Itou Kaiji<span> is a bum who steals car emblems and slashes tires on a regular basis. However, one day, this routine changes when a man in a trench coat pays him a visit. The man reveals himself as </span>Endou<span>, a debt collector, who has come to claim an unpaid loan of 300,000 yen, which Kaiji had previously co-signed with his co-worker, </span>Furuhata Takeshi<span>.</span> <br /><span>Because of Takeshi's disappearance, Kaiji is left with an overwhelming balance, but is given the chance to gamble against other bankrupt bums aboard a boat — each gambler is loaned additional money, giving them a chance to pay their dues or become in even deeper debt.</span><br /><br /><span>Kaiji accepts the challenge in hopes of repaying the compounded debt of 3,850,000 yen and, with luck, winning additional cash...</span>