Super Zugan

Aired: 1992

A late-night TV anime broadcast on Fuji Television, based on Masayuki Katayama's mahjong manga. Set primarily in the parlor Tenun, the series follows perpetually losing protagonist Hideyoshi Toyotomi and a cast of vividly eccentric mahjong players as they bounce between victory and ruin in cheerfully directionless episodes. The show pulls off a unique mix of the high-tension atmosphere typical of gambling manga and Katayama's signature laid-back, deflating humor. Perhaps its most legendary touch is the use of veteran enka singer Haruo Minami's Jan Night Jan as the ending theme, a casting masterstroke that has become the show's signature. Even viewers unfamiliar with mahjong rules can enjoy its quirky gags and dense characterization, earning it a fond cult following.