[00:00] This is a story about a deranged world. One where girls are put into death games for the enjoyment of others. At least, that's what we think. What we know is that some join these games by choice,
[00:13] with the reward of prizes and money if you survive. But also that some are forced to play this game for one reason or another. These death games. Games where everyone wants to survive, but not everyone will be given the chance to.
[00:29] Today is day 11 of me giving my impressions of the new anime from Winter 2026 and ranking their first episode accordingly. This is Shiboyugi, playing death games to put food on the table.
[00:41] It's a thriller series about Yuki, a professional death game player. She has played and survived over 25 death games due to her analytical ability and skill. She's confident that she will play and eventually win 99 death games, and she will do it by following her own rules.
[01:00] She doesn't lie to anyone. She legitimately tries her best to make sure as many people survive the game as possible. But she also knows that the games are not designed for everyone to survive. Some will die. This is inevitable.
[01:13] But it's always a matter of whom and why. The first episode of this series is double length, and it is phenomenal. It's probably one of the best singular episodes of the whole season. But also what worries me is that much of that enjoyment that I gained from this first episode
[01:28] was all based around misdirection and utilizing the audience's lack of knowledge about this world to tell its story. So with 11 episodes total, can it keep up? Will the final episode of the show be as gripping and as nerve wracking to watch as the first?
[01:43] That I can't say, but I'm willing to stick it out. Almost S tier, but very easy A tier.