Kingdom
A Japanese historical-war manga franchise created by Yasuhisa Hara and published by Shueisha.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Kingdom is a Japanese historical-war manga series written and illustrated by Yasuhisa Hara. It has been serialized in Shueisha's seinen magazine Weekly Young Jump since January 2006. The story is a fictionalized interpretation of China's Warring States period, focusing on the war orphan Xin and his relationship with Ying Zheng, the king of Qin who will later become Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor to unify China. Xin seeks to become the greatest general under the heavens, while Zheng pursues the political and military unification of the Chinese states after centuries of conflict. Their ambitions gradually become intertwined as Xin rises through the Qin army and Zheng struggles to consolidate authority against rival factions inside and outside the royal court. The series combines large-scale military campaigns with palace politics, personal rivalries, loyalty, friendship, and the moral consequences of state-building. Although many characters and campaigns draw on historical figures and events, the narrative uses fictional characters, altered relationships, dramatic battles, and invented motivations to create an expansive war epic. Its central viewpoint remains primarily with Xin and the Fei Xin Unit, while the story also follows major Qin, Zhao, Wei, Chu, and mountain-state leaders. Shueisha publishes the chapters in collected tankōbon volumes. Viz Media licenses the manga for English-language release in North America. The property has developed beyond print into a major multimedia franchise. Studio Pierrot produced the first two anime seasons, while Studio Signpost and Pierrot jointly handled later seasons. The first season aired in 2012–2013, the second in 2013–2014, the third from 2020 to 2021, the fourth in 2022, the fifth in 2024, and a sixth season in 2025; a continuation of the sixth season has been announced. Crunchyroll licenses the anime for English-language distribution. A live-action film series began in 2019, followed by theatrical sequels in 2022, 2023, and 2024, with a fifth film announced for 2026. Kingdom won the Grand Prize of the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize in 2013. According to the supplied reference material, the manga had surpassed 120 million copies in circulation by January 2026, placing it among the best-selling manga series worldwide. Its brand identity is built around historical scale, military strategy, dramatic character progression, and the tension between idealistic unification and the violence required to achieve it.
History
Yasuhisa Hara created Kingdom as a fictionalized historical epic set during China's Warring States period. Before the series, Hara produced prototype one-shot works, including material that helped establish the setting and visual direction later developed into Kingdom. The serialized manga began in Weekly Young Jump on January 26, 2006, and its first collected volume was published by Shueisha in May of that year. From its beginning, the work used the historical conflict among Qin, Zhao, Wei, Chu, and other states as the framework for a long-running narrative about military ambition and political unification. Its principal fictional viewpoint is Xin, a war orphan who trains with his childhood companion Piao and dreams of becoming a renowned general. Piao's death brings Xin into contact with Ying Zheng, the young king of Qin. Xin subsequently assists Zheng in recovering the throne from a rival faction and enters Qin's military service. The series develops their parallel journeys: Xin advances through battlefield command, while Zheng confronts court factions, ministerial power, foreign enemies, and the practical costs of his unification project. Kingdom's historical basis is substantial but not documentary. Hara adapts real people such as Li Xin, Ying Zheng, Li Mu, Wang Yi, and Lian Po while also creating fictional figures and altering names, chronology, relationships, and events for dramatic purposes. The manga's campaigns are presented as interlocking tests of leadership, intelligence, loyalty, and endurance. Characters including He Liao Diao, Qiang Lei, Wang Ben, Meng Tian, Yang Duan He, and the major commanders of Qin and its rival states broaden the story beyond Xin's personal rise. The work became a major Shueisha title and was recognized in 2013 with the Grand Prize of the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize. Its international reach expanded through Viz Media's North American English-language manga license. The franchise then moved into animation: the first two seasons were produced by Studio Pierrot, while later seasons involved Studio Signpost alongside Pierrot. The anime's first season aired from June 2012 to February 2013, the second from June 2013 to March 2014, the third from April 2020 to October 2021, the fourth from April to October 2022, and the fifth from January to March 2024. A sixth season aired from October to December 2025, with a continuation announced. Crunchyroll handles English-language licensing for the anime. Live-action expansion began with a film released in April 2019. Sequels followed in July 2022, July 2023, and July 2024, while a fifth film was announced for July 2026. By January 2026, the supplied reference material states that the manga had more than 120 million copies in circulation. Kingdom therefore operates as a broad entertainment property whose core value comes from the continuing manga, supported by anime and film adaptations rather than from a conventional consumer-goods brand.
- 2026
Reported circulation milestone
[1]The supplied reference material reports circulation above 120 million copies by January 2026.
- 2025
Sixth anime season airs
[1]A sixth anime season airs from October through December 2025; a continuation is announced.
- 2024
Fifth anime season and fourth film
[1]The fifth anime season airs from January to March, and the fourth live-action film is released in July.
- 2023
Third live-action film released
[1]The third live-action film premieres in July 2023.
- 2022
Fourth anime season and second film
[1]The fourth anime season airs from April to October, and the second live-action film premieres in July.
- 2020
Third anime season begins
[1]The third season begins in April 2020 and concludes in October 2021 after a 26-episode run.
- 2019
First live-action film released
[1]The first theatrical live-action adaptation is released in April 2019.
- 2013
Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize recognition
[1]Kingdom receives the Grand Prize of the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize.
- 2013
Second anime season airs
[1]A 39-episode second season airs from June 2013 to March 2014.
- 2012
First anime season airs
[1]The first 38-episode television season airs from June 2012 to February 2013.
Products and positioning
A large-scale historical action franchise that combines Chinese antiquity, military strategy, political drama, and long-form character development for seinen manga and anime audiences.
Manga series · 2006
Kingdom manga
The core product is Yasuhisa Hara's ongoing serialized manga, published in Weekly Young Jump and collected by Shueisha in tankōbon volumes. It presents a fictionalized account of the Warring States period through Xin's military rise and Ying Zheng's effort to unify China. The manga combines historical source material with invented characters, altered events, tactical battles, and political intrigue.
Anime adaptation · 2012
Kingdom anime television series
The television adaptation translates the manga's military campaigns and political conflicts into a multi-season animated franchise. Studio Pierrot produced the first two seasons, with Studio Signpost and Pierrot involved in later seasons. Six seasons had aired by the end of 2025, and a continuation of the sixth season was announced.
Live-action film franchise · 2019
Kingdom live-action films
The live-action film line adapts Kingdom's historical action narrative for theatrical release. The first film arrived in 2019, followed by films released in 2022, 2023, and 2024. A fifth film was announced for release in July 2026 according to the supplied reference material.
Brand decisions
2019
Live-action film expansionProduct launchBackground
The manga's popularity supported a move from animation and print into theatrical live-action entertainment.
Action taken
A first live-action Kingdom film was released in April 2019.
Aftermath
The film developed into a continuing series with sequels in 2022, 2023, and 2024, plus a fifth announced film.
2012
Anime adaptation launchesProduct launchBackground
The established manga property was expanded into television animation to bring its historical battles and characters to a broader audience.
Action taken
Studio Pierrot produced and broadcast the first anime season, consisting of 38 episodes.
Aftermath
The franchise continued with additional anime seasons and later international licensing through Crunchyroll.
Sources1 sources
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