The third season of "Kingdom" began airing in April 2020. The third season will see the Coalition Army Arc, the largest battle in the history of "Kingdom." The Coalition Army Arc covers volumes 25 to 33 of the manga, and features a variety of military commanders in action! In this article, we've selected 10 notable characters from the Coalition Army Arc!
Notable Characters of the Qin Army
Shin
Kingdom's protagonist. He is one of the military commanders who, together with Sei, aims to unify China, rising from a servant to become a great general.
During the Battle of Sanyo, he defeated Rinko, one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Lian Po clan, and was promoted to Commander of a Thousand Men. It will be interesting to see what military feats he achieves against the allied forces!
Kanki
A former leader of the opposition, Kanki is a ruthless man who is not afraid to use brutal means to win. He first appeared during the invasion of Wei, where he defeated Xuanfeng, one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Lian Po clan, and the commander-in-chief, Bai Guixi. In the Coalition Army arc, he is tasked with defending Hangu Pass alongside Meng Ao and Zhang Tang, but will they be able to hold it off against the allied forces?
Wang Jian
Wang Jian was a general of the Qin state who was praised for his military tactics alone, earning him a place among the Six Generals.
However, he was suspected of being ambitious and had not been given much opportunity to shine until now...
In the Coalition Army arc, he is appointed commander-in-chief of the right wing of Hangu Pass. What strategy will Wang Jian use to confront the allied forces? This is a must-see.
Featured Characters of the Zhao Army
Li Mu
One of Zhao's three great generals, he was the one who proposed the coalition to prevent Qin from unifying China.
However, in the historical record, the Records of the Grand Historian, he was in charge of Zhao's northern defenses and was not involved in the coalition. In the story, he marches to Hangu Pass with Chunshenjun as his commander-in-chief! It will be interesting to see what strategy he uses to conquer the enemy.
Keisha
A military commander of the Zhao state and a close aide to Li Mu. He is said to be the military commander closest to one of the Three Great Heavenly Beings. His style is instinctive, but he sets traps and waits patiently for his opponents to fail, earning him the nickname "Silent Hunter." In the Coalition Army Arc, he faces off against the Hyokou army, which is also instinctive. What will the outcome of this battle be...?
Houken
One of the Three Great Generals of Zhao, Houken is a fierce warrior who calls himself "Houken, the God of War." Although he defeated Wang Qi, a great general of the Qin state, he has since been troubled by why he was defeated by Wang Qi.
Li Mu guides Houken, saying, "The answer lies on the battlefield." In the Coalition Army arc, Houken suddenly appears on the battlefield. Will he find his answer in this battle?
Other Notable Characters in the Army
Kanmei
A great general of the State of Chu. Nicknamed the "Giant of Chu" due to his large physique and military prowess. His tactical style crushes the enemy head-on with overwhelming force, and he has even declared himself "the strongest," truly making him a warrior worthy of being called a "fierce general"! In the Coalition Army Arc, he appears as a warrior trusted by the commander-in-chief, Chunshenjun, and faces off against the fierce general of the State of Qin, Meng Wu.
Go Fengming
A great general of the Wei state. His father was Wu Qing, also a great general of the Wei state. He serves as the commander-in-chief of the Wei allied forces. He is also skilled in weapons development, and is said to be preparing a massive weapon to capture Hangu Pass. Incidentally, this character is an original character from Kingdom, and does not appear in historical fact.
Seika
A great Korean general. He was well-versed in poison weapons, and his research led him to become poisoned himself, leaving him with a hideous appearance and visible veins. Even at the Battle of Hangu Pass, he used his prized poison weapons to give the Qin army a tough time. It will be interesting to see how his tactics are portrayed in the anime!
Orudo
A great general of the Yan Kingdom, Orudo is the king of the mountain tribes who united 50 northern mountain tribes. As part of the allied forces, he uses a mixed army of mountain tribes to toy with Wang Jian's forces and attempt to capture Hangu Pass. This character is also an original character from Kingdom, not featured in historical fiction.
The "Allied Forces Arc" is a must-see, as it's filled with chaotic battles!
In fact, the historical Records of the Grand Historian only mentions a few battles involving the allied forces. All we know from the documents is that "Qin was victorious against the combined forces led by Chunshenjun and Pang Nuan." The Combined Forces arc in "Kingdom" blends original generals into the unknown, depicting an even more chaotic battle.
The anime will likely offer a different level of realism than the manga. I'm already looking forward to it!
