The Twelve Kingdoms
Encyclopedia
is a series of light novel
s by Fuyumi Ono
. The first entry in the series ("The Shadow of the Moon, The Sea of Shadow") was published in Japan in 1991; the last volume was released in 2001. The series was published by Kodansha
and contains illustrations by Akihiro Yamada
.
The Chinese mythology
-influenced books were adapted into an animated
television series in 2002. The Studio Pierrot
production aired on Japan's NHK
from April 9, 2002 to August 30, 2003, totaling 45 episodes.
The novels were licensed in the United States by Tokyopop
and the first four volumes were released between March 2007 and November 2010 as part of their Pop Fiction line. After that, the english license reverted back to Kodansha USA. The entire anime series has been released on DVD
in the United States by Media Blasters
.
The novels focus on several characters other than Yoko, including Taiki, a timid rare black kirin
who serves the ruler of Tai, and Enki and Shouryuu, the kirin and King of En, respectively. Other major characters include Keiki, the blunt and apparently cold minister of Kei who brings Yoko to the Twelve Kingdoms; Gyousou, a general chosen by Taiki to become King of Tai; Shushou, the Queen of Kyou; Shoukei, the disposed princess of Hou, and Suzu, a peasant girl who is unexpectedly transported from Japan to the Twelve Kingdoms.
Each of the Twelve Kingdoms has a monarch and a kirin, a mythological beast who first selects, and then serves, the monarch of his or her kingdom, and can assume human form. Though only a few rulers and kirin are in the main focus of the story, many are encountered in the series and play a significant role.
. Some of the novels have been published in two volume editions such that the total number of volumes consists of eleven books.
Before she started work on Twelve Kingdoms, Fuyumi Ono wrote (September 1991, ISBN 978-4-10-124021-3), a horror novel about a boy from another world. She later worked certain events from this novel into the Twelve Kingdoms series. Short stories set in the various kingdoms include , , , and ; these stories have been collected into one volume, Kasho no Yume. One short story, , published in 1997, accompanied the drama CD for Higashi no Watatsumi, Nishi no Sōkai and remains uncollected elsewhere. In February 2008, the new Twelve Kingdoms short story, was published in Shinchosha
's Yomyom magazine, followed by in September 2009.
said in an interview with comic book news website Newsarama
that it would be publishing the novels under its "Pop Fiction" imprint. The first book was slated for release in March 2007. The first four books have been released; after the licencing rights to the series reverted back to Kodansha, the English publication status of the fifth book and onward will be dependent on Kodansha USA.
Germany published the first novel, which contains the first two Japanese volumes.
of Kei, in the role of the main character; however, in the novels, Yoko is only one of many main characters and her story is focused upon in only two novels.
The anime focuses on the Kingdom of Kei and the events surrounding it. Several of the other countries are introduced, the most prominent being Kou, En and Tai, while Kyou, Hou, Sai and Ryuu play a minor role compared to the other three. The rest of the kingdoms are only introduced by name and a brief description of the current ruler and taiho. The anime also introduced the characters Asano and Sugimoto to accompany Yoko to the Twelve Kingdoms. Their role is to externalize some of Yoko's problems that were internal in the novels.
has released in Japan two games based on Twelve Kingdoms, both produced by Takashi Shimomichi. They are Juuni Kokuki: Guren no Shirobe Koujin no Michi and Juuni Kokuki: Kakukakutaru Oudou Kouryoku no Uka. Both games contain footage from the anime and many stills of the characters are used during conversation and during battle. The games are sprite
-based, with small sprites used on-screen and larger, highly animated sprites used during battle.
Juuni Kokuki: Guren no Shirobe Koujin no Michi was released for PlayStation 2
on August 28, 2003. It follows Yoko's journey to becoming Empress of Kei. While classified as an RPG, it is often described as an adventure game. The game was re-released in Konami's The Best lineup on June 9, 2004. Yoko is capable of summoning Keiki's Shirei into battle as well as having additional party members.
Juuni Kokuki: Kakukakutaru Oudou Kouryoku no Uka was released for PlayStation 2 on April 4, 2004 and is a sequel to the first game, continuing with Yoko's problems after she becomes the Kei Empress. Game data from the first game can be loaded into the second. This game contains more RPG elements than the first with party-/menu-based battles becoming standard. Many of the event scenes are pulled from the novels but there are also scenes made just for the game.
Unofficial sites
Light novel
A is a style of Japanese novel primarily targeting junior high and high school students . The term "light novel" is a wasei-eigo, or a Japanese term formed from words in the English language. Light novels are often called or for short...
s by Fuyumi Ono
Fuyumi Ono
is a Japanese novelist who is best known for writing series, on which a popular anime is based. Her name after marriage is , but she writes under her maiden name.- Biography :...
. The first entry in the series ("The Shadow of the Moon, The Sea of Shadow") was published in Japan in 1991; the last volume was released in 2001. The series was published by Kodansha
Kodansha
, the largest Japanese publisher, produces the manga magazines Nakayoshi, Afternoon, Evening, and Weekly Shonen Magazine, as well as more literary magazines such as Gunzō, Shūkan Gendai, and the Japanese dictionary Nihongo Daijiten. The company has its headquarters in Bunkyō, Tokyo...
and contains illustrations by Akihiro Yamada
Akihiro Yamada
is a Japanese illustrator and manga artist. He was born in Kōchi, Kōchi Prefecture on the island of Shikoku in Japan, and now resides in Kyoto. Yamada is known for delicate images reminiscent of suiboku and depiction of fantasy subjects...
.
The Chinese mythology
Chinese mythology
Chinese mythology is a collection of cultural history, folktales, and religions that have been passed down in oral or written tradition. These include creation myths and legends and myths concerning the founding of Chinese culture and the Chinese state...
-influenced books were adapted into an animated
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
television series in 2002. The Studio Pierrot
Studio Pierrot
is a Japanese animation/animation studio, founded in 1979 by former employees of Tatsunoko Production. Its headquarters is located in Mitaka, Tokyo.The company has a simple logo of the face of a clown...
production aired on Japan's NHK
NHK
NHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....
from April 9, 2002 to August 30, 2003, totaling 45 episodes.
The novels were licensed in the United States by Tokyopop
Tokyopop
Tokyopop, styled TOKYOPOP, and formerly known as Mixx, is a distributor, licensor, and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa, and Western manga-style works. The existing German publishing division produces German translations of licensed Japanese properties and original English-language manga, as well...
and the first four volumes were released between March 2007 and November 2010 as part of their Pop Fiction line. After that, the english license reverted back to Kodansha USA. The entire anime series has been released on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
in the United States by Media Blasters
Media Blasters
Media Blasters is an entertainment corporation founded by John Sirabella and Sam Liebowitz, based in New York City. They are in the business of licensing, translating, and releasing to the North American market manga compilations and anime and live-action movies and television series to home-video...
.
Setting
The Twelve Kingdoms tells several stories from the world of the Twelve Kingdoms, located on several islands accessible through magic. On the islands, magic works and societies similar to classical China exist. While the inhabitants of the Twelve Kingdoms are aware of the existence of our world, the reverse is not true.Characters
One of the major stories of the series centers around a girl named Yoko Nakajima from Japan, who is suddenly transported to the world of the Twelve Kingdoms and searches for her destiny. However, neither the series nor the anime concentrates solely on Yoko, and they do tell stories of other characters. The anime uses Yoko as a framing device for telling other stories, while the novels do not.The novels focus on several characters other than Yoko, including Taiki, a timid rare black kirin
Qilin
The Qilin is a mythical hooved Chinese chimerical creature known throughout various East Asian cultures, and is said to appear with the imminent arrival or passing of a wise sage or an illustrious ruler. It is a good omen that brings rui . It is often depicted with what looks like fire all over...
who serves the ruler of Tai, and Enki and Shouryuu, the kirin and King of En, respectively. Other major characters include Keiki, the blunt and apparently cold minister of Kei who brings Yoko to the Twelve Kingdoms; Gyousou, a general chosen by Taiki to become King of Tai; Shushou, the Queen of Kyou; Shoukei, the disposed princess of Hou, and Suzu, a peasant girl who is unexpectedly transported from Japan to the Twelve Kingdoms.
Each of the Twelve Kingdoms has a monarch and a kirin, a mythological beast who first selects, and then serves, the monarch of his or her kingdom, and can assume human form. Though only a few rulers and kirin are in the main focus of the story, many are encountered in the series and play a significant role.
Publication
There are seven novels in the Twelve Kingdoms series, including one short story collection. The novels are illustrated by Akihiro YamadaAkihiro Yamada
is a Japanese illustrator and manga artist. He was born in Kōchi, Kōchi Prefecture on the island of Shikoku in Japan, and now resides in Kyoto. Yamada is known for delicate images reminiscent of suiboku and depiction of fantasy subjects...
. Some of the novels have been published in two volume editions such that the total number of volumes consists of eleven books.
| Book | Kanji title | Romaji title | Original title, literal translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Publication date | ISBN | English publication title | ||
| Summary | ||||
| 1 | 月の影 影の海 | Tsuki no Kage, Kage no Umi | "Shadow of the Moon, The Sea of Shadow" | 2 Volumes |
| June 1992 (Volume 1) July 1992 (Volume 2) |
ISBN 978-4-06-255071-0 (Volume 1) ISBN 978-4-06-255072-7 (Volume 2) |
The Twelve Kingdoms: Sea of Shadow The Twelve Kingdoms: Sea of Shadow is the first novel in The Twelve Kingdoms fantasy series written by Fuyumi Ono. The Japanese edition split the novel into two volumes, but the English edition combines them into one.... |
||
| Yoko becomes Empress of Kei. | ||||
| 2 | 風の海 迷宮の岸 | Kaze no Umi, Meikyū no Kishi | "Sea of Wind, Shore of the Labyrinth" | 2 Volumes |
| March 1993 (Volume 1) April 1993 (Volume 2) |
ISBN 978-4-06-255114-4 (Volume 1) ISBN 978-4-06-255120-5 (Volume 2) |
The Twelve Kingdoms: Sea of Wind The Twelve Kingdoms: Sea of Wind Sea of Wind is the second book in The Twelve Kingdoms fantasy series written by Fuyumi Ono.... |
||
| Taiki chooses the Emperor of Tai | ||||
| 3 | 東の海神 西の滄海 | Higashi no Watatsumi, Nishi no Sōkai | "Sea God in the East, Vast Sea in the West" | 1 Volume |
| June 1994 | ISBN 978-4-06-255168-7 | The Twelve Kingdoms: The Vast Spread of the Seas The Twelve Kingdoms: The Vast Spread of the Seas The Vast Spread of the Seas is the third book in The Twelve Kingdoms fantasy series written by Fuyumi Ono.... |
||
| The Emperor of En suppresses a rebellion. | ||||
| 4 | 風の万里 黎明の空 | Kaze no Banri, Reimei no Sora | A Thousand Miles of Wind, The Sky at Dawn | 2 Volumes |
| July 1994 (Volume 1) September 1994 (Volume 2) |
ISBN 978-4-06-255175-5 (Volume 1) ISBN 978-4-06-255178-6 (Volume 2) |
The Twelve Kingdoms: Skies of Dawn | ||
| Yoko, Suzu and Shoukei free the Wa Province in Kei | ||||
| 5 | 図南の翼 | Tonan no Tsubasa | The Aspired Wings | 1 Volume |
| February 1996 | ISBN 978-4-06-255229-5 | |||
| Shushou becomes Empress of Kyou. | ||||
| 6 | 黄昏の岸 暁の天 | Tasogare no Kishi, Akatsuki no Sora | The Shore at Twilight, The Sky at Daybreak | 2 Volumes |
| May 2001 (both volumes) | ISBN 978-4-06-255546-3 (Volume 1) ISBN 978-4-06-255550-0 (Volume 2) |
|||
| Risai meets Yoko to request help in summoning Taiki | ||||
| 7 | 華胥の幽夢 | Kasho no Yume | The Dream of Prosperity | |
| September 2001 | ISBN 978-4-06-255573-9 | |||
| Five short stories, set in Tai, Hou, Kei, Sai and Sou: "Toei" (冬栄), "Jogetsu" (乗月), "Shokan" (書簡), "Kasho" (華胥), "Kizan" (帰山) | ||||
Before she started work on Twelve Kingdoms, Fuyumi Ono wrote (September 1991, ISBN 978-4-10-124021-3), a horror novel about a boy from another world. She later worked certain events from this novel into the Twelve Kingdoms series. Short stories set in the various kingdoms include , , , and ; these stories have been collected into one volume, Kasho no Yume. One short story, , published in 1997, accompanied the drama CD for Higashi no Watatsumi, Nishi no Sōkai and remains uncollected elsewhere. In February 2008, the new Twelve Kingdoms short story, was published in Shinchosha
Shinchosha
is a publisher founded in 1896 in Japan and headquartered in Yaraichō, Shinjuku, Tokyo. Shinchosha is one of the sponsors of the Japan Fantasy Novel Award.-Monthly:* ENGINE* Foresight* nicola*Shinchō-External links:*...
's Yomyom magazine, followed by in September 2009.
U.S. release
On May 11, 2006, U.S. publisher TokyopopTokyopop
Tokyopop, styled TOKYOPOP, and formerly known as Mixx, is a distributor, licensor, and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa, and Western manga-style works. The existing German publishing division produces German translations of licensed Japanese properties and original English-language manga, as well...
said in an interview with comic book news website Newsarama
Newsarama
Newsarama is an American website that publishes news, interviews and essays about the American comic book industry.-History:Newsarama began in Summer 1995 as a series of Internet forum postings on the Prodigy comic-book message boards by fan Mike Doran. In these short messages. Doran shared...
that it would be publishing the novels under its "Pop Fiction" imprint. The first book was slated for release in March 2007. The first four books have been released; after the licencing rights to the series reverted back to Kodansha, the English publication status of the fifth book and onward will be dependent on Kodansha USA.
| Title | Publication date | ISBN | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Twelve Kingdoms: Sea of Shadow The Twelve Kingdoms: Sea of Shadow is the first novel in The Twelve Kingdoms fantasy series written by Fuyumi Ono. The Japanese edition split the novel into two volumes, but the English edition combines them into one.... |
March 2007 (Hardcover) February 2008 (Paperback) |
ISBN 978-1-59816-946-1 (hardcover) ISBN 978-1-4278-0257-6 (paperback) |
|
| The Twelve Kingdoms: Sea of Wind The Twelve Kingdoms: Sea of Wind Sea of Wind is the second book in The Twelve Kingdoms fantasy series written by Fuyumi Ono.... |
March 2008 (Hardcover) February 2009 (Paperback) |
ISBN 978-1-59816-947-8 (hardcover) ISBN 978-1-4278-0258-3 (paperback) |
|
| The Twelve Kingdoms: The Vast Spread of the Seas The Twelve Kingdoms: The Vast Spread of the Seas The Vast Spread of the Seas is the third book in The Twelve Kingdoms fantasy series written by Fuyumi Ono.... |
March 2009 (Hardcover) November 2009 (Paperback) |
ISBN 978-1-59816-948-5 (hardcover) ISBN 978-1-4278-0259-0 (paperback) |
|
| The Twelve Kingdoms: Skies of Dawn | March 2010 (Hardcover) November 2010 (Paperback) |
ISBN 978-1-59816-949-2 (hardcover) ISBN 978-1-4278-0260-6 (paperback) |
|
French release
On April, 2007, French publisher Éditions Milan started to publish the novels. All the volumes were released:| Title | Publication Date | ISBN | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Les 12 Royaumes: La mer de l'ombre
|
April 2007 (both volumes) | ISBN 978-2-7459-2045-4 (Volume 1) ISBN 978-2-7459-2460-5 (Volume 2) |
|
| Les 12 Royaumes: Le rivage du labyrinthe
|
June 2007 (both volumes) | ISBN 978-2-7459-2046-1 (Volume 1) ISBN 978-2-7459-2461-2 (Volume 2) |
|
| Les 12 Royaumes: La majesté des mers | September 2007 | ISBN 978-2-7459-2059-1 | |
| Les 12 Royaumes: Le vent de l'infini
|
June 2008 (both volumes) | ISBN 978-2-7459-2060-7 (Volume 1) ISBN 978-2-7459-2462-9 (Volume 2) |
|
| Les 12 Royaumes: Les ailes du destin | June 2008 | ISBN 978-2-7459-2061-4 | |
| Les 12 Royaumes: La rive du crépuscule
|
November 2008 (both volumes) | ISBN 978-2-7459-2062-1 (Volume 1) ISBN 978-2-7459-3177-1 (Volume 2) |
|
| Les 12 Royaumes: Le Royaume de l'Idéal | April 2009 | ISBN 978-2-7459-2063-8 | |
German release
On August, 2007, TokyopopTokyopop
Tokyopop, styled TOKYOPOP, and formerly known as Mixx, is a distributor, licensor, and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa, and Western manga-style works. The existing German publishing division produces German translations of licensed Japanese properties and original English-language manga, as well...
Germany published the first novel, which contains the first two Japanese volumes.
| Title | Publication date | ISBN | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Die Zwölf Königreiche: Der Schatten des Mondes ~ Das Meer der Schatten | August 1, 2007 | ISBN 978-3-86719-191-3 | This contains the first two Japanese volumes |
| Die Zwölf Königreiche: Das Meer des Windes ~ Am Rande des Labyrinthes | February 21, 2008 | ISBN 978-3-86719-192-0 | This contains volumes 3 & 4 of the Japanese edition |
| Die Zwölf Königreiche: Der Östliche Meeresgott ~ Das Blaue Meer im Westen | August 17, 2009 | ISBN 978-3-86719-193-7 | This contains the fifth and sixth volumes of the Japanese original |
| Die Zwölf Königreiche: Tausend Meilen des Windes ~ Himmel im Morgengrauen | April 15, 2010 | ISBN 978-3-86719-194-4 | This contains the seventh and eighth volumes of the Japanese original |
Plot
The anime casts Yoko Nakajima, a Japanese girl who is suddenly transported to another world and eventually discovers that she is the empress of the kingdomMonarchy
A monarchy is a form of government in which the office of head of state is usually held until death or abdication and is often hereditary and includes a royal house. In some cases, the monarch is elected...
of Kei, in the role of the main character; however, in the novels, Yoko is only one of many main characters and her story is focused upon in only two novels.
The anime focuses on the Kingdom of Kei and the events surrounding it. Several of the other countries are introduced, the most prominent being Kou, En and Tai, while Kyou, Hou, Sai and Ryuu play a minor role compared to the other three. The rest of the kingdoms are only introduced by name and a brief description of the current ruler and taiho. The anime also introduced the characters Asano and Sugimoto to accompany Yoko to the Twelve Kingdoms. Their role is to externalize some of Yoko's problems that were internal in the novels.
Episodes
The anime closely follows Yoko and is divided into the following parts:- "Tsuki no Kage, Kage no Umi" (Shadow of the Moon, Sea of Shadow), episodes 1-13
- Yoko travels to the world of Juuni Kokki, develops as a person and starts to embrace her new destiny.
- "?" (Shadow of the Moon, Sea of Shadow: Chapter of Recollection), episode 14
- Mostly a recap of the episodes 1-13.
- "Kaze no Umi, Meikyuu no Kishi" (Sea of Wind, Shore of the Labyrinth), episodes 15-21
- Partial story of the black Kirin, Taiki.
- "Shokan" (Correspondence), episode 22
- Yoko and Rakushun correspond by bird, and we see how they settle into their positions in Kei and En. Based on the short story .
- "Kaze no Banri, Reimei no Sora" (A Thousand Miles of Wind, The Sky at Dawn), episodes 23-39
- The story of Suzu, Shoukei, and Yoko as they struggle with a rebellion in Wa Province of Kei.
- "Jougetsu" (Ally of the Moon), episode 40
- Short closing of past events in the Kingdom of Hou. Based on the short story .
- "Higashi no Wadatsumi, Nishi no Soukai" (Sea God of the East, Vast Sea of the West), episodes 41-45
- A story from the past about the Emperor of En and his kirin, Enki suppressing a rebellion. 45 is mostly a recap of the previous four episodes.
Music
- Opening Theme - "Juunigenmukyoku"
- Composed and arranged by Kunihiko RyoKunihiko RyoKunihiko Ryo is a Korean composer, arranger, producer and pianist.He arranged the music for one of the closing themes of Dennou Keisatsu Cybercop and ending theme of Fantastic Children, and co-produced the album Continue the Revolution.He composed the music for the anime series Tegami Bachi.-Early...
- Composed and arranged by Kunihiko Ryo
- Ending Theme - "Getsumei-Fuuei"
- Lyrics by Keiko Kitagawa
- Composed and arranged by Tomohiko KiraTomohiko Kirais a Japanese guitarist who leads the band ZABADAK. He composed the original music for the 1988 cult horror film Evil Dead Trap. He also used his talent on the soundtracks of the console role-playing games Xenogears and Chrono Cross , playing the opening and ending themes on the latter...
- Performed by Mika ArisakaMika Arisakais a Japanese-American singer and vocalist. Due to her upbringing, she is bilingual and has performed in both English and Japanese. She attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. She is a member of Reggae Disco Rockers and has a solo career...
- Other music in the series was composed and arranged by Kunihiko RyoKunihiko RyoKunihiko Ryo is a Korean composer, arranger, producer and pianist.He arranged the music for one of the closing themes of Dennou Keisatsu Cybercop and ending theme of Fantastic Children, and co-produced the album Continue the Revolution.He composed the music for the anime series Tegami Bachi.-Early...
.
Animanga
Kodansha printed a fifteen-volume "animanga" series in 2002-2004 by combining images from the anime series with printed dialogue and sound effects. To date, this has been released only in Japanese.Media
KonamiKonami
is a Japanese leading developer and publisher of numerous popular and strong-selling toys, trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, slot machines, arcade cabinets and video games...
has released in Japan two games based on Twelve Kingdoms, both produced by Takashi Shimomichi. They are Juuni Kokuki: Guren no Shirobe Koujin no Michi and Juuni Kokuki: Kakukakutaru Oudou Kouryoku no Uka. Both games contain footage from the anime and many stills of the characters are used during conversation and during battle. The games are sprite
Sprite (computer graphics)
In computer graphics, a sprite is a two-dimensional image or animation that is integrated into a larger scene...
-based, with small sprites used on-screen and larger, highly animated sprites used during battle.
Juuni Kokuki: Guren no Shirobe Koujin no Michi was released for PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
on August 28, 2003. It follows Yoko's journey to becoming Empress of Kei. While classified as an RPG, it is often described as an adventure game. The game was re-released in Konami's The Best lineup on June 9, 2004. Yoko is capable of summoning Keiki's Shirei into battle as well as having additional party members.
Juuni Kokuki: Kakukakutaru Oudou Kouryoku no Uka was released for PlayStation 2 on April 4, 2004 and is a sequel to the first game, continuing with Yoko's problems after she becomes the Kei Empress. Game data from the first game can be loaded into the second. This game contains more RPG elements than the first with party-/menu-based battles becoming standard. Many of the event scenes are pulled from the novels but there are also scenes made just for the game.
See also
- List of kingdoms in Twelve Kingdoms
- List of The Twelve Kingdoms characters
External links
Official sitesUnofficial sites