It’s been a while since I’ve felt the urge to review an anime, but after watching Ousama Ranking (Ranking of Kings) I immediately knew that I wanted to do some deeper analysis. I’m beginning to feel like the only anime I want to review are ones that are different or unique in some way. And Ousama Ranking is truly one of a kind.
The anime follows Prince Bojji as he struggles to become a good king and believe in himself. Bojji is not only small and weak, but he also is deaf. Despite the mockery and condescending attitudes of those around him, he always maintains a smile and tries his best to do what is right. Along the way he meets a shadow clan member who becomes his first friend, and they work together to save themselves and the kingdom.
The world of Ousama Ranking is like no other. The setting, the characters, and the magic system are all creative and interesting. Furthermore, the plot only gets deeper and more intriguing as the anime progresses. The world is mysterious and creates some very unique atmospheres. The simple, almost childish, animation style and magic system combined with some very serious and dark themes makes you feel emotions that no other anime can match.
The highlight of this anime are the characters, with their complex backgrounds and motivations. The layers of each character are revealed to the viewer as the anime progresses, and each of them go through their own character arcs. I commend this anime on having the most dynamic characters of any anime I’ve seen. Each character has an internal trail they must overcome, and by the end of the anime you are left wondering if there are truly any villains. This is despite thinking that almost every character is a villain at the start of the anime. It is truly a literary masterpiece.
Although the villains are obscure, there is a clear hero that I’m sure everyone is rooting for: Prince Bojji. It is impossible not to like the protagonist of this series and you will only have to watch the first couple of episodes to find out why.
The anime wasn’t perfect, of course. I think they spent too long on the backstories of some of the characters. This is my biggest complaint. Additionally, I’m sure the animation style is not for everyone, however I think it suited the anime quite well. There are also many concepts that aren’t fully fleshed out, but I have faith that these are just being left for a season two.
When watching this anime, you just have to accept the weirdness of the magic system and setting. They implement these things in a way that works fine and adds to the allure of the anime. I think the simple animation style allows the characters to have these somewhat ridiculous powers while not feeling too outrageous.
Overall Enjoyment: 90/100
Characters: 99
Plot: 90
Setting: 93
Animation: 80 (different but not bad)
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