Saki

Saki follows a shy high school girl who slowly builds confidence through competitive mahjong. She joins a school club where each member brings a different strength and personality, and together they take on fierce opponents across regional matches with their sights set on the national tournament. The show mixes tense table play with classroom life, friendships and rivalries, showing how pressure and teamwork shape the girls as players and as people, without giving away key outcomes or surprises.

Released in 2009, Saki was created by Tatsuhiko Urahata and produced as an animated TV series. The cast features voice work by Kana Ueda, Ami Koshimizu, Rie Kugimiya, Ryoko Shiraishi and Shizuka Itoh, and the show found an audience among fans of school dramas and sports-style series.

The series didn't sweep major industry awards, but it has earned steady recognition among genre fans for its ensemble voice performances and memorable matches. While it wasn’t an awards season centerpiece, viewers and fan communities have kept interest alive through conventions and ongoing discussion.

Saki made a mark within anime circles by putting mahjong front and center in a high school setting, which helped spark curiosities about the game among new viewers. Key matches and a few standout character moments are often referenced by fans, and the show inspired fan art, cosplay and online analysis of its strategic scenes.

Critical response has been mixed, reflected in a modest vote average of 5.6 out of 10 from a small sample of viewers. Praise usually goes to character interaction and inventive match setups, while criticism targets uneven pacing and occasional reliance on genre tropes. Major themes include personal growth, team dynamics under stress, rivalry, and how competitive hobbies shape adolescent identity.