Kingdom Season 4

[Stark700]

Kingdom Season 4 got announced at the end of the broadcast today. Coming in Spring 2022.


Source

https://kingdom-anime.com/news/detail.php?id=1094767

[Guardian Enzo]

As usual, great and completely ignored.

[ditn]

im here enjoying the show

[thundrakkon]

I didn't realize they had a new thread for Kingdom. They really should have kept just one thread for Kingdom, so everyone that subscribed before will get notified.


It was a great new episode. The story just isn't as exciting without Shin, Kyou Kai, and the rest of the gang. It just so cool to have Kyou Kai back, and Shin was just awesome, too. I can't wait to see what happens next.

[Guardian Enzo]

Another absolutely tremendous episode - one of the best of the entire series. A real audience pleaser.

Both of us...

[thundrakkon]

This episode, while entertaining, still needed more of Shin and Kyou Kai. Yes, it was an escape episode and pretty much Shin and Kyou Kai bulldozed anyone in their path. Still, it is quite awesome to see 2 general class fighters on the same squad.


Although Bi is a full general at this point in time, he is only so because the Emperor Faction needed someone, and he is loyal to the Emperor.


I want to see the next episode, since I am sure that Shin and Kyou Kai will make their just in time save and annihilate the enemy.

[thundrakkon]

Well... uhh... that was unexpected... In the grand scheme of things, since I know a little about the history of things, this doesn't matter much to the outcome. It is still a blow, story-wise. Hence, I think that was the reason they introduced the wife out of the blue, in order to take over his role, and at least be a bit more pleasant to deal with.

[Guardian Enzo]

I was "spoiled" in that I knew Cheng Jiao's fate historically. But that didn't really lessen the impact, because Kingdom can send off characters with the best of them. And Cheng Jiao had one of the most interesting arcs in the series - he might have changed more than anybody.

[ditn]

I feared this could happen since no convenient plotholes to get saved.

[thundrakkon]

I get it. Ten (Liao Diao) was taken captive, and the enemy could potential do awful things to a female commander. However, Shin (Xin) lashing out against Kyou Kai (Qiang Lei) was so uncalled for. It was Ten's fault for getting so deep in the front lines. It's Shin's fault for taking the bait and enjoying his one on one fight. At least Kyou Kai recognized the situation and tried to save Ten. What did Shin do? Get hurt? He had no right to get upset at Kyou Kai and blame her.


On to another subject, Ou Han (Wang Ben) is just a plain awful character. He is only successful through the power of plot armor. He throws trash out as a plan, and it works because the story says it so. He succeeds in battle because the story says it is so. He comes off more as a snobbish idiot than he brilliant tactician. His dad, on the other hand, comes off as a really good general. Ou Han just seems to win through plot armor.

[thundrakkon]

Oh man.... This is going to be so stupid if Wang Ben somehow defeats Zi Bai. The Zi Bai who is the best spear-man, who is better than when he was in his prime, a great general, who single-handedly defeated 3 other great generals at once, who is a good with tactics, and has a much larger army...


As annoying as Wang Ben has been, if he defeats Zi Bai, as expected, this is just poor awful writing that is promoting the "cool" (aka a-hole) genius type that Japan seems to have an infatuation over. It's the Sasuke of Naruto, the Furuya of Ace of Diamond, the Yuno of Black Clover, and the Levi of Attack on Titan. They are always right even when they should be wrong, and there is nothing they can't do because the script says so. Of course there will always be 1 mistake along the way to just make the MC stand out, but overall, these types of characters are horribly written.


Better yet, if they kill off Wang Ben like what would have happened in a real situation like this, it might actually be shocking and better overall, just like how they killed off Cheng Jiao. But nah, I am not going believe a minute that they will kill off the a-hole character. Even Cheng Jiao showed redeeming qualities near the end. Wang Ben has yet to show even 1 redeeming quality in him.

[Guardian Enzo]

You do know that most of the principals here are based on real people, right - Wang Ben included? They're winning and losing and dying when history says they did, the manga is just filling in the details.

[thundrakkon]

Quote

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

Sorry; dynamic content not loaded. Reload?

If remember correctly, a lot of the history, the people, the generals, etc. were slim on details. A lot of what is shown nowadays is romanticized versions created with interpretations of "artists" to make the stories work. Besides few facts of certain events, most almost anything is creation of fiction.


Hence, the weight of how great Wang Ben is versus how great Zi Bai is artistic inspiration. In this version of artistic inspiration, Zi Bai is portrayed as far superior in every way. Hence, if Wang Ben wins, it makes the story telling unbelievable and annoying at best. If they didn't make Zi Bai as great or if a bit more foolish, then yeah, it becomes more believable when Wang Ben inevitably wins. This story telling is just trying to prop up Wang Ben as a god of cool, and it's just plain horrible, imo.

[Guardian Enzo]

Hara definitely embellishes, and he peppers the story with entirely fictional characters strategically placed. But in a fight between two well-known figures, he’ll color between the lines.

It’s like Cheng Jiao. He’s an important historical figure - not one of the biggest of the era, but big enough that we know the highlights, like where and when he died. And, well - he died at Tunliu. That’s non-negotiable for Hara - he wouldn’t fudge a fact like that for a relatively major character.

[AntonKutovoi]

You know, I don't mind Chinese spelling for the names. In fact, I even prefer it. But I would really appreciate if said spelling didn't randomly switch back and forth during ONE FREAKING EPISODE. Can translators finally just decide if Shi Haku is supposed to be Zi Bai or Xi Bai?

[Guardian Enzo]

What an episode.

I think the gulf for how big a series is in Japan vs. the West may be as big with Kingdom as any out there.

[Cloudedmind]

*wobbles in snot nosed crying* I did it guys! It took me a week and a half, but I caught up on the whole show. *falls over*
*coughs* Ahem, but in all seriousness I tried watching the show back in 2012 or 2013, and couldn't get past the clunky CGI, and it weirdly switching to 2D at times, which is saying a lot for me as I rarely complain about CGI.

I'd heard the animation got better after a while, but just never got back around to watching the show.

And then I got sick about two weeks ago which gave me ample time to do nothing but rest and watch TV, and with CR constantly recommending Kingdom I decided to finally try again. Thank the heavens I did, because the shows been a blast. There were a few times when my eyes would glaze over or my mind would wander when a fight felt like it was dragging. I'm generally not a big fan of long drawn out one on one battles. But, the show would always pick back up. And it's had some great moments.

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

I was "spoiled" in that I knew Cheng Jiao's fate historically. But that didn't really lessen the impact, because Kingdom can send off characters with the best of them. And Cheng Jiao had one of the most interesting arcs in the series - he might have changed more than anybody.

Man, no kidding, over a week ago I was hoping someone would snuff the snot nosed brat. Yesterday, I was like "Noooooooo, I was starting to like the little brat with his sort of adorable scowling face."

The complaint about Wang Ben only surviving by plot armor and rule of cool, I honestly feel you could say the say the same thing about Xin and some other characters. How many times did Xin best guys twice his size, with better equipment, and more experience? While fighting with no armor and in sandals? He must have been wearing sandals made by 2000's era Nokia. The most durable pair of sandals I've ever seen.


Is there an episode count for this season? The first two had 38, but last season was only 26.

[thundrakkon]

Quote

Originally Posted by Cloudedmind

Sorry; dynamic content not loaded. Reload?

The only source that I saw says 26 episodes, so that is likely all we'll get for about a year until the next season, which tends to start in April. So April 2023 or April 2024 is the likely next season.


As for Wang Ben, it's how the last campaign portrayed things that made it unbearable to watch. Wang Ben was practically dead, against the best Spear wielder, who was even better than he was before, who was at full strength, with Wang Ben an inferior spear wielder, and Wang Ben one hits for the win. That is just full on BS.


With Xin, he oftentimes doesn't win. How many battles in the past did he actually win one on one? He survives, but he doesn't win one on one against a superior opponent. And the thing about Xin is fighting is all he has, well, ok and instincts. He doesn't have tactics. It is a lot more believable and exciting to watch Xin grow.


Wang Ben doesn't grow. He is just superior because he is superior. That's why he is so unwatchable oftentimes.

[Cloudedmind]

Originally Posted by thundrakkon

Quote

Originally Posted by Cloudedmind

Sorry; dynamic content not loaded. Reload?

The only source that I saw says 26 episodes, so that is likely all we'll get for about a year until the next season, which tends to start in April. So April 2023 or April 2024 is the likely next season.


As for Wang Ben, it's how the last campaign portrayed things that made it unbearable to watch. Wang Ben was practically dead, against the best Spear wielder, who was even better than he was before, who was at full strength, with Wang Ben an inferior spear wielder, and Wang Ben one hits for the win. That is just full on BS.


With Xin, he oftentimes doesn't win. How many battles in the past did he actually win one on one? He survives, but he doesn't win one on one against a superior opponent. And the thing about Xin is fighting is all he has, well, ok and instincts. He doesn't have tactics. It is a lot more believable and exciting to watch Xin grow.


Wang Ben doesn't grow. He is just superior because he is superior. That's why he is so unwatchable oftentimes.

A couple actually. Back in season one he wins against the guy in the corridor on their way to stop Cheng. Bi gets badly wounded, they actually thought he might have died, and Xin pretty much takes the guy on alone while the others either stand around and watch or handle the mooks. Xin even passes out or almost passes out before making a come back and taking the guy out.

Then there was his fight against Lun Hu. It started out as a two on one fight with Wang Ben and Xin against Lun Hu, the first time they fight, but even together they couldn't best him. Although Xin is able to wound his arm. Then, the next day even with Xin badly wounded himself he ends up killing Lun Hu, by himself. Lun Hu a man with probably a decade more experience then him, and one of Lian Po's four great commanders.

And, then there was Wa Ji or Wan Ji (?) the crazy guy who'd survived the Changping massacre. Xin pretty much just one shots him.

Most of Xin's promotions happened because he killed some big shot or general, often someone much bigger or more experienced then him. So, yes Xin has very much won against superior fighters in one on one battles.

I will agree that the show just telling us that Wang Ben's been promoted because of this or that was kind of annoying, which is why I'm personally happy we got to see him best someone in a fight for once. Of the three youngin's it felt like Xin was doing all the heavy lifting.

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

What an episode.

I think the gulf for how big a series is in Japan vs. the West may be as big with Kingdom as any out there.

The anime had the misfortune of having an utterly garbage adaptation for its first season. The manga is doing ok in the Western fandom, but both it and the anime would have been far more popular if the adaptation had been good from the start.

Personally, I'm waiting for each season to wrap up before watching them, since I've already read the manga and it's difficult to discuss the series. Not just because no one is watching it, but also because the subs use Chinese names instead of the Japanese ones so that makes it harder to discuss with anime onlies. I know Xin, Qiang Lei, Diao,... and that's pretty much it