One of the most memorable incidents in the series "Kingdom" is the capital rebellion, in which Sei Kyou plotted to assassinate King Ying Zheng of Qin. Despite being the king's younger brother, Sei Kyou started a rebellion in order to become king himself, so you could say he was Sei's first enemy. Furthermore, the fourth series of the anime, which will begin airing in April 2022, is expected to feature a story related to Sei Kyou. So, in this article, we'd like to explain more about Sei Kyou, Ying Zheng's younger brother.
The Capital Rebellion, Seikyou
In Volume 1 of the manga, the mastermind behind the major rebellion and plot to assassinate the king, Ying Zheng's younger brother, Seikyou, was revealed to be a legitimate heir to the throne, as his mother was a royal. However, Seikyou's resentment was the main reason for the rebellion, as he was suddenly usurped by Ying Zheng, whose mother was a dancer. Seikyou had a rather twisted personality, believing that aristocrats and royalty were superior to everyone else, and feeling nauseous even when the poor and common people were in the royal palace.
The Jie and Si Clan
Seong Kyou allied himself with the Left Prime Minister, the Jie clan, to launch this rebellion. He timed his plan to coincide with the opposing Right Prime Minister, the Lü clan, on an expedition to Wei. Even after the assassination attempt in the royal capital failed, he ordered Jie's subordinate, the strategist Si clan, to kill Zheng and his subordinates as they fled. Seikyou also had a subordinate named Lan Kai, a gigantic monster he bought from a black market dealer when he was a child.
The End of the Royal Capital Rebellion
The rebellion failed thanks to the efforts of Shin and the mountain people, but since his subordinates were formed solely out of mutual self-interest, there was no loyalty between them. In the final scene, none of his subordinates rushed to Seikyou's side, and instead were beaten to a pulp by Masa. Seikyou's excessive ideology of blood purity stemmed from a twisted upbringing that believed the common people were inherently evil and that the royal family existed to exercise absolute control over them. While Seikyou was not sentenced to death, he received the severe punishment of imprisonment.
About Seikyou in the Second and Third Series of the Anime
Seikyou had no further appearances after this incident, but in Volume 24 of the manga and Season 2 of the anime, he reappears as an ally of Sei. King Ying Zheng of Qin, believing that Lü Buwei was gaining the support of the harem forces one after another and that his position would be overwhelmingly disadvantageous if things continued as they were, went to visit Seikyou, who had been imprisoned. Three years after the rebellion, he struck a deal with Seikyou, agreeing to release the Seikyou faction in exchange for his cooperation in overthrowing Lü Buwei, and Seikyou became his ally. The balance of power once tilted in favor of the Lu clan, but thanks to Seikyou and his aristocrats, the gap was narrowed.
About the Cast of the Live-Action Movie and Anime
Seikyou is played by Kanata Hongo in the live-action movie. In the film, he beautifully portrayed Seikyou's characteristically nasty personality and arrogance. In the anime, he is voiced by Kouki Miyata. Yuki Miyata is known for his roles as Aiichiro Nitori in "Free!", Murata in "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba," and Murata Ken in "Kyou Kara Maou!"
Who was Seikyo in history?
In historical fact, Seikyo was the half-brother of Ying Zheng, just like in the manga, and appears to have been a real person. However, little is known about him, and he seems to be a mysterious figure. In books written under the name "Seikyo," there are passages stating that he became the prime minister of the state of Han and ceded land to Qin. Furthermore, the story of the first assassination of the great king appears to be original to "Kingdom," as no such incident actually occurred in history.
Summary
So, what did you think? This time, we learned about Masa's younger brother, Seikatsu. Although he appears as the first enemy, his thoughts and ideas are consistent, almost to the point where you might think he's a typical example of the mindset of aristocrats and those in power. Let's look forward to seeing how he plays a role in the fourth season of the anime.
