Ranking of Kings
Synopsis
The people of the kingdom look down on the young Prince Bojji, who can neither hear nor speak. They call him "The Useless Prince" while jeering at his supposed foolishness. However, while Bojji may not be physically strong, he is certainly not weak of heart. When a chance encounter with a shadow creature should have left him traumatized, it instead makes him believe that he has found a friend amidst those who only choose to notice his shortcomings. He starts meeting with Kage, the shadow, regularly, to the point where even the otherwise abrasive creature begins to warm up to him. Kage and Bojji's unlikely friendship lays the budding foundations of the prince's journey, one where he intends to conquer his fears and insecurities. Despite the constant ridicule he faces, Bojji resolves to fulfill his desire of becoming the best king he can be. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
Audience Consensus
Ousama Ranking garnered a strong initial positive response due to its charming art style and emotionally engaging story of an underdog prince. However, the series suffered from inconsistent writing in the second half, which undermined character development, pacing, and the stakes of the narrative. This led to disappointment among many viewers who felt the show failed to live up to its early potential, resulting in polarized opinions on its overall quality.
Strengths
- Charming art style reminiscent of storybooks.
- Emotionally resonant characters, especially Bojji.
- Exploration of themes like friendship, overcoming adversity, and forgiveness.
Weaknesses
- Inconsistent writing quality, particularly in the second half.
- Frequent reversal of deaths undermines stakes.
- Pacing issues and unresolved conflicts.
- Questionable moral decisions and rushed resolutions.
- Superficial treatment of complex themes and lack of depth.