Rencontre du Samedi 8 décembre 2012 (thématique noel)

The King's Game is a popular party-dare game played using chopsticks.


Overview





The King's Game
The King's Game is known in Japan as Ōsama Game (王様ゲーム), and it's a popular drinking game played by university students. The themes of the game are similar to drawing lots and Truth or Dare. A player will draw a pair of chopsticks that marks them as the King and will issue an order for a random number to perform some intimate or embarrassing act they command. After each order is concluded, the chopsticks are gathered and re-drawn to selects a new King.

The act of the numbers being anonymous makes it so the King must be cautious about what order they give since they don't know what the ultimate outcome could be. Since the game is often played by adults who are drinking. The orders may tend to become more outlandish as the game goes on.

King's Game Rules





The Kings Game needs chopsticks
The first step in playing King's Game is to gather a pair of chopsticks equal to the number of players, but some versions of the game have been shown using slips of paper in a basket. One pair is either marked by writing the first kanji for king (王, Ou) at the joint or painted red. The following pairs are numbered from 2 and so on. These are then held in the hand of one player or in a tall cup with the markings concealed. Each player draws one pair of chopsticks but must hide their number by holding it to their chest. Only the player who draws the King set is revealed after everyone has made their selection.

The player who holds the King set will then issue any command they wish by calling out the number. For example, No. 2 must kiss No. 5. The King can also command a number to perform an action to them. The King's order is considered absolute. Once the round is over, all the chopsticks are gathered, shuffled, and redrawn.

No matter the command, the King's commands are "Absolute!!".

Appearances in Manga/Anime


The King's Game has made several brief appearances in a series of manga and anime series throughout the years.

Gintama (2007)


In Gintama - Episode 83, the assorted cast members are moonlighting as hostesses in a snack bar when the Shogun himself, Shige Shige Tokugawa, decides to visit. After a series of gags at trying to welcome the Shogun, they end up trying to play the King's Game (Shogun's Game) in this episode. Each turn the number 1 position rotates to the various characters, but the person being humiliated ends up being the real Shogun until Shige Shige is naked and is ordered to walk outside to buy some underpants (while still naked). Despite this, the Shogun tells Kyubei at the end of the episode that he enjoyed the game and thought it was a fun change of pace. It marked the start of a small running gag where every time the Shogun appeared in Gintama, the episode would somehow end with him becoming naked.

Okamisan (2010)





Okami-san, Ep. 8 - Ringo kisses Ryoko
In Okamisan - Episode 8, the King's Game was shown being played in the finale after the main story. This was part of a movie parody scene that began in the opening of the episode. In the scene, the Bunta brothers challenge Ryoko, Ryoshi, and Ringo to the King's Game. One of the brother's is the King at the start and orders two numbers to kiss. This turns out of be Ryoko and Ringo. Though Ringo kisses Ryoko without protest, she warns the brothers of what's to come when she gets the King piece.

Baka and Test -- Summon the Beast (2010)





Baka and Test - Summon the Beast DVD Vol. 5 - The gang play the King's Game
During a video extra included in the fifth DVD volume of Baka and Test -- Summon the Beast, the King's Game is played among the cast but using slips of paper in place of chopsticks. Yuuji Sakamoto is the first King, and Akihisa Yoshii and Kouta Tsuchiya try to avoid his embarrassing command. The second King to be drawn is Aiko Kudou. She orders number two and four to kiss. Mizuki Himeji drew the No. 2 piece and hoped she would get to perform this with Akihisa Yoshii, but No. 4 was revealed to be Minami Shimada. The third King to the horror of most is Shouko Kirishima. Her command gets Yuuji Sakamoto tied in bondage style. The final King shown in this extra is Akihisa Yoshii.

Ōsama Game (2011)





Osama Game Vol. 1 JPN (Jan 2011)
Ōsama Game is a horror manga series where a the King's Game was used as a theme in a cell phone game that leads to the death of several students being sent text messages by an unknown King issuing orders to them. At midnight, a text message is sent issuing orders as well as the punishment for not completing the command within twenty-four hours. Each day at midnight, new and more escalating orders are sent through email.

Persona 4 The Animation (2011)





Persona 4 The Animation, Ep. 15 - Yu Narukami's the King
In Persona 4 The Animation - Episode 15, the King's Game appeared as the members of the Investigation Team were on their free day from the school trip. Rise Kujikawa initiates the game after believing that many of their members are drunk at a club. Teddie is the first to be the King and commands one of the members to kiss him. He tries to change his mind to another number wen it's revealed to be a guy, Kanji Tatsumi. Yu Narukami is the next King. He orders No. 2 to sit on his lap, and that turns out to be Chie Satonaka. Next, Yukiko Amagi sits on his lap, hugging him; and Rise then rests her head on his lap. In Episode 19, Yu tries to bring back the King's Game during the school festival, but Chie shoots him down.

Is This a Zombie?...Of the Dead (2012)





Is This a Zombie? Of the Dead Ep. 8 - Playing the King's Game
In Is This a Zombie ...Of the Dead - Episode 8, the King's Game is played among a group date party. Rather than chopsticks, paper strips were used for the pieces. Eucliwood Hellsythe is the first king and commands No. 2 and No. 5 to hug. The reluctant Ayumu Aikawa and Taeko Hiramatsu then embrace. The second king is one the the restaurant staff workers who was pulled into the party. He commands No. 3 and No. 7 to share a passionate kiss. No. 3 is revealed to be Kyoko and Aymumu is No. 7. However, their kiss is interrupted by the late arrival of Ariel. The party then turns to karaoke.

In the omake after the credits, the various chibi Yu characters play the King's Game among themselves. The first king orders B and C to kiss, then the real Eucliwood appears to join in, but a king for that round is never revealed.