WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Ranking of Kings Episode 14 "The Return of the Prince," now streaming on Funimation and Crunchyroll.
Though Ranking of Kings' Prince Bojji yearns not only to be king, but the greatest of kings, he is unfortunately ridiculed for his differences and constantly reminded that he is physically weaker than most. Despite being the son of King Bosse and Queen Sheena, two of the strongest individuals among the giants race, Bojji is small and frail, a prince cursed after his father struck a deal with the devil.
However, Bojji is not without his strengths. Thus far in Ranking of Kings, his determination and heart have carried him through great adversity. He never loses sight of his dream and his journey leads him to discover an intelligent way of fighting that is completely unique to him. And in recent episodes, Bojji has proved he's now a strong warrior -- arguably the strongest. How did he get so overpowered, and what is the secret behind his newfound fighting abilities?
Previous episodes of Ranking of Kings have established Bojji's innate dodging techniques. While lacking the power and brutality thought to be needed for battle, Bojji has showcased incredible speed and footwork that rivals even his younger brother Daida's superior fighting ability. This is a skill taught to Bojji by the two-headed snake Mitsumata, who trained the young prince to sharpen his awareness and improve his evasiveness.
This became vital during his weapon training with Despa, which took Bojji's skills to the next level and gave him a way to fight, instead of merely dodging. Here, Bojji learned to wield a needle-like sword to inflict direct simulation to his opponents' nerves, dilating their blood levels -- aka hitting their pressure points -- which subsequently knocks them unconscious for a period of time. The needle sword is thin enough to avoid pain receptors and vital organs, enabling Bojji to claim victory without harming his opponent.
Episode 14 shows Bojji leveling up once again when he faces off against the Monster of Steel, Gigan, and shatters his enormous hammer to pieces with only a single strike from his sword. By finding and attacking weak molecular bonds, Bojji is able to crumble any weapon that comes his way -- as shown when Despa uses this ability to crush a diamond. After Bojji disarms Gigan, he swiftly knocks the monster unconscious and claims victory.
Bojji's new ability is impressive on its own, but pairing it with his evasiveness creates the perfect combo. Targeting weak molecular bonds requires great intuition and speed, a skill Bojji had mastered since the series' start. This is especially important as a battle doesn't leave much time to contemplate weak points, so any attack must hit the bullseye on the first shot. His thin needle sword may look feeble upon first inspection, but it's actually the perfect tool in targeting an object's breaking point. A larger weapon would mostly make contact with the stronger molecular bonds, but Bojji's sword is slim enough to slide right into the cracks.
However, Bojji's intelligence and skills are not the only indications of his strength. His kind nature also fosters respect and loyalty from others. As a child he saved Mitsumata, gaining the snake's trust and mentorship. The prince's compassion and determination won over Kage, a misunderstood member of the Shadow Clan, who is now Bojji's friend and bodyguard. More recently, when Gigan awakens, he acknowledges Bojji's strength and swears loyalty to him. Thus, while growing stronger, Bojji also gains new strong followers.
In an earlier Ranking of Kings episode, Daida asks the Magic Mirror who the strongest in the world is, and she answers with Bojji. This is a testament to Bojji's persistence and hard work in learning these new techniques, becoming a powerful swordsman in his own right. Whether he attains his dream of becoming king or not is still up in the air, but Bojji is already walking the path of a hero.
