We Four Kings...

Basara is one of my favorite mangas of all time…But old fandom is old and so few are around to fangirl with me CRY MOAR. Won't stop me from making fanart, tho. This was a piece I had been thinking of doing for some time, but chatting with Alycat (the only other Basara fan I know, and the one who gave me great reference pics...thanks!) made me hop right on it.

This is a portrait of the Four Kings who rule under the main king, Lord Ukon. Ukon's family makes Fire Nation royalty look like th Brady Bunch. Here are my takes on them!

Red King: Shuri reminds me of Zuko in that he’s brash, short-tempered, a badass fighter, and someone you want to occasionally smack upside the head. But that’s about where the similarities end. From there on, this guy is about the anti-thesis of Zuko. Daddy hates him and wants him dead and leaves him to rule over a shit-streak of a city in the middle of a goddamn dessert? Shuri gives his dad the finger, proceeds to build one of the most prosperous, envied cities in Japan, and makes plans to take over the rest of the country. Siblings are manipulative and want him miserable and/or dead? Shuri either steers clear, tries to out-weasel them, or attempts to throttle them on the spot (especially the latter, if it’s Asagi). The universe hates him, yanks the rug out from under his feet and leaves him with nothing? Whatever, just let him brush himself off and he’ll get right back on track. The guy knows what he wants, does whatever it takes to get what he wants, and if you threaten him, his rule, or the people he cares about you better watch it!

Unless you’re Sarasa, and then he's like "HAI BB!! ^3^" Oy...9_9;

(Also, he has THE coolest underlings. No wonder Tatara can’t win!)


Blue King: Asagi is my favorite character in Basara, aside from Ageha (but who DOESN’T love Ageha?). He’s the only character I know who makes me shriek “You little SHIT!” all the while eagerly anticipating his next appearance. Asagi is the guy you love to hate and hate to love. He reminds me of Azula in that he’s a cold, manipulative liar who wants nothing more than to see his brother (Shuri) suffer. Even if he is sickly and disdains physical work, this guy is a pimp with a sword and a master at moving everyone and everything around him to his advantage. Watching his character growth is fascinating—especially the way he squirms in discomfort at his growing connection with Sarasa, hehe.

Here's a good article on him, but SPOILERS LIEK WHOA: [link]


White King: There are a lot of nasty characters in Basara, but the White King is in a class all her own. Oh, sure, she looks so beautiful and fragile, but Lady Ginko gives most other villains a run for their money in terms of sheer wickedness. Unlike the other villains, who are motivated by greed, ambition, principle, or fear, the White King is fueled by sheer HATE. I didn’t think you could cram so much rage and hatred into one person, but she does it, and not without losing a little sanity in the process too. But then again, if you had gone through what she had, I imagine you’d probably be the same. She’s out on a rampage of pure destruction, and I pity the foo' who gets in her way, coz she doesn’t pull punches when it comes to viciousness, treachery, and the ability to mindf*ck a person senseless.

Also, she has an elite core of transvestite super ninjas. No, really.


Black King: After hearing about the fearsome brute strength and ruthlessness he possessed, seeing his thumbs up policy on slavery, visiting the prisons within his territory (which have a…ahem…very low survival rate… ) and meeting the seriously hardcore badass group of rebels that had been trying for YEARS to take him down with no success…I had expected more. The Black King was the only REAL dissapointment in the entire manga. I mean, we see more of his wife, his concubine, and his body double than we do of him! What a let down! He could have been SO COOL! But alas, men with beards never live long in this manga. That’s okay, he’ll always be an unstoppable juggernaut in my book.



I had to fudge a lot on this picture in terms of costumes, on account clothes change frequently and clothing in Basara is a weird mix of Japanese, Chinese, and Western. 9_6;; Hope ya like anyway!