Poker Under Arms

Template:BookPoker Under Arms (武装ポーカー, Busō Pōkā) is a Japanese shōnen manga one-shot written and illustrated by Hirohiko Araki.

Having been a "Selected Work" runner-up at the Tezuka Awards, this Wild West one-shot was Araki's first published work and his official debut as a mangaka.

A tankōbon of Araki's other manga, Gorgeous Irene, also features Araki's original works, including Poker Under Arms.

Synopsis

A Western set in a town without laws. The story begins with a wealthy old man telling his accounts of a dangerous poker game between gunmen:

Don Peckinpah (ドン・ペキンパー, Don pekinpā), an infamous gunman with a bounty of $10,000 on his head, making him a constant target for gunman looking for fame and riches. He is often described as being the devil, due to his malicious yet calm nature.

After leaving the barber, Peckinpah enters a bar and orders a drink. At the bar, Peckinpah overhears a group of poker players and asks if he can join them. Peckinpah checks the cards, revealing himself as a proficient poker player. The two men at the table quickly back out, leaving just one. The man left at the table is revealed to be Mike Harper (マイク・ハーパー, Maiku hāpā), an equally skilled gunman from another town who also has a bounty of $10,000. Harper agrees to play one-on-one.

Frustrated by his losing streak, Peckinpah takes out his anger on a drunken old bum interrupting the game. Regaining his composure, Peckinpah devilishly suggests that they bet their guns to make the game more interesting. Leaving the loser defenceless against anyone wanting to claim their bounties.

Trivia

• Some of the characters in this seminal work bear a similar appearance to others in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure.
  • One of the main characters, Mike Harper, has a similar appearance to Robert E. O. Speedwagon.
  • The narrator of the story, having once looked like an old bum, bears a striking resemblance to Dario Brando.