Orphan presents the first English-subtitled version of Mahjong Hishouden: Naki no Ryuu (Flying Legend of Mahjong: The Calling Dragon), aka Naki no Ryuu '88. This is a longer version of the story told in Naki no Ryuu: Hiryuu no Shou - longer, but not necessarily better or more coherent.

The story centers on a player known only as The Calling Dragon and his involvement in several Yakuza conflicts. The mahjong isn’t taken very seriously; mostly it’s an excuse for the Dragon to sit around, smoking and looking cool:

He gets caught up in a succession war within the Oudou Syndicate, which controls the Kanto region, and then in a conflict between the Syndicate and Kaitou Takeshi, “don” of western Japan.

Somehow, the Dragon is the proxy or the prize in this gangland warfare, wanted alive (or dead) for his preternatural luck.

No, it doesn’t make much more sense when you watch it, either. See this blog entry for more details.

This release, and all Orphan releases, are available for direct download from IRC bot Orphan|Arutha in channels #nibl or #news on irc.rizon.net.