King's Game (Japanese: 王様ゲーム, Hepburn: Ōsama Gēmu) is a dark, psychological horror franchise created by Nobuaki Kanazawa. Originally a popular cell phone novel, it expanded into a multi-series manga, a live-action film, and a notorious 2017 anime adaptation. It is the quintessential "Death Game" story, known for its extreme cruelty, supernatural mystery, and "unwinnable" scenarios.

The story follows a high school class that suddenly receives a text message from a sender named "The King." The message contains an order that must be followed within 24 hours. Initially, the orders are harmless (e.g., two students must kiss), but they quickly escalate into horrific, life-threatening tasks. Disobeying the King or failing a task results in a brutal "punishment"—usually an agonizing and impossible death.

Alternative Names by Language

王様ゲーム / King's Game / Игра короля / لعبة الملك / เกมพระราชา / 王者游戏 / 王者遊戲 / 국왕 게임