Ranking of Kings

Ranking of Kings (Wit Studio, 2021–22, 23 episodes) adapts Sosuke Toka's manga. It follows Prince Bojji, the deaf and physically weak firstborn son of a famous king. Bojji dreams of becoming the greatest king in the world, yet the court whispers that he is a good-for-nothing who could never rule. In a world where kings are publicly ranked by power, his father Bosse is only seventh.

Bojji's life changes when he meets Kage, a shadow-clan survivor who can understand him without words. The two form a bond that carries the story through palace intrigue, training under hardened masters, and a growing conflict that threatens the kingdom itself. The series starts out like a fairy tale and gradually reveals a far more complicated world behind its soft look.

The story runs as one continuous arc. It moves from a child's wish to be recognized to a wider reckoning with family, loyalty, and the cost of the ranking system. Its villains and rivals are rarely simple, and its tone swings between comedy, tenderness and sudden brutality.

The series argues that strength is not the same as greatness. Bojji's kingship is built on empathy, perseverance and the willingness to listen to people others overlook. The ranking system measures power, but the story keeps showing that kindness, courage and understanding change people more than force does.

It also shows that cruelty usually has roots in pain, loneliness and misunderstanding. Several antagonists are given sympathetic histories, which suggests that compassion can reach even people who seem beyond it.

Some viewers read the series as a fairy tale about disability and acceptance, where the ranking is a metaphor for ableism. Others see it as a political allegory about how hierarchies create resentment and violence, and about breaking cycles of vengeance. Some see Miranjo's story as the darker, tragic mirror of Bojji's.

Wit Studio's adaptation helped bring attention to a manga that began as a web series. Critics praised the way its storybook look is combined with serious emotional stakes, and its sympathetic portrayal of a deaf protagonist drew notice. Anime Corner described it as a beautiful gem from Wit Studio that shouldn't be slept on. It has an IMDb rating of about 8.4/10.

Audiences praised the visuals, emotional depth, and the central friendship between Bojji and Kage. Episode ratings on IMDb mostly run in the high 7s to high 8s out of 10. The overall series rating of about 8.4/10 reflects a warm reception. Points of criticism mentioned include pacing differences between the lighter early episodes and the darker later arcs, but reception overall was strongly positive.