Fugu Max vs Gemini 3.8 Flash
Pricing, context window and real answers (September 2026)
Fugu Max (Sakana AI) and Gemini 3.8 Flash (Google), compared as you can actually call them on FastMetal. Both are served from the same OpenAI-compatible endpoint and API key; switching is a change to the model string.
Specs and pricing
| Fugu Max |  Gemini 3.8 Flash | |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | Sakana AI | |
| Input (per 1M tokens) | ¥357.4 | ¥128.83 |
| Output (per 1M tokens) | ¥1,072.2 | ¥644.15 |
| Typical cost (1,000 in + 500 out tokens × 1,000 calls) | ¥894 | ¥451 |
| Context window | 1,000,000 tokens | 1,048,576 tokens |
| Release date | 9/11/2026 | 9/2/2026 |
| Input modalities | text, image, file | text, image, video, file, audio |
| Throughput (p50) | — | — |
| Arena · overall | Unranked | #9 · ELO 1,493 |
| Arena · Japanese | Unranked | Unranked |
| Arena · coding | Unranked | #10 · ELO 1,535 |
Prices are FastMetal's yen rates before tax. Arena ranks are as of the latest leaderboard scrape.
Which should you pick?
- On price, Gemini 3.8 Flash: ¥644.15 per 1M output tokens, 40% less than Fugu Max.
- For long documents, Gemini 3.8 Flash: a 1,048,576-token context window against 1,000,000 for Fugu Max.
- If in doubt, try both on the same key. Switching is a change to the model string, and each is billed at its own rate.
Real answers to the same prompts
Exactly what the FastMetal gateway returned, side by side. Not benchmark scores: actual output.
Count the number of 'r's in 'strawberry'
Count the number of 'r's in 'strawberry'. Explain your reasoning step by step.
Fugu Max
The word **“strawberry”** has **3** letters **“r”**.
Step by step:
1. Write the word: **s t r a w b e r r y**
2. Check each letter:
- s — no
- t — no
- **r** — yes, 1st
- a — no
- w — no
- b — no
- e — no
- **r** — yes, 2nd
- **r** — yes, 3rd
- y — no
So, the total number of **‘r’s** in **“strawberry”** is **3**.
3.7s261 output tokens
Gemini 3.8 Flash
There are **3** 'r's in the word "strawberry".
Here is the step-by-step breakdown:
1. **Break the word into its individual letters:**
* **s** (1st letter)
* **t** (2nd letter)
* **r** (3rd letter) — **1st 'r'**
* **a** (4th letter)
* **w** (5th letter)
* **b** (6th letter)
* **e** (7th letter)
* **r** (8th letter) — **2nd 'r'**
* **r** (9th letter) — **3rd 'r'**
* **y** (10th letter)
2. **Count the occurrences:**
* One 'r' is in the first syllable: "st**r**aw"
* Two 'r's are in the second syllable: "be**rr**y"
Total: **3**
3.9s562 output tokens
Debug This Error
I'm getting the following error in my Node.js application: TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'map') at UserList (/app/components/UserList.js:12:25) at renderWithHooks (/app/node_modules/rea…
Fugu Max
The error means `users` is `undefined` when `UserList` renders, so `users.map(...)` throws:
```js
function UserList({ users }) {
// if `users` is not passed, this is undefined
return (
<ul>
{users.map(user => <li key={user.id}>{user.name}</li>)}
</ul>
);
}
```
Common causes:
1. Parent renders `<UserList />` without the `users` prop.
2. State is initialized as `undefined`:
```js
const [users, setUsers] = useState();
```
3. Async data hasn’t loaded yet, but the component already renders.
4. The API returned something unexpected, e.g. `undefined`, an object, or an error response.
## Fixes
### 1. Default the prop to an empty array
```jsx
function UserList({ use…
10.6s1293 output tokens
Gemini 3.8 Flash
### The Cause
This error occurs because the `users` prop is `undefined` when the component renders, and JavaScript cannot call `.map()` on `undefined`.
This typically happens in two common scenarios:
1. **Asynchronous data fetching:** The parent component fetches `users` from an API. On the initial render, the data hasn't arrived yet, so `users` defaults to `undefined`.
2. **Missing prop:** The parent component forgot to pass `users` (e.g., `<UserList />` instead of `<UserList users={data} />`).
---
### How to Fix It
Here are the most common ways to resolve this:
#### Option 1: Provide a default parameter (Recommended)
Set a default value of an empty array (`[]`) for `users`. If `users…
7.1s1003 output tokens
Code Review
Please review the following Python function and suggest improvements for readability, performance, and best practices: def get_data(url, retries=3): import requests import time for i in range(retries):…
Fugu Max
Here’s a review with concrete improvements.
## Main issues
1. **Bare `except:`**
- Catches everything, including `KeyboardInterrupt`, `SystemExit`, and programming errors.
- Catch `requests.RequestException` instead, plus `ValueError` for JSON parsing if needed.
2. **Retries everything, including non-retryable errors**
- A `404` or `401` will be retried even though retrying will not help.
- Retry only transient failures: network errors, `429`, and `5xx`.
3. **Fixed 2-second sleep**
- No exponential backoff. Repeated retries can hammer the server.
- Use exponential backoff, optionally with jitter.
4. **Silent failure**
- Returning `[]` after all retries makes it hard…
24.7s3795 output tokens
Gemini 3.8 Flash
Here is a code review of your function, broken down by issue category, followed by refactored versions.
---
### Key Issues & Areas for Improvement
#### 1. Correctness & Error Handling
* **Bare `except:` clause:** Catching all exceptions with a bare `except:` is dangerous. It suppresses system exits (`KeyboardInterrupt`, `SystemExit`) and masks programming bugs (like `KeyError` or `NameError`). You should catch specific exceptions, primarily `requests.RequestException`.
* **Silent failure returning `[]`:** If all retries fail, returning an empty list makes it impossible for the caller to distinguish between *"the API returned 0 active items"* and *"the network is completely down"*. It is u…
15.1s2139 output tokens
Frequently asked questions
- Which is cheaper, Fugu Max or Gemini 3.8 Flash?
- Per 1M output tokens, Fugu Max is ¥1,072.2 and Gemini 3.8 Flash is ¥644.15 on FastMetal (yen, before tax), so Gemini 3.8 Flash is cheaper.
- How do the context windows of Fugu Max and Gemini 3.8 Flash compare?
- Fugu Max takes 1,000,000 tokens; Gemini 3.8 Flash takes 1,048,576.
- Can I use Fugu Max and Gemini 3.8 Flash with the same API key?
- Yes. On FastMetal's OpenAI-compatible endpoint, switch by passing "fugu-max" or "gemini-3.8-flash" as the model. Each is billed at its own rate from the same prepaid balance.
Try both on one API key
Create an account and add credit to call Fugu Max and Gemini 3.8 Flash from the browser chat and the API. No monthly fee.