"Kingdom: Soul's Decisive Battle": Kenshi Yonezu Sings Theme Song "Yodaka"

The fifth installment of the successful live-action "Kingdom" series is titled "Kingdom: Soul's Decisive Battle" and will hit Japanese theaters on July 17, 2026. As the film team has now announced, the theme song comes from acclaimed singer-songwriter Kenshi Yonezu. The song is titled "Yodaka" (German: nightjar) and was written specifically for the film. Simultaneously with the announcement, the studio released a new trailer and a teaser, both set to the new song.

At the center of the trailer are the main character Shin (played by Kento Yamazaki), the enigmatic strategist Riboku (Shun Oguri), and the impetuous general Mangoku (Yuki Yamada). First scenes of a direct confrontation between Shin and Riboku, as well as a fierce duel between Shin and Mangoku, are shown. The film adapts the fan-favorite "Coalition Army" story arc from the manga of the same name by Yasuhisa Hara.

Kenshi Yonezu commented in a statement: "I am very happy to be part of the 'Kingdom' film, which brings everyone together like a festival every year. I hope that Shin, who walks his path unwaveringly, will have good luck." Director Shinsuke Sato explained that the song "Yodaka" captures the sorrow and inevitable conflicts of war: "In this film, the fighters all carry the same wound, the same pain. The song expresses what cannot be resolved between good and evil." Producer Shinzo Matsuhashi revealed that the film's title was originally supposed to be "The Greatest Battle of All Time," but was changed to "Soul's Decisive Battle" after hearing the song.

The four previous films in the series have attracted over 17.34 million visitors to theaters in Japan and grossed more than 245 billion yen (about 1.5 billion euros). With "Kingdom: Soul's Decisive Battle," the team continues the epic story of Shin and the young King Ei Sei (Ryo Yoshizawa), who fight for the unification of China.