Kingdom 2: Far And Away

Director Shinsuke Sato returns with the live-action second installment of the electrifying series – Kingdom 2: Far And Away by Author Yasuhisa Hara.

Released on the 15th of July 2022 in Japanese theaters by distributors Toho Co., Ltd and Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan, receiving overall positive responses from audiences and fans alike.

Kingdom 2: Far And Away follows a young man born as a slave who dreams of becoming the greatest general in the world and Ying Zheng, the young King of Qin whose goal is to bring together all Seven Warring States under one flag.

The Warring States Period describes the three centuries when various rival Chinese states battled viciously for territorial advantage and dominance which began in 476 BC – 221 BC with ultimately the Qin state coming out victorious and establishing the first unified Chinese state.

Picking up directly after suppressing the rebellion of his younger brother, the King of Qin, Ying Zheng played by Ryô Yoshizawa, is once again faced with another adversity – this time coming from its neighboring enemy, the State of Wei bares its fangs towards Qin by invading its borders.

Although the first Kingdom movie did an incredible portrayal of the events that led up to the final confrontation and suppression of the rebellion, presenting the most crucial moments that forged the unbreakable bond between Shin, Ying Zheng, and Ka Ryo Ten.

The second installment goes far and beyond in demonstrating what makes Kingdom an exhilarating sensation of its kind.

Shin played by Kenta Yamazaki, gets to witness firsthand why and what makes Generals the pillar of strength for their respective States.

The military tactics are also one of the fundamentals of the Kingdom series which when brought to live-action only leave you speechless at the sight of seeing thousands upon thousands of troops working as if they had one body and mind.

There are different types of Generals – for example, there are those that plan wars ahead of time, where every tactic and formation is calculated to the greatest minuscule detail leaving no room for error then there are those rare breeds that rely on nothing but instinct, where it’s not about planning nor devious tactics but where to start a spark that will conjure an unyielding flame that will burn through any tactic.

I couldn’t help but laugh sight of Kyokai played by Nana Seino running up the hill in her costume, it’s hard to believe she survived such a savage free for all situation when she stuck out like a sore thumb in the middle of that carnage, it brought tears to my ears.

Normally I wouldn’t even consider live-action movies because I think they skip a lot of key information that the authors put into their work, however, Kingdom felt different.

Sure, it also skips a lot of events leading up to the war but where they do it right is by keeping true to the story that we know, the characters are relatable, funny, and also depict the same characteristics as those in the manga.

This way it’s a win-win for everyone.

I recommend Kingdom 2: Far And Away for anyone that’s interested in the Kingdom series by Yasuhisa Hara but doesn’t want to watch the first two seasons of the animation because of its outdated CGI effects or start reading it now when it’s already over 700 chapters in.

It brings you up to speed without deviating from the original story whatsoever while at the core center keeping true to its overall message about a young slave that rose from the gutters to become the greatest general in China and the young King of Qin that saw the endless potential of people regardless of their social status.

I give Kingdom 2: Far And Away a 3.6 out of 5 rating.

Let me know in the comments section below whether you agree or disagree with my review of Kingdom 2: Far And Away. I’d love to hear your feedback.

Thank you for reading another review from, LSR.

Until next time, stay blessed.