Looking for a new anime to watch? Discover King's Game! In this article, we give you five reasons why you should definitely give this anime a chance. From its thrilling plot to its endearing characters, King's Game is sure to keep you in suspense.
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Based on the Ōsama Game mobile novel series by Nobuaki Kanazawa, this anime adapts it and its sequel, Ōsama Game: Extreme. This 2017 horror anime series has 12 episodes in which we follow our main character, Nobuaki Kanazawa, who has just transferred to Kure Academy. Here we see Nobuaki isolate himself from the rest of his class, refusing to become friends with anyone else.
But, of course, things change when the entire class receives a message from an individual known only as “King”, with instructions that must be accomplished in 24 hours or less. As expected, none of Nobuaki's comrades take the text seriously, with some even accusing him of sending the messages. However, the protagonist is in complete panic, as he was forced to play this game at his old school and ended up being the only survivor.
Therefore, we are treated to dual narration explaining what happened during Nobuaki's first experience in the game, while also seeing where his current classmates end up. Still not convinced? Here are five reasons to discover this anime, King's Game.
5. It takes a classic trope from the Death Game anime
If you liked series like Future Diary, Death Parade or Deadman Wonderland, this anime will be a perfect addition to your viewing list on MyAnimeList. The series presents the game in the form of texts, asserting that the word of the mysterious “King” is absolute. Failure to complete the planned tasks results in the death of those to whom the orders were given. So this is a high-stakes series that highlights what could happen if these students don't follow their instructions. While some things don't add up story-wise, it's still a scary idea.
Additionally, since we have dual narration, we know that our main character has already experienced these events. Seeing the horror the game caused when Nobuaki first played it keeps the audience in suspense. Although his current classmates don't take him seriously at first, the audience and Nobuaki know what is going to happen. This can also lead to some annoyance with the characters in the show. However, would you take it seriously if you received a text telling you to kiss your crush in the next 24 hours, or you would die? Probably not.
4. The anime has a great voice actor
The English and Japanese dubs of the anime series are both very well done. However, many people favor the work done on the Japanese dubbing. Indeed, the dubbing uses very popular actors who have worked on other well-known animated series. For example, Mamoru Miyano plays the main character, Nobuaki. Other popular characters he has voiced include Shuu Tsukiyama from Tokyo Ghoul, Tamaki Anzai from Devil's Line, Osamu Dazai from Bungo Stray Dogs, Light Yagami from Death Note, and Chrollo in HunterxHunter.
This is not to mention other roles in popular anime such as The Seven Deadly Sins, Assassination Classroom, Death Parade, One Punch Man, Fire Force and Demon Slayer. In comparison, the actor who plays Climb in Overlord plays the series' lead role in the English dub. Although Coby Lewin doesn't live up to Miyano's work, he still manages to bring Nobuaki to life. Lewin is also known for his roles in major anime such as Black Clover and One Piece.
3. The series is not afraid to kill off its characters
It's extremely difficult to find a movie or series that is committed to killing off its characters. And while there have been plenty of anime in the past showing characters dying, many of them have found a way to bring them back to life. Obviously, this negates the emotional impact and shock effect of the death scene. For example, Krillin's death in Dragon Ball Z shocked all fans and made the battle against Frieza even scarier. However, when they wished Krillin back to life using the Dragon Balls, the impact of his death was reduced to nothing.
King's Game goes all-in on Game of Thrones and takes out characters individually. And since we know that Nobuaki's entire class died in the previous game, this helps set the stage for what's in store this time around. Knowing that none of the characters are safe makes the show a lot more fun to watch because the stakes are so high and we know there is no escape from survival.
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2. The animation is better than it looks in the trailer
A big part of what makes anime enjoyable is its animation. And audiences can tell when a studio has taken the time to give them the best viewing experience possible. For example, the complex scene at the beginning of Demon Slayer season 3, where the demons reunite, is only two pages in the manga. However, Ufotable went to great lengths to expand it into a beautifully animated three-minute scene. Sure, King's Game's animation may not be up to par with Demon Slayer's, but it's better than people give it credit for.
The series is animated by Studio Seven, and although some scenes are a little heavy-handed or clunky, they do a good job overall. To illustrate, they execute the gore scenes very well, not holding back on the nightmarish scenarios these characters must go through. In fact, the animation style makes the scenes seem much more disturbing than they should be. In addition, the studio perfectly animates the facial expressions of the characters. We easily perceive the horror that the characters are experiencing, their despair being tangible on the screen.
1. King's Game has a bad reputation for no good reason
Overall, the series has a bad reputation, with many viewers calling it terrible or poorly animated. Although the series has apparent flaws, it is still good entertainment. One of its most glaring flaws is the plot, which sometimes makes no sense. However, this can easily be remedied by watching the series with your brain turned off, as it remains an entertaining experience, especially for horror fans.
Plus, the show definitely does a better job than shows like Future Diary, which many dislike because of its main character. In King's Game, Nobuaki is shown to be a sympathetic character who does not hide behind others. Additionally, fantasy horror elements are added to the mix aside from the gore factor. There are many mystery and thriller elements that leave you wondering who this “King” is and what he wants from our main character.
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