Well.. That was an interesting ending to the season. This episode really gave us all the good feelings of a happy ending with Bojji becoming King until.. he’s not.

Quick Recap

For all of my harping of the first season setting up character development for future adventures, this episode just kancho’d (カンチョー) that line of thinking up the butt! The first half of the episode set up this great feeling of all the characters becoming token good guys and Bojji finally becoming the king, as Daida decided to relinquish his title to his older brother to simp for an older lady.

For some strange reason, Kage decides to part ways with Bojji after Bojji becomes king to go off in his own journey. Society, still associating Kage with his clan’s untrustworthy history finds it difficult to fit back in. Then, Bojji having this empty feeling without his bestie, starts to have some second thoughts about his future as king. With a nudge from Queen Hiling, he decides to give the throne back to Daida and go on his own adventure. Somewhere down the line, a freshly dressed Bojji ends up jumping across the plains as a teary-eyed Kage comes together once again to ‘bro-mance’ their way into another wild adventure! Apparently, that involves creating another kingdom?

Honestly, this was not how I would have drawn this story up. I really got into this show because of the amazing ride through the storytelling. In my opinion, Bojji and Kage were not the most interesting of characters. That’s why you need characters like Miranjo to create havoc to make characters be and do interesting things. It’s usually the world around the main characters that sets up for a very compelling story. The fact that Bojji (basic hero’s journey trope) is just traveling with Kage (side-kick), doing random things doesn’t seem like a very intriguing prospect for hyping up fans for the future. If I don’t get the same kind of great storytelling like the first half of the season, then this anime loses the main ingredient to what makes this show great.

I’ll still give a 2nd season a shot if it gets renewed, but damn what does “creating another kingdom” really look like? How are all of these characters in Bosse’s kingdom going to play a role in the future? There’s so many questions, yet I can’t shake this feeling that the last quarter of this season is how the rest of the show is going to be..

Future Prosects

There’s a couple of things that the previous episode and this episode sets up like Kingbo coming back to throw Ouken’s head in lake. I am sure Despa and King Desha would want to that get resolved. Also, that whole being the number ranked king deal in the previous episode wasn’t fully addressed. Add that to the fact that the only other world explored in this show was the underworld, that seems to be run by a benevolent king. Let’s discuss these possibilities for future arcs a little deeper.

Kage & the Shadow Clan

I’ve been harping all season that there is way more to this Ranking of Kings world than this season showed. When Kage left to go his separate way after Bojji became king, this may lead to various avenues that involve the Shadow Clan. It was mentioned various times throughout the season that the Shadow Clan is made up of assassins as a means to a living, rather than naturally being these untrustworthy-blood thirsty type of creatures.

A clan shrouded in mystery with JFK level conspiratorial assassinations? That sounds like the beginnings of an intriguing plot that can recapture a lot of the first half of the season. Mystery, death and important characters dying? I’m fully back in!

Kingbo

Kingbo running loose and rampant around the world seems like he can become a key cog in the next big event that can happen in this world. A character with his own rich history of being king, there is probably still a lot in this world that he has connections to. Maybe with Bojji creating his own kingdom, Kingbo may end up creating his own as well with remnants of his past? This can create a nice contrast of separate ideals that is built into different kingdoms. I’s be very intrigued with an arc like this.

Addressing the “Ranking of Kings”

After watching 23 episodes of this show and we still don’t quite know what this “ranking of kings” really entails. Prestige, wealth, power, control—what does this all really mean in the end? We still don’t know how this world completely operates and how the “ranking of kings” is really done. It sounds like a crappy bureaucracy that all of these kingdoms maybe agree to abide by. We’ll know more once the show decides to explore what’s happening with King Desha.

This would also be a very compelling story line that links Bojji and his journey to creating another kingdom that much more interesting. Add in the endless amount of other kingdoms that exist in this world that Bojji may end up beefing with; then we may have another delicious recipe for future action and drama.

Last Thoughts

Even though the last quarter of the season is ending in a way that could have been a lot better, I have such high hopes for what this show can become in the end. The drama and mystery was the best elements of the show. So, hopefully the writer stays on that path—as the presentation of the story is what sticks out about this anime the most, especially at the beginning of the season. If they take that same formula into season 2 and beyond, then we may have another recipe for a good season. If not, this anime may end up disappointing everyone that initially fell in love with this series. Please anime gods! Let there be light at the end of this tunnel!