Ranking of Kings

 Ranking of Kings (王様ランキング) is a 22 episode fantasy series based on the manga of the same name by Toka Sasuke.  The series was produced by Wit Studio and aired in Japan between the Fall of 2021 and Winter of 2022.

     Bojji is the oldest prince of a peaceful and powerful kingdom in an unnamed fantasy world.   His father is one of the strongest kings, a literal giant named Bosse.  Bosse is nearing the end of his successful life.  All not well in his kingdom, his heir apparent, Bojji, is unnaturally weak, deaf and mute and considered a simpleton by everyone around him.  The prince is mocked and despised by everyone around him, commoner, servant and family alike.  Instead of letting the kingdom collapse when Bosse dies, Queen Hiling, Bosse's second wife, has plans to put her son, the second prince Daida on the throne.

    Bojji holds an unrealized potential in his small hands.  What everyone considers gullibility and ineptitude, hides his strength of will and unwavering compassion.  As plans beyond his control begin to move he is thrust upon a journey to awaken his latent potential.  The boy who the world struggles to communicate with must convince people who are significantly more powerful than he is to lend him their strength.  Even with his determination there are forces more powerful and sinister than anyone realized at work, threatening the very existence of his world.

    Ranking of Kings has been referred to as the anime version of Game of Thrones.  That is not entirely accurate but not wrong either.  The simplistic and unusual animation style coupled with the incredible positivity of the main character does a lot to dampen the brutality of the story.  Along with that though, the habit of death to not be permanent in the story severely dampens the terror...as well as any realistic risk.  Bojji is a character that you want to root for in every encounter and his journey is endearing and heart warming.  Yet he suffers from plot armor in more than one occasion and that plot armor extends to other characters, which lessons the real impact of the story.  The biggest complaint with the story is the ability of its characters to survive death and severe structural damage, trappings of shonen action stories that severely hamper the stories impact.

    With that said though, this is an a amazing story that becomes better with each new episode.  From the beginning Bojji is a lovable character, that the viewer will root for at every step.  As the characters around him are revealed and given back stories of their own does his journey become more endearing.  The story is emotional and moving.  Some of the characters come from tragic backgrounds, ones that shape their personalities in terrible ways, but they also contain their original humanity.  Like life, no one is purely evil in the story and those that seem to be villains at one point have the potential for redemption later on.  The artwork it's self befits the story, even if it looks simplistic and childish.  It helps to lessen the darkness of the events while paying homage to classical French animation, finding its own voice in a land of copy cats.  Ranking of Kings makes me think of Berserk that exudes hope within the darkness.  In the end I heavily enjoyed this story, even if it seemed to be unwilling to kill off many characters and got a little too positive in the end, but its a great story, great word and Bojji is one of the best protagonists around.  Here's to more of the story being produced, because there is so much more story that can be told...and there is a lot more manga.

    Ranking of Kings is currently available streaming in North America.

Horimiya

 Horimiya (堀さんと宮村くん) is a 13 episode romance based on the manga of Hori-san to Miyamura-kun by Adachi Hiroki.  The series originally aired during the winter of 2021.

   Hori Kyoko is intelligent, beautiful and well liked by her peers..  Miyamura Izumi is a dark loner everyone ignores and rejects.  A chance encounter between them after school reveals hidden personalities which starts a strange friendship between them.  While Hori is viewed as one of the goddesses of school, in truth she is really devoted to her family and takes on more responsibility than she can handle.  Miyamura appears to be gloomy, alone and possibly depraved but in reality he struggles with social rejection and depression.  In a chance encounter, Miyamura helps Hori's younger brother get home after injuring himself.  Not familiar with how he looks outside of school, Hori gratefully invites the cool stranger into her home for a thank you snack.  Soon enough she realizes that the tattooed and pierced wild guy is the gloomy loner.  At the same time Hori has unwillingly revealed her less put together home self to a classmate.  They agree to hide their hidden selves from their peers and begin spending more time together.

    It doesn't take long for their friendship to become exposed to the class as they don't hide their interactions.  The previously shunned Miyamura finds himself in Hori's small friend group along with being a frequent guest at her house.  Their friendship becomes more complicated as they become more familiar with each other.  Everyone around them can see the growing closeness and hidden feelings, but no amount of input from others will make them accept reality.  While Hori and Miyamura struggle internally with their growing feelings for each other, those around them begin to be effected by changing emotions.  The pebble of emotions cast by Hori and Miyamura's unexpected friendship grows in to stronger and stronger ripples for those around them, who in turn struggle with their own feelings and relationships.

    Initial reaction to Horimiya is that it was inspired by the romance series Kare Kano.  Both series deal with two people forming a bond over sharing secrets about themselves.  There is little in common after that.  Kare Kano delves deeply into internal turmoil and personal darkness.  Horimiya, while more dramatic than not, peppers light hearted situations through out, balancing the darker pieces.  Thats not to say the series isn't good.  Its incredibly satisfying and one of the best romances in recent years.  The primary characters are well developed and enjoyable.  Their relationship moves along at a good pace.  The side characters on the other hand are less developed and take up more story time than they probably should.

    The artwork for the series is middle of the road compared to current shows but does not detract from the series.  It is an enjoyable, endearing and fun overall.  Grounded in reality and not stuck with past cliches for romance series, where the main characters can't overcome their own internal dialogues to move their relationship forward.  The characters take fate into their own hands and try to make progress, even if a little slowly at sometimes.  There is little in the way of episodes worth of misunderstanding forcing tension and drama.  The biggest complaint is that there is not more of the show, but it ends in a satisfying way.

    The series is currently available in dub and sub formats as well as streaming on Crunchyroll.

Tonikawa: Over the Moon for You

 Tonikawa (トニカクカワイイ) also known as Fly Me to the Moon is a comedic slice of live romance based on the manga of the same name by Hata Kenjiro.  The anime aired in Japan over the Fall of 2020.

    Yuzaki Nasa has endured a painful life due to his odd first name and has resolved to push him self to the very limits to outshine his namesake.  His world comes to a halt one night after mock high school entrance exams.  He notices a beautiful girl across the street and rushes to speak to her.  Instead, she saves him from being killed by a passing truck.  While he doesn't die immediately from his injuries, he forces himself after her, on broken legs, through sure will power.  He finds he in a nearby bu shelter and tells her he loves her and wants to date her.  She agrees to do so, if her marries her.  The last thing he remembers before falling into a coma is agreeing to do so.  Following his recovery he passes his exams but looses all interest in continuing on his course in life.  Instead he skips high school and enters the work force, keeping odd jobs and living on his own.  After he turns 18 the mysterious girl, Tsukasa, appears at his apartment, ready to get married.

    Overcome with emotion for meeting her again after three years he eagerly agrees.  That night they register their marriage and begin their life as newly weds, even though they know nothing about each other.  Their new life together isn't without its troubles though.  Nasa and Tsukasa struggle to navigate how to be a couple and learn about each other.  Nasa is an open book while Tsukasa is very mysterious in both her past and motivations.  Further complicating their growing relationship are external forces causing discord and strife.  A friend from school secretly harbors feelings for Nasa while her younger sister continuously fills his head with doubt about his commitment.  Tsukasa's younger sister works hard to break apart the couple, not wanting anyone else to have her.  Nasa struggles with how to please his wife, over analyzing every aspect of their relationship, even as Tsukasa assures him everything is going to be ok.

    Tonikawa is a cute and enjoyable series that shows a fun and innocent relationship between two people.  There are numerous opportunities to push the pervert boundary with the story but it always stays on the edge of cute innocence.  Nasa is ludicrously patient and reserved while Tsukasa is coy and mysterious.  Instead of focusing entirely on the idea of marital consummation, to the point of childish innocence, it ambles along showing their growing relationship.  The biggest mystery, bigger than Tsukasa's past and motivation, is how Nasa can afford to live in Tokyo and provide for them....even if its a small and old apartment.  Nasa willingly provides anything Tsukasa wants, which leads to numerous shopping trips over the series

    While the story and characters are enjoyable the artwork isn't of the highest caliber.  It;s rather subpar by current standards, which is fine in the end.  The show is enjoyable because of the characters and journey of discovery.  Tonikawa is a good example of a show being carried almost entirely by its writing.  The series however is just the start of the story.  An OAV was released in 2021 and a second season is pending, set to be released in the Fall of 2022, presumably wrapping up the story and detailing more of Tsukasa's past.

    The series is currently available commercially in both dub and sub formats as well as streaming on Crunchyroll.

Odd Taxi

 Odd Taxi (オッドタクシー) is a slice of life seinen drama based on the manga of the same name.  The series broadcast on TV over the Spring of 2021.

   Odokawa Hiroshi is a middle aged bachelor who works as an independent taxi driver in an anthropomorphized version of modern day Tokyo.  Unknown to him, a young passenger who strives to become viral on the net opens up a complex web of deception and danger after taking a selfie with the reclusive walrus.

    Everything begins with the disappearance of a high school girl.  A police investigation links her last known whereabouts to hiss taxi.  Soon various factions and personalities begin trying to confirm his taxi's involvement.  The disappearance increases in complexity with each new person who crosses paths with the man who doesn't like interacting with other people.  When the few people close to him come under threat he realizes he needs to do whatever he can to protect them.  Can he unravel all of the issues before someone ends up dead?

     Initial impression, without watching a minute of the show, was that it would be an episodic story about a weird cabby dealing with a new problematic fare each week.  Instead the series is a deeply complex drama involving a large number of moving pieces.  As the story unfolds the viewer begins to understand the importance of random reference characters and events.  Almost every aspect of the story surfaces as important plot points and story pivots through out its run.  From the late night b-grade comedy duo playing in Odakawa's cab, the vapid idol pop group providing the background music or a server at a cabaret club, everything becomes important to the story.

    The artwork is basic with some rather sloppy and disjointed computer graphics.  The character designs are childish but work to reinforce the personalities as represented by their animals.  What the series lacks in the visual department more than overcomes with the writing.  The story and characterization is the entire reason the show is as good as it is.  Complex, well though out and well paced, it is rare to find an anime series this well done.  This is really a series that is worth the time for viewers who enjoy complex mysteries based in reality, even if all of the characters are animals.

    The series is available on Crunchyroll in both sub and dub.  A movie continuing the story was released in early 2022 in Japan.

Honey and Clover

 Honey and Clover (ハチミツとクローバー) is a 36 episode slice of life romance series based on the manga of the same name by Umino Chika.  The first season of the series was broadcast over the Spring and Summer of 2005 and the second season was broadcast over the Summer of 2006.

    Honey and Clover follows the lives of people connected by a rundown apartment building near an art college in Tokyo over a four year period.  While there is no one central character to the story much of the narration is done by Takemoto Yuta, a sophomore at the beginning of the series.  Yuta has come to Tokyo as a way to escape the discomfort he feels at home after his mother remarries.  Yuta and his flatmates have a close relationship with a professor, Hanamoto Shuji, who is an alumni of the school.  When he introduces them to his relative, the childlike Hanamoto 'Hagu' Hagumi, Yuta immediately falls in love with her.  Shuji convinced Hagu to attend the school as a way to break free of her isolated childhood with their grandmother, to help her grow as an artist and experience more of life.  Hagu is immediately preyed upon by Morita Shinobu, one of Yuta's roomates, in his sixth year of school.  Shinobu is fascinated by the living doll before him and begins to use her in various art schemes, much to her terror.  A third year pottery student, the beautiful Yamada Ayumi, comes to Hagu's protection and is the first new person she warms up to.  The core group is rounded out with Mayama Takumi, a forth year student who looks after everyone like a parent, while struggling with unrequited love for an older woman and friend of Shujis'.

    Yuta and Shinobu compete for Hagu's affection but she is more focused on her drive to create products that will last beyond her years.  She is shy, timid and cloistered by Shuji but over time she becomes friends with the group.  Ayumi struggles with her one sided feelings for Takumi, who sturggles with his feelings for Rika, whom he works for at the suggestion of Shuji.  Rika suffered a sever injury earlier in her life, leaving her crippled and weak.  Her determination drives her to continue the company she started, even if it means shortening her life.  Takumi is drawn by his desire to protect her, willing to throw everything else away to be with her, even if its only as an assistant.  Ayumi struggles with knowing that Takumi will never return her love but can not stop from feeling the way she does.  Shinobu doesn't express his feelings for Hagu in traditional ways, but he and Yuta understand they are competing for the small woman's heart.  Can the aloof man really provide her the attention she needs?  Shinobu frequently disappears for long stretches of time, doing unknown things for vast sums of money, only to return unexpectedly, as if he had never been gone.  Yuta's own level of maturity prevents him from being honest with Hagu as he coasts along watching the drama unfold around him.  Does he really have a plan for his life or is he running away from his feelings?  What does Hagu want?  She is a brilliant artist who is taking the opportunity of college to expand her abilities but at what cost and demand from those around her?

    Honey and Clover is a well written and complicated tale about young adults finding their place in the world.  The story passes quickly from year to year, skipping large portions of time while focusing on pivotal events that can cover hours, days or weeks.  The characters stories intersect at various points in time but are rarely all connected.  The story begins with Hagu entering school and ends with her graduating, with requisite back story to establish and reinforce the characters various motivations along the way.  Even though Hagu is the virtual center point of the story she remains an outside figure, with the story focusing very heavily on Takumi.  Even though much of the narration comes from Yuta he is a small player in the series as well, playing the part of the observer.  In the end the story deals with youth finding its place in the world of adulthood.  The struggles for acceptance and the paths that lay ahead of them.  The characters are well rounded and realistic, even if their antics are more for comedic effect at times, at its core this is a drama about humans trying to be humans and it does a good job at expressing that.

    The artwork in the series is fantastic and does well to translate the original authors creations, even as it fast approaches its 20 year mark.  Characters and story concepts may seem familiar if you are coming to this series late.  Umino Chika is the same author/artist who created March Comes in Like a Lion.  It is even set in the same 'world' as Ayumi makes a cameo appearance in that title.  Over all, the work is incredibly satisfying, if shorter than it should have been.  The story develops at a good pace and ends in a satisfying way.  While quite a bit old, it is a reminder that anime can be mature and steer wide of common tropes.  This is a story of humans interacting with each other in a realistic way.

   The anime and manga have been commercially available in the United States and elsewhere for a long time now.  The anime is currently available on Crunchyroll in both sub and dub formats.