"Kingdom," a historical manga by Yasuhisa Hara, was adapted into a live-action film in 2019, and the "Coalition Army Arc" is currently airing as an anime.
This time, we'll be revealing the strongest characters, comparing their historical facts with their exploits in the series!
The criteria for selection this time were "military power" and "human strength."
10th Place: Kanki
General Kanki, a former leader of the opposition and a general of the Qin state, first appeared in the Battle of Sanyo as a second-in-command to General Meng Ao, the Qin's supreme commander. During this battle, he is portrayed as a very shrewd general, even using a surprise attack to kill the enemy's commander-in-chief, General Bai Guixi. Historically, he was subsequently defeated by Zhao's great general, Li Mu, and forced to flee. Although a powerful general, his cruelty makes him less respectable than other generals.
9th Place: Yang Duanhe
In the live-action version, he was played by Masami Nagasawa. Sima Qian, the king of the mountain people and one of the Qin's greatest generals, is portrayed as a man in the historical Records of the Grand Historian, so the portrayal of him as a woman may be an original interpretation in Kingdom. His main achievements include forming an alliance with Zheng and recapturing the royal capital. He then served as a general of Qin, assisting Zheng. If history plays out as expected, he would later pacify Zhao alongside Wang Jian and Qiang Wei...
8th Place: Bai Gong
One of the great generals of the Qin state. Described by Li Mu as "the ultimate instinctual type," he was a military commander driven solely by instinct.
Historically, the Records of the Grand Historian records that he "invaded Han and beheaded 30,000 people." This suggests that the real-life Bai Gong was quite a powerful warrior. In the story, he defeats Li Mu's strategy with his natural instincts and tactics, but is killed by the war god Pang Nuan. However, his final words to Shin, "Don't let the fire go out," are a famous line from the story, and he remains a highly popular general among fans.
7th Place: Changping Jun
One of the four pillars of Lü Buwei, he was a prince of the state of Chu. While a military strategist, he was also skilled in both the arts and martial arts, often leading the charge on the battlefield. In the story, he is depicted using his intelligence to open a military strategist school. The scene where he says "Thank you for everything" to Lu Buwei as he leaves him is also popular among Kingdom fans.
In historical fact, he was later elevated to the position of King of Chu and led a rebellion against Qin... His future is a fascinating one.
6th Place: Meng Wu
One of the four pillars of Lu Buwei, he was the top general of the Qin state. Claiming to be the "strongest man in China," his powerful techniques, boosting the morale of his soldiers while crushing his opponents, are truly representative of a fierce warrior. In the Coalition Army Arc, he killed Han Ming of Chu and then pursued the allied forces, rendering them unable to recover.
In historical fact, he destroyed Chu, but his best friend, Changping Jun, was a prince of Chu... Perhaps the day will come when the two clash?
5th Place: Lian Po
Lian Po was one of the Three Great Generals of the former Zhao state, and after being exiled, became the Great General of the Wei state. Having his honor as a Great General stripped away by King Daoxiang, he was forced to flee to Wei, where he also became a Great General, but was dismissed again after being held responsible for the loss of Shanyang during the Battle of Shanyang. He is currently in exile in the state of Chu.
Historically, he died in Chu after this, but in the story he plays a key role in bringing together Li Yuan, who assassinated Chu's Prime Minister Chunshenjun, and Chu's Great General Ga Lin.
4th Place: Wang Jian
He first appeared as an adjutant to the Qin army during the Battle of Shanyang, between the Wei army led by Lian Po and the Qin army led by Meng Ao. True to his words, "I'm only interested in battles that I can absolutely win," he was a powerful man who earned a place among the Six Great Generals through military strategy alone.
In the historical Records of the Grand Historian, his name is listed separately, citing numerous achievements, such as "taking Handan, the capital of Zhao, and pacifying Zhao," and "attacking Chu with Meng Wu and pacifying Jiangnan." Wang Jian will likely become an important character in future developments.
3rd Place: Li Mu
In Sima Qian's Records of the Grand Historian, he is described as a "master defensive general" and one of the Three Great Generals of Zhao.
In the story, he is portrayed as a rival character who repeatedly stands in the way of Shin and Sei. Notably, immediately after his appearance, he shocked readers with his ingenious strategy in the Battle of Mayang, where he killed Shin's master, Wang Qi.
Historically, he was assassinated by Wang Jian's scheme, but how will he meet his end in the story? He's a character whose fate remains unpredictable.
2nd Place: Ouki
One of the Six Great Generals of the Qin Dynasty. He appeared on various battlefields and achieved numerous military feats, earning him the nickname "The Mysterious Bird of Qin."
There are few references to Ouki in the historical Records of the Grand Historian, and some have speculated that he may have been the same person as Wang Ke, a military commander active during the same period.
In the story, he is portrayed as a mentor, telling Shin, "This is what a general sees," and conveying the ideal state of a general. He remains one of the most popular generals among fans.
1st Place: Houken
One of the Three Great Generals of Zhao, he was a large general who called himself the "God of War."
The Records of the Grand Historian records that he was skilled in both the arts and martial arts, and that he also wrote several books as a military strategist.
In the story, he kills Gyou, who was supposed to be Wang Qi's wife, and is defeated by an enraged Wang Qi. Later, at the Battle of Mayang, he was invited by Li Mu to become commander-in-chief, where he achieved many feats, including defeating Ou Ki. However, in the story, he struggles to understand Ou Ki's "strength as a person" and is troubled by this...
Who is the strongest?! Keep an eye on the anime!
The third season of the Kingdom anime began in April 2020, and the series is gaining momentum.
Since the story sometimes deviates from historical fact, powerful generals may appear in the future.
