Tetsuo Morita is 20 years old and unemployed. Bored out of his mind and not getting anywhere in life, he wastes his time and money on cheap gambles like horse racing. But then one day, he is approached by the brilliant loan shark Ginji, who happens to be looking for a partner in crime...

This is a story about the underworld of Japan, where con artists and shady dealers control the economy from the shadows.