K

"Men like me [...] are freed from common rules just as we are cut off from common pleasures. Ours, my boy, is a high and lonely destiny." - Andrew Ketterley, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Magician's Nephew

In the Japanese city of Shizume, seven kings and their clans, gifted with psychic powers, exert great influence and are locked in a struggle for power. One of these clans, HOMRA, has one of their core members executed by a strange individual claiming to be the Colorless King. And then the protagonist, Yashiro Isana, bears a striking resemblance to that individual, though he bears no memory of killing anyone...

Status

Anime: complete. (13 episodes, subbed.)

Thoughts

I will freely admit I wasn't expecting much out of this anime going into it. But I decided to stick with it through the end and I'm glad I did.

Like many other series, K is an anime with great plot setup and a diverse cast of characters full of potential - marred by a shitty protagonist core and certain annoying character archetypes. However, if you can convince yourself to ignore the main trio and some stock anime clichés, the plot setup - and in particular, the portrayal of the conflict between HOMRA and Scepter 4 - will probably draw you in more than expected. Not to mention the awesome soundtrack and fairly decent art.

Surprisingly recommended.