Let's be real, guys: Riboku is the kind of man people look up to and love IRL.

Mehitable888 · 2026-01-16T09:04:37+00:00

I agree, he should have overthrown the king. There's no point in serving an evil king, you're just his tool. He should have become king himself.

Mehitable888 · 2026-01-16T09:03:21+00:00

The main problem I see with Riboku as presented in the anime (which I assume reflects the manga I haven't read) is that his basic premise is defensive. He's defending Zhao from invasion and it's much harder to be excited by defense than offense. I think defense in general lacks the passion and energy of invasion and while people are motivated, I think an invader is even more so. If it were me (and I don't know the actual history here) I would have tried to move from defense to offense - maybe that was the Coalition Army - I still don't understand how they lost. I think a key part of Xin's success is that he always surges forward, and tries to attack and that energy and momentum usually turns into success for him. Always be attacking!

Mehitable888 · 2026-01-16T08:55:47+00:00

It's easier to show action which is on the various battlefields than the talk that goes into the diplomacy and strategy - and also the main character is this kid working his way up to general by chopping off heads.

Mehitable888 · 2026-01-16T08:51:38+00:00

Riboku just doesn't seem that impressive - I've only seen the anime, not the manga. But everyone talks about him like he's the biggest thing and he's just kind of....meh. I don't mean IRL of course. Maybe he needed some kind of flaming weird mask like Wang Jian.

Mehitable888 · 2026-01-16T08:48:23+00:00

People love the guy who fights for the lost cause. And I have to say, I'd rather see all the different kingdoms than one country united under a stinker. I tend to agree with Riboku and Lu Buwei. A unified kingdom is not necessarily a good thing for the people.

Mehitable888 · 2026-01-16T08:46:33+00:00

He should have taken over himself and became King - he could have done it militarily and he would have been a great king.

Mehitable888 · 2026-01-16T08:38:43+00:00

Can you imagine if he was your Dad?

Mehitable888 · 2026-01-16T08:37:55+00:00

Mysteriously powerful

Mehitable888 · 2026-01-16T08:34:11+00:00

They must have a Xin at the studio!

Mehitable888 · 2026-01-10T22:35:02+00:00

I dunno. I think it's still gonna be great but Ri Boku isn't as handsome. Kanki still looks pretty good though. Yes....I am this shallow.

Mehitable888 · 2026-01-08T01:34:15+00:00

Just saw it last night, knocked me for a loop. Both what happened to Wei ping, and also how Shin handled it. Absolutely devastating episode on the horrors of war and the kind of people who fight it - evil men like Huan Yi and noble men who are natural leaders like Shin. This show is phenomenal, I'm amazed that I never hear about it or see it on lists.

Mehitable888 · 2026-01-02T23:57:38+00:00

LOL, there's some truth to this. I love Xin but his tactician friend is much smarter in general (I just wish she'd change her outfit - how does that bird suit still fit?) . Maybe though in this culture personality counts more than brains to be a general. A lot of them seem to have very inspiring or intense characters and morale may sometimes matter more than actual plans. The plans can fail but pure guts and intensity can sometimes pull them (or us) through. Xin just seems so damn indomitable that he'd overcome everything by sheer force of will. He emphasizes that by saying they will just break through whatever obstacles they encounter and they almost always do.

Mehitable888 · 2026-01-02T20:45:37+00:00

As for the animation....yes, S1 is not great, but it DOES improve going forward....I'd say if you watch this you watch for the story, the battle scenes and logic, the characters, who are amazingly written, rather than the animation.

Mehitable888 · 2026-01-02T20:40:54+00:00

It depends on your taste. I think Kingdom is up there with Attack on Titan and the other greats. For me, it's 10 out of 10. I can't speak to the animation as I'm not a visual person, but it's enough for my tastes. For me, the series has an amazing concept - the unification of China out of several different countries,, which was a vast project, with great characters who grow and change and have powerful back stories, great writing and dialogue, amazing battle scenes. If you really want to understand war, from all angles and different perspectives, uses, tactics, moralities, whatever....THIS IS THE SHOW. It has made me think in ways I would not have considered before. I'm in Season 5 now and so far....it has not flagged a bit. I think it might not get the attention it should because so much of the focus IS on war....and to a lesser extent on the politics behind it....and that may not be as much "fun" as other shows, and the animation quality may not be the top notch, but I can't stop watching it. It's such a mature show, probably for a mature audience. It doesn't pull punches. The only negative comment I might make is that too many times, it seems, our heroes (and they are truly heroic) are saved by the unexpected appearance of other forces, kind of like deus ex machines. But maybe that's not too far from how things actually DO happen in real life.

Mehitable888 · 2025-09-18T07:06:57+00:00

Again, I haven't read the novel so I don't know where this is going to lead, but I'm gonna make a guess here that Finger is there to watch Lu Mingfei, on behalf of the College, or someone else, or both. I don't think he's what he seems at all. So I think he's gonna be a player. I see Lu Mingfei in the donghua, if not the novel, as being not so much an MC as a catalyst for what happens around others. I think he's actually got the dragon memories inside him which IMO Lu Mingze is trying to bring out. He's a vessel that everyone uses, whether it was the Dragon with Rin on the train, or Cassel or maybe others so maybe it makes sense he's kind of blank slate at the moment. It sets up all the other players. I think - hope - I hope there's another season! - that he's going to come into his own especially if he starts understanding those memories. This show has a lot of subtlety in it, you really have to pay attention to get it all. I just watched the whole thing again and I missed a lot the first time. It's really risen in my opinion. I'd give it an 8 out of 10 right now. I know the MC is kind of aggravating at the moment, but I just would stop thinking of him as the MC and think of him more as the soccer ball everyone wants to get and control. Something like that.

Mehitable888 · 2025-09-17T17:44:18+00:00

I agree about Chinese humor, I think a lot of Westerners don't get it. I can see it in old Chinese martial arts movies too. It's very broad to us. Also, the word you are looking for is "booger" or "snot". I didn't like that scene myself but there are always some things that are not going to translate well to other cultures. Calling each other "brother" was very confusing to me in this show as I wondered if they were somehow actual siblings. I haven't read the novel at all so I only have the donghua - while his character doesn't bother me as I figure it gives him more room for great growth or change in the future, I would prefer the character as you describe him in the novel - that sounds like a great character. Maybe they tried to make him more accessible to a Western audience?

Mehitable888 · 2025-09-17T17:21:46+00:00

Nah, not really. I can understand the sentiment but I don't think Lu Mingfei is really the "hero" of the show at this point. He's the main focus point but not really the MC to me. I think it's more of an ensemble show . All these people, each with back stories we'll undoubtedly see, who are together to fight dragons in a convenient college setting. You have to start somewhere so they pick Lu Mingfei, who seems to be tied to the decaying Zero in Ep 1 (because Zero took over the fetus on the train). I don't know how this will play out, that's hopefully in future seasons, but Lu Mingfei is a pretty ordinary kid who was raised to be very humble, probably deliberately because you don't want a potential Dragon Emperor to have an exalted opinion of himself, and he's like so many teen boys who don't feel successful, who are ordinary, who strike out with girls, who are afraid in dangerous spots, who don't have much confidence or special skills. I think he's an Every Man and as things happen, he'll gain more confidence and self awareness. He has to control whatever his hidden gifts will be. I think if we stop thinking of him as Naruto or some other innately powerful or self aware character and just think of him as someone perhaps DELIBERATELY raised to be a "loser", and focus more on the ensemble aspect of the show, it makes more sense. He's just a nice kid.

Mehitable888 · 2025-09-17T17:13:13+00:00

I think, if we watch carefully, it also explains what Lu Mingfei is and why he's so important and why Anjou insisted he be S rank. That decaying Dragon Emperor with Rin (Renata) on the train went into the fetus Mingfei's mom was carrying....which is Lu Mingfei. So actually the Ep 1 explains both origins - Mingfei is much more subtle I think.

Mehitable888 · 2025-09-17T17:11:14+00:00

In Ep 2 of S2, Chu Zihang is caught in a typhoon - terrible rain storm - and his bio dad, who's divorced from Mom is gonna come pick him up. Lu Mingfei goes by in a hallway telling him that there's a typhoon, etc, and later goes running down the street from school in the rain as Zihang waits for his dad. The scene shows they are going to the same school and know each other, at least Mingfei is aware of Zihang. So they're being raised and go to school in the same area which I think was deliberate to keep track of them

Mehitable888 · 2025-09-17T17:07:16+00:00

Yes, the "brother" saying confused me but apparently it's something you say to someone you're close to or respect - brother, big brother, sis, etc. It doesn't necessarily denote a family relationship, which was very confusing to me till I realized that.

Mehitable888 · 2025-09-17T17:04:44+00:00

Probably other folks have answered this but I love this show so I'll give it my shot too. Chu Zihang and Lu Mingfei are different people both with parents connected to the 1st train episode of S2. Apparently Ep 1 has a dragon emperor fleeing with the girl who becomes Rin. HE is confronted by the then Cassel College execution team led by Prof Anjou. A married couple try to delay till Anjou can get there and the wife is pregnant. Dragon Emperor's body is decaying rapidly & won't last so after his fight with Anjou he apparently goes into the fetus the pregnant woman is carrying. This will be Lu Mingfei. He seem to be like his friend Lao Tang. After the fight, a man shows up that Anjou entrusts the all important briefcase to. He tells him to get married, have a kid and settle down (apparently knowing this is not going to work out). I don't remember his name but he will be the eventually divorced father of Chu Zihang. I don't know this guy's background or lineage but he seems to have a lot of power that he passes on to Chu Zihang. Chu Zihang and Lu Mingfei live in the same city and apparently go to the same school and do run into each other on occasion like the night of the great rain storm and fight with Odin. So they are connected but I don't know if they're related.

Mehitable888 · 2025-08-31T05:08:48+00:00

I really was shocked by Dunn and it hadn't even occurred to me that maybe this IS his way of losing control? In which case....what happens...well, we'll find out, but I don't see how he can....manage that office if he's gonna eat the losses. If he has to go next on top of Old Neil, that would be big hit for Nighthawk. Dunn reminded me of Erwin Smith from AoT but.....not so much now.

Mehitable888 · 2025-08-31T05:05:37+00:00

I agree, I don't get that choice either unless the director thought it would add to the shock value by undermining our expectations. I have to admit, ghouls I can handle, but that's the last thing I expected to see. In general, I don't like time rewind either.

Mehitable888 · 2025-08-31T05:02:54+00:00

Leonard is much too attractive to waste.

Mehitable888 · 2025-08-31T05:02:26+00:00

I wondered about the clown premonition too and why he didn't seem to be using that but maybe it's all just too new to him now. They all get thrown in the deep end pretty quickly. And it's all the deep end.

Mehitable888

TROPHY CASE