The weight of a glaive isn't just about the props or the CGI. When you're watching Kingdom 4: Return of the Great General, you're feeling the culmination of years of momentum. This isn't just another sequel. It’s the climax of the Bayou arc, the moment where the "General" in the title finally takes center stage. To get this right, director Shinsuke Sato couldn't just rely on the familiar faces we've seen since the first film dropped in 2019. He needed legends.
Honestly, the cast of Kingdom 4: Return of the Great General is perhaps the most balanced ensemble in the entire franchise so far. You have the returning young bloods who have finally found their rhythm, but the movie is anchored—almost entirely—by the presence of the veteran actors playing the "monsters" of the Warring States period. If the casting for Ouki or Houken had missed by even an inch, the whole emotional payoff of this film would have crumbled.
It didn't.
The Core Trio: Shin, Ei Sei, and Karyo Ten
Kento Yamazaki returns as Shin. At this point, Yamazaki has lived in this character's skin for over half a decade. In this fourth installment, you can see a physical shift in his performance. He's less of the frantic, screaming slave-boy and more of a commander who actually understands the burden of the men following him. His chemistry with the Hi Shin Unit is palpable. He’s the heart, but he’s no longer the only person carrying the narrative load.
Then there’s Ryo Yoshizawa. He’s doing double duty—or at least he was—as Ei Sei. In Return of the Great General, his role is more about the political weight back at the capital, providing the philosophical "why" behind the carnage on the battlefield. It’s a quiet, regal performance that balances out the mud and blood of the front lines.
And we can't forget Kanna Hashimoto as Karyo Ten. While her role in this specific arc is often debated by manga purists for how much screen time she gets versus her tactical contributions, Hashimoto brings a necessary grounding element. She represents the audience's perspective—the one watching the legends move across the board with a mix of awe and terror.
The Titan: Takao Osawa as Ouki
Let’s be real for a second. The cast of Kingdom 4: Return of the Great General is essentially "The Takao Osawa Show."
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Playing Ouki is a death trap for most actors. The character is flamboyant, has those iconic massive lips, a strange laugh ("Nfu"), and a physical presence that should be impossible to replicate in live action. Osawa didn't just put on a prosthetic; he transformed his entire physique. Again. For this fourth film, reports from the Japanese production side suggested he pushed his training even further to match the sheer scale of the duel with Houken.
When he sits on that horse, he doesn't look like an actor in a costume. He looks like a historical monument. His performance captures that weird duality of Ouki—the terrifying "Monstrous Bird of Qin" who can cleave men in half, and the sophisticated mentor who sees the "view" of a Great General.
The Antagonists: Enter the Bushin
The biggest addition to the cast of Kingdom 4: Return of the Great General is Koji Kikkawa as Houken.
Kikkawa is a casting masterstroke. He has this weathered, otherworldly look that fits a man who claims to be a "God of War." He doesn't say much. He doesn't need to. In the manga, Houken is a force of nature, almost a slasher-movie villain dropped into a war epic. Kikkawa brings a stillness to the role that makes the sudden explosions of violence much more jarring.
Then you have Riboku, played by Shun Oguri. If you follow Japanese cinema, Oguri is a titan. Putting him in the role of the master strategist Riboku was a statement of intent by the producers. Riboku is the true foil to the Qin kingdom, a man who matches Ouki’s legend with pure intellect. Oguri plays him with a chilling, polite confidence. He isn't twirling a mustache; he’s just smarter than everyone else in the room, and he knows it.
Other Key Players in the Zhao Invasion
- Yuki Yamada as Wanji: He brings a visceral, jagged energy to the screen. Wanji is a character defined by hatred—specifically the trauma of the Chouhei massacre—and Yamada plays him with a frantic, terrifying edge.
- Anne Watanabe as Kyou: Seen primarily in the crucial flashbacks that define Ouki's past. Her presence is vital because it humanizes the "Monstrous Bird." Without the chemistry between her and Osawa, the stakes of the final battle wouldn't feel personal.
Why This Cast Works Better Than Previous Entries
The first Kingdom movie was a gamble. The second and third were expansions. But the fourth film feels like a heavy-weight bout.
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The reason the cast of Kingdom 4: Return of the Great General feels so distinct is the shift in power dynamics. In the previous films, Shin was always the underdog trying to prove himself. Here, the veterans take over. We get to see Nana Seino as Kyou Kai—who is arguably the best martial arts performer in the series—taking a bit of a back seat so that the "Great Generals" can remind the audience why they are the ones who define the era.
Seino’s movement remains a highlight. Her "Dance of Death" choreography is some of the most fluid swordplay seen in modern Japanese cinema, avoiding the choppy editing that plagues many Western action films.
Behind the Scenes: The Directorial Vision
Shinsuke Sato is the quiet MVP here. He’s the guy who directed Alice in Borderland, and he knows how to handle large-scale ensemble casts. Keeping the cast of Kingdom 4: Return of the Great General focused is no small feat when you have thousands of extras and massive set pieces.
He treats the actors like pieces of a moving painting. He’s gone on record saying that for this film, the "Return" isn't just about a character coming back to the field; it’s about the return of a certain style of epic filmmaking that relies on the actors' physical presence rather than just green screens.
Facing the Critics: Is the Casting Too "Anime"?
One common critique of the Kingdom series is that the characters are too heightened. Ouki's laugh, Shin's constant shouting—it’s very "manga."
However, looking at the cast of Kingdom 4: Return of the Great General, there’s a deliberate choice to lean into that. They aren't trying to make a gritty, realistic historical documentary. They are making a Saga. If Takao Osawa played Ouki with "realistic" subtlety, the character would vanish. The cast understands the assignment: be larger than life, because the themes of the story—destiny, the unification of a continent, the dreams of the fallen—are too big for "quiet" acting.
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What to Watch For
When you sit down to watch, pay attention to the eyes. Specifically, the scenes where Shin watches Ouki from a distance. Yamazaki’s ability to play "awe" is what makes the transition of the mantle work.
Also, watch for the subtle work of Masaya Kato as Shoumou. He’s another "monster" general who provides a physical hurdle for Shin. It's these smaller roles that fill out the world. The cast of Kingdom 4: Return of the Great General isn't just the names on the poster; it’s the dozens of character actors playing the commanders and lieutenants who make the Zhao army feel like an actual threat.
Practical Steps for Fans
If you want to fully appreciate what the cast of Kingdom 4: Return of the Great General has achieved, don't just jump into this one.
- Re-watch the flashback in Movie 3: You need the context of the "Longhei" tragedy to understand why the Zhao generals are so incredibly vengeful.
- Look for the "Making Of" footage: Seeing Takao Osawa’s physical transformation in the gym gives you a whole new respect for his dedication to the role of Ouki.
- Check out the Manga (Volumes 11-16): Compare how Koji Kikkawa interprets Houken’s "silence" compared to the page. It’s a masterclass in adaptation.
- Follow the Japanese Box Office: This film outperformed its predecessors for a reason. The star power of Oguri and Kikkawa brought in a demographic that doesn't usually watch "manga movies."
The film serves as the definitive end to one era of Kingdom and the start of another. With this cast, the franchise has moved from a "fun action flick" to a genuine epic.
By the time the credits roll, you’ll realize that the cast of Kingdom 4: Return of the Great General didn't just play characters. They inhabited a legend. The stakes for whatever comes next—likely the Sanyou arc or the Coalition War—are now sky-high because the bar for "General-level" acting has been set by Osawa and Oguri.
Watch the film on the biggest screen possible. The scale of these performances deserves nothing less.