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A classic epic fantasy with some excellent worldbuilding, striking art, and even more excellent crack, but characters whom I never quite warmed up to.
What was once one united vaguely medievaloid fantasy European kingdom split into three warring kingdoms long ago. In yet another war, both king and crown prince of one kingdom were killed, leaving no one to rule but bookish, war-hating, 13-year-old Prince Asta. Since he doesn’t want to rule and nobody else wants him to rule either, a contest is held to find the possibly mythical Key To The Kingdom.
Asta is one of the contenders. I forget why exactly. He’s accompanied by warrior “Badd” Baddorius, a heroic lecher. Leticia, an aristocrat girl Asta’s age, also sets out, as do Prince Fairheart (yes, really) and several people who will later prove unimportant.
It becomes apparent by the end of the first volume that the true history of the land, which involves dragons and dragon-tamers, is both key to the quest and much more complicated than everyone thinks. The unraveling of this is by far the most interesting part of the story, and one I won’t spoil here.
My big problem with the manga was that I didn’t much like or care about any of the characters. I kept reading because the plot was compelling, but I’m more of a character reader than a plot reader. Though I did enjoy the sorcerer who, since his lower body was burned off by dragons, surgically joined his upper body to an entire giant lizard. He later shows up, after his lizard drops dead, with dog AND dinosaur grafts. There was also this classic speech:
“Look at this... It's [Spoiler A’s] left arm. He cut off his own arm and gave it to me. [Spoiler B]... You have to eat it."
And so the two manga classic tokens of affection, the gift of a body part and “I love you! Here, feast upon my flesh!” are combined.
Key to the Kingdom, The - Volume 1
What was once one united vaguely medievaloid fantasy European kingdom split into three warring kingdoms long ago. In yet another war, both king and crown prince of one kingdom were killed, leaving no one to rule but bookish, war-hating, 13-year-old Prince Asta. Since he doesn’t want to rule and nobody else wants him to rule either, a contest is held to find the possibly mythical Key To The Kingdom.
Asta is one of the contenders. I forget why exactly. He’s accompanied by warrior “Badd” Baddorius, a heroic lecher. Leticia, an aristocrat girl Asta’s age, also sets out, as do Prince Fairheart (yes, really) and several people who will later prove unimportant.
It becomes apparent by the end of the first volume that the true history of the land, which involves dragons and dragon-tamers, is both key to the quest and much more complicated than everyone thinks. The unraveling of this is by far the most interesting part of the story, and one I won’t spoil here.
My big problem with the manga was that I didn’t much like or care about any of the characters. I kept reading because the plot was compelling, but I’m more of a character reader than a plot reader. Though I did enjoy the sorcerer who, since his lower body was burned off by dragons, surgically joined his upper body to an entire giant lizard. He later shows up, after his lizard drops dead, with dog AND dinosaur grafts. There was also this classic speech:
“Look at this... It's [Spoiler A’s] left arm. He cut off his own arm and gave it to me. [Spoiler B]... You have to eat it."
And so the two manga classic tokens of affection, the gift of a body part and “I love you! Here, feast upon my flesh!” are combined.
Key to the Kingdom, The - Volume 1