The long-running historical epic Kingdom has once again proved its power at retail. Its Vol. 78 rocketed to the top of Japan’s Oricon weekly manga chart after its January release. The Volume sold an estimated 303,982 copies, bringing the cumulative total to 304,762. Meanwhile, Medalist Vol. 14 came in second place with 68,308 estimated copies sold, and Blue Lock Vol. 37 ranked third with an estimated 62,081 copies sold.

Fans flocked to the newest instalment, which pushes the story into a full-scale confrontation with the legendary general Li Mu. A clash set against the real-world backdrop of 229 BCE and the Qin state’s drive to settle old scores with Zhao. That combination of sweeping strategy, ruthless politics, and intense battlefield scenes is why many readers call Kingdom the “Game of Thrones” for anime and manga. 

Kingdom Vol. 78 Tops Oricon As Zhao War Erupts

Li Xin, the protagonist in Kingdom. [Credit: VIZ Media]

Kingdom Vol. 78 centers on a high-stakes offensive against Zhao and the looming confrontation with Li Mu, the tactician who has for years stood between Qin and total unification.

In the story’s timeline, the Qin court consolidates control over Han, then turns its full attention to Zhao in 229 BCE. The volume’s mix of political aftermath and a decisive military push reminds one of Game of Thrones. It gives long-time readers both the payoff of strategy and the emotional stakes of soldiers on the line.

Kingdom is marking its 20th year of serialization and has recently crossed the 120 million copies-in-circulation mark, milestones that added momentum to the volume’s performance. 

The series’ long serialization has allowed Hara to deepen both the history and the cast. It has been running in Weekly Young Jump since January 2006. Over two decades, the manga has matured from a single hero’s quest into a continent-spanning chronicle of unification and human cost, which helps explain why it has sold so strongly. 

Here’s the table of the Japan Weekly Manga Sales Ranking as of Feb 2, 2026:

Oricon RankEstimated Copies SoldEstimated Cumulative SalesTitleAuthor(s)1303,982304,762Kingdom Vol. 78Yasuhisa Hara268,30868,308Medalist Vol. 14Tsurumaikada362,081120,574Blue Lock Vol. 37Muneyuki Kaneshiro442,22742,227Harem in the Labyrinth of Another World Vol. 12Issei Hyoju (Art), Shachi Sogano (Story)533,393102,981Konjiki no Gash!! 2 Vol. 6Makoto Raiku633,26969,183Shangri-La Frontier Vol. 25Katarina724,38324,383Tamon-kun Which Way Now!? Vol. 13Yuki Shiwasu824,20784,377Uruwashi no Yoi no Tsuki Vol. 10Mika Yamamori923,07923,079Galactic Express Milky Subway Vol. 1Kawano Donburi (Art), Yohei Kameyama (Original Story & Director)1022,21522,215Super no Ura de Yani Suu Futari Vol. 8Jinushi

What Kingdom Is About and Where to Read The Manga

King of Mountain People, Yang Duanhe, and young King of Qin, Ying Zheng, from Kingdom Vol. 4. [Credit: VIZ Media]

A panel showing Li Xin being captured in Kingdom Vol. 3. [Credit: VIZ Media]

King Ying Zheng of Qin and King Yang Duanhe form an alliance in Kingdom Vol. 4. [Credit: VIZ Media]

At its heart, Kingdom follows the growth of Xin (sometimes written Shin), an orphan who dreams of becoming the greatest general and unifying China during the Warring States period. Writer-illustrator Yasuhisa Hara mixes real historical figures and events with fictional characters and scenes. The manga has been collected into 78 volumes.

Japanese fans can read Kingdom manga chapters in Weekly Young Jump, and Shueisha collects the chapters into the paperback volumes. For English readers, the series has official licensing with VIZ Media, which announced a North American release plan. The digital chapters have also been made available on official platforms. That means new readers can check Vol. 1 and onwards on both VIZ and the Manga PLUS app by Shueisha. 

Beyond the printed page, Kingdom has become a multi-format franchise. Studio Pierrot released six anime seasons of the manga, which have helped the series gain a wider audience. The first live-action film was Kingdom, which was released in 2019. Kingdom 2: Far and Away came out in 2022, followed by Kingdom 3: The Flame of Destiny (2023) and Kingdom 4: Return of the Great General (2024). 

Hara has previously discussed a long-term plan for the story’s arc. Plus, the recent 20th-anniversary projects underline that the author and publisher see more chapters to come. Whether you come for the warfare or the court intrigue, Vol. 78 is convincing proof that historical drama still commands Japan’s bestseller lists. 

TitleKingdomCreatorYasuhisa HaraAnime Production HouseStudio PierrotAnime ReleaseJun 4, 2012 — presentTotal Episodes155IMDb Rating8.8 / 10Where to StreamCrunchyroll

Watch all four movies of Kingdom on Netflix. You can also rent them on Prime Video and Apple TV.
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