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Kingdom's 3-Minute Live-Action Short Streamed
posted on by Crystalyn Hodgkins
Shueisha began streaming its live-action short based on Yasuhisa Hara's Kingdom manga on Monday. Shueisha is streaming the short with and without narration, and is also streaming a 60-second version and a making-of video.
Full Short With Narration
Full Short Without Narration
60-second Commercial Version
Making-of Video
Shueisha filmed the video to celebrate the manga's 10th anniversary this year. The three-minute video stars Kento Yamazaki in the role of Xin (Shin), one of the manga's protagonists, and was filmed at Hengdian World Studios in China. Other cast members include Chihiro Yamamoto as Qiang Hui (Kyō Kai) and Kenji Gojō as Pang Nuan (Hōken). Kōichi Yoshinaga narrated the short. Hiroki Ono directed the video, Thomas Suess produced the music, and Robster Henke composed the music.
The commercial version will begin airing on Fuji TV on April 19, and will debut on Fuji TV's Ariyoshi Hiroiki no Daretoku!? television program during the 11:00-11:30 p.m. timeslot.
Hara's historical manga centers around the slave boy, Xin, and his dream of becoming a great general for the state of Qin. Xin helps Ying Zheng, the young Qin king who shares his desire to unify China, rise to power within the state. The manga follows Xin as he does all that he can to become a superior commander of an army capable of defeating the Seven Warring States.
The record-setting manga has been running in Shueisha's Weekly Young Jump since 2006. Shueisha shipped the 41st volume on February 19, and will ship the 42nd volume on April 19. An anime series based on the historical manga premiered in June 2012 with a second premiering in June 2013. Funimation streamed the series in North America, and released the first series on DVD on January 26, and the second series on DVD on March 8.
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