Kingdom Films to Air on Japanese Television for Two Consecutive Weeks in July
Kingdom fans have exciting news! The record-breaking live-action film series in Japan will air for two consecutive weeks on July 10 and 17 on Nippon TV's popular program "Friday Night Cinema" (Kinyō Road Show). For this special broadcast, the films have been re-edited into original versions.
Based on Yasuhisa Hara's manga of the same name, the Kingdom series is set in China's Warring States period in the 3rd century BC. The story follows a young orphan named Xin who joins the battle to unify the Qin kingdom with the dream of becoming a great general. The manga has been serialized in Weekly Young Jump since 2006 and has sold over 100 million copies worldwide. The live-action film adaptations began in 2019, and four films have been released so far.
The first film "Kingdom" (2019) achieved great success, grossing 5.7 billion yen. The second film "Kingdom 2: Harukanaru Daichi e" (2022) and the third film "Kingdom 3: Unmei no Hono" (2023) also performed similarly. The series continues with the fourth film "Kingdom 4: Daishougun no Kikan" released in 2024. These films feature famous actors such as lead Kento Yamazaki (as Xin) and Ryo Yoshizawa (as Ying Zheng).
Nippon TV's Friday Night Cinema slot is one of the highest-rated film programs in Japan. With this broadcast, Kingdom fans will have the opportunity to watch the films at home without going to theaters. Moreover, the re-edited versions may include previously unseen scenes. This is a great opportunity especially for viewers who follow the manga but missed the films.
Filming for the fifth film is still ongoing and is expected to be released in late 2025 or early 2026. This television broadcast will further increase the series' popularity and attract new viewers. Those who read the Kingdom manga appreciate the faithfulness of the live-action adaptation and its action scenes. If you haven't watched the films yet, don't miss this two-week broadcast in July!
