Kingdom
Are you looking for a thrilling Historical Action series to keep you engaged and hyped through the rainy season? Even if the rain isn’t tapping on your windows, this kind of Anime can keep you entertained throughout the seasons. It’s not easy to address History via modern Anime, but some teams make it happen due to their incredible dexterity. While some of them sport some excellent humor, others mainly remain serious and dramatic to the core. So what exactly sells them?
“Kingdom” is a 38 episode TV anime series that aired from the 4th of June 2012 until the 25th of February 2013, as a Summer 2012 title. The anime was produced by NHK, licensed by Funimation, and brought to life by Studio Studio Pierrot. The central staff behind it include Kamiya Jun as Director, Noshitani Mitsutaka as Episode Director, Takakuwa Hajime as Sound Director, and Arakawa Naruhisa on Script and Series Composition.
It features the Genre of Action, Themes of Historical and Military, and was aimed at the Seinen demographic. It received a Rating of R - 17+ for its violence and profanity and is best suited for mature audiences.
The main TV series was adapted from the source Manga of the same title, which is still in publication after initiating on the 26th of January 2006. It is the work of Author and Artist Hara Yasuhisa. This manga was awarded the 17th Annual Tezuka Osamu Cultural Grand Prize back in 2013. By April 2017, it had sold 30 million copies as well. Additionally, on the 12th of December 2012, it won a Guinness World Record for a Manga title written by the most number of people.
This incredible feat was made possible thanks to its "Social Kingdom" campaign, in which artists, fans, and voice actors got together to redraw the entire 26th volume. Each of these people chose one frame and redrew it, and the Top 100 among them were given a Special Edition of the manga.
The most noteworthy participants were Eiichiro Oda (Author of One Piece), Masashi Kishimoto (Author of Naruto), Hirohiko Araki (Author of JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken), and many others. The sequel anime series, “Kingdom: Season 2” (Kingdom Hisho Hen, Kingdom: Dai 2 Series), aired from the 8th June 2013 until the 2nd March 2014 in Summer 2013 over 39 episodes. Season 3 aired in Spring 2020, and Season 4 is set for release in April 2022.
Set during the period of Warring States in historical China, a raging, mighty Dragon would raze and wreak havoc across the vast land for as long as 500 years. During that time, numerous kingdoms rose and fell, eventually paving the path for the next generation of Kings and Generals to take the stage and fight for ultimate supremacy. In time, seven powerful and influential States emerged from this seemingly endless cycle of warfare.
The tale looks to the Kingdom of Qin, where a war-orphaned slave named Li Xin spends his days’ training consistently and vigorously with the goal of one day becoming a Great General of the Heavens. Joining him in this endeavor is his fellow slave and best friend, Piao, who shares the same proud dream.
Unfortunately, the two couldn't walk this path together for long, as they were forced to part ways with Piao’s sudden recruitment for work within the Royal Palace itself via a retainer of the King. The peace was momentary, as a fierce coup d'état soon unfolds within the Kingdom, after which Piao returns to Xin, half dead.
He had come with a dire mission, which will eventually lead Xin to a fated meeting with China's young King, Ying Zheng, who also happens to bear a striking resemblance to Piao himself. This is the story of Xin, as he takes his very first steps into the tragic and blood-soaked pages of China's history and attempts to traverse it. He is determined to carve his path to glory during his lifelong quest to one day become a Great General of the historical Seven Warring States.
Kingdom does an incredible job of portraying the strategic wars that prevailed in historical China. Based on medieval Chinese wars, the Story layout and structuring are pretty well-thought-out and executed. From the first episode itself, Xin shows excellent potential as a solid protagonist.
The show brilliantly showcases his progression and improvement over time as he participates in more and more battles. As he accumulates achievements, he realistically draws closer and closer to his end goal, and watching him do so is very entertaining. As insignificant as one man may seem in a large-scale war in a country as vast as China, Xin keeps the story flowing intriguingly as he makes the bigger differences everywhere he sets foot.
Each of the Kingdom characters starts in their own unique way. Xin is generally aggressive and blunt, Piao is intelligent and modest, and Zheng is high and mighty but fair. Each of these characteristics is portrayed well through how each of them reacts to various incidents. Each of the almighty Generals is unique, with their strengths and weaknesses, and none of them are even remotely similar.
They all choose to approach their battles differently, be it strategically, defensively, or offensively. There is no denying that a few characters seem pointless, but they still do their parts. Certain others really catch the viewers by surprise on occasion, in an excellent way to keep the story rolling. Overall, the characters are well polished and receive excellent character development, more than one would expect from a series of this length.
Kingdom’s Art and Animation aren’t its most vital points. Its three-dimensional Art may seem off-putting to some at first, but once viewers get used to it, it serves to enhance the sense of a realistic Chinese war. To this end, the Art Style is unique and reminiscent of some Japanese games. In this department, the start is tough, but viewers will get accustomed to it faster than they realize, at some point growing to appreciate its strange and unique style.
The Animation features 3D scenes and high detailing, which complement the Drama and Action themes well. The 3D aspect, in particular, is well done, leading to a vibrant watch. The only main downside is that it seldom showed the wounds and gore, which takes away from the scenes’ realism.
The Sounds and Music of Kingdom are strong points. The OSTs play at just the right moments, enhancing each scene. Be it uplifting music during a morale-boosting speech or fast-paced and intense music during battles, this aspect glues the whole show together and adds to its entertainment. The Voice Acting is spectacular across all the characters, and Xin’s performance is the most outstanding of them all. The Opening theme is "Pride" by Nothing's Carved In Stone, and the Ending themes are "Voice of Soul" by Takumi Ishida, "Destiny Sky" by Yuki Wakai, and "Never Ending" by Dasoku.
Overall, Kingdom is a great watch. How it carefully showcases the war strategies to the audience in a way anyone would understand is praiseworthy. Xin is the kind of protagonist you can wildly cheer and root for while watching, while some of the others can bring tears of joy to your eyes.
The story is well portrayed, the characters are engaging, the Art is unique in a way that reflects the atmosphere of historical China, and the OSTs can send chills down your spine. Even if the themes addressed in Kingdom aren't your usual cups of tea, there is still a high chance you’d enjoy watching this Anime a lot. Highly recommended, this series is a truly unique watch.
