If you haven’t heard of the new Japanese anime Ranking of Kings, also known as Ousama Ranking, it’s time to get your act together. The show is arguably the most popular anime in China at the moment and is also turning heads in other parts of the world.
If you aren’t watching Ranking of Kings, you’re doing yourself a disservice. A nonverbal, deaf protaganist who wants to be the greatest king is probably the biggest tearjerker this season. Absolutely godlike direction and storytelling. pic.twitter.com/f7LQzsjU5o
— Badger (@SuperBlueBadger) November 8, 2021
The series started streaming weekly last month on the Chinese online video platform Bilibili for audiences based in China. Though only four episodes are out now (there will be 23 episodes in total), the show has almost 48 million watches on Bilibili and already has the whole country talking.
The TV show is adapted from a 2017 Japanese manga series created by Sōsuke Tōka. It tells the story of a deaf, mute, and powerless prince, Bojji, who can’t wield a children’s sword but strives to become the world’s greatest king.
Indeed, the storyline is kinda cheesy, but it has won the hearts of many Chinese youths. The anime currently has a score of 9.6 out of 10 after 51,554 votes on user-rating site Douban.
Most netizens have described the series as “healing,” “heartwarming,” or “tear-jerking.”
He is precious!
He has a heart of gold 💛#OusamaRanking #RankingofKings pic.twitter.com/Sn2vCLtNfr— Yume (@YumeTokoyo) November 5, 2021
what I love more in #王様ランキング #RankingOfKings is even though Bojji is mute, his voice actor gives so much emotion on his character 🔥 pic.twitter.com/9OHLcxV84p
— bachira ⚽ (@anitweets_) November 6, 2021
Hashtags related to the series have been trending on Chinese social media sites. On China’s Twitter-like platform Weibo alone, the hashtag ‘Ranking of Kings’ (#国王排名#) had garnered 170 million views at the time of writing.
“If a story can move people’s hearts, it’s an excellent one. Even though the plot is predictable, I still couldn’t hold back my tears,” reads a popular post on Weibo.
“Actually, as a teacher, I feel uncomfortable watching this because it reminds me a lot of one of my students in the village who is disabled and was abandoned twice,” reads the top-voted comment on Bilibili, which has received 114,688 likes. “She and Bojji both love life and people around them. I hope they can have a good life.”
It seems people love and need a simple, wholesome story with an encouraging message: No matter what life has done to you, never give up and just keep going.
For people outside of Asia, watch “Ranking of Kings” on Funimation.
Cover photo via IMDb
