The Kingdoms of Ruin anime has hit the screens recently and is a synonymous medium for what we are witnessing around the world at present. Conflicts in this world are never a new thing. Just a few days ago there was a conflict in our University surrounding the death of a fellow student. That led to the townsfolk of the area attacking the remaining students on the campus for they were protesting and demanding justice. And of course, who can forget the ongoing trending topic of Israel v Palestine?!!

A conflict that is so old yet relevant, that it literally divided the world and led to people boycotting big brands because they sided with one over the other. Even Coke Studios’ concert was cyber-attacked because of it. These types of conflict-related consequences are something we are all too familiar with on a daily basis. Now, this very experience has been depicted in the much talked about anime ‘The Kingdoms of Ruin’. I even found some similarities to the very popular Attack on Titan.

In short, conflict is everywhere. Whether they have casualties or not, they are everywhere and it is a part of human nature. Imagine my surprise when I saw an anime that took this very topic and presented a sort of grey look into the subject. I am talking about The Kingdoms of Ruin an anime created by the Yokohama Animation Lab.

Kingdoms Of Ruin Knowhow

The Kingdom of Ruin is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yoruhashi, made for the Shonen demographics (surprisingly). It is set in a world where Humans and Witches reside, with the latter tasked to care and nurture for the Humans and help them grow. And then human beings develop technologies that surpass those of the Witches’ Magic, thus they are deemed obsolete and are hunted down by humans.

And at the center of all of this is Adonis, a human being raised by the Ice Witch, Chloe, who’s considered the strongest witch of her generation. Being her apprentice, Adonis learned a special kind of Writing Magic from her, where he could manifest whatever he wrote into reality. Chloe and Adonis are on the run from the Authorities of Redia until they are captured and Chloe is publicly executed in the most humiliating fashion, that too in front of Adonis.

The manga has 9 volumes and the anime is still airing. Therefore, a review is off the table. However, we can talk about the anime and how we may find a sort of connection with the real world.

Reality Vs Fiction

At the beginning of the anime, it was told that witches were made to help the humans grow, by granting them miracles. For as long as both races existed, humans have been dependent on witches for everything. And that goes on until humanity develops science and becomes self-sufficient. One could say, this was the very purpose for which the witches were created. For helping and nurturing humans to the point they become self-sufficient. But that’s when the tide changes.

Humans declare witches obsolete and begin to hunt them. The Kingdoms of Ruin shows the cruelty of these witch hunts making the viewers wonder if it’s an edgy anime that is attempting to show how cruel humans can be. But if we were to switch perspectives, it’s the reality of the world. From childhood, we’re dependent on our parents. When we become adults, instead of repaying the favors most of us abandon them. Many Geo-political conflicts also took place for similar reasons as well.

Kingdoms of Ruin took that very concept and added more edginess to the show, to make it viewable to the audience. Many people prefer anime as a means of escape rather than a mirror to reality. But still, if they wanted that approach, they could have tried that by taking lessons from the masters of anime (Princess Mononoke anyone?).

Flaws Of Kingdoms Of Ruin

Well, if I had a complaint about a show that takes a real-world crisis and presents it to the mass audience, it would be that they are more often than not, too edgy. Let’s take Tokyo Ghoul, for example, the show delved into the theme of Xenophobia and Oikophobia. The ghouls are not human and they are a threat to them, they live among them. But they are also not ghouls by choice, and some choose to accept that part of themselves while others still struggle.

The show failed, and then people picked up the manga and they realized the potential of the story behind it was ruined by the show (or at least its second season). Now, I haven’t read the Kingdoms of Ruin manga and I have only seen 5/7 episodes that have aired. But I can say, they took the edgier route and tried to add shock value.

Positives Of Kingdoms Of Ruin

Before I talk about the good parts of Kingdom of Ruins that actually caught my attention, I want to bring attention to the Opening. I don’t know if we have been spoiled by the upbeat opening or opening that makes us pump blood, because never have I ever seen an opening that can perfectly utilize slow music and create something beautiful.

Next, let’s continue with the characters. Even in an edgy show, it managed to cement the fact that no character is purely good in the show. There’s always a good guy and a bad guy, but in Kingdoms of Ruin, you’ll find that not one character is completely good, not even the MC, nor the witches who were victims of massacre. And the purely good people that were there, one died in the first episode while the other continuously suffered.

Shortly after escaping captivity, our MC for two straight episodes, massacred innocent civilians. Do we sympathize with him? Yes. Are his actions justified? No. In the fourth episode, the victimized witches, show their true dark nature. Let’s talk about the antagonist Emperor Goethe, who led the massacre. As much as I love to hate him, I noticed that his motivations behind killing the witches were not just his fears. And of course, my favorite character in the show, Yamato depicted loyalty, honesty, and sincerity.

Is It Worth It?

Honestly, no. Kingdoms of Ruin is an edgy show that takes real-world matters and displays them in its own way so that it can reach a mass audience. Was it the right call? I don’t know. I did mention Princess Mononoke, right? That also took a real-world matter and presented it to a mass audience. And that inspired a certain Director to create a 5-part franchise called Avatar.

But comparing Ghibli movies with a show like this is comparing two different worlds. One was revolutionary while the other would be nearly forgettable if it wasn’t for the reels. But I would like to commend the author for the way he made the characters because in most of the situations, they are made purely good or Robin Hood types. But here, I didn’t know for whom I should root for.

Maybe with better writing, and with better structure it could serve as a way to tell the tale of the horrific atrocities and acts being committed against people. Till then, Kingdoms of Ruin is just another edgy anime that came at the right time.