ANIME’S WILD CARDS

SAMUEL KIM - Writer, 3rd Year, Philosophy

Jesters play tricks

One of my favorite character tropes in anime is the wild card. In playing card games, a wild card is generally understood to be a card which can be used to represent any other card. In some cases, wild cards like the Joker can also be used as the highest trump card. Wild cards are the embodiment of chaos, usually representing a rejection of hierarchy. They seem to be almost alien to the rules, functioning like no other card before it. This makes them both exciting and unpredictable. To understand what this looks like in anime characters, I’ve picked out a few paradigm examples from some of my favorite series.

Hunter x Hunter’s Hisoka, for one, works as a wild card in so many ways. Even outside his appearance of the clown aesthetic and playing card theme, Hisoka parallels the simplicity of wildcards like the Joker. Much like his nen ability, which has the property of both rubber and gum, Hisoka is an extremely malleable character. In one arc he’s the main villain, in another an ally to the protagonist. His simple motivation of wanting to fight whoever is strongest makes him a surprisingly flexible addition to Hunter x Hunter’s cast. In a similar vein, wild cards are often used either as substitute card, meaning they can be the ultimate trump or the weakest cards to be avoided. By definition, wild cards can be suited to any role, and Hisoka is no different. Hisoka’s own place in the Phantom Troupe reflects this too. Because of their unique nature, wild cards are sometimes banned or left out in play. They seem to be outside the rules sometimes, much like how Hisoka is not truly a member of the Phantom Troupe.

Another one of my favorite examples of this trope would be Izaya Orihara from the Durara series. Much like Hisoka, the reason why Izaya is a wild card has to do with his thoroughly unpredictable nature. Izaya’s sole interest is humanity itself, and this entails him intentionally putting people in precarious situations so he can observe and enjoy their reaction. In his opening scene, Izaya convinces a girl to jump off a rooftop for his own amusement. Like with Hisoka, a simple motivation defined by self interest works in tandem with his unpredictable nature to create a true wild card. Izaya will play any role throughout the story, and rarely lets his true feelings betray him. Except of course when he’s around Shizou Heiwajima, the only person Izaya truly hates. If Izaya is a wild card, then Shizuo must be an ace.

Wild cards like Hisoka and Izaya are so fun to watch because they seem to throw a wrench into everyone’s plans. Just when you think you’ve gotten yourself a winning hand, the wild card flips everything on its head.