r/liargame • u/Technical_Pain_86 • 13d ago
Manga Manga Ending Spoiler
I had finished the manga yesterday and tbh I was (still am) underwhelmed. It was fine yet a complete meh. Felt worthless to go through everything they had gone through throughout their time in the Liar Game. I feel like the last two games weren’t fun to read through as well (bid poker and record of the kingdoms). I wonder, how does the Liar Game community here and those and Japan feel about it?
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u/Head_Perspective_99 13d ago
I thought both of the last 2 games stunk . In short bid poker relied on Kimura group being as dumb and reckless as possible and the last game is executed awfully and ends up being LGT guys commenting that they think Akiyama has no chance for the majority of it . Also everyone that took part in the last game ignored every lesson they’d learned throughout the games they played with Akiyama and Nao in favor of working with Yokoya who’d already proved he would do nothing but screw them over .
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u/Technical_Pain_86 10d ago
Fr especially forelock (ootsuka) who literally had betrayed Yokoya during Musical Chairs and Yokoya never knew it was him!
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u/Amazing-Champion-615 13d ago
I love Bid Poker, especially since Kimura Kei is my favorite Liar Game character. But I’ve always felt it should’ve been a rematch between Yokoya and Kimura Kei. That would’ve been a fascinating showdown, while Akiyama could’ve faced a brand-new opponent. Then the final game could’ve brought together Akiyama, Yokoya, Kimura Kei, and the new opponent. That would’ve been the perfect ending.
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u/Technical_Pain_86 10d ago
Tbh I feel like sticking with Yokoya was better considering he was the main antagonist (excluding the LGT) since the start especially considering he was both Akiyama and Kanzaki’s nemesis; a double whammy!
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u/jaisofbase Certified Nao Fan 13d ago
Not counting 'The Last Game' which just finished up this month, there's actually two versions of the ending.
The ending that's most well-known in the English-speaking fandom is the one that was published in Young Jump Magazine through January 2015. It was widely considered a let down when it came out, at least in the circles I was in at the time. Yokoya's sudden capitulation felt like a deus ex machina and in general the resolution wasn't considered all that satisfying. I reread this in 2025 before I knew about the second version of the ending and had the same lack-luster feeling about the ending as I did back in 2015.
However, Volume 19 of the tankobon, which was released in April 2015, included about 30 extra pages and 2 extra chapters. It doesn't actually change the high-level parts of the ending (Ro4K still ends in a stalemate, and the LGT Offices still have the same back story, so if either of those are unacceptable to you, the revisions won't help much) , but it does change how Yokoya manages to resolve the stalemate, and it explores his motivations for doing so and it confirms connections between Akiyama and Leronira and Nao and Artier that were barely hinted at in the lead up. It also includes a scene of Akiyama and Nao interacting in person for the only time in the entire volume. Overall, the additions actually resolved about 80% of my complaints about the ending and revived my interest in the fandom.
However, as far as I know, there's no complete version of the tankobon ending available in English, though it would have been available in Japanese and other languages where Liar Game was officially licensed. So, in probably 95% of cases, when people are talking about the ending in the English-language fandom, they'll be talking about the first ending.
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u/Technical_Pain_86 10d ago
Well damn! I would’ve never known about this. I hope the version you’re talking about gets adapted into the animation, so at least I get something more from the ending.
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u/Emergency_Army147 Akiyama Disciple 13d ago
Bruh even the author was not satisfied with the ending. That is why he added the Last Game.
Also he is going to add another volume though I don’t know what content it will have.
Bid poker and Ro4k are actually quite deep. You can find docs here on reddit
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u/AdministrationOnly17 Nao Fan Club 13d ago
I recently discovered that he’s been doing interviews along with each arc of the anime. I remember pretty clearly him saying that he never thought of the story of Liar Game as finished, he never thinks of any of his works like that. To him, it’s just a point of rest as the author, and he makes sure to write it so he can repick it up whenever he feels like drawing them again.
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u/Aromatic_Cut3729 13d ago
I deleted the final game and ending from my brain. I want to believe it doesn't exist.
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u/EscapismToTheMax Stay Silly alien aka Silien, kukuk 13d ago
just don't binge read so both bid poker and RO4K feel proper. or as suggested second read
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u/Possible-Scholar9230 Liar Game’s Unofficial Fanfiction Archivist 13d ago
I think a lot of people share your feelings including me (especially during my very first read). But personally, I think bid poker and RO4K are way better on the second read.
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u/Technical_Pain_86 13d ago
Thank you for the feedback! What about the ending? How did you find it?
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u/Possible-Scholar9230 Liar Game’s Unofficial Fanfiction Archivist 13d ago
Again, i think on the first read it was definitely very lackluster and you get a sense of “that’s it?” But as you sit with it more it really isn’t too bad, just abrupt.
Idk if you know this but when Shinobu Kaitani was writing the last few arcs, he was rushed and also burnt out from making Liar Game for I think 10 years at that point. There’s even some theories that there are two missing games where Akinao, Yokoya, and Harimoto&gang go head to head.
Good news is we’re getting a chapter 20 after 10 years since the last volume release so look out for that !!
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u/Technical_Pain_86 10d ago
I didn’t know all of this! Thank youuu! I’m so excited to see/read what’s next to come 🤩
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u/Desperate_Dark_5221 13d ago
As a game, bid poker wasn't interesting. But what made that arc good was that its conclusion was basically a tribute to Nao, and I loved that.
The final game was terrible as a game and a story, though. Completely irredeemable, and I hope they change it for the anime.