The Twelve Kingdoms

Youko Nakagima's story begins simply enough when a strange blond man called Keiki tells her "I swear never to desert my post before your throne," and asks her to accept this. Initially a schoolgirl who goes along to get along, her character slowly grows into a figure of confidence and strength. Wisked away to another world, bereft of all protection except a sword and a skill-giving spirit called a hinman, Youko struggles to survive in a kingdom hostile to her very existence. Tormented by a taunting spirit monkey, Youko has difficulty even maintaining her sanity. She wonders what has become of Keiki, who seems to have deserted her, and if she will ever encounter anyone from her new world who is friendly to her.

The story of Shouryuu the King of En and the thus far incomplete story of the black kirin Taiki are also included in this 45 episode series.

Just rewatched it after 15 years - gosh! I took a break in watching anime, okay? ;) -, and even by todays' standards, I think, it's a very good one. It was my favorite back then and it is now still.

Yes, the age shows, the art is not as catchy, there are more stills, grand battles portrayed in small perspectives, but still, if you get involved in the world and the story, none of that will matter (the backgrounds, the buildings, the towns, the interiors, the clothes are pretty detailed). It does not have that retro anime look which prevents me rewatching many older shows, the soundtrack is epic and the English dub is acceptable (not as great as English voice talent work these days, but it's ok. You might want to listen this in Japanese.)

So about the story. First of all, Twelve Kingdoms is hardcore fantasy, there is not a single mistep in that. No boobies, no panties, no cute girls (nah, that's not true), no yummy foods, no comedy, no laughing, just blood, struggle and suffering, you can be sure about that. It is compensated by large scale world building, epic storytelling, serious dialogs, catharsis and fulfillment; the ending is one of the greatest I have ever seen, every sentence has its own weight supported by the whole story built up until then.

There is a huge collection of manga behind it and the main arc is about Youko Nakajima's detailed transformation from schoolgirl to queen. It happens in the first 39 episodes, minus those few in the middle which is about the black kirin, Taiki. (Kirins are mythical animals choosing kings and spiritually connecting with them.) Those episodes can be skipped, but you either won't make it that far or will be so involved, that you won't skip those anyway since those episodes add some more details to the world. (Youko is a bit lost in the beginning, but bear with it, she will become a godess in the end.)

What makes it interesting about Youko's journey is first the world which is very detailed, think about historic China, and well thought out with lots of lore. Secondarily and most importantly, the fact that she has to earn the throne twice. Because there is a big difference between getting the title and earning it. First she gets the throne formally and later she becomes worthy of it. "Because nobody is given anything without responsibility and if they were, that would be wrong." as Rakushun points out, who is by far the best character I have ever encountered in any anime or other medium for the matter. (Yes, he is the rat in my avatar and he becomes Youko's best friend and mentor somewhere around episode 6.)

In the second part of Youko's adventure there are two other character arcs, not as big than Youko's, but still interesting and deep, just to shake things up a little, and all these arcs culminate nicely at the end, which is episode 39 in fact. (There are six more episodes after that, but those are forgottable.)

This is my all time favourite anime. Would be nice to see a real life adaptation, but probably would never happen.

After i bought anime series like inuyasha, witch hunter robin and cowboy bebop and watched a few others on TV, by fluke i stumbled upon twelve kingdoms anime series. while cowboy bebop is a classic, twelve kingdoms it is the best anime i have seen so far. i was so sad when 45th episode rolled around. i was so addicted and just wanted more. needles to say i watched for 3 straight days and nights since i just could not stop. could compare to lord of the rings. not sure why marketing people don't advertise this type of quality of anime to a wider audience. it is a gem and i am sure all those hordes of lord of the rings fans would swallow this one as well.

I absolutely lost myself and also found some parts of myself in this anime. Truly brilliant. Only if you love adventures and politics of leadership and beautiful friendships. Check it out man.. be your own self.

What particular qualities make a human being worthy of power? What particular qualities make a human being worthy of life? Can a person who is morally righteous and good be at the same time incompetent in leadership?

One of the many strengths of Juuni Kokki is how it spends much of its time answering these questions. Throughout the show, these questions are not only addressed, but are tackled with exuberance. The end result is a philosophical commentary that is unexpectedly perceptive and interesting in its analysis.

Another major point in Juuni Kokki's favor lies in its absolutely fantastic character development. At the beginning of the show, Youko (no, not "Yoko" like many people here are spelling it) is almost irritatingly pathetic. Self-centered and vulnerable, one has trouble finding any redeeming characteristics whatsoever. Gradually, however, this changes completely. By the end of the show, Youko has transformed into a wonderful human being, a person qualified to rule an entire country. Other characters, as well, undergo a similar metamorphosis. Though initially selfish, unworthy and detestable, all of them are eventually tempered into superior beings. Seeing these characters find their courage, wisdom and morality in the face of overwhelming adversity is one of the most rewarding processes that I have ever experienced.

Finally, there is a lot to be said about Juuni Kokki's overarching storyline. Though the plot initially appears to be very similar to Inu Yasha or Fushigi Yuugi, it soon changes into something completely different from either of the other two. The plot then grows and grows in complexity and depth, and ultimately achieves truly epic proportions. Not since Crest of the Stars have I seen a narrative so satisfyingly intricate and intelligent.

Though admittedly not as good as its story and characters, Juuni Kokki's animation and sound are nonetheless quite commendable. The animation hosts a very nice and fluid feel, resembling the animation styles of Record of Lodoss War and 3x3 Eyes. The character designs are all definitely above average; I especially liked Youko's design change early on in the series. In terms of music, the traditional arrangement of violins and wind pipes really works well with the overall mood of the show.

In fact, the only perceivable weakness of the anime lies in the fact that it will be a very, very long time before the U.S can see the entirety of the show. Production has ceased at episode 45, and doesn't look like it will continue for some time. However, this is less of a fault then one would think. Episode 39 is a very nice place to stop; nearly all of the plot lines are resolved at that point.

Still, whether you decide to watch Juuni Kokki now or later, make SURE that you eventually see it. With its practically unsurpassed storyline and characters, Juuni Kokki stands as one of my favorite animes of all time.