Ranking of Kings: The Emotional Underdog Story Done Right

The emotional range of shōnen manga is undeniable, especially if the protagonist as the underdog is included in the story. This is the case for Ranking of Kings, written and illustrated by Sousuke Toka, who created a beautiful and emotional story that touched the hearts of the audience across the world. Bojji, a deaf and powerless prince fighting to become the world's greatest king, makes a perfect underdog in the world of the shōnen genre.

Both Anime and Manga Pull at Viewers Heartstrings

Ranking of the King is a story about young Bojji, a deaf and powerless boy who wants to become the best king in the world. Being the firstborn prince of the Bosse Kingdom, Bojji is mostly at the center of other people's gossip that mostly revolves around him not being good enough. Despite all hardships, Bojji tries to stay positive to achieve his dreams, and on his journey he wins the hearts of everyone he meets. Through his manga panels and scenes in anime, Sousuke Toka manages to switch between characters' points of view perfectly, so the audience can feel the mood and the atmosphere of the scene that is playing in front of us. Bojji's point of view is more innocent and sometimes even idealistic in the beginning of the manga and the show, but quickly we see how other citizens of the Bosse Kingdom see the young prince, which is more realistic and even dark at times.

This is why both manga and anime evoke such visceral emotions from the audience, a strong emotional reaction that makes us even more empathetic to Bojji but also moves us to root for him even more.

Amazing Utilization of Side Characters

Although Bojji is the main centerpiece of Ranking of Kings, the supporting characters truly make Bojji flourish and otherwise. When Bojji makes his first friend, Kage, a shadow and a former member of the infamous assassin clan, at first, he's indifferent to the prince. However, he immediately understands the deaf boy and gives him the opportunity to express himself. Bojji and Kage become great friends, and their bond is one of the best parts of the series because they are the absolute opposite but also incredibly compatible. Moreover, we learn Kage's backstory, which is as heartbreaking as Bojji's, giving their bond one more dimension and perspective.

Bojji is the sun, but the side characters are the stars who make him shine, and with them, the whole series shines.

Bojji as the Perfect Underdog Character

Bojji's character has the obvious 'underdog' trope—he is deaf, undersized, and weak for a warrior. The citizens of the Bosse Kingdom gossip behind his back, saying he's not worthy of his father's crown, who was big and strong and a true representation of the strength. However, those deficiencies do not label or affect Bojji in his mission; of course there are hardships, but the young prince doesn't stop at nothing to reach his goal—and that journey is absolutely beautiful to witness. Bojji has disabilities, but he's extremely intelligent, aware of people and his surroundings, and kind to a fault. Despite people not understanding him, Bojji understands people better than anyone, hence why they are so in awe of him when they meet him.

Bojji is a perfect underdog character because his disabilities don't define his character, making his journey even more emotional.

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Conclusion: A Wide Range of Emotion Equals a Great Story

Maybe I'm just an emotional person, but watching Ranking of Kings provoked such a visceral reaction that it stuck with me for months. However, it seems that the series affected the audience across the globe. Sousuke Toka managed to touch the hearts of his audience through great characterization, colorful scenes, and slightly cartoonish manga artwork that showcase Bojji's point of view and how he looks at the world around him. Maybe for some, strong emotional works are too overrated or just the way to distract from bad storylines, but no one can deny that it makes for a powerful and great journey, and Ranking of Kings is just that—even the most aloof people would root for Bojji.

Ranking of Kings isn't perfect by all means but it is one of the best good-feel series out there.

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