History Manga / Kingdom

In the Warring States Period of ancient China (475-221 BCE), Shin and Hyou are war-orphans in the kingdom of Qin. They dream of one day proving themselves on the battlefield. One day, however, Hyou is taken to the palace by a minister. Winding up on the losing side of a power-struggle, Hyou manages to return to the village, barely alive. Shin then meets a boy who closely resembles Hyou, Ei Sei. For now, he is the king of Qin; later he will become the emperor Qin Shi Huang.

''Kingdom'' is a manga series written and illustrated by Yasuhisa Hara which began serialization in ''Weekly Young Jump'' in 2006. It won the 17th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Award Grand Prize in in 2013. The manga also earned a Guinness World Record on December 12, 2012 for Manga written by the most people. The record was due to its "Social Kingdom" campaign in which fans and other artists were given the task of redrawing the entire 26th volume.

''Kingdom''[='s=] anime aired starting from June 4th, 2012. Its first season lasted 38 episodes, [[http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2013-01-23/kingdom-2nd-anime-series-to-premiere-this-june season 2 aired in June 2013]], and a third season began in April 2020 but was put on hold due to COVID 19 concerns but resumed airing since April 2021 with it concluding airing on October 18, 2021 with 26 episodes. A 4th season began airing on April 9, 2022 and concluded airing on October 1, 2022 with 26 episodes. And a 5th season will began airing in January 2024.

* AllForNothing: The reason why Ri Boku and his men are so loyal to the Kingdom of Zhao despite their declining state and [[TheCaligula less-than-stellar monarch]] is because they put their hope in the [[TheWisePrince Crown Prince Ka]], believing he would be able to return Zhao to greatness. However shortly after [[spoiler:Zhao's defeat in Gyou the king chooses to disown Prince Ka in favor of his equally depraved second son Prince Sen, now known as Yuu Boku. Even after King Tou Jou's death, Zhao still can't catch a break]].
* AlternateCharacterReading: The characters' names are typically read with their Japanese readings, even though they're all Chinese. Conversely, Chinese characters that aren't used in Japanese kanji are replaced with an equivalent.
* AmazonBrigade: Clan Shiyuu, a tribe of women trained from childhood to become some of China's best assassins and sword wielders.
* AnimationEvolution: It used to have a terrible animation (specially in CGI) but with each season the animation quality slowly increased. The upgrade in quality resulted in more people watching the show and becoming fans in the process.

** Ou Ki and Hou Ken. Ou Ki hates Hou Ken for slaying his fiancée and fellow great general Kyou, while Hou Ken lives for nothing more than to kill Ou Ki to right his only defeat. [[spoiler: He succeeds, but the manner of his victory leaves him unsatisfied. Thereafter, Shin somewhat takes up the torch to strike him down in his stead, though it takes a ''long'' time for Shin to get to the level of being able to fight him anywhere near equally. In fact, it's implied that this very trope is part of the reason for Hou Ken's contradictory attitude towards participating in wars despite lacking any genuine patriotic motivation to do so, as a Bushin like him is supposed to be the WorldsStrongestMan, yet locations like a battlefield give rise of combat veterans who can face off with him despite down performing the insane training routines Hou ken goes through daily to maintain his level of strength. In effect, because there are those out there who can match him equally, thus invalidating his reason for existing as 'the strongest', Hou ken naturally develops a one-sided enmity with them and seeks them out to validate his reason for being.]]
** Shin and Hou Ken, as a natural consequence of the previous rivalry. [[spoiler: Shin eventually succeeds in slaying the man who defeated his mentor, although he nearly dies from the effort. It is hinted that Hou Ken was still mentally doubting himself after the way his previous rivalry ended. ]]

* ArmorIsUseless: Zigzagged: On one occasion, Ka Ryo Ten's life is saved when a court official stab her because she was wearing Chainmail underneath her obscuring clothing, but many, ''many'' examples afterwards can make one can question why it is still needed when weapons cut soldiers in half easier than butter. It can perhaps be attributed to the insane strength of the fighters, as in the case of Mou Bu, who mulches whatever he hits with his mace into paste regardless of if its flesh or metal.
* BadassArmfold: Yo Tan Wa at the beginning of her reinstating the alliance between the mountain tribes and the state of Qin. Bajio all the time. Even when riding a horse down a cliff.
* BattleCouple: [[spoiler:Ou Ki and Kyou.]]
** [[spoiler:On a smaller scale, Sou Ou and Shi Ryou, both vessels of Ou Sen.]]
* BeautyEqualsGoodness: Mostly true, characters who are evil at the core generally have [[{{Gonk}} ridiculously twisted appearances]]. Averted, however, with Ou Ki, [[FaceOfAThug who only looks like another ugly villain]].

** Zenou and his tribe are of similar bloodlust and implacability.
** Ran Bi Haku 'The Berserk' is a mindless brute of frightening destructive power.
** Ba Nan Ji 'The Demon of Ganmon' is a well-known berserker amongst the Ri Boku Army's commanders.
* BladeOnAStick: The podao or ''guandao'' is the primary weapon of choice of most characters. Spear users, most notably Ou Hon and Earl Shi, are also fairly common.

* BlowGun: The weapon of Muta. After his defeat, Ten takes it.
* BloodKnight: Many generals crave war and combat more than anything, revering the battlefield. Notable examples include Wei Fire Dragon [[DumbMuscle Gai Mou]], Great Heaven Ren Pa and the entire Zenou Clan.
* BodyDouble: Hyou was this for Sei.
** [[spoiler: Go Hou Mei also has one in his place so he can escape from his HQ after defeat in Chiyoyou.]]
* BodyguardCrush: [[spoiler:As a little girl, Kyou promised to marry Ou Ki if she conquered 100 castles. Years later, she was on her way to siege her 100th when she was killed by Hou Ken.]]

** According to the Shiji, Sei's half-brother was killed when he unsuccessfully rebelled against the Qin. In the manga, he is framed by Ryo Fui.
** The Shiji portrays Rou Ai as a conniving, stone-cold power-hungry fake eunuch who ruthlessly conspired against Sei. In the manga, he is still a fake eunuch, but he is actually a very gentle man who ends up the way he is portrayed in history because of forces outside his control.
** Most important, [[spoiler: Sei does not kill his mother's children with Rou Ai.]]
** Ri Boku is undefeated in the Shiji, while in the manga he was defeated in the [[spoiler: Battle of Sai by Yo Tan Wa and Sei and in Shukai Plains against Ou Sen.]]
* CainAndAbel: Sei Kyou and Ei Sei respectively (although they are only half-brothers).

* CoveredwithScars: Throughout the series mulitple characters are shown to be covered in hundreds of scars due to a lifetime of warfare and combat.
* CivilWar: Qin on gone through one of the UsefulNotes/ColdWar type. [[spoiler: Sei's faction wins.]]
* DavidVersusGoliath: Shin takes on the gigantic and far more powerful Hou Ken in one-on-one combat at the end of the Coalition War. Through a variety of factors, he manages to achieve a draw.
** He would fight Gai Mou, who is one of the largest amongst the Great Generals of Wei.
** Later on, with Gyou'un, Chou Ga Ryuu, and the giant Gaku Haku Kou.
* DefeatingTheUndefeatable: Hou Ken, who [[spoiler: personally slays Ou Ki though the manner of death causes all including himself to feel like it wasn't his own doing.]]
** [[spoiler: Hou Ken himself is finally defeated by Shin in a duel.]]
* DeathorGloryAttack: Qin's invasion of Gyou. If successful, shatters Western Zhao and is a huge step forward for unification. If unsuccessful, Qin loses a majority of their armies and top military figures and puts a stop to their dream of unification. [[spoiler: Naturally, it works.]]

** Sei's aim to unite China by destroying other kingdoms would be universally denounced in today's world.

* DespairEventHorizon: After [[spoiler:Duke Hyou was slain and on the run from Ri Boku, a dejected Hi Shin Unit and Heki limps to Sai to rest. The sight of Sei restores their fighting spirit.]]

* DiedStandingUp: [[spoiler: Ou Ki, Chou Tou, and Gyou'Un]] die on their horse.
* DisproportionateRetribution: The "Nine familial exterminations" for capital offenses like treason, which involves killing five generations of your family from grandparents to grandchildren. It's something that's absolutely horrific by today's standards, but back then even the ''good guys'' use it, albeit sparingly.
* DualWielding: Yo Tan Wa, Bajio, Rin Ko, Kaine, Fu Tei, Shi Ryuu, Rin Gyoku, Goba.
* EvilChancellor: Ketsu Shi is this who personally is willing to commit heinous crimes and even abandon his king to save his own neck.
** Ryo Fui is this to Ei Sei, as he conspires to overthrow him and personally take the throne for himself. [[spoiler: Eventually their battle comes to an end in Sei's favor, forcing Ryo Fui into relinquishing his title.]]
** Kaku Kai is this after taking the position of prime minister with Ri Boku's fall from power.
* EvilCounterpart: Kou Yoku from Chu is this to Shin, also being a young, brash, new-generation General capable of dueling people who should be above his weight class.
** An inversion with Ri Boku and Shou Hei Kun.

* FatBastard: Ketsu Shi, Shou Mou
* FirstEpisodeTwist: Hyou dies.
* FirstNameBasis: When nobody else is around, Shin and Ten call Ei Sei, Qin king and future Emperor of China, by his given name, since they first met when Sei was KingIncognito. Shou Bun Kun and his army's officers are shocked upon learning this.

** Ou Hon is the stoic, noble-born, spear-wielding, skilled fighter to Shin's brash, common-born, podao-wielding brute force fighter. This difference is evident in their personal armies and the strategies they use as well.
** Kan Ki and Ou Sen, who both started their career as lieutenants and vice generals to Mou Gou, generally look and feel more like villains, and have geniuses without peer - but they fight and behave very differently. Kan Ki is a high-risk high-reward gambler who relies on reading his opponent and getting into their mind. He is flamboyant, arrogant and fights out of a sense of rage against the world, preferring to kill and torture captured soldiers. Ou Sen, on the other hand, is a calculated schemer who always ensures he has backup plans and tries to minimize the risks in any fight. He is quiet, cold, and fights out of ambition to gain power. He also prefers to spare the enemies he defeats, that is, if they join him.

** Not only that. As most characters are PublicDomainCharacter, anyone who has knowledge of the historical era could probably guess which one would die or survives.
* FourStarBadass: All of the commanding Great Generals, especially Ou Ki. Shin definitely has a lot to live up to if he wants to be one of these.

* FromNobodyToNightmare: In ancient times the Shiyuu were a clan of dancers. Over millennia they somehow turned into nigh-superhuman assassins.
* FrontlineGeneral: Nearly every commanding officer of some note fights at the forefront of the battle. Even those who prefer to watch the battle unfold at the rear most likely has moved to the frontline to reorganize the army if things go south.

* GreyAndGrayMorality: While some individuals might be leaning closer to either white or black, most of the actual conflicts in the story is between two greys. After all many of the enemies the Protagonist faces are simply soldiers defending their homeland rather than random villains, while the protagonist's faction is hardly squeaky clean.
* HistoricalDomainCharacter: Many of the characters are, including Shin himself.
* HistoricalGenderFlip: Among others, the historical Yo Tan Wa (楊端和 Yang Duan He) and Kyou Kai (羌瘣 Qiang Lei) were men.

* AHouseDivided: A central theme of the story. Whether its Sei Kyou, Sei's little brother starting a coup d'état or Ryo Fui's faction plotting to seize power in the imperial court.
** Is one of the fatal flaws of Zhao, as most vassals hold contempt for their previous king, Tou Jou, whose hedonistic and self-indulgent character makes him one of the worst rulers in China. [[spoiler: It is his refusal and overall hatred towards Ri Boku that leads to Qin victory at Gyou, as it is noted by both sides that if had he sent the capital's army to support the Zhao forces that there was no chance of victory for the Qin.]]
%%* HotBlooded: Most of the new generation is this on some level, with Shin, Ou Hon, and Kou Yoku being the most exemplary ones. Fu Tei also expressed his desire of this too despite his constant clinging to Ri Boku.
* HowWeGotHere: The story begins with an adult Ri Shin already as a renowned great general in the middle of an unknown battle. The story then moved to a 14-year-old Shin, a war orphan and a lowly servant as we follow his military career and how he slowly climbs up the military ladder of Qin. It took 642 chapters for Shin to finally become a General and it's made clear it'll be a while before the plot catch up to the first chapter.
* IfWeGetThroughThis: [[spoiler:Sadly, Bi Tou never gets to propose to his girlfriend.]] However, it works out for [[spoiler:Sou Ou and Shi Ryuu]], who are able to spend the night together after successfully surviving the Battle of Shukai Plains.
* KilledOffForReal: Hyou, [[spoiler: Bi Tou, Ou Ki, Chou Tou, Duke Hyou, Mou Gou, Sei Kyou, Shou Sa, Kyuu Kou, Ko Zen, Kyo Gai, Rai Do, Kyou Shiki, Gaku Rai, Shuu Ma]].

* LongLostRelative: [[spoiler:King Sho and Kyou wordlessly realize they are father and daughter when they meet for the first time after Kyou was taken away from her mother as a baby.]]
* MadeOfPlasticine: In the manga, body parts tend to go flying. Exaggerated at one point when Mou Bu and Kan Mei were ripping enemy soldiers with ''studded clubs''.
* ManlyTears: Everyone regarding [[spoiler:Ou Ki's death]]. Also, whenever someone gives an impassioned speech.
* MassOhCrap: Qin's entire royal court when they learn that [[spoiler: all other six states are invading them]]. Even Ryo Fui loses his cool.

** Sei angrily stomps on his throne a bit after his meeting with Ryo Fui and bangs on his throne in excitement after learning that Shin had slain [[spoiler:Man Goku]]. Seems like it can't catch a break.
** Ou Ki after [[spoiler:Hou Ken kills Kyou]].
** Kei Sha has a mental breakdown when he realizes he stares death- rather, Zenou- in the face.
* NumberTwo: Tou to Ou Ki. [[spoiler:He's personally promoted to commanding general before Ou Ki dies.]]
** Kyou Kai initially acts as Shin's right-hand during the Hi Shin Unit's early years, though she eventually becomes more independent upon being promoted and Ka Ryo Ten takes her position.
* OhCrap: Heki has this expression when [[spoiler:Ou Ki appears during the She Gan Plain battle]].
** Shou Bun Kun, after finding out that, the one in charge of the Zhao army is [[OneManArmy Hou Ken]].
** Two episodes later, Shin when he quickly realizes [[NoSell his sword strike didn't do anything to Hou Ken]].
** The Ou Ki Army, after [[spoiler:Ou Ki is stabbed by Hou Ken]].
*** [[spoiler:Shin after he failed to stop the archer from hitting Ou Ki, allowing Hou Ken the victory.]]
** Shin and the audience when a new rival states his name as [[spoiler:'''Ou''' Hon]].
** [[TheChessmaster Ri Boku]] is normally so on top of things that it is an ''incredibly'' rare event when something catches him off-guard enough to do this. Three major events stand out - [[spoiler:the Mountain Folk riding to the rescue of Sai]] which he didn't predict at all, [[spoiler: Ou Sen's "Locust Plan" to siege Gyou]] which exploited a weakness in his strategies he never thought of, and [[spoiler: Ou Sen arranging for food to be shipped by river from Qi]] which he predicted, but too late to act.
* OneCastMemberPerCover: This manga features each cover with a different character or the entire cast of the story arc. Even the back covers typically have one or two characters being featured, with four being the main stay.
* OneManArmy: Hou Ken has no problem taking on hundreds/thousands of Qin soldiers alone.
** Downplayed for the rest of the cast. Even Shin and Kyou Kai are noted to require their personal units during battle despite their overwhelming strength and have been caught off-guard on occasion only to be saved by their men.

** Shin personally has inherited both the wills and armament of various generals, such as [[spoiler: Ou Ki's podao, Rin Ko's sword, and Duke Hyou's shield.]]
* PayEvilUntoEvil: Is Man Goku and his personal army's justifications for his cruelty towards the people of Qin due to the deaths of four hundred thousand prisoners of war by the leader of the Six Great Generals, Haku Ki, at Chouhei (Battle of Changping).
* PetTheDog: Sei does not kill [[spoiler: his mother's children with Rou Ai--a major divergence with the real history.]]
* PlotTriggeringDeath: Hyou and later [[spoiler:Ou Ki and Sei Kyou]].
* PyrrhicVictory: [[spoiler:When the Zhao invasion army captures Retsubi, they very quickly found out that Ri Boku has designed the city to be indefensible. They are forced to abandon it which lets the Zhao forces retake it and cut them off from further supplies.]]
* RaceAgainstTheClock: The Qin army invading Zhao must capture Gyou before their supplies run out. [[spoiler:Through a combination of Ou Sen's [[CrazyPrepared preparedness]] and the young trio's growth, they succeed.]]
* RagtagBunchOfMisfits: The five-man squad that Shin is assigned to in his first campaign. This also applies to the entire Hi Shin Unit once he's promoted, growing into TrueCompanions.
** Episode 4 of season 2 drives it home [[spoiler:when the newly introduced Gyoku Hou Unit (whose members are of noble lineage) laughs in the faces of the villager and militia populated Hi Shin Unit]].

* TheRival: Shin, Ou Hon, and Mou Ten with their respective units and later armies. Each of them has been marked by the Qin leadership as promising young officers with a lot of growth potential.
* SacrificialLion: Hyou.
* SamusIsAGirl: [[spoiler:Yo Tan Wa, Ka Ryo Ten, Kyou Kai, Kyou, one of the six great generals, and Shi Ryuu to a lesser extent.]]
* SheIsTheKing: [[spoiler:Yo Tan Wa]].
* ShipTease: Shin with Kyou Kai and Ten. Even his subordinates often join in.
* SmugSnake: Sei Kyou and Ketsu Shi
* SmugSuper: Ryo Fui, Kan Ki, and Kyou Rei
* SoProudOfYou: [[spoiler: King Sho to Kyou when he realizes she is his daughter.]]
* SquadNickname: Shin's "Hi Shin" (Flying Arrow), Ou Hon's "Gyoku Hou" and Mou Ten's "Gaku Ka".
* TheStrategist: Ka Ryo Ten makes steps to become this near the end of season 1 and has enrolled in a strategist school in season 2 and becomes the Hi Shin Unit's strategist by the end of season 2.
** Shou Hei Kun acts as this for the entirety of Qin's high command due to his position as the Chief Head of Military Affairs, being the one who coordinates most of the campaigns for the various armies.
* SweetPollyOliver: Ka Ryo Ten and Kyou Kai.

* TagalongKid: Initially, Ka Ryo Ten, though she matures as time goes on and becomes a vital part of the Hi Shin Unit.
* TalkingTheMonsterToDeath: At the climax of Act 1, Sei and Ryo Fui engage on an epic debate on their respective views on China and humanity. [[spoiler:While the result is a stalemate, Sei's words struck Ryo Fui deep and gained his respect.]]
* TragicKeepsake: Hyou's sword [[spoiler:and Ou Ki's podao and Duke Hyou's shield]] for Shin.

** Ou Ki kicked Shin down a ravine to organize a local tribe beset by marauders, thereby teaching him basic skills required of a squad leader.
** When the Hi Shin Unit organized a recruitment drive, they implemented a very strict testing course to weed out the numbers. [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] by veterans like Bi Hei, Kei, and Kou that they would have never passed the new standards.
* TwoDVisualsThreeDEffects: About half the time the characters themselves in the anime are CGI. Season 2 reduces how much it's used though. And Season 3 looks to use only during large scale battles.
* VillainousBreakdown: Sei Kyou and the members of his faction after Ran kai's defeat.
* VillainRespect: Ri Boku notably shows Shin this many times throughout the story and is hinted at being one of the few to recognize his capacity at warfare.
* WarElephants: Are utilized by Ka Rin during battle against the Tou Army, remnants of Ou Ki's army during the Coalition Invasion Arc. They are noted as being a rare sight and are stated to be from Indochina rather than Chu lands outright.

** Episode 32. The Hi Shin Unit is forced to retreat from a losing battle, ending in [[spoiler:Bi Tou's death]].

* WhamLine: The end of the first episode of season 2, messengers inform Qin that [[spoiler:Ri Boku is the Prime Minister of Zhao]].

* YoungerThanHeLooks: Rin Ko looks physically about as young as Shin but is really in his thirties.
* Older than They Look: Bi Ki, the Queen Mother looks great for age as she retains a beauty that leaves other blushing just by looking at her.
** Rei Ou plays this eerily well as he's well over 50.
* YourSizeMayVary: A character's standing affects their size relative to the viewer. For example, Ryo Fui's faction appeared as giants when they are first seen but most got scaled down as the protagonists rise up in charisma and stature. Some of them are actually huge, though. Also, very common in duels between generals.

In the Warring States Period of ancient China (475-221 BCE), Xin and Piao are war-orphans in the kingdom of Qin. They dream of one day proving themselves on the battlefield. One day, however, Piao is taken to the palace by a minister. Winding up on the losing side of a power-struggle, Piao manages to return to the village, barely alive. Xin then meets a boy who closely resembles Piao, Ying Zheng. For now he is the king of Qin; later he will become the emperor Qin Shi Huang.

* AmazonBrigade: The Shiyuu, a clan of women trained from childhood to become some of China's best assassins and sword wielders.

* BroadStrokes: While the general arc of the manga remains faithful to the Shiji, the mangaka alters the details of it here and there so as to make the story more presentable to the readers. For example:

* DualWielding: Yo Tan Wa, Bajio, Rin Ko, Kaine, Fu Tei, and Shi Ryuu.

* EvilCounterpart: Kou Yoku from Chu is this to Shin, also being a young, brash, new-generation commander capable of dueling people who should be above his weight class.

** Kan Ki and Ou Sen, who both started their career as lieutenants and vice generals to Mou Gou, generally look and feel more like villains, and have geniuses without peer - but they fight and behave very differently. Kan Ki is a high-risk high-reward gambler who relies on reading his opponent and getting into their mind. He is flamboyant, arrogant and fights out of a sense of rage against the world, preferring to kill even captured soldiers. Ou Sen, on the other hand, is a calculated schemer who always ensures he has backup plans and tries to minimize the risks in any fight. He is quiet, cold, and fights out of ambition to gain power. He also prefers to spare the enemies he defeats, that is, if they join him.

* FourStarBadass: All of the commanding generals, especially Ou Ki. Shin definitely has a lot to live up to if he wants to be one of these.

* KilledOffForReal: Hyou, [[spoiler: Bi Tou, Ou Ki, Chou Tou, Duke Hyou, Mou Gou, Sei Kyou, Shou Sa, Kyuu Kou, Ko Zen, Kyo Gai, Rai Do, Kyou Shiki, Gaku Rai]].

* MadeOfPlasticine: In the manga, body parts tend to go flying. Exaggerated at one point when two generals were ripping enemy soldiers with ''studded clubs''.

** Sei angrily stomps on his throne a bit after his meeting with Ryo Fui.
** Sei bangs on his throne in excitement after learning that Shin had slain [[spoiler:Man Goku]]. Seems like it can't catch a break.

In the Warring States Period of ancient China (475-221 BCE), Shin and Hyou are war-orphans in the kingdom of Qin. They dream of one day proving themselves on the battlefield. One day, however, Hyou is taken to the palace by a minister. Winding up on the losing side of a power-struggle, Hyou manages to return to the village, barely alive. Shin then meets a boy who closely resembles Hyou, Ei Sei. For now he is the king of Qin; later he will become the emperor Qin Shi Huang.

* KilledOffForReal: Hyou, [[spoiler: Bi Tou, Ou Ki, Chou Tou, Duke Hyou, Mou Gou, Sei Kyou, Shou Sa, Kyuu Kou, Ko Zen, Rai Do, Gaku Rai]].

* SamusIsAGirl: [[spoiler:Yo Tan Wa, Ka Ryo Ten, Kyou Kai, Kyou, one of the six great generals, Ka Rin, Shi Ryuu.]]

* SmugSuper: Ryo Fui and Kan Ki

* ArmorIsUseless: Zigzagged: On one occasion, Ka Ryo Ten's life is saved when a court official stabs her because she was wearing Chainmail underneath her obscuring clothing, but many, ''many'' examples afterwards can make one can question why is it still needed when weapons cut soliders in half easier than butter. It can perhaps be attributed to the insane strength of the fighters, as in the case of Moubu, who mulches whatever he hits with his mace into paste regardless if its flesh or metal.

* DeathorGloryAttack: Qin's invasion of Gyou. If successful, shatters Western Zhao and is a huge step forward for unification. If unsuccessful, Qin loses a majority of their armies and top military figures, and puts a stop to their dream of unification. [[spoiler: Naturally, it works.]]

* FriendlyRivalry: Between the three special armies and their young generals. The amount of friendliness may vary.

* AHouseDivided: A central theme of the story. Whether it's Sei Kyou, Sei's little brother starting a coup d'état or Ryo Fui's faction plotting to seize power in the imperial court.

%%* HotBlooded: Most of the new generation is this on some level, with Ri Shin, Ou Hon, and Kou Yoku being the most exemplary ones. Fu Tei also expressed his desire of this too despite his constant clinging to Ri Boku.

* ManlyTears: Everyone regarding [[spoiler:Ou Ki's death]]. Also whenever someone gives an impassioned speech.

** Downplayed for the rest of the cast. Even Shin and Kyou Kai are noted to require their personal units during battle despite their overwhelming strength, and have been caught off-guard on occasion only to be saved by their men.

** Episode 4 of season 2 drives it home [[spoiler:when the newly introduced Gyoku Hou Unit (whose members are of noble lineage) laughs in the faces of the villager and militia-populated Hi Shin Unit]].

* TheRival: Shin, Ou Hon, and Mou Ten with their respective units and later armies. Each of them have been marked by the Qin leadership as promising young officers with a lot of growth potential.

* SamusIsAGirl: [[spoiler:Yo Tan Wa, Ka Ryo Ten, Kyou Kai, and one of the six great generals Kyou.]]

* TheStrategist: Ka Ryo Ten makes steps to become this near the end of season 1, and has enrolled in a strategist school in season 2 and becomes the Hi Shin Unit's strategist by the end of season 2.
** Shou Hei Kun acts as this for the entirety of Qin due to his position as the Chief Head of Military Affairs, being the one who coordinates most of the campaigns for the various armies.

* VillainRespect: Ri Boku notably shows Shin this many times throughout the story, and is hinted at being one of the few to recognize his capacity at warfare.

* WarIsHell: When two instinctual generals clash the result is a bloodbath. Even if one side comes out victorious there will still be a large loss of life.

* YoungerThanHeLooks: Rin Ko looks physically about as young as Shin, but is really in his thirties.
* YourSizeMayVary: A character's standing affects their size relative to the viewer. For example, Ryo Fui's faction appeared as giants when they are first seen but most got scaled down as the protagonists rise up in charisma and stature. Some of them are actually huge, though. Also very common in duels between generals.

** Ba Nan Ji 'The Demon of Ganmon' is a well-known berserker brute amongst the Ri Boku Army's commanders.

* DavidVersusGoliath: Shin takes on the gigantic and far more powerful Hou Ken in one-on-one combat at the end of the Coalition War. Through a variety of factors he manages to achieve a draw.

* DualWielding: Yo Tan Wa, Ba Jio, Rin Ko, Kaine, Fu Tei, and Shi Ryuu.

''Kingdom''[='s=] anime aired starting from June 4th, 2012. Its first season lasted 38 episodes, [[http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2013-01-23/kingdom-2nd-anime-series-to-premiere-this-june season 2 aired in June 2013]], and a third season began in April 2020 but was put on hold due to COVID 19 concerns but resumed airing since April 2021 with it concluding airing on October 18, 2021. A 4th season began airing on April 9, 2022 and concluded airing on October 1, 2022. And a 5th season will began airing in January 2024.

* AmazonBrigade: The Shiyuu, a clan of women trained from childhood to become some of China's best assassins.

* BadassArmfold: Ba Jio all the time. Even when riding a horse down a cliff.

** Ba Jio. [[spoiler:In his berserker mode he goes in such a frenzy he starts speaking gibberish]]

* BloodKnight: Many generals crave war and combat more than anything, revering the battlefield. Notable examples include Wei Fire Dragon [[DumbMuscle Gai Mou]], Great Heaven Ren Pa and the entire Zenou clan.

** Kan Ki and Ou Sen, who both started their career as lieutenants to Mou Gou, generally look and feel more like villains, and have geniuses without peer - but they fight and behave very differently. Kan Ki is a high-risk high-reward gambler who relies on reading his opponent and getting into their mind. He is flamboyant, arrogant and fights out of a sense of rage against the world, preferring to kill even captured soldiers. Ou Sen, on the other hand, is a calculated schemer who always ensures he has backup plans, and tries to minimize the risks in any fight. He is quiet, cold, and fights out of ambition to gain power. He also prefers to spare the enemies he defeat, that is, if they join him.

* TheHorde: The Mountain Folk are believed to be this, though in truth they are far more complex and advanced than the eastern states would like to admit.

* KilledOffForReal: Hyou, [[spoiler: Bi Tou, Ou Ki, Chou Tou, Duke Hyou, Mou Gou, Sei Kyou, Shou Sa, Kyuu Kou, Ko Zen]].

** The Ou Ki army, after [[spoiler:Ou Ki is stabbed by Hou Ken]].

''Kingdom'' is a manga series written and illustrated by Yasuhisa Hara which began serialization in ''Weekly Young Jump'' in 2006. It won the 17th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Award Grand Prize.

A live-action film adaptation of the story was released on 19 April 2019 with a sequel, Kingdom II: To Far Away Lands being released in the summer of 2022.

''Kingdom''[='s=] anime aired starting from June 4th 2012. Its first season lasted 38 episodes, [[http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2013-01-23/kingdom-2nd-anime-series-to-premiere-this-june season 2 aired in June 2013]], and a third season began in April 2020 but was put on hold due to COVID 19 concerns but has resumed airing since April 2021. Creator/{{Funimation}} has all of season 1 [[https://www.funimation.com/shows/kingdom/ here.]] They released it on DVD in 2016.

A live-action film adaptation of the story was released on 19 April 2019.

* AllForNothing: The reason why Ri Boku and his men are so loyal to the Kingdom of Zhao despite their declining state and [[TheCaligula less-than-stellar monarch]] is because they put their hope in the [[TheWisePrince Crown Prince Ka]], believing he would be able to return Zhao to greatness. However shortly after [[spoiler:Zhao's defeat in Gyou the king choose to disown Prince Ka in favor of his equally depraved second son Prince Sen. Even after King Tou Jou's death, Zhao still can't catch a break]].

* BlowGun: The WeaponOfChoice of Muta. After his defeat, Ten takes it.

Serialized in Weekly Young Jump, ''Kingdom'' is a manga series written and illustrated by Yasuhisa Hara since 2006. It won the 17th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Award Grand Prize.

* MadeOfPlasticine: In the manga, body parts tend to go flying. Taken UpToEleven at one point when two generals were ripping enemy soldiers with ''studded clubs''.

* LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters: As expected of a manga of a Chinese war epic.

* ObligatoryWarCrimeScene: Is a common occurrence due to the nature of the work, with both friend and foe alike engaging in wanton cruelty throughout the campaigns.
** After the capture of Kourou, Shin personally interrupts one of the massacres perpetrated by a 1000-Man Commander, which he is punished for and is only spared through Mou Ten's generosity. Both Mou Ten and Ou Hon didn't get involved due to the duo believing it is only when one becomes of high enough influence that any real change can occur.
** [[spoiler: During the Battle of Koku You, Kan Ki's army pillages and massacres the local population in an attempt to scare the Zhao forces to withdrawal to their homes. Both Shin and Kyou Kai nearly kill the general for the act, but are waved off as not realizing such affairs are bound to happen when uniting China.]]

Compare the earlier 2001 Hong Kong manhua ''Manhua/TheRavagesOfTime'', which earlier became notable for its emphasis on strategic warfare and political drama over legend, but retells the ''Literature/RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms''.

* ArmorIsUseless: Zigzagged: On one occasion, Ka Ryo Ten's life is saved when a court official stabs her becuase she was wearing Chainmail underneath her obscuring clothing, both many, ''many'' examples afterwards can make one can question why is it still needed when weapons cut soliders in half easier than butter. It can perhaps be attributed to the insane strength of the fighters, as in the case of Moubu, who mulches whatever he hits with his mace into paste regardless if its flesh or metal.

** Ou Ki and Hou Ken. Ou Ki hates Hou Ken for slaying his fiancée and fellow great general Kyou, while Hou Ken lives for nothing more than to kill Ou Ki to right his only defeat. [[spoiler: He succeeds, but the manner of his victory leaves him unsatisfied.]]

* ArmorIsUseless: One can question why is it still needed when weapons cut soliders in half easier than butter.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/kingdom_season_3_5.jpg]]

* Covered with Scars: Throughout the series mulitple characters are shown to be covered in hundreds of scars due to a lifetime of warfare and combat.

* CoveredwithScars: Throughout the series mulitple characters are shown to be covered in hundreds of scars due to a lifetime of warfare and combat.

''Kingdom''[='s=] anime aired starting from June 4th 2012. Its first season lasted 38 episodes, [[http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2013-01-23/kingdom-2nd-anime-series-to-premiere-this-june season 2 aired in June 2013]], and a third season began in April 2020 but was put on hold due to COVID 19 concerns but has reassume airing since April 2021. Creator/{{Funimation}} has all of season 1 [[https://www.funimation.com/shows/kingdom/ here.]] They released it on DVD in 2016.

''Kingdom''[='s=] anime aired starting from June 4th 2012. Its first season lasted 38 episodes, [[http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2013-01-23/kingdom-2nd-anime-series-to-premiere-this-june season 2 aired in June 2013]], and a third season began in April 2020 but was put on hold due COVID 19 and has reassume airing since. Creator/{{Funimation}} has all of season 1 [[https://www.funimation.com/shows/kingdom/ here.]] They released it on DVD in 2016.