The most popular manga stories typically flow through a pipeline where its initial release in Japan then comes to international markets in response to demand for any given series. Yasuhisa Hara’s celebrated Kingdom manga, which first graced the pages of Shueisha’s Weekly Young Jump on January 26, 2006, has since come to Germany, France, Spain, and other markets, but never to the United States. An English-language release seemed like the biggest slam dunk since, well, Slam Dunk, but despite the series circulating 110 million copies worldwide, fans in North America began to lose hope. But thanks to advance confirmation from VIZ Media, Kingdom is confirmed to be getting a physical and digital English-language release for the first time ever, starting on November 11th.
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Depicting the battles of war orphan Xin from the kingdom of Qin in China’s Warring States period, Kingdom is one of the best-selling seinen manga of all time. The only reason it’s likely not considered among the Seinen Big Three (Berserk, Vagabond, Vinland Saga) is this lack of accessibility with an English release. In addition to physical releases of each of its 74 volumes (with more on the way,) Kingdom is also being positioned for digital releases following each graphic novel’s localization. The manga follows Xin as he aims to become the greatest general under the heavens while unifying China to become the first imperial dynastic state. Now, after hearing the demands of countless passionate fans, VIZ Media and Shueisha are proud to bring one of seinen manga’s most consistently excellent gems to a wider audience than ever.
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Kingdom’s English Release Is Coming on November 11th, 2025
For those already familiar with Kingdom’s four live-action films or the Pierrot anime adaptation, this might come as a surprise that the manga has taken so long to come stateside. However, for those displeased with the occasional pacing issues of the anime and wonky CGI of the first two seasons, this is the chance for fans to enjoy the series in its unadulterated, unabridged form. Hara’s work is celebrated for not only having a strong story throughout its 825+ chapter run, but also a distinctive shading and overall art style that focuses particularly on elaborate character (and horse) designs. It’s anomalous for such a popular, long-running manga to have as few issues in each chapter’s release as Kingdom, with many great mangaka buckling under the pressure of a weekly release.
With its November 11th English release date, Kingdom will be available to North American audiences to enjoy in its purest form from Volume 1 onward. With dozens upon dozens of graphic novel volumes to arrive, collectors will want to free up substantial shelf space for this historical war epic. For those who don’t have room to accommodate such a massive content library, it’ll be available via the digital Shonen Jump service after each volume’s release.
The Manga World Adores Yasuhisa Hara & Kingdom
It’s no secret that, with what’s one of the most impressive manga runs in seinen history, Hara has garnered admirers among colleagues, mentors, and countless fans. This includes thoughtful remarks from Takehiko Inoue, creator of Slam Dunk, Vagabond, and REAL, under whom Hara worked as an assistant. While Inoue has offered constructive feedback to what would be Hara’s distinctive style, Inoue also reflected on Hara’s uniquely strong qualities in a dual interview for Guidebook from the Kingdom Shin Exhibition in 2021 shared on Reddit.
“Each chapter, I think, ‘He’s leaving it all on the page,’” Inoue said, reflecting on Hara’s determination, adding, “In basketball, we often say ‘leave it all on the court,’ but it means doing everything you’re capable of doing.”
Inoue is one of the most beloved mangaka of all time, whose perfectionism has made him a legend in the industry. The weight of such expectations has resulted in his most beloved series, Vagabond, falling into indefinite hiatus, so recognition from him is uniquely high praise. Inoue’s kind words for Hara don’t stop there, either, which is fitting given the series’ position as the flagship Weekly Young Jump manga. Inoue adds the following statement in the same interview:
“Right now, Kingdom’s characters are all each increasing their persuasiveness, and the art as a whole becomes more persuasive to the reader. It’s amazing. I can’t draw that.”
If that’s not enough, Hara’s work has been sought-after in other major projects in the manga world. Perhaps one of his most famous contributions was as one of the 42 beloved creators who drew their renditions of Akira Toriyama’s characters for the Dragon Ball Super Gallery project. One of the more eclectic additions, Hara rendered Goku in Warring States-era armor (but with his distinctive orange color scheme) atop his signature Kingdom-style horse, as an homage to Toriyama’s Dragon Ball Volume 34 cover. For fans in North America to be able to support this beloved creator like never before, Kingdom’s manga localization is a dream come true for fans to discover or rediscover a living legend’s work.
Kingdom will release Volume 1, and more, starting November 11th, courtesy of VIZ Media. This update is confirmed via an advance press release in coordination with VIZ and Shueisha.
