Animal World (Chinese: 动物世界; pinyin: Dòngwù Shìjiè), also known as Animal World: Mr. Nobody, is a 2018 Chinese action-adventure film written and directed by Han Yan, and starring Li Yifeng, Michael Douglas and Zhou Dongyu. It is based on the manga Kaiji by Nobuyuki Fukumoto. Animal World is produced jointly by Shanghai Ruyi Film Production Co., Ltd., Shanghai Pitaya Film Production Co., Ltd., Tencent Pictures, Jixiang Films, Fire Dragon Guo Pictures, Youth Enlight and Enlight Pictures. The film premiered in China on June 29, 2018. Netflix has acquired the global digital rights to the film.
Contents
Plot
Zheng Kaisi works a low-paying job and struggles to pay his mother's medical bills, relying on help from his nurse girlfriend, Liu Qing. At his friend Li Jun's behest, Kaisi mortgages his mother's apartment for a property scheme, but this backfires and leaves Kaisi with even greater debt.
Anderson, the owner of Kaisi's debt, invites Kaisi onto the ship Destiny, where passengers from all over the world play rock paper scissors for money. On the ship, players are given cards that correspond to rock, paper or scissors, and three stars, which are lost or gained when they lose or win matches. Players need to finish all their cards and have at least three stars in order to win and get off the ship. Kaisi is approached by fellow player Zhang Jingkun, who suggests they team up to tie all their matches so they can use all their cards and keep their stars, but Jingkun betrays him and leaves him with one star.