Kingdom

Edit

What would you like to edit?

SynopsisBackgroundAlternative TitlesPictureChapters/VolumesPublishing DatesRelationsTypeExternal Links  

Man, kingdom is a manga that really exists in a weird place for me.

One on hand, I think this is one of the greatest pieces of art ever created, with gravitating characters, a fantastic story based on real history, and gorgeous art.

On the other hand, I think kingdom has it's fair amount of flaws. Let me say this, although kingdom has it's fair share of flaws, I still consider this series to be amazing out of pure enjoyment.

Kingdom is a story about warfare, specifically the warring states period of China, wherein the first unified Chinese empire was formed. Our main character, shin, ... befriends the king of the state of qin, ei sei, and together they form an ambition to unite China, and through their warfare attempt to unify china. About shin though, this makes me think of one of kingdoms glaring flaws.

Shin is annoying, most of the time. At a later point in the manga he becomes a much better character, especially around the point when a certain character he has an emotional attachment to dies.
However, dealing with shin being annoying and having very few other character traits can be off-putting.

I started reading this manga in high school, when there were around 500 chapters released, and I only recently caught up. This is not because kingdom is bad, or slow, but because my taste in manga matured. I found that when I came back to kingdom after reading it in short bursts intermittently in high school, I found I enjoyed it much more, and binged almost 400 chapters of the manga (as of this review there are 650 chapters).

This is why kingdom is very weird but enjoyable to me, while it doesn't always have the dramatic tension that other seinen series have every chapter, when it does have it it blows you away. While it doesn't have the direct political focus that other anime/manga have, when it does you are oddly fascinated by it. It doesn't have nearly as strong of a main character as a plethora of other series across various media, but almost all of it's others characters shine so vibrantly that they are unforgettable. Kingdom does not kill off its characters as often as the reader would expect, but when it does it is that much more impactful. That is the titillating feeling that this manga provides.

Some arcs in this manga are just downright masterful, and some are plainly passable, while others are generally speaking very good.

The coalition arc, as is generally accepted by the community, is possibly one of the best arcs of all manga EVER.

At the end of the day I love this manga so much, and when I caught up I was filled with dread that I have to now wait for years until the manga finishes. Any person who loves good manga should at least give Kingdom a try.

It isn't the best Manga of all time, but sometimes it feels like it.

Story 8/10

Art 8/10

Characters 9/10

Overall 8.6/10

This is THE MANGA, for people who grew up playing things like Dynasty warriors, who know the story of the Three Kingdoms so well they want something similar yet, different, so we go back in time even further to experience the Warring states period. I LOVE THIS MANGA. The art the characters. I'm just about finished with the coming of age arc for the second time(I got about this far before droping it). I wish the story was a bit faster, it seems like a lot of promotions of the characters are just fillers for the main event, and what long fillers they are...

The single most underrated manga in my eyes. I read Kingdom as a way to introduce myself to the world of Seinen, and my amazement upon reading this series is immeasurable

The art speaks for itself, Its a masterpiece in every panel with no shortage of action and gore when it comes to fight scenes

The story is sublime, from the war scenes all the way to political struggle scenes where every panel is more dialogue based. The story truly is an amazing storyline paired with a gorgeous art that is second to none. I managed to read 650 chapters in the span of 8 days, speaks ... volumes as to how hooked I became.

Character development is quite impressive too, with even the worst of villains managing to garner your sympathies. The main weakness in the characters in my eyes would be the main characters, Li Xin, being the prime example. There have been statements saying that Li Xin is a very generic shonen protagonist. I can say that I partly agree with this, unfortunately for a seinen manga with very high stakes in every chapter, it is still guilty of overusing the main characters' plot armors

In the end, I would highly recommend this manga to anyone, especially since the fanbase is still relatively small for such a good series. As a person who once refused to touch the Historical, War and Seinen genres. I can wholeheartedly state that this manga will change your views on the genres for the better.

There are some series that I recognize as being a 10/10 due to the technical proficiency and the intricacy of the storytelling, such as Golden Kamuy. Kingdom is nothing like that. I recognize Kingdom as a masterpiece because no other series has ever come close to replicating the emotional highs and lows that this series has. Its huge cast of amazing characters, the hectic battles, and the truly epic scale of the story all work together flawlessly to create a story that has made me laugh, cry, and cheer while reading it. I binged over 650 chapters in a week or so, and by the ... end I still felt hungry for more. There is really no better time to pick up this series since many of us are in lockdown. Your only regrets will be that you didn't start sooner, and that you'll have to wait for weekly updates with the rest of us to see what happens next.

Do you have a piece of literature of any medium,that you feel like it's just tailor made for you !....everything in it just gives you the uttermost enjoyment...?
For me that is "KINGDOM" manga...
It has everything I ever wanted in a story - brilliant strategies and tactics,smart, brilliant and powerful characters, badass character moments, epic blood boiling wars, extremely exciting action packed fights, amazing character developmet, absolutely amazing art, a very exciting plot and much more...

It's a story which takes place during the Warring States period in China, Xin and Piao are two brother-like youngsters who dream of becoming Great Generals, despite their low status as ... orphaned slaves. One day, they encounter a man of nobility, who gives Piao an opportunity to undertake an important duty within the state of Qin's royal palace. Parting ways, Xin and Piao promise each other to one day become the greatest generals in the world. However, after a fierce coup d'état occurs in the palace, Xin meets with a dying Piao, whose last words spur him into action and lead him to encounter the young and soon-to-be king of Qin, Zheng Ying.

From there on, the manga is filled with wars upon wars, battles upon battles,...each different from one another...each filled with some of the most brilliant, strategical and epic fights, I have seen in the whole literature. There is not just strategy, but also strength which plays a major role in the battles.. Each battle is a sight to behold...each of them has a story of its own filled with epicness, brilliance, absolute show of might, emotions, victories, losses, deaths..and the list goes on weaving a whole story from each war. Xin(Shin), the main character just grows with the battle. Every battle develops him further to reach his ultimate goal that is to become the Greatest General under Heaven. Kingdom is home to some of the smartest characters ever and the way that strategies are used in the battle is just unparallel. The story also put us in an emotional rollercoaster with joy, excitement, happiness, fear, sorrow, suprise, etc

The art and drawings in manga is heavenly...I felt like I could hear the characters speaking, as if I could hear the clashes of war through the picture...that is a great achievement by the author. The panelling and the way the panels are illustrated are very simple to follow, making it easier for the readers to watch the battles unfold in the most fluent manner. The fights in the battles are also very easy to follow. For me personally, it's very difficult to follow the fights in manga unlike in anime were the characters are animated. But in Kingdom, the fights were so well illustrated, I could see every move being played out.

Even the poltics in the manga is very entertaining. The mind games being played are so intriguing to be watched.I never felt bored reading this manga

All in all, this manga is a must read for everyone who loves action, strategical and smart characters, character development and overall, an exciting plot.

Story:

This manga is about an orphan boy who wants to be a General. The story revolves around the war most of the time
Compared to your average shonen this manga contains no fanservice, no ridiculous power-ups, fights focuses more or less on tactics.

Characters:
My only complaint is that the main character Shin follow the usual stupid-kid-hard-working-i-wanna-be-something type like Naruto or Asta from Black Clover which is not bad but simply way too overused.

Art:
... It's not impressive at first glance but with time the art really improved, it's easy to understand what is happening on the battlefield.

If you're tired of cliché and fanservice and like shonen manga, this manga is for you.

Kingdom is one of the best mangas that not many people in the West talk about. I'm really just going to discuss key points I think people should know if they want to get into it:

Get past the first arc! There is quite a loud minority that skip out on it, reasonably so (the art, some cliches, etc) but I love it and encourage people to read it. As many first arcs, it is an introductory to the future of this well thought out manga. You will seriously indulge in all the physical conflicts of the manga and those moments of just theorizing and drama. ... If anything, the first few volumes is a basis to understanding why some things are the way they are. So yes, please read the first arc, you don't have to read it again if you don't want to!

Many people seem confuse this to a shounen, though it is seinen. I consider it seinen because of the approach it takes to certain issues, considering the manga is based on real historical events recorded in the Shiji. Overall, even though the sex isn't super graphic or expletives aren't common for instance, we are still looking into the eyes of coming-of-age warriors and how they are consuming the changes of their country; as well as the eyes of old wartorn men and women who have seen it all. I can't discuss much on this issue because I don't read shounen as often, but I think it is a manga an adult would appreciate a lot.

Another factor are the women in the manga. Now, I won't go into details, but there are quite a variety a reader will approach as they read through all the arcs. They are all badass in their own ways, even if some are more susceptible or powerful than others. Most moments, though scarce, of sexual activity is quite needed for progress or understanding. Along with this, there is very little romance for our main characters, although hints here and there that emerge (it's sort of to be expected after all). It's well executed. The pacing is awesome when it comes to dynamic.

The issues I would say a person will encounter are the characters at times or the length of an arc. You will definitely see character development, so I wouldn't worry about the pacing as much as getting through some annoyances as much as possible. You will have to be considerate of how lengthy this manga will have to be to capture the entire essence of the Warring States period and our characters. However it is quite manageable, at least for me. Also, you might find yourself asking questions often of "why this" or "how that," but Hara does cover up most holes or gives good or decent excuses for plot devices (some perhaps more questionable than others, heh). Given how this manga is and the state of many good manga today, people usually do have high expectations though. I recommend reading this with average expectations at first, but they may excel at some point.

Lastly, you may cry. The manga doesn't hold back on deaths. You may find yourself asking, "Who will die next?" The speeches too, goddammit!

Anyway. It's either that you wait until chapter 1000 to read this manga because you will oftentimes want to binge right through it; or, start reading it now and join the waiting club.

Overall, I give the story a 10, the art a 10-- it gets much better over time honestly, characters a 9, and enjoyment 11;. Overall, 10.

I cannot write anything bad about this master piece of manga maybe have one bad thing.. only one chapter a week xDD!

This manga have an amazing story talk about the history of the wars in china!

About the art, UF! UF!. AMAZING PANELS, ART OF ART, THE COMBATS, THE ARMYS, ALL ABOUT THIS STUFF IS AMAZING, you can enter the vignettes and feel part of the war, you feel the pain or tiredness of the charactes

Characters, what i can say.. reed this and do your own concluciones, only i can say XIN GOD, OUKI GOD.

When you read about the history of these characters, you want them ... to progress, the truth is that you feel part of their world, it is incredible to follow week by week and see how they continue with the history of their characters.

Kingdom is one of the greatest pieces of fiction ever written. The arcs the fights the characters the art everything is master class there is no lack of action of intensity in any given arc. The story is unpredictable not forcing you to pick sides showing you the terrors of war. Shin is a beautifully written main character and maybe seen as a nuisance at times but he is truly one of the greatest developed characters in all of manga history. This is the perfect war manga and a great read for anyone looking for a long yet rewarding story. I 100% with all my ... heart recommend kingdom to anyone who is interested or may be in the future.

I have never thought in my life that I would adore and appreciate a piece of fiction, especially, a manga. Manga was a piece of media that I have never been interested nor fascinated, maybe because I had a strong sense of disapproval against it as I was entrenched towards a belief that later created a visceral conjecture that manga was comprised of nothing but text and inanimate pictures. However, Kingdom rendered that perception as nothing but a trifle of illogical and hollow ideology.

I'm profusely grateful that Kingdom was my introductory manga and that this established and encompasses my overall preference. Kingdom is and ... will forever be the epitome of my taste in manga, specifically, the Seinen genre. This manga has provided me with an invaluable, irreplaceable, and enticing experience into the world that Ancient China dwells into.

Every panel exudes feelings and emotions that correspond to what is happening within the story. The art is overwhelmingly immersive. I have no other accurate description for the art, it's just astounding and indelible. It's remarkable. Every strategic information that was introduced is something that I would suppose as inconceivable, had I not seen the characters utilize it efficiently.

The most astonishing thing that I've encountered while reading this manga is how indulgent and considerate the author is. In every war that is taking precedent in the story, we were not divested from any information regardless of how many occurrences, discords, skirmishes are prevailing. Even the nominal details are included. I believe that these are being granted because the author yearns to apprise us and fully apprehend the tide and the flow of the battles.

To be able to preserve and maintain the solid consistency of the story is an impressive ability. The effort and the endeavor of the author that is being exerted right from the beginning of the manga is meritorious.

I'm coveting that the publicity and the marketing of this manga would eventually ameliorate because if it wouldn't, A lot of people would omit and overlook this amazing piece of fiction that is waiting at the right of their doorstep.

Kingdom manga is known as historical manga talking about china at the time of the Warring States period , I want to mention the good and bad points about it .
before I start let me say that I really love this manga for me it's clearly number 1 but you know nothing is perfect xd.

Bad points:

- Weak Beginning: the manga had the worst first arcs among most of manga I have been read , the art at the first chapters are bad ( compared to late chapters ) the story had weak points at the Beginning , some things like young boy who get his ... first sword hours ago defeat pro assassin , i believe it could be written better.

- The size of character : one of the things that really bother me that the same character change his size ( compared to another ) at some time example you can see general taller than horse at some scenes and another scenes you can see it's not , the main character some time is taller than Bi another time they are the same size.

- Bad anime : if you give the manga 10 or 9 out of ten you will probably give their anime 5 or less the anime has 2 complete seasons and one (ongoing) the first season is really disappointment , everything was literally bad maybe because the manga was bad then !! I really don't know , the next two seasons are better but they just cut all scenes that contain blood ( one of the strongest points of the manga , so that result an anime version for kid not for the manga readers , while the manga has many scenes when they cut heads and or destroy whole body the anime version will never show you anything, maybe because the major of anime watcher are under 18 .

- ( Seinen & Historical ) VS ( Shounen & Fantasy ) : you will get confused as long as you are reading the manga , many arcs and scenes have strong feeling that is Seinen & Historical manga ( which is it ) , however there are some scenes that you feel nah this is just Shounen & Fantasy manga , the ratio will be about 80/20 but I think that is one of the most bad things because these things are really on the opposite directions and each of them have his own fan base , I understand he did that to increase the manga fan base however I think most of people when they want to read Seinen & Historical they just to want to read pure one not mix.


now the good points :

- Great improvement : this manga has the most good improvement I have been see at all , just compare chapters ( 1-10) vs (400-410) vs (600-610) , I think the big difference was at Coalition Invasion arc , after that the great level just be the same, all arcs with the same level.

- Different style for each arc: you can see each arc has his unique style, some arcs are about how to attack and capture castles another is about how to defense , another about political issues another about Conspiracy and coup, another about a human story and path .

- Never know what will happen next : when the manga represent different style and topic you just can't tell what will happen next , for me this is one of the main point I really love , when I was kid I just be happy with manga with same thing over and over ( Shounen manga ) just train then defeat the enemy boss , another boss will appear and back to step 1 , here as there are 7 Warring States and there are many different paths for the events.

- Many different characters : you will see all types of characters , for me this manga has the most different characters among all manga I have been read.

- Time pass : everything about the manga change during time, most of popular manga in these days have that boring style that the characters are the same during about 1000 chapters or something like that , just add (a new one) each arc that has the same everything like one of the old characters , but that is not true for kingdom manga , it has wide range of characters each with unique style and background but that is not all , some characters die another joint, the author will introduce new character give her/him love for 10-300 chapters then he like ( your time has come) , the 700 chapters are equal to about 13 years in the kingdom manga world which make sense for me , there are no one that you are sure he will not die, except main character Xin of course xd .

- Few empty pages : when I said empty pages I mean a page with no content not literally an empty one , most of popular manga ( Shounen at specific ) have many empty pages with no content or repeated content that make the progress of the story really slow ( just 5 pages with nothing but a character say "I will do it " or "oh no that was amazing" or how this character love food or something like that , I mean these pages should be used at low frequency to represent strong points , but when you are using it each chapter (One piece is the best example xd) there will be no content at all result of many pages with few events , the author put that pages in a ratio about 10/90 or something like that , but at the last few chapters (6--) he was using it more.

Conclusion :
I recommend this manga for you if you like Seinen & Historical theme with long story manga that contain (strategy, politic,tactics, blood and great fighting art) , you will not be happy at the first few arcs but the enjoyment will be increase after each arc,
if you like Shounen style with main character that beat the enemy boss sometimes then maybe you will enjoy with some arcs , the another arcs will be so boring for you
I don't think you will love it if you like Shounen style when no one die , same style , 100 chapters with fighting that destroy everything but no one will die , beating your enemy then they will join and fight with you

I highly recommend reading Kingdom, to anyone who is willing to spend a bunch of time reading a detailed, action packed, interesting story about ancient China. I knew little about the warring states period before i picked up this manga, but the story made me excited about reading wikipedia articles and a whole book about the subject, and for me that is the power of this manga, and what makes it great instead of good.

The story is interesting enough to keep you around for the next chapter, and if you appreciate the discussion of ancient battle tactics you are sure to enjoy the long drawn ... out battles that occur in this manga, if that is not the case, this manga may not be for you.

The main characters have very clear ambitions and they dont surprise you that often, you get to explore their stories in quite a bit of detail, but the characters themselves arent that deep. The story is driven by the many well written side characters who interacts with the main crew along the way, these characters have various backgrounds, and some of them are interesting enough to keep you engaged.

The art is consistent, which i a quality that i really enjoy, it is rarely super impressive, but the level is consistently high, and you are never bothered by a lack of details, and the artist is great at making the eye focus on the essentials.

Overall i give this manga a 10/10 simply based on the immense enjoyment i have received from reading it.

I apologise for any grammatical errors , and hope that you will forgive me, as english is not my mothertongue.

Kingdom is one of the few manga series that earned a score of 10/10 for me.

The reason why Kingdom is so good is because it meets a lot of needed criteria of what makes a profound battle adventure series. In this case, it is adventure through campaigns, wars & politics. Kingdom has a solid foundation when it comes to introducing the main character and building them up to eventually reach their goal through gradual progression. Another thing is introducing a massive world while expanding upon it, as if there is a sense of exploration. Aside from those, many themes such as slavery, dreams, personal ... sacrifice, justice and right & wrong all brought up time to time in a satisfying manner. When you add everything together, it's not hard to see that this series have great things going for it.


The biggest criticism of Kingdom from what I've seen is the main character, Shin. Well I digress.

As for Shin, his goal is to become the strongest great general under the heavens. Shin is certainly a protagonist from a shonen-esque mold, derived from your well-known childish, dumb, strong & good-natured character but that is only scratches the surface of who and what he is. Shin is good at reading people, their emotions, and their thoughts. They know what to do with people and how to treat them and make them his friends and he does it all naturally and effortlessly, as well as coping with struggles of becoming a great general. I'm just saying that there is a lot more to what he may appear. And that is why I say about good characterization.

I like Kingdom very much
This has to be a longer review
Shin is strong
I don't like Ouhon
His dad is also an asshole
Moubu strong too
Kyoukai best girl, not enough girls, Ten is no match for her
10/10
Oh dear... Review needs to be longer
Only serious reviews huh?
... Well this is serious!
Ok im just gonna copy pasta the synopsis of Kingdom's story (btw I did not like the first arc)
Born during the Warring States period of ancient China, Xin and Piao are war-orphans working as servants in a poor village in the kingdom of Qin. However, they dream to become the "Great Generals of the Heavens" and train daily. One day, Piao is taken to the palace for an unknown purpose by a minister and Xin is left behind. A few months later, Piao returns to the village on the verge of death, urging Xin to travel to another village. There, Xin meets a boy nearly identical to Piao, Ying Zheng the current King of Qin. Xin learns that Piao served as a body double for Ying Zheng and was mortally wounded in a power struggle for the throne. Though initially furious at Ying Zheng for causing Piao's death, Xin decides to seize the opportunity and aids Ying Zheng in ousting his younger half-brother Cheng Jiao and reclaiming the Qin throne. Successful in this endeavor, Xin starts his military life as a Qin soldier and then commander on the battlefields of the warring states of China. He relentlessly pursues his goal of becoming the "Greatest General in the World", also helping King Zheng of Qin achieve his dream of unification to end the incessant warfare once and for all.

Me recuerda aquel libro de "El arte de la Guerra" de: sun Izu, es tambien controvertida respecto a su datacion, y afirmaba que el arte de la guerra no era si no una invencion de sofistas tramposos de la epoca de los reinos combatientes. Les recomiendo, a mi me ha gustado y pienso leer mas acerca de sus estrategias en las nuevas variables.

-La energia: en lo que sun tsu queria mostrar en terminos generales, mandar muchas personas es como mandar unas pocas, Aqui un ejemplo de la unidad FeiXIN creada en esta obra se que lo haya leido entendera de lo que hablo.

"There is no instance of a nation benefitting from prolonged warfare." -Sun Tzu

This manga is a historical military manga. Although it follows major events quite closely there are instances of undeniable supernatural activity an example being Kyou Kai's invincible breathing technique that is somehow able to do anything you could possibly think of. It is a manga that follows the journey of Li Xin or Ri Shin, as is later translated, in his attempt together with the king of Qin to unite China during the time of the warring states.

Story: 39 / 43%
The story is way more that what most synopsis can lead the viewer ... to believe. This manga does not shy away from conflict, death, idiocy, and lunacy. It has heavy topics which is why it is a seinen manga. In terms of historical manga I would say this manga is second only to Vagabond in terms of story and story-telling. It is not a manga that is simply about a boy becoming the "greatest general under the heavens". It is a manga were specific and detailed events are shown as well as how key battles and wars were won. Tactics, strategy, and superb intelligence is all shown in this manga. I learned more about actual battle tactics from this manga that reading Sun Tzu's the Art of War and Miyamoto Musashi's Book of Five Rings. All in all it is a manga that will teach you a lot historically about China and strategy while still keeping an incredible story-telling with compelling characters and marvelous scenes.

There being supernatural activity detracts from what I believe would be an otherwise perfect story. You do not need supernatural activity to create plot armor when the author should be able to follow events quite closely and have no reason for making an unnecessary event. In the later chapters during Shin's very close battle with a particularly... menacing general he is saved rather miraculously. And although it was an awesome series of events and adds to the depth of the introduced characters, I feel that the supernatural activity does not add anything and rather subtracts quality from the story. That isn't to say that the supernatural events detracts from the characters as it is the other way around. It is just the story that is affected by this, hence the lower points.

Characters: 29 / 33%
The characters are pretty stereotypical. I can't be caught lying here. Our main character, Shin, is a hotheaded and brash person but carries a heart of gold that holds an extreme amount of determination. Shin is fiercely loyal to his friends shown numerous times his willingness to sacrifice himself for his friends. He is basically a Naruto. But similar to Naruto we see Shin grow throughout the series which is uncommon for a lot of stories.

We then have the dandere of the cast. She has a quiet personality, saying little unless she is giving advice. Others who have seen her inhuman talent with the sword have called her a monster as she cuts down her opponents with ease. She has grown warmer towards her comrades in the mid to later chapters (around the 360s chapters). She is seen as a potential love interest for Shin, but is never really acted upon.

Lastly we have Ei Sei, the king of Qin. At the beginning of the story, Ei Sei seemed level headed but somewhat cold. When Shin collapsed from exhaustion, Ei Sei carried him without complaint even though he said before that he would treat Shin as a sword and not a person. Sei and Shin become each other's support and in a way, become rivals. As they journey towards their dreams, they're constantly trying to keep up with each other. After either of them achieve something, they always come together on the roof of the Royal Palace to congratulate and encourage each other to keep moving forward. Shin eventually becomes one of Sei's closest friends. And as their dreams merge, Sei hopes to one day unite all of China with Shin as his sword.

All in all I think the most original character is Ei Sei.

Art: 21% / 23%
The art in this whole manga is consistent and by no means overrated. I believe this manga is second only to Vagabond as I've said before and I keep my word as it is true in the art too. While I am being unfair comparing both mangas it is useful for me to keep track of the rating using Vagabond as a scale for these two. It's realism is extremely well made but there are times when i note inconsistencies. There are times it seems there is a lot of effort made and others where there was a mediocre or a less than best effort. I see this most in large army battles where sometimes everything is beautifully detailed and other times it lacks in comparison.

Overall: 89% / 100% or 8.9/10 rounded to 9/10

Best fucking manga I have read in my life. Shhhhhhhhhhh I have only read like 4 mangas. omg its so good. everyone dies its really sad but its really good so please you need to read this to make your mark in history. and now I don't know what to say because it is really late like 4 in the morning. I am still writing because it's telling to so I am so I can submit this review so you good people can read it I got you homie. ok its tell me to write like come I can't be asked anymore like come man ... please let this be the last. Lol, I just joking I always write everyone dies.

The manga has some significant similarity with Berserk, One Piece, Vagabond, and Vinland Saga, yet has its own unique feel. Some of the character developments are really really good and has some really good twists in the story.

If you like ancient/medieval era warfare then this manga is kind of a gem in my opinion, the tactics are discussed pretty nicely (which might actually bore people who are not into warfare but just like action).

Story progress is quite good as well, though has few down times but that is given even for some of the best manga I came across.

Definitely a go for anyone who likes ... historical and medieval warfare, has less amount of comic relief than most other similar manga. I got absolutely hooked to it and recommend it.

Honestly I think Kingdom so far can be split into two parts:

Part 1: Everything before the Invasion of Zhao
Part 2: Everything after

I like both, but 1 in my opinion is extremely better and has a 'masterpiece' status for me. After that, Kingdom is still decent but starts to stumble a bit in overuse of tropes, some questionable decisions, and pacing.



Story: 10/10 -> 9/10.
...
Art: 9/10 -> 10/10. Art is incredible and only gets better.

Character: 9/10 -> 8/10. The characters for Kingdom aren't necessarily the most deep or complex, but they are intriguing, entertaining and you'll find yourself rooting for them. There are incredible standouts as well. However, as time goes on, the cast becomes very bloated, and it becomes hard to recognize or care for new additions; also, the older additions tend to stagnate more, having their development at the beginning then staying the same for hundreds of chapters.

Enjoyment: 10/10 -> 8.5/10. I ploughed through around (I think) 450 or so chapters of Kingdom in like a week. Some of the arcs are my top in manga. The Zhao Invasion arc is when I felt the pacing slow down, a lot of weird plot decisions were made, etc. It's still a decent arc, but has a lot of hiccups. And after that I feel wary of Kingdom's future, and whether it will ever reach the heights of some of its best arcs.

Overall: 9/10. A top tier manga. After 600+ chapters it still manages to captivate me with its battles, worldbuilding and developments.

Kingdom can only be described as a masterpiece, it made me interested in things that I had never liked like history, in this case ancient China, and it is definitely the work in which I most enjoy politics and strategies. in battles, without a doubt the manga that handles it best, they are issues that other mangakas and in other works can be boring but here they are handled so well that you can't wait to see how an act will affect the balance of all the kingdoms and knowing what measures each character can take, the battles are just as good on the battlefields ... as in the courts of kings, the characters are also incredible and already one of my favorites in general, Xin, Quan Lei, Huan Ji, Li Mu , etc. (they can have different names depending on the version or translation that is read) 715 chapters as of the date I write this and I want more, I need more, much more, it's perfect, probably my favorite manga