Fantasy masterpiece combines the best of Game of Thrones and Ghibli – and is not only a must for anime fans

Do you love sophisticated fantasy worlds? Love the cuteness of Ghibli movies and celebrate the ruthless intrigues of Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon? Then the anime Ranking of Kings is just the right series for you. Even if you’re not a die-hard anime fan, you shouldn’t miss this epic fantasy story.

Game of Thrones intrigue set in a breathtakingly beautiful fantasy world

What is Ranking of Kings all about? The anime series and manga by Sōsuke Tōka are set in a medieval fantasy world with numerous (enemy) kingdoms, where kings are ranked and only the strongest hold real power. The story unfolding here could also come directly from Westeros.

King Bosse is dead. In contrast to his giant father, his first-born son is a tiny creature who nobody takes seriously. And so Queen Hilling, who is also little Prince Boji’s stepmother, does everything to place her own son, the arrogant Prince Daida, on the throne.

From now on, Boji embarks on an adventurous journey with his new companion, the shadow creature Kage, to become stronger and one day to rule his kingdom himself. The duo is confronted with other kings, enemy empires, political conspiracies and serious betrayals.

But that’s only a small part of the story of Ranking of Kings. Because the series creates an exciting and complex fantasy world full of conflicts and exciting characters. The biggest highlight is the deaf protagonist Boji, who immediately grows fond of with his unshakable optimism and his tragic story. His deafness and the use of sign language are staged in an impressive way and woven into the plot.

Ranking of Kings is sweet like Ghibli and tough like Game of Thrones

What immediately catches your eye while watching is Ranking of Kings’ unique drawing style. Based on classic Ghibli films such as Princess Mononoke or 70s anime from Nippon Animation, a fairytale fantasy world unfolds here. There’s magic, talking creatures, immortal knights, and evil forces behind mirrors. The family-friendly cuteness is a sham, though.

The innocent-looking anime world is repeatedly contrasted by Ranking of Kings with peaks of merciless cruelty and shocking twists, as we know them from the world of Game of Thrones. Children are thrown into abysses, limbs are chopped off or the corpse of a king is processed to a pulp.

But it’s not just this collision of opposites that makes Ranking of Kings a fantasy masterpiece. It’s the complex characters. At the outset they all cater to classic fantasy stereotypes, only to later subvert all of our expectations. The motto in Ranking of Kings is: Appearances are deceptive. Nobody is really good or really bad. And almost all of them hide a tragic and emotional background story.

Even though Ranking of Kings struggles with some narrative problems later in the first season, the anime inspires with its unique style, the outstanding character developments, the profound story and last but not least breathtaking fight sequences. No wonder. Because behind the series is the anime forge WIT Studio, which, among other things, was responsible for the first three seasons of the mega hit Attack on Titan.

Where to Stream Ranking of Kings Fantasy Series

The first season of Ranking of Kings consists of a total of 23 episodes. You can do this completely and Stream in German dubbed version on Crunchyroll. The spin-off Ranking of Kings: The Treasure Chest of Courage, which consists of several short stories, also started there on April 13.

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