Run For The Money Review: An Exhilarating Game Of Cat And Mouse

A brand new Japanese reality game show has just been released on Netflix. Run For The Money is everything that you imagine it will be and more. The tantalizing missions, along with the star-studded cast, will keep you hooked throughout the 4 episodes.

Celebrities from different entertainment fields, like idols, singers, and actors, participated in the show. Many athletes also were seen among the competitors. Japanese social media influencers also joined in. There are 29 members in total.

The people featured in the show are Sato Jiro, SHINee’s Choi Min Ho, former IZ*ONE member Yabuki Nako, Asei, Shimizu Ano, Igeta Hiroe, ELLY, Okubo Yoshito, Kanemura Miku, Kinjo Sukai, Kuroki Hikari, Kuro-chan, Miki Kousei, Komoto Junichi, Kojima Yoshio, Saito Tsukasa, Sato Keigo, Sano Hayato, Shibatar, Jinjin, Sato Toshiki, Tanakaga, Tsuda Atsuhiro, Naenano, Hollywood Zakoshisyoh, Honda Marin, Okada Mahiru, Mitsuma Takuya, Morisaki Win, and Nagata Yoshiko.

Netflix synopsis of the show reads:

In a race with time, celebrity contestants desperately try to outmaneuver black-clad Hunters in pursuit, for a chance to win a growing cash prize.

-Run For The Money Review Contains Spoilers-

The show’s premise is that 29 contestants will have to run, hide and escape from hunters throughout. The prize money starts at ¥100, and with each second, ¥100 will be added, which makes the total accumulated money ¥5.4 million. Whoever can survive for 200 minutes will win the entire prize money. A contestant can also surrender whenever they want to and receive the money accumulated to that point.

The show wasted no time and dived right into the tasks. The first task was to escape 20 hunters, and nothing could stop them until 3 of the participants were caught. The participants were left shocked, and their raw reactions to the situation simultaneously made the moments tense and hilarious.

The hunters were so robotic that it often confused whether they were human or mutant. They were so quick on their feet, along with their sharp vision, which made it impossible for the participants to escape. They were extremely quick to capture the 3 contestants. Following that, there was another task which made the number of hunters reduce to 5.

Run For The Money Still 1
Still from Run For The Money

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The tasks involved various props, which made each episode better than the last. The uniqueness of the assignments also kept the show fresh. One can’t predict what the next task will be. They made use of the location entirely. They used drones, cyclists, cruise ships, and air divers, which made it look like an action movie. The show took place in Huis Ten Bosch, the largest theme park in Japan.

There are many survival game shows that seem scripted very often but not Run For The Money. The situations that the participants got into were so distinctive that there was no way someone wrote them down on paper. The emotions and reactions of the participants were also genuine, which elevated the show further. 

As the show went on, it became harder and harder. The game master was giving them impossible missions to complete. The viewer would be extremely immersed in the show, rooting for the participants and getting frustrated by the hunters. At one point, the contestants also turned on each other for the greed of money, which turned rather comical when everyone started getting suspicious of each other.

Lastly, there were only 5 contestants left, and 20 more hunters were deployed who made their entry in parachutes through sky diving. It became impossible for them to keep escaping until only Choi Min Ho was left, but even he got caught at the end with only 35 seconds left. None of them won the prize money except Shibatar, who had surrendered in the middle of the game. He took away ¥1 million.

Run For The Money Still 2
Still from Run For The Money

Run For The Money Final Thoughts

This game show is an escape from reality. The amazing cast, along with the spine-chilling narration of the situations which involved high-intensity tasks, is a perfect getaway. The high-tension circumstances will not only keep you on edge but also make you laugh and giggle throughout.

The show is now streaming on Netflix.

Did you watch Run For The Money? Let us know in the comments below!

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REVIEW OVERVIEW

Overall

SUMMARY

Netflix brings us the much anticipated star-studded Japanese survival game show Run For The Money.
Hrishita Das
Hrishita Das
Hrishita Das is an Anthropologist by training, but her true passion lies in delving into the human experience through prose. A cinephile and pop culture enthusiast, she has been a writer for a year.

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Netflix brings us the much anticipated star-studded Japanese survival game show Run For The Money.Run For The Money Review: An Exhilarating Game Of Cat And Mouse