Ranking of Kings is one of the most promising new anime of the season, garnering a lot of attention for its fresh take on the Shonen genre and its hand-painted look. The tale of young Prince Bojji has quickly become one of the most talked-about shows of the season. In this article, we'll catch you up to speed on where and when to watch Ranking of Kings, what it's about, and some info about its production.
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Introducing 'Ranking of Kings,' the Year's Hottest New Anime
The episode release dates, info about the manga and where to watch
Wit Studio
Who wrote the manga?
Adapted from a web comic of the same name, the series is the first manga of Sōsuke Tōka, who left a career in the corporate sector at 41 to become a manga artist. It was first published online via Echoe's manga hack and further serialized into volumes (of which there are currently nine) by Japanese publisher Enterbrain.
What's it about?
The story follows Bojji, the young prince of the kingdom of Bosse. Born deaf and preternaturally weak in comparison to his father, King Bosse (who is ranked the seventh strongest king in the world) he is looked down upon by the denizens of the realm and members of the royal court alike. Nevertheless, Bojji dreams of becoming the number one king in the world. His enduring positive resolve gains him the support of Kage, a shadow creature who makes his way in life as a petty thief and has the unique ability to understand Bojji despite the prince's inability to speak. The two set off on a journey with the aim of increasing Bojji's strength, but grave dangers from within and beyond the castle stand in their way.
The show is animated by Wit Studio (the studio behind Attack on Titan) in a bright palette that brings the fairytale-inspired universe to life. The narrative draws from a rich well of tropes in European folklore: mighty knights, evil stepmothers, magic mirrors, and turns them on their head to create something that is all at once optimistic yet dark, adorable at times, and unflinchingly violent at others. Visually, the show feels a bit like a Ghibli film mixed with a modern American animation like Steven Universe. Its silly but subversive nature and self-published source material are a bit reminiscent of the works of ONE (One Punch Man, Mob Psycho 100). The narrative moves at a breakneck pace, and if you're not hooked by the potential of the first episode, by episode 3 some of the darkness and intrigue creeps in, with characters revealing that they are not exactly who we initially thought they would be.
Bojji and Kage are the biggest delights of the cast, their wholesome relationship producing the bulk of the show's heart. The rest of the characters have a wealth of interest however, with more complicated motivations, nobody comes off as fully good or evil.
Where Can I Watch Ranking of Kings?
New episodes are simulcast in English sub (and dub for the first few episodes) on Funimation's website. Otherwise, the season is available for purchase on Amazon Prime.
How many episodes are there so far?
As of December 7th, the anime has aired up to episode 8, and according to Funimation's website, there are 23 episodes total—at least in this season.
When do new episodes of Ranking of Kings air?
New episodes are available every Friday to Funimation Premium Plus subscribers and are then available for free with ads seven days later.
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