Back to fate4's Profile fate4's Profile

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

It's a shame because there was enough to do something crazy. Unfortunately, the biggest problem lies with the core element of the anime, which is the card game. The rules are not explained ! We understand nothing about it. The fights boil down to crude attacks that all look the same. There is no strategy. Nothing is there to make the game interesting. No intellect, no finesse, no surprises. The game is empty. Literally. As a result, fights between Selectors are either very short or not shown at all. We don't understand why one ... player is stronger than another since the fights are hollow. The card game is a failure. Besides that, the characters don't shine with their intelligence. When they learned the real consequences of the three defeats, they should have got rid of their LRIGs (because yes they can). There is not the side "they are forced to play, they can't go back". It's quite risky because it highlights their silliness as well as their extreme irrationality. Empathy dwindles considerably because, after all, they are responsible for continuing to play knowingly about the consequences of the three defeats (this aspect alone should have been enough to deter them). The Selectors could run away, but no, they persist and obviously things go wrong. Ruuko and Iona are special cases, but the others should have largely played it safe. I mean, we're talking about teenagers who have everything to lose by risking playing. Even Yuzuki, whose incestuous wish could only pass through WIXOSS, should logically have given up. If she loses, she might never see her brother again or worse, he might hate her. Frankly, it's not like she can't one day fall in love with someone else (it's an unhealthy obsession and I don't quite understand the purpose of this anime in relation to that). In addition, she is very impulsive, reckless and doesn't think enough, but she should be able to better control her jealousy since she is in the process of arranging for her wish to be imposed on everyone. Also, we know what happens when they lose three times, but we don't know how they can see their wish come true. We are told that "they must meet certain conditions". Well, the anime won't tell you what those conditions are. By the way, one of the Selectors succeeded quickly, but we don't know why. Only information, she did it, period. However, it was presented as an important enigma : what to do to make a wish come true ? Do you have to win a specific number of fights ? Should you beat a particular Selector ? Akira got upset precisely because she didn't have the answer, so I figured it was a crucial mystery, but not really. As I said, a Selector has succeeded first without giving us the slightest explanation. It makes no sense. The worst is that this mystery still arises at the end of the anime even though the mentioned Selector had already succeeded (it's all really vague). The LRIGs have no interest in hiding the conditions that could lead to the wish being granted, though. In addition, elements are not respected, such as the fact that after a fight, the LRIGs are supposed to sleep to recover. However, during the final tournament in particular, this is completely forgotten (tournaments should be impossible because of this constraint). Also, when a Selector fails for good, the world of WIXOSS would be permanently closed to her according to Hanayo (implying that she could never be a Selector again). This is not respected either. Other example : a losing Selector is supposed to forget everything she had done as a Selector, which again was not respected. So there are too many inconsistencies (or it's very badly explained). Another problem is that the characters are far from having credible reactions. The friendship between Ruuko, Hitoe and Yuzuki isn't at all believable : it seems that they have known each other forever when they have known each other for only a few days. Yuzuki is willing to sacrifice others for her wish (and even her own brother when you think about it), but she's suddenly unable to harm Hitoe (since when Yuzuki is rational and selfless ?). Another one is just a b*tch and that's it (no development). Another one is just incomprehensible. The characters are overall a disaster. To conclude, the only likable character was the protagonist, Ruuko. She was a potential anti-hero, but it wasn't exploited very well. Much to my regret, she became a cliché when before her character juggled selfishness, immorality, and kindness. In short, I was highly disappointed, especially given the average rating of 7 granted to this anime. It was bad. Maybe the sequel is better.

(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.