Right off the bat, I wanna say that this show reminds me a lot of Durarara!!, and in my book, that is not a bad thing at all. However, at the same time of being similar to DRRR!!, it's also the exact opposite. In many situations, K does what DRRR!! fails to do, and similarly, K lacks in what DRRR!! has. It's a weird feeling to compare these shows and at the same time regard them as completely different. The bottom line, however, is that K, much like Durarara!! is very, very good.
In an alternate version of modern-day Japan (WOW HAVEN'T HEARD THAT BEFORE), not much is truly different from the world we know as reailty. Sure, everything is more technologically advanced by a good 10+ years, but overall, things seem rather normal. But the setting (again, much like Durarara!!) has a hidden side to it. Years ago, instead of continuing on with the normal flow of government, Japan tried something new. A mysterious relic was found that bestowed power on certain people. These people would come to be known as Kings. These Kings, with their new supernatural abilities, grow their own small clans and maintain power over certain sectors of Japan. Unfortunately, as with most ruling bodies, there is conflict among the clans (hmm clan conflict, where have I heard that before?....okay I'll stop with the DRRR!! references). Our main plot begins with the murder of one member of the Red Clan. Now, the Red King and his followers are out to find the murderer and get their revenge. Enter Isana Yashiro, or Shiro for short. After an incriminating video is displayed for the whole city to see, he is made the number one suspect in the murder case. And it's not just the Red Clan he must avoid, but also the police-style Blue Clan who wish to bring him to justice for his crimes and a man by the name of Kuro, who has his own motives for wanting to harm the boy.
This is where DRRR!! and K differ. While Durarara!! loves to focus on the individual lives and mindsets of the ever growing cast, K gives you everyone right away and lets the story proceed easily, which I prefer to DRRR!!'s waiting 5 episodes to even focus on the 'main' character again. The supernatural aspect is also much more...straight-forward I suppose. The abilities these kings and clansmen have, while not overly detailed, seem more natural then the slew of things that go down in Ikebukuro (I realize I just said supernatural events are natural, but you get the idea). It's a gripping story throughout with plenty of twists and turns, and I thoroughly enjoyed every episode.
The characters are really good in this one. From the kind and slightly idiotic Shiro to his shape-shifting, reality-morphing cat, Neko, to the cold, yet tasteful bad-ass that is Kuro, the main cast is just as entertaining as some of the more developed side-characters. And yes, the side characters do receive slightly more development because this show suffers from what I call 'TGS' or 'Tokyo Ghoul Syndrome' where the main character is kinda useless for the majority of the episodes. He's not as whiny or boring as Kaneki, but he is somewhat pointless from time to time. The side characters are honestly some of my favorite SINCE Durarara!!. The violent Red Clansmen of HOMRA and the stern Blue Clansmen of SEPTER 4 play off each other so well, and while there isn't much emphasis on the clansmen, especially compared to the Kings, the ones that do receive attention are really enjoyable to watch.
Animation. Oh. My. God. I LOVE THE ANIMATION STYLE OF THIS SHOW. Sure, action scenes are few and far between and the supernatural aura stuff isn't a work of art, but the use of color in this show is breathtaking. Each episode is tinted. I know that sounds weird, like why not just have a dark show or a colorful one, but what they do with the tint in marvelous. The majority of the episodes will be grayish-green or grayish-blue, nothing really pretty, but then you have moments when the supernatural aura appears or when the show wants you to really focus on something and there's this HUGE splash of color on an otherwise toned-down palette. It makes for such a nice effect that I completely forgive the show for being such a gross color a majority of the time. You look forward to seeing these parts of the animation and it works so well.
Soundtrack I can't say as much about, unfortunately. It's not bad by any means, but nothing stood out to me. There was one song that you hear repeated a few times toward the end that was really nice, but it didn't stick with me well. However, I need to give props for the opening theme, aptly titled 'Kings', and the ending theme used in episode 6. The opening doesn't seem like much, but it quickly grew on me and I found myself singing along to the subtitles (poorly, of course, but still). As for the ending theme of episode 6, titled 'Circle of Friends', it may not seem to great for just listening to, but after watching the episode it's used in, it almost made me cry how perfect it was. So yeah, not a GREAT soundtrack, but not bad by any means.
For a mere 13 episodes, this show has been really great. The last show that was this short that I liked this much was Death Parade. Luckily, a second season is coming out in just a few months! K, while simple in name, is a fantastic supernatural show and a great show in general. Its similarities to Durarara!! are obvious, but it's its own being that stands strongly by itself. I highly recommend this show.
Positives:
+Good opening theme and great ending theme used in episode 6
+Characters are great, whether seen a lot or neglected a little
+Animation. It's just...WOW
+Plot is thoroughly interesting and enjoyable to watch in every episode
+Character development is strong, especially towards the end of the season
+Plot twists are well-conceived and don't feel cheap or non-meaningful
Negatives:
-Final conflict was somewhat lackluster
-Only 13 episodes (but that's soon to change!...oh also there's a movie)
-This is only a small gripe, but the show only has 2 leading female characters, and the show milks it almost too much (as in one of the women getting a full body camera pan every time she draws her sword)
I loved Durarara!! and I loved K. The two are similar, indeed, but each is special and unique in their own ways. K is a fantastic tale from beginning to end and I cannot wait for more content to come out. If you watched Durarara!!, like supernatural or mystery shows, or just want to watch a great show in general, I HIGHLY recommend K. It is truly a fantastic anime.
And that's why K gets a 9/10
