Millions of years have passed since the times of legends, where men and gods lived together. In this era, it was human ambition that drove the world. It was the great age of war lasting 500 years, the "Spring and Autumn Warring States Period"...
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.
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 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.note
Kingdom's anime aired starting from June 4th, 2012. Its first season lasted 38 episodes, 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 on October 1, 2022 with 26 episodes. And a 5th season will begin airing in January 2024.Funimation has all of the seasons here. They released Season 1 on DVD in 2016.
A live-action film adaptation of the story was released on 19 April 2019 with a sequel, Kingdom II: To Far Land being released on July 15, 2022 and a third film being announced.
Compare the earlier 2001 Hong Kong manhua Ravages of Time, which earlier became notable for its emphasis on strategic warfare and political drama over legend, but retells the Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
For a list of Chinese names versus their Japanese counterparts, see here.
Kingdom provides examples of:
- Acceptable Breaks from Reality: The symbols on the banners are using modern Chinese characters instead of the more historically accurate seal script.
- All for Nothing: The reason why Li Mu and his men are so loyal to the Kingdom of Zhao despite their declining state and less-than-stellar monarch is because they put their hope in the Crown Prince Jia, believing he would be able to return Zhao to greatness. However shortly after Zhao's defeat in Ye the king chooses to disown Prince Jia in favor of his equally depraved second son Prince Qian, now known as King Youmiu. Even after King Daoxiang's death, Zhao still can't catch a break.
- Alternate Character Reading: 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. The English dub uses Chinese pronunciations.
- Amazon Brigade: Clan Chiyou, a tribe of women trained from childhood to become some of China's best assassins and sword wielders.
- Animation Evolution: It used to have mediocre animation 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.
- Arch-Enemy:
- Wang Yi and Pang Nuan. Wang Yi hates Pang Nuan for slaying his fiancée and fellow great general Liao, while Pang Nuan lives for nothing more than to kill Wang Yi to right his only defeat. He succeeds, but the manner of his victory leaves him unsatisfied. Thereafter, Xin somewhat takes up the torch to strike him down in his stead, though it takes a long time for Xin 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 Pang Nuan's contradictory attitude towards participating in wars despite lacking any genuine patriotic motivation to do so, as a Wushen like him is supposed to be the World's Strongest Man, yet locations like a battlefield give rise of combat veterans who can face off with him despite down performing the insane training routines Pang Nuan 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', Pang Nuan naturally develops a one-sided enmity with them and seeks them out to validate his reason for being.
- Xin and Pang Nuan, as a natural consequence of the previous rivalry. Xin eventually succeeds in slaying the man who defeated his mentor, although he nearly dies from the effort. It is hinted that Pang Nuan was still mentally doubting himself after the way his previous rivalry ended.
- On a national level, Qin and Zhao have a lot of bad history with each other. Things have gotten to a point where Qin is invading Zhao in an all-out invasion that will destroy one of them.
- Armor Is Useless: Zigzagged: On one occasion, He Liao Diao'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 Meng Wu, who mulches whatever he hits with his mace into paste regardless of if it's flesh or metal.
- Badass Armfold: Yang Duanhe, when reinstating the alliance between the mountain tribes and the state of Qin. Bajio all the time. Even when riding a horse down a cliff.
- Battle Couple: Wang Yi and Liao.
- On a smaller scale, Cang Yang and Mi Ling, both vassals of Wang Jian.
- Beauty Equals Goodness: Mostly true, characters who are evil at the core generally have ridiculously twisted appearances. Averted, however, with Wang Yi, who only looks like another ugly villain.
- The Berserker:
- Bajio. In his berserker mode he goes in such a frenzy he starts speaking gibberish
- Ze Nuo and his tribe are of similar bloodlust and implacability.
- Luan Mei Po/Ran Bi Haku 'The Berserker' is a mindless brute of frightening destructive power.
- Ma Nan Ci, 'The Demon of Yanmen/Ganmon', is a well-known berserker amongst the Li Mu Army's commanders.
- Bloodless Carnage: Zig zagged in the anime. In duels between named characters, there is blood. But in large scale battles, defeated soldiers are simply sent flying.
- Blow Gun: The weapon of Muta. After his defeat, Diao takes it.
- Blood Knight: Many generals crave war and combat more than anything, revering the battlefield. Notable examples include Wei Fire Dragon Kai Meng, former Great Heaven Lian Po, and the entire Ze Nuo Clan.
- Body Double: Piao was this for Zheng.
- Wu Fengming also has one in his place so he can escape from his HQ after defeat in Zhuyong/Choyou.
- Bodyguard Crush: As a little girl, Liao promised to marry Wang Yi if she conquered 100 castles. Years later, she was on her way to siege her 100th when she was killed by Pang Nuan.
- Brains and Brawn: Accounts for how a lot of armies operate, with the commander either being strategic or combative, and having a strategist or a strong warrior under them.
- Broad Strokes: While the general arc of the manga remains faithful to the Shiji, Hara alters the details of it here and there so as to make the story more presentable to the readers. For example:
- According to the Shiji, Zheng's half-brother was killed when he unsuccessfully rebelled against the Qin. In the manga, he is framed by Lu Buwei.
- The Shiji portrays Lao Ai as a conniving, stone-cold power-hungry fake eunuch who ruthlessly conspired against Zheng. 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, Zheng does not kill his mother's children with Lao Ai.
- Li Mu is undefeated in the Shiji, while in the manga he was defeated in the Battle of Zui by Yang Duanhe and Zheng and in Zhuhai Plains against Wang Jian.
- Cain and Abel: Chengjiao and Ying Zheng respectively (although they are only half-brothers).
- Call Thata Formation: Averted for the most part. In the larger scale battles, a disorderly army is usually going to be hit hard by their enemy.
- Coveredwith Scars: Throughout the series, multiple characters are shown to be covered in hundreds of scars due to a lifetime of warfare and combat.
- Civil War: Qin went through one of the Cold War type. Zheng's faction wins.
- David Versus Goliath: Xin takes on the gigantic and far more powerful Pang Nuan 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 Kai Meng, who is one of the largest amongst the Great Generals of Wei.
- Later on, with Yao Yun, Zhao E Long, and the giant Duke Yue Bai/Gaku Haku Kou.
- Defeating the Undefeatable: Pang Nuan, who personally slays Wang Yi though the manner of death causes all including himself to feel like it wasn't his own doing.
- Pang Nuan himself is finally defeated by Xin in a duel.
- Deathor Glory Attack: Qin's invasion of Ye. If successful, it 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. Naturally, it works.
- Deliberate Values Dissonance:
- Zheng's aim to unite China by destroying other kingdoms would be universally denounced in today's world.
- Generals and politicians switching sides for fame and fortune is a common affair in the story.
- Wiping out one's family as a form of capital punishment is still in use even by the protagonists.
- Despair Event Horizon: After Duke Biao was slain and on the run from Li Mu, a dejected Fei Xin Unit and Bi limps to Zui to rest. The sight of Zheng restores their fighting spirit.
- Determinator: Nearly the entire cast is this to some extent.
- Died Standing Up: Wang Yi, Zhang Tang, and Yao Yun die on their horse.
- Disproportionate Retribution: 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 used it, albeit sparingly.
- Dual Wielding: Yang Duanhe, Bajio, Lun Hu, Hai Yin, Fu Di, Mi Ling, Li Yu, Goba.
- Evil Chancellor: Jie Shi is the one who personally is willing to commit heinous crimes and even abandon his king to save his own neck.
- Lu Buwei is this to Ying Zheng, even as he conspires to overthrow him and personally take the throne for himself. Eventually their battle comes to an end in Zheng's favor, forcing Lu Buwei into relinquishing his title.
- Guo Kai is this after taking the position of prime minister with Li Mu's fall from power.
- Evil Counterpart: Xiang Yi from Chu is this to Xin, also being a young, brash, new-generation General capable of dueling people who should be above his weight class.
- An inversion with Li Mu and Lord Changping.
- Evolving Credits: New characters are featured in the opening as they are introduced.
- Fat Bastard: Jie Shi, She Meng
- First-Episode Twist: Piao dies.
- First-Name Basis: When nobody else is around, Xin and Diao call Ying Zheng, Qin king and future Emperor of China, by his given name, since they first met when Zheng was King Incognito. Lord Changwen and his army's officers are shocked upon learning this.
- Foil: Multiple examples in series.
- Wang Ben is the stoic, noble-born, spear-wielding, skilled fighter to Xin's brash, common-born, podao-wielding brute force fighter. This difference is evident in their personal armies and the strategies they use as well.
- Huan Yi and Wang Jian, who both started their career as lieutenants and vice generals to Meng Ao, generally look and feel more like villains, and have geniuses without peer - but they fight and behave very differently. Huan Yi 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. Wang Jian, 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.
- Foregone Conclusion:
- History tells us that the Qin state ultimately succeeds in ending the Warring State Period, bringing about the start of the Qin Dynasty.
- Not only that. As most characters are Public Domain Character, anyone who has knowledge of the historical era could probably guess which one would die or survive.
- Four-Star Badass: All of the commanding Great Generals, especially Wang Yi. Xin definitely has a lot to live up to if he wants to be one of these.
- Friendly Rivalry: Between the three specialist armies and their young generals. The amount of friendliness may vary.
- From Nobody to Nightmare: In ancient times the Chiyou were a clan of dancers. Over millennia they somehow turned into nigh-superhuman assassins.
- Frontline General: 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 have moved to the frontline to reorganize the army if things go south.
- Gorn: In the manga, the fight scenes can get pretty brutal.
- Grey-and-Gray Morality: While some individuals might be leaning closer to either white or black, most of the actual conflicts in the story is between two grays. 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.
- Historical Domain Character: Many of the characters are, including Xin himself.
- Historical Gender Flip: Among others, the historical Yang Duanhe (楊端和) and Qiang Lei (羌瘣) were men.
- The Horde: The Mountain Tribesmen are believed to be this, though in truth they are far more complex and advanced than the eastern states would like to admit.
- A House Divided: A central theme of the story. Whether it's Chengjiao starting a coup d'état or Lu Buwei'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, Daoxiang, whose hedonistic and self-indulgent character makes him one of the worst rulers in China. It is his refusal and overall hatred towards Li Mu that leads to Qin victory at Ye , 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.
- How We Got Here: The story begins with an adult Li Xin already as a renowned great general in the middle of an unknown battle. The story then moved to a 14-year-old Xin, 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 Xin to finally become a General and it's made clear it'll be a while before the plot catches up to the first chapter.
- If We Get Through This…: Sadly, Wei Dao never gets to propose to his girlfriend. However, it works out for Cang Yang and Mi Ling, who are able to spend the night together after successfully surviving the Battle of Zhuhai Plains.
- Killed Off for Real: Piao, Wei Dao, Wang Yi, Zhang Tang, Duke Biao, Meng Ao, Chengjiao, Song Zuo, Gong Xiang/Kyuu Kou, Hu Jian, Qu Hai, Lei Tu, Qiang Xiang, Yue Lei, Huai Dao/Shuu Ma.
- Large and in Charge: Usually used metaphorically to represent character's strength, as most generals are higher than their subordinates and Great Generals can be twice as tall than everyone else.
- Load-Bearing Boss: Armies are very strongly tied to their commander's individual presence. Slay a leader, and the whole thing can very quickly fall apart. Even occupying someone through a duel can turn the tide of a battle.
- Long-Lost Relative: King Zhao and Liao wordlessly realize they are father and daughter when they meet for the first time after Liao was taken away from her mother as a baby.
- Made of Plasticine: In the manga, body parts tend to go flying. Exaggerated at one point when Meng Wu and Han Ming were ripping enemy soldiers with studded clubs.
- Manly Tears: Everyone regarding Wang Yi's death. Also, whenever someone gives an impassioned speech.
- Mass "Oh, Crap!": Qin's entire royal court when they learn that all other six states are invading them. Even Lu Buwei loses his cool.
- Not So Stoic:
- Zheng angrily stomps on his throne a bit after his meeting with Lu Buwei and bangs on his throne in excitement after learning that Xin had slain Wan Ji. Seems like it can't catch a break.
- Wang Yi after Pang Nuan kills Liao.
- Qing She has a mental breakdown when he realizes he stares death- rather, Ze Nuo- in the face.
- Number Two: Teng to Wang Yi. He's personally promoted to commanding general before Wang Yi dies.
- Qiang Lei initially acts as Xin's right-hand during the Fei Xin Unit's early years, though she eventually becomes more independent upon being promoted and He Liao Diao takes her position.
- Oh, Crap!: Bi has this expression when Wang Yi appears.
- Lord Changwen, after finding out that, the one in charge of the Zhao army is Pang Nuan.
- Two episodes later, Xin when he quickly realizes his sword strike didn't do anything to Pang Nuan.
- The Wang Yi Army, after Wang Yi is stabbed by Pang Nuan.
- Xin after he failed to stop the archer from hitting Wang Yi, allowing Pang Nuan the victory.
- Xin and the audience when a new rival states his name as Wang Ben.
- Li Mu 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 - the Mountain Folk riding to the rescue of Zui which he didn't predict at all, Wang Jian's "Locust Plan" to siege Ye which exploited a weakness in his strategies he never thought of, and Wang Jian arranging for food to be shipped by river from Qi which he predicted, but too late to act.
- One Cast Member per Cover: 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 mainstay.
- One-Man Army: Pang Nuan has no problem taking on hundreds/thousands of Qin soldiers alone.
- Downplayed for the rest of the cast. Even Xin and Qiang Lei 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.
- Passing the Torch: An important theme in the story is the older generation making way for the new. Each state is grooming their own junior leaders that will mature by the time Qin starts its all-out drive for conquest.
- Xin personally has inherited both the wills and armament of various generals, such as Wang Yi's podao, Lun Hu's sword, and Duke Biao's shield.
- Pay Evil unto Evil: Is Wan Ji 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, Bai Qi, at the Battle of Changping.
- Pet the Dog: Zheng does not kill his mother's children with Lao Ai—a major divergence with the real history.
- Plot-Triggering Death: Piao and later Wang Yi and Chengjiao.
- Pyrrhic Victory: When the Zhao invasion army captures Xingwei, they very quickly found out that Li Mu 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.
- Race Against the Clock: The Qin army invading Zhao must capture Ye before their supplies run out. Through a combination of Wang Jian's preparedness and the young trio's growth, they succeed.
- Ragtag Bunch of Misfits: The five-man squad that Xin is assigned to in his first campaign. This also applies to the entire Fei Xin Unit once he's promoted, growing into True Companions.
- Episode 4 of season 2 drives it home when the newly introduced Yu Feng Unit (whose members are of noble lineage) laughs in the faces of the villager and militia populated Fei Xin Unit.
- Rape Pillageand Burn: Is a common occurrence due to the setting.
- The Rival: Xin, Wang Ben, and Meng Tian 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.
- Sacrificial Lion: Piao.
- Samus Is a Girl: Yang Duanhe, He Liao Diao, Qiang Lei, Liao, one of the Six Great Generals, and Mi Ling to a lesser extent.
- She Is the King: Yang Duanhe.
- Ship Tease: Xin with Qiang Lei and Diao. Even his subordinates often join in.
- Smug Snake: Chengjiao and Jie Shi
- Smug Super: Lu Buwei, Huan Yi, and Qiang Li
- So Proud of You: King Zhao to Liao when he realizes she is his daughter.
- Squad Nickname: Xin's "Fei Xin" (Flying Faith/Trust), Wang Ben's "Yu Feng" (Jade Feng, as in the mythical fenghuang), and Meng Tian's "Le Hua" (Joyful Magnificence).
- The Strategist:
- He Liao Diao makes steps to become this near the end of season 1 and has enrolled in a strategist school in season 2 and becomes the Fei Xin Unit's strategist by the end of season 2.
- Lord Changping 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.
- Sweet Polly Oliver: He Liao Diao and Qiang Lei.
- Tactical Withdrawal: Episode 32 is centered around this.
- Tagalong Kid: Initially, He Liao Diao, though she matures as time goes on and becomes a vital part of the Fei Xin Unit.
- Talking the Monster to Death: At the climax of Act 1, Zheng and Lu Buwei engage in an epic debate on their respective views on China and humanity. While the result is a stalemate, Zheng's words struck Lu Buwei deep and gained his respect.
- Tragic Keepsake: Piao's sword and Wang Yi's podao and Duke Biao's shield for Xin.
- Training from Hell:
- Wang Yi kicked Xin down a ravine to organize a local tribe beset by marauders, thereby teaching him basic skills required of a squad leader.
- When the Fei Xin Unit organized a recruitment drive, they implemented a very strict testing course to weed out the numbers. Lampshaded by veterans like Wei Ping, Ze Gui, and Tian Xiao that they would have never passed the new standards.
- 2D Visuals, 3D Effects: About half the time the characters themselves in the anime are CGI. Season 2 reduces how much it's used though. And Season 3 uses it only during large scale battles.
- Villainous Breakdown: Chengjiao and the members of his faction after Lan Kai's defeat.
- Villain Respect: Li Mu notably shows Xin this many times throughout the story and is hinted at being one of the few to recognize his capacity at warfare.
- War Elephants: Are utilized by Wa Lin during battle against the Teng Army, remnants of Wang Yi'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.
- War Is Hell: When two instinctual types clash the result is a bloodbath. Even if one side comes out victorious there will still be a large loss of life.
- Wham Episode:
- Episode 32. The Fei Xin Unit is forced to retreat from a losing battle, ending in Wei Dao's death.
- Chapter 263: Chu invades Qin. Then Wei joins up. And Zhao. And Yan. And Han. And Qi is apparently getting ready. Cue Mass "Oh, Crap!".
- Wham Line: The end of the first episode of season 2, messengers inform Qin that Li Mu is the Prime Minister of Zhao.
- World of Badass: Downplayed amongst the general soldiery, though most named commanders will at minimum prove to be capable combatants due to the constant warfare of the period.
- Younger Than He Looks: Lun Hu looks physically about as young as Xin but is really in his thirties.
- Older Than They Look:
- Lady Zhao, the Queen Mother, looks great for age as she retains a beauty that leaves others blushing just by looking at her.
- Ling Huang plays this eerily well as he's well over 50.
- Your Size May Vary: A character's standing affects their size relative to the viewer. For example, Lu Buwei'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.
