Ousama Game: Shuukyoku

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(I'm French, so I'm sorry if I make spelling or syntax errors)

/This review presents mini spoilers, but nothing crucial/

I have seen that on MAL, King's Game is generally not very appreciated with low averages. I recognise the flaws in the series, but I can't help but like it. This season is my favourite, and I will try to explain why.
At first I was reluctant to start King's Game Extreme. I was afraid that we would start from scratch, without having retained any connection to the game of the first season. I did well to start the first chapter : my reticence was quickly swept ... away. I was surprised when I saw Nobuaki (he was not announced at all). To better understand what he was doing there, I went to read the end of the first novel (original version) which is much clearer and more logical than the one in the manga of the first part.
In this season, Nobuaki is not the same. Traumatised by the appalling events of seven months ago, he seems dead inside. Tired and frightened, he has nevertheless decided to go back to high school. However, he is unable to bond with his classmates for fear of becoming attached to them and losing them as he did with those close to him (notably Chiemi and Naoya). Just as he was beginning to calm down, the King chose this moment to reappear. The timing was predictable.
As in the previous season, the King's Game pushes its players to the limit. However, it's not only that that makes this game particularly crispy. First of all, with a survivor in the group, it can't start in the same way as in the first season when nobody knew about the King's Game. But that's not all ! Nobuaki isn't the only one with experience : another person related to the game is among his classmates (I'm going to call them AS to avoid spoiler).
Nobuaki and AS think in diametrically opposite ways. One doesn't really care about life anymore while the other is willing to do anything to survive. AS will be the monster of this season and we will see the opposition of two ideologies that will lead to a more general question. Notions of sacrifice, common good and instinctive selfishness are put in the balance. As a result, the other participants seem less interesting and more vulnerable, except that some will nevertheless manage to surprise. Unfortunately, not all characters will find a place in the manga. Many will die without being known, but, on the other hand, those who stand out from the crowd will be courageous and surprising. Everyone will approach the game in their own way. Beyond the fact that it exacerbates the bad in people, the King also helps to strengthen the bonds between them and even to create them (as will be seen).
The manga gets to the heart of the matter very quickly. We understand from the beginning why the game is qualified as extreme : the King has evolved. He proceeds in a different way. The suspense and the twists are very present.
I found that the secondary characters played more important roles than in the first season. The story is not only about Nobuaki, who will not necessarily be the most active. Besides, if you didn't like him in the first season, I think you'll like him more in this one. Far from the boy motivated to protect his loved ones, we see him depressed. He is still looking for a way to save everyone, but we see the darkness of his thoughts. I think that what pushes him not to give up is the presence of AS which he considers dangerous and malevolent to others and the research he still has to carry out on the village of Yonaki. However, he doesn't care about his own survival (which makes him a kind of anomaly).
Conversely, AS wants to survive at any price. The dynamic is good because this character turns out to be quite complex and isn't just a nemesis for Nobuaki.
To conclude, this season 2 knows how to captivate us (in any case it worked on me).
The drawings have a different style because it's no longer Renda Hitori. This marks a distance from the first season and I like the effect it gives.
If what interests you is only the mystery around the King, it's not in this season that you'll get big answers. In fact, we will collect a few more clues, but it's not as complete as in season 3 which reveals everything from the start.
If you liked the first season and the delirium of the series, go ahead and read on ! The game is just as captivating.
Maybe I liked the manga too much compared to what is proposed. I don't know. In any case, I think it's a good and ruthless survival game where the pressure is palpable.

This new manga of Ousama Game begins with our same protagonist from the older title. Nobuaki will have to endure once more his fight against "the king" with new classmates, trying to avoid the death of his companions.
The manga in general is pretty much the same like the first one. The characters are empty and I didn't feel sorry for anyone in all 5 tomes. The drawings are pretty good and I enjoyed it almost to the end. It has a shitty ending imo.
Overall rating: 6/10

If you want to know more, I suggest you read Ousama Game: Kigen.