Anime Review: Kingdom
Kingdom is both very hard and very easy to recommend as an anime. Its based on the best-selling manga by Yasuhisa Hara , although that's not available in English translation. Using real life characters from China's Warring States period, circa 250 BC, the story follows two main characters; Xin, a servant who saves a boy king, Zheng. The story follows Xin rise to general and Zheng's path to first consolidate his rule, and then his ultimate goal to unify China. It is mainly a war anime, focusing on Xin's achievements in various battles; however it does also deal with the intrigue behind the scenes in Zheng's court. There is a circle of supporting characters around these two, including a female warrior and female tactician, which helps lower the testosterone level a little. The characters are well-delineated, with distinct personalities and designs. So why do I say its both hard and easy to recommend? Nothing to do with the story, which is absolutely amazing. Its al...