Iwao Washizu

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Iwao Washizu

Washizu.jpg
Character information
Name: Iwao Washizu
Series: Akagi
Tier: Mastermind
Role: Rival Mastermind

Iwao Washizu is the main antagonist in the Akagi manga series by Nobuyuki Fukumoto, as well as the protagonist of the Washizu prequel series. He is an immensely rich and powerful figure in the Japanese underworld who takes pleasure in having people bet their lives in mahjong matches.

Modus operandi

Despite being a major antagonist in a manga centered on mahjong, Washizu's mahjong skills are not nearly as impressive as those of many of the other players Akagi faces during the series. Yet, he is still able to hold his own against Akagi due to his supernaturally-strong luck, which often causes Washizu to be described as "chosen by the gods". If Akagi's source of power is his lack of fear of death, Washizu's is his self-confidence, which allows him to defy impossible odds and come out on top. Perhaps due to being able to rely on his luck, Washizu's mahjong style is much more straightforward than Akagi's, not usually resorting to bluffs and mind games.

Washizu has designed his own variant of mahjong, called "Washizu Mahjong". In this variant, three of the four tiles of each type are transparent, making it much easier to know what kind of hand the opponent is building. This modification also makes cooperative play a crucial part of the game, as allies can easily and quickly complete each other's hands. Additionally, Washizu has his opponents bet their own blood against his insurmountable wealth, which creates immense psychological pressure that is only exacerbated by being able to see the other players' tiles. Through a combination of his experience with the variant rules, the protection granted by his near-unlimited supply of money and the terror inflicted on his opponents by forcing them to bet their lives, Washizu has been able to kill every opponent he ever faced in this game before meeting Akagi.

Washizu was able to amass his fortune and build his financial empire through his wits and foresight, starting in 1942 when he predicted Japan's defeat at World War II and left the Special Higher Police, thus escaping prosecution for war crimes. After this point, he proceeded to build his consultancy firm Kyousei, using political connections, blackmail and extortion to gain insider information. This information was sold to businesses for a cut of their profits, providing a valuable service in a time of reconstruction while staying in the shadows and escaping legal consequences. As shown in the Washizu prequel series, occasionally Washizu's underworld dealings would involve games of mahjong. In many of these cases, however, Washizu's victory did not depend on the game itself. Rather, the game served as a means to an end, such as getting close to certain people or goods.

Finally, the last quality that was instrumental to Washizu's success is his charisma and personal magnetism. Despite being a narcissistic, self-centered and often cruel individual, Washizu's determination, confidence and genius often earn him the admiration and loyalty of others. It helps that, despite putting his followers through hell and even inflicting physical abuse on them, Washizu recognizes and values talent.

Confrontations