads to a very exhilarating and dramatic finale which makes everything worth it.

One strength of this manga is its art, though being below average at first, it put me off, but it was quite satisfying to notice Sako Toshio's evolution as he proceeds to give us such beautiful spreads over the years, now solidifying its position as one of my top art styles of all time.

I would like to conclude by saying that Usogui has the best final stretch I've ever seen, "Air Poker" arc and "Surpassing The Leader" arc both had an immense impact on me and I believe that no other story can surpass Usogui in terms of both writing, and the plot twists carried out. Thank you for reading if you made it this far.