Kingdom

Years ago I was (among other things) an avid gamer playing Age of Empires II, and I am currently salivating at the sight of the gameplay trailers for the new Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord (and planning to build a new computer to play it). I also used to play Civilization V and VI. I mean, I really like battles between massive ancient armies, especially if the armies have one thousand or more warriors and different formations and war strategies, etc, are used. I also like to watch how great empires are created and how they unify and conquer territories. In other words, I am just a huge lover of massive epic battles and great empires - I am actually part of the target audience for this particular anime series. Plus, I also like 1v1 battles between charismatic generals, and I also really like shonen anime series... Need I say any more? I do not think so. The first season of Kingdom had me under its spell, the second season was even better, and the third season seems like it is going to blow both of the previous two seasons out of the water... It has a lot of shortcomings, and some of them fade with time (like the animation keeps getting better from season to season). Some people (like Subjektiv) perhaps do not like this kind of rewriting history. Am I interested in that? No! I just want to watch more fantastic epic battles and the protagonist's journey to fulfill their dreams, no matter how idealistic. I found this anime series a real treat. 9/10. (06.04.2020)

If any anime series has been really affected badly by COVID-19, it is Kingdom. The major interruption of the airing for almost a year certainly affected the gripping atmosphere that the third season had been building up in a detrimental way, and I had, therefore, cooled down before the anime series managed to return now in 2021. After all, there are some pretty major plot developments, some epic battle scenes, and the main characters are going through probably the biggest crises of their journey so far, which they have to try and overcome successfully. Everything is appropriately epic and spectacular, the battle scenes (for someone like me) are simply mesmerizing and thrilling, including the battle strategies of the generals, as well as the one-on-one fights between different characters. Plus, the animation style was more consistent, making the warfare really entertaining to watch as well. In the second half of the season, everything about the coalition and the Battle of Kankoku Pass was so fascinating that I started to get into studying all the real events of that period of history. Finding out it was not so historically accurate, and that the era of the great alliance and the Battle of Kankoku Pass took place a bit before Zheng formally ascended the throne of the Qin Dynasty, was quite disappointing. However, on the other hand, I can understand why the mangaka simply borrowed those events in order to make an already interesting narrative concerning the unification of China into something much bigger and more dramatic. In conclusion, in the end, I was not really disappointed at all, it was thrilling, entertaining and if you like battles between enormous ancient armies (if, for example, you grew up on Age of Empires or Shogun: Total War), then you should be also pleased with this one too. I was, and am, excited for the eventual follow-up, because I have an inkling of the possibilities that await me in the next season, and now the real unification is just beginning... 9/10. (18.10.2021)

Kingdom - Season 4 (2022) (série) Kingdom is a guarantee of great fun for me, although I wasn't as excited about Season 4 at first as I was about the previous one. I was expecting Qin Kingdom to finally go on the counter-offensive and begin the real journey to unify all of China. Instead, the season just dealt with internal conflicts. It does make sense, though. After the epic battles of the previous season that had brought Qin Kingdom to the brink of destruction, it was clear that someone would want to take advantage of this internal weakening. With a calculating and ambitious chancellor just waiting for his opportunity, there’s trouble ahead. And Lü Buwei is indeed a skilled schemer. His inner strength and cunning are impressive, and he quickly sets his plans in motion. This gradually leads to two dangerous attempts at revolution, each time using other powerful players from the emperor’s entourage. What I ended up enjoying more than all the revolutions and battles was the way the series portrayed most of the key characters in them. Both the brother and mother of the future emperor had a very interesting story arc, and their complicated relationships and past were explored in great depth. Especially the queen dowager had an incredibly strong and dramatic story that made me see her as a broken and tragic woman who believed that she had found happiness again, at least for a while. While she's definitely not supposed to be a positive character, I could definitely empathize with her. The confrontation between the emperor and his chancellor was also excellent and revealed their plans and visions, both of which were logical and powerful. Lü Buwei’s plan to unite the empire using money seemed just as acceptable as the emperor's plan to use force. Both visions are properly discussed and, given the context of the times and the situation, it eventually becomes clear which one is the right one. In the end, I wasn’t disappointed, even though the whole season was about the final resolution of internal strife and hopefully the final unification of the entire Qin kingdom into a stable entity that should be ready now to begin its own warfare. While it wasn't the strongest or most thrilling part of the entire story, it was clearly necessary, and so well-crafted that I thoroughly enjoyed it. Kingdom never fails to entertain me, the author has everything well thought out, manages to sell me on all the drama and individual characters, and keeps on coming up with interesting battles between huge armies. The chessboard is set up now, the pieces are finally in place and the big game can begin... 8.5/10 (02.10.2022)

The fifth season may have been shorter than my usual expectations, but it left me thoroughly satisfied. It showed what kind of general Shin wants to be, revealing the trials his unit faced, and most importantly, his evolving perspective on warfare. What gripped me most was the stark contrast between Shin's army and Kan Ki's forces — what they were willing to sacrifice for victory, the ingenious methods an army of former bandits could conjure, and the chilling realities of war that they brought. This series truly shines in portraying the moral dilemmas of war. Although it is clear who you're supposed to root for, I found myself torn between Shin's idealism and Kan Kiho's pragmatic approach, which felt more grounded in the historical context. The final episode didn't disappoint either. Ei Sei's vision for uniting the seven kingdoms and his impassioned speech struck a chord, making his quest for unification all the more compelling. His emotional appeal made perfect sense, and I continued to find myself rooting for his cause. Of course, we can't forget the epic battles, led by generals driven by intriguing motivations. This time, the focus on forested terrain with hills added another layer of strategic depth, with devious deceptions keeping me on the edge of my seat. Overall, Season 5 delivered another excellent experience for me. 9/10 (31.03.2024)