Twelve Kingdoms

Alternate Titles: Juuni Kokki/十二国記

Original Japanese Release Date: April 9th, 2002

Episode Length/Run-time: 45

Summary:

High school girl Yoko Nakajima was a model Japanese high school student, living the life of a typical girl.  One day, a mysterious man, Keiki comes to her and announces that he will “never desert his post before her throne”  and if she wishes to live, she will come with him.  She is swept off to the world of the Twelve Kingdoms, a world willed with dangerous beasts, interesting cultures, mythology, and vibrant societies.  This is the tale of Yoko Nakajima and her journey to find her place in the new world she now calls home.

Review:

The Twelve Kingdoms is one of the most unique series you’ll find in any anime fans library. Because this show depicts a girl dragged into a mysterous world, it is often compared to Fushigi Yuugi.  Still, this anime couldn’t be more different.  It presents a world full of rich cultures that are incredibly detailed.  It goes so far as to explain how the kingdoms new rulers are selected, how parents pray to receive a healthy child, and much much more.  The kingdoms even have unique religion and languages.  This creates a rich setting, but viewers should be aware that this show uses a great deal of terminology to explain all of these things.  For example, a single kingdoms ruler will be referred to in three, maybe even four ways, depending on who is speaking.

The show boasts a cast of interesting characters that are deep and compelling.  Yoko Nakajima’s character transformation from a high school student into her ultimate role in the world of the Twelve Kingdoms serves as one of the most powerful character transformations to date.  The Twelve Kingdoms also boasts fantastic audio and visuals and a voice acting cast that won’t disappoint any seiyuu buff.

This anime is divided into a number of story arcs that serve as one of the shows biggest assets and defeats.  Each story arc focuses on a unique set of characters, sometimes set in different kingdoms which allows the viewer to experience a variety of situations that include rebellion, drought, trimuph, conquest, and many other interesting situations.  Even still, this show contains one story arc that ultimately gets dropped from the anime which serves as one of the most common complaints about the show.

Despite the dropped story arc, the Twelve Kingdoms is one of the greatest fantasy anime ever created.  It is an absolute must watch for any anime viewer looking for a rich viewing experience filled with excitement, culture and adventure.

[starrater]