Sea of Shadow

I just finished The Twelve Kingoms: Sea of Shadow written by Fuyumi Ono, translated by Alexander O Smith and Elye J Alexander and published in the US by TOKYOPOP. I had to get this book after watching the anime. Unfortunately there are several more volumes - none of which have been published in English yet. I seem to always get myself mixed up in series that take forever to finish.

Anyway, the book goes into better explanation of the world of the Twelve Kingdoms than the anime did as one would expect. It also has no references to Sugimoto after Yoko leaves Japan or to Asano in it at all. This is fine with me since those characters were just tedious in the anime. This story deals primarily with Yoko and her coming to grips with her new role in a strange world. She starts out as a young girl who doesn't want to upset anyone - a people-pleaser. While trying to make it in her new world, she becomes disillusioned with all those around her to the point of not trusting anyone. She becomes cold and uncaring to others. Eventually she looks within herself to discover who she really wants to be and is finally able to make the hard decisions that she must.

As with anything - the book is much better than the show. It contains most of the story from the anime told in the Shadow of the Moon, Sea of the Shadow chapters. The only problem I have is how long we'll have to wait between volumes and whether or not all volumes will be published. I want to find out how it all ends - something that the anime failed to do.

I give this book a 4 out of 5.

Twelve Kingdoms - DVD Vol 10 of 10

Finally finished the Twelve kingdoms anime with the tenth volume. 45 episodes, whew, one of the longest anime I've seen. Unfortunately, it didn't end. Way too many open plot threads, the main one is the resolution of Tai's leaders and Sugimoto's role. Anyhow, it was very enjoyable and has made me get the first volume published in English. Now I must wait patiently for the rest to be published...

Twelve Kingdoms - DVD Vol 9 of 10

This volume ends the long running story arc A Great Distance in the Wind, the Sky at Dawn. There are no extras on this DVD other than previews.

The three separate stories of Yoko, Suzu and Shoukei come together with a very good resolution. I really enjoy the rich fantasy world that has developed over this anime - so much so that I went out and bought the first volume translated into English the other day by Fuyumi Ono.

I understand that the anime did not end the story since the series of novels had not been finished at the time. Hopefully I will not be too disapointed by this fact when the tenth volume arrives. I will also be looking forward to the next six books when they are published.

Twelve Kingdoms - DVD Vol 8 of 10

This volume of the Twelve Kingdoms kicks into a higher gear. We have the three main protagonists, Suzu, Shoukei and Yoko slowly drawing together. Neither Suzu or Shoukei knows what the new Queen of Kei looks like (and neither do most of the citizens of Kei). Yoko continues to learn of the curruption in her kingdom and also comes to realize that she is the cause of some of it through her ignorance. Suzu and Shoukei both flip flop independantly toward believing in the new queen and blaming her. The highly derranged Asano continues to make his presence known. Thinking that all of this is a game he teams up with the evil lord Shoukou. This thinking drives him to do some terrible things. Suzu and Shoukei find themselve in two different factions working toward the same goal. Both factions are hoping to catch the new queen's attention. Little do they know that they already have it. This DVD ends with a rather big cliffhanger.

There are no extras on this DVD other that a few previews for other anime.

Twelve Kingdoms - DVD Vol 7 of 10

Volume seven is better in that there are some intersting developments happening now. Asano is back and obviously worse for wear. Yoko has trouble understanding what she is to do as a ruler and so wants to understand the people better first. Suzu journies to find Queen Kei so that she will have someone to talk to that is sympathetic to her plight. Shoukei meets up with Rakushun and they also journey toward Kei. I like the way that things are coming together here. Also, especially with Suzu and Shoukei, I like the character development. These two start with goals that are oposite to one another and then switch their feelings toward Queen Kei. What Shoukei originally sets out to do, Suzu takes up as her goal but for a different reason. Yoko is also being plagued again by the vision from her sword.

There is still a summary episode but this one is done better in that there is still story development going on.

There are no extras on this disc other that DVD previews.

Twelve Kingdoms - DVD Vol 6 of 10

The sixth volume begins the A Great Distance in the Wind, the Sky at Dawn story arc. We basically see three stories being told at once here. One involves a girl named Suzu who came here about 100 years ago and has been serving as a handmaiden during that time under a ruthless mistress in Sai. Another deals with the daughter of a horrible king in Hou named Shoukei. Her parents were dethroned and killed and she was exiled. Yoko's story continues as well as she has her official crowning ceremony in Kei. Suzu hears of this and sees hope that she may be able to talk to her and get home. Shoukei hears of this and is filled with hatred toward her in that she's got everything that she once had.

As Yoko learns of how her kingdom works, she is faced with making decisions that will effect lives. She also must deal with the dead scabbord that begins to pull at her mind again as well.

Twelve Kingdoms - DVD Vol 5 of 10

The fifth installment of the Twelve Kingdoms is four episodes long and the extra on the disc is an interview with one of the character designers for the series. The series has now become a little tedious. The final episodes of the Sea of the Wind, Shore of the Labyrinth. We see more exposition on the life of Taiki and his chosing of a king and then more history of the world of the Twelve Kingdoms. The story line needs to start building toward something in my opinion. Maybe we'll see some of this in the next installment. Still a good story but a little lacking at this point.

Twelve Kingdoms - DVD Vol 4 of 10

The fourth installment of The Twelve Kingdoms changes tracks a little. Now that Yoko has been chosen Queen of Kei, she must travel with Keiki to Mount Hou to make it official. Once there she is treated to a story about Taiki, a kirin born in Japan. Sugimoto, now in Japan, follows a boy named Kaname Takasato and qustions him about his apparent familiarity with the Twelve Kingdoms.

This DVD spends most of its time focused on the past when Taiki was born in Japan and then brought to Mount Hou at the age of ten. The story is told to Yoko by Youka, the lady that helped teach Taiki, and Keiki who also helped.

Yoko is in this very little and most of this DVD emphasizes the differences of cultures in the two worlds. We know that Taiki left Japan at age ten and returned a year later and we also see some of the things that have happened to him in that time. The problem is that Sugimoto knows him as an older boy that doesn't seem to remember anything about being "Spirited Away". As we learn about his past and his searching for a king of Tai, we are also in the present day Japan learning about him from Sugimoto. Mostly these episodes are historical at this point but I'm sure more time will be spent with Sugimoto later.

Twelve Kingdoms - DVD Vol 3 of 10

I just finished volume three of the The Twelve Kingdoms. This four episode DVD wraps up the first segment of the story: Shadow of the Moon, Sea of the Shadow. I have been pleased so far with the story. I have always appreciated it when writers are able to build a world that has it's own rules and laws and can do so believably and with a depth of history. This is also one of the main reasons I liked Banner of the Stars so well. I also find myself liking the characters in this story so far. Yoko makes some tough decisions taking on responsibilities that will cause her to miss her old life while Sugimoto also grows up some.

The only problem I have is with episode 13. The explanation for the hunting down of Joei is done too quickly and we don't get to see exactly why Yoko feels as she does at the end of the episode when she's talking to Sugimoto.

Also, episode 14 is a filler episode in which Yoko and Rakushun talk about the events that have happened in the previous 13. If I were watching these weekly as they were broadcast then that would be fine but, watching them on DVD in succession made this a redundant story. It did put all of the information we've learned so far about the Twelve Kingdoms together in a nice neat package though.

I should have the next DVD arriving soon and can't wait to see how the next segment, Sea of the Wind, Shore of the Labyrinth, will turn out and who that mysterious boy that Sugimoto met back in Japan is.

Twelve Kingdoms - DVD Vol 2 of 10

I just finished the 2nd DVD of The Twelve Kingdoms - Empress.  I have enjoyed the story so far, it has a real epic feel to it (as I supposed it should being 45 episodes long). This DVD contains episodes six through ten. I rented these from NetFlix because I wanted to get into a long episodic anime.  Anime News Network has these rated very high also.

These episodes start out with the survival of Yoko after Sugimoto beats her in combat.  Kourin stopped her from killing her.  She's lost Asano in the conflict and finds herself nursed to health by a giant rat named Rakushun.  He tells her she needs to get out of Kou and into the kingdom of En.  They set out together.

On the journey, Yoko is plagued by visions from Aozaru who continues to cause her doubts and fears to take over.  She finally overcomes this to make her way to En with a troop of entertainers.  Once there she meets up with Rakushun again and, with the help of a local teacher, a kaikayu, gets more information on the world in which she's found herself.  She is introduced to King En who believes that she is the rightful queen of Kei.

These episodes do a good job of keeping you entertained and at the same time answering just enough questions to make you want more. The history and setup of the 12 kingdoms is interesting.  They are apparently based on some Han-era Chinese mythology that I know very little about.

There is also a lot of character development in these episodes as we see a swing from selfish, evil Sugimoto back to a somewhat sympathetic charcter and then to a hopeless, honor bound lackey for King Kou. Yoko also follows the prodings of her visions to become a non-caring person out for her own survival into a caring and compassionate person who wants to believe in people because that's her choice.

I am calmly awaiting the next installment.