I Am King
- Original Airdate: March 5, 2023
Written by: Minato Takano
Directed by: Kazuya Kamihoriuchi
Summary
Narrator: Long ago, five heroes, together with the guardian deity King-Ohger, defeated the Bognaarok Empire and saved mankind.
The heroes went on to become kings; with the aid of their Shugods they founded their own domains, ushering in an era of peace and prosperity.
However... there exists a prophecy, though its origins have since been lost to time:
"After 2,000 years of slumber, the Bognaarok shall rise once again from the depths of the earth!"
Ahem. Do pardon me.
And now, the prophesized year is upon Tikyū... or so it's said.
The heroes went on to become kings; with the aid of their Shugods they founded their own domains, ushering in an era of peace and prosperity.
However... there exists a prophecy, though its origins have since been lost to time:
"After 2,000 years of slumber, the Bognaarok shall rise once again from the depths of the earth!"
Ahem. Do pardon me.
And now, the prophesized year is upon Tikyū... or so it's said.
For generations, the five kingdoms have co-existed in harmony under the stewardship of their rulers. But now, the evil Underground Empire Bognaarok, thought to have fallen two millennia ago, has returned to enact their vengeance upon mankind.
In preparation to counter the threat, the five monarchs convene at Shugoddam, strongest of the kingdoms, with the intention of forming an alliance. However, the war preparations may be harder than expected when a young lad gets caught up in the affairs of kings...
Tropes
- Bad "Bad Acting": Kogane delivers her lines in a monotone manner in her role as the "captured princess".
- Badass Boast: Gira's response to Racules' threat could best be described as a Bring It in the most stylish way possible.Gira: (Gira closes his eyes and takes a breath. He looks down, smirks, and wipes away his tears) That's fine by me. That "justice" you are talking about... it's sickening! Boring! And maddening! If sacrificing children is "justice", then I'll be the evil who will crush that justice! Now fear me and heed my words! (puts on Racules' mantle) I'll show no shred of mercy or restraint, and spare no effort nor intent! The name of your demise... is Gira! The man who'll become the King of Evil! And I... shall rule over this entire world!
- Broken Pedestal: Gira spends the first half of the episode praising the king for protecting Shugoddam, despite the couple cautioning him. Then he actually meets Racules in person and discovers that he's a king willing to let his people die to consolidate power over the other kingdoms. Gira is so disgusted that he steals the OhgerCalibur and Racules' mantle, tells the king to essentially screw himself, and decides to protect the kingdom despite being labeled as a fugitive to be killed on sight.
- Creator Cameo: Suit actor Masashi Takada makes an appearance as one of the king's soldiers.
- Cliffhanger: The episode ends with Gira surrounded by Racules’ forces.
- Dare to Be Badass: When Racules tells Gira that he'll be labeled the world's enemy if he goes against him, Gira assumes his "King of Evil" persona and states that he'll destroy Racules' "justice" with his "evil". This declaration allows for God Kuwagata to reawaken.
- Died in Your Arms Tonight: Averted; though severely injured, Kogane manages to survive thanks to Himeno, though her passing out in Gira's arms gives him the motivation to barges into Caucasus Kabuto Castle and demand answers from Racules.
- Evil Overlord: Racules reveals himself to be one, as he refuses to participate in the fight against the revived Bugnarak's onslaught in the hopes that the fall of the other kingdoms would make his takeover and unification of them much easier. God Kuwagata seems to take issue with this, given it chooses to empower a rebel to his rule who just chewed him out over his tyranny.
- First-Episode Twist: None of the promotional material gave any hint that Racules Hastie was evil. In fact, all of it painted him as a kind, benevolent ruler, which was his characterization in the episode — up to the moment the Bognaarok attacked, that is.
- Foreshadowing: Shugoddam is supposedly the most powerful of the five realms, with Racules being The Good King. Yet its smallfolk live in squalor, food is scarce, and it's implied that the whole "royal soldiers harassing people for raised taxation" routine has been going on for quite a while...
- Just Between You and Me: Rcules brings up his plans to subjugate the kingdoms using the Bognaarok's attack to his advantage to Gira, thus prompting him to take his sword for himself.
- Murder by Inaction: Invoked. Racules is willing to allow the Bognaarok to devastate Shugoddam to justify invading and conquering the other kingdoms. Gira is not having it.
- The Needs of the Many: Racles' outlook and intention of uniting the five kingdoms, using Yanma's refusal to co-operate and the Bognaarok's attack to justify invading the other kingdoms to unite them under the Shuggodam banner.
- Never My Fault:
- Racules blames his kingdom being destroyed on Yanma for refusing to co-operate for God Kuwagata's awakening so they can dispatch the Bognaarok, planning a "justified" invasion of N'Kosopa.
- The fact Shugoddam's guardian god proceeds to empower Gira after he openly rebels against Racules' tyrannical ambitions shows that God Kuwagata isn't onboard with Racules' plans. Racules ignores the obvious writing on the wall and proceeds to make Gira public enemy number one, despite him having just saved the kingdom from the Bognaarok.
- Oh, Crap!: Yanma's reaction upon failing to awaken God Kuwagata after his bravado during the meeting with the other rulers that he could do so on his own, meaning there's nothing standing between the people and the giant Bognaarok who are invading.
- Properly Paranoid: Yanma finds himself suspicious of Racules and declines allying with him on the grounds that he is monopolizing power for himself. When Gira confronts Racules later on, he reveals that's exactly what he was planning to do; using the devastation of Shugoddam as justification for conquering each of the other kingdoms.
- Royals Who Actually Do Something: Defied. Racules' Evil Plan hinges on him sitting back and letting Shugoddam being destroyed by the Bognaarok, which would give him an excuse to invade and conquer the other kingdoms. The first thing Gira sees upon barging into the throne room is Racules casually sipping wine without a care in the world.
- Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right!:
- Yanma refuses to co-operate with the other King-Ohgers on the belief that he can awaken and control King-Ohger himself, since he suspects something Racules is up to something. He finds out the hard way that even through the Loophole Abuse of hacking into God Kuwagata he isn't able to force it to awaken.
- Gira decides he'd rather be a traitor and "King of Evil" than abide by Racules' concept of justice. God Kuwagata seems to agree with him and obeys him.
- Shout-Out: The Bognaarok's attack on Shoggodom, being spearheaded by a giant Danjim while enlarged Sanagims attack the city walls is a love letter to Attack on Titan.
- Theme Song Power Up: "Zenryoku King" plays during King-Ohger's combination sequence.
- Then Let Me Be Evil: Racules justifies his intent of sacrificing his own people and subjugate the other kingdoms in name of "justice". Rebelling against this, Gira declares he'd rather be branded a traitor and the "King of Evil" in the name of actually protecting their people.
- This Cannot Be!: Racules utters this verbatim when Gira manages to awaken God Kuwagata.
- Title-Only Opening: As per usual with most first episodes.
- The Unchosen One: Zigzagged. Despite not being of royal lineage, Gira is able to transform with Racules' OhgerCalibur and reawaken God Kuwagata. But it's implied God Kuwagata chose him over Racules precisely because he has the makings of a better king than him.
- Narrator: This is the tale of four kings... and a young man who would be king.
