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The Twelve Kingdoms (十二国記, Jūni Kokuki?), also known as Juuni Kokki, 12 Kokki, and Record of 12 Countries, is a Japanese fantasy series by Fuyumi Ono consisting of eleven novels and a short story collection, and a 45-episode anime series produced by Studio Pierrot in 2002. The story is loosely based on ancient Chinese mythology.

The first novel was published in Japan in 1991 and the last volume in 2001. The novels are licensed in the United States by Tokyopop and the first volume will be released in hardcover in March 2007 as part of their Pop Fiction line. The entire anime series has been released on DVD in the United States by Media Blasters.

Genre: Adventure, Drama, Fantasy

Novel

Authored by: Fuyumi Ono
Artist: Akihiro Yamada
Publisher: Kodansha
Tokyopop

Publish date: 1991
No. of volumes: 11

TV anime

Directed by: Tsuneo Kobayashi
Studio: Studio Pierrot
Network: NHK, Animax
ImaginAsian TV
GMA Network , QTV
K3

Original run: April 9, 2002 – August 30, 2003
No. of episodes: 45

Characters

Youko Nakajima (Voiced by: Aya Hisakawa (Japanese), Dorothy Elias-Fahn (English))

Youko was a 16 year-old living a fairly ordinary life as an honor student in Japan, whose primary worry is her naturally red hair. One day at school, a man named Keiki suddenly appeared and bowed at her feet, swearing loyalty to her. The school was then attacked by a giant bird, and she reluctantly accepted his protection. He gave her a sword and transports her and two of her classmates to the kingdom of Kou. She eventually learned that she was the heir to the throne of the kingdom of Kei, and although she was initially reluctant, she accepted the position through her growth in the story. Among the obstacles she faced were the king of Kou, who used her classmate Sugimoto in his effort to stop her from attaining the throne. In a later story arc, as the newly appointed queen, Youko learned of several problems in her kingdom, including a revolt in the province of Wa. Her nickname is "Sekishi" ("red child"), after her bright red hair.

Despite being a weak character to begin with, appearing very withdrawn and not wanting to do anything that would bring attention to herself; Youko eventually grows throughout the episodes (especially seen in episode 5). She grows in strength and maturity, becomes empathetic towards the people around her, thinking articulately about her actions (especially as queen) and continues to do so through towards the end of the series.

Keiki (Voiced by: Takehito Koyasu (Japanese), Kim Strauss (English))

Keiki is a kirin and the Saiho of Kei. He contacted Youko in Japan and brought her to the Twelve Kingdoms, though they were separated. Soon afterwards, he fell under a spell from Kou’s Saiho, and was forced to appear in front of a pretender to the throne of Kei. Like all Kirin, Keiki abhors violence and prefers peaceful resolutions. Keiki appears as a very quiet and unemotional type, however does have caring qualities, especially seen towards the kirin Taiki.

Rakushun (Voiced by: Kenichi Suzumura (Japanese), Jim Taggert (English))

Rakushun is a hanjyuu with the form of a rat. Though Youko was initially distrustful of him, he became her first good friend after she was taken from Japan, after managing to teach some essential skills to Yoko about life. Rakushun is proud of being a hanjyuu and is somewhat uncomfortable in his human form; Youko only learned that he could appear as a human after quite some time. He is very intelligent and knowledgeable and enrolled in the Daigaku of En. Youko wishes him to teach her about the politics and customs of the world.

Shoryu (Voiced by: Masaki Aizawa (Japanese), Lex Lang (English))

Shoryu is the king of En. Like Youko, Shoryu is a taika from feudal Japan, approximately 500 years ago. He was originally the leader of a clan, and after it was wiped out, he was taken by Enki to rule the kingdom of En. Though En was originally in terrible condition, his 500-year rule has led to an extremely calm and prosperous nation. Shoryu helped Youko by providing her with an army to retake the kingdom of Kei and rescue Keiki. As a fellow taika, Shoryu feels that he should help guide Youko in her new life.

Rokuta (Voiced by: Yamaguchi Kappei (Japanese), Dave Wittenberg (English))

As a taika from Japan, the kirin of En (or Enki) is also known as Rokuta. He was found by his nyokai after his parents abandoned him at a young age. He originally felt that humans could not rule a kingdom properly and was reluctant to choose a new king, but he felt that Shoryu truly deserved to become king of En. He assisted Youko in her journey to Kei and played a part in helping the Saiho of Tai.

Yuka Sugimoto (Voiced by: Aya Ishizu (Japanese), Kirsty Pape (English))

Yuka was one of Youko’s classmates in Japan before she was transported to Kou along with Youko and Asano. She enjoys fantasy books and was thrilled to be part of the adventure, believing that she was destined for greatness. She became extremely jealous of Youko when she found out that Youko was the "chosen one" and believed herself to be just as worthy. The king of Kou took advantage of this to convince her to fight against Youko. She later realized her mistake after making up with Youko, Youko sent her back to Japan. In the novels she is only mentioned in passing and doesn't go to the Twelve Kingdoms but remains in Hourai (Japan).

Ikuya Asano (Voiced by: Yuji Ueda (Japanese), Joshua Seth (English))

Ikuya was another one of Youko’s classmates who was transported to the kingdom of Kou. He went missing after a battle between Yuka and Youko and was not seen by either of them for some time. Asano eventually became part of a group of Shusei and worked for them as they traveled through the kingdoms. However, he was not given the ability to speak the language and the strain has taken a toll on his sanity. In the novels, Asano doesn't exist and Youko is attending an all girls school.

Taiki/Kaname Takasato/Kouri (Young Taiki voiced by: Rie Kugimiya, older Takasato voiced by: Kousuke Okano (Japanese). Both: Johnny Yong Bosch (English))

A student in Youko, Yuka and Asano's school who is in fact the lost kirin named Taiki. He's the Heina of Tai, which means an immature kirin and a Koki, or black male kirin. He's seen repeatedly in volumes four and five of the anime and referred to at times. Due to the sudden stop of the anime, Taiki's story was never finished and leaves the unresolved situation in which Rokuta is yet looking for him in Japan. In the novels, through combined efforts of the rulers and Kirins (possibly for the first time in the histories of the Twelve Kingdoms), Taiki has been retrieved and brought back to the Twelve Kingdoms.

Suzu (Voiced by: Naomi Wakabayashi (Japanese), Mela Lee (English))

Originally from Hourai, Suzu is first seen in an encounter with Taiki, whom she wished to meet because he also grew up in Hourai, but she is injured and forced away from him by his protective nyokai. Suzu was a Sen-nin serving Lady Riyou for a hundred years until she was ordered on a dangerous assignment to gather the herb Kankin from the side of Suibi Peak. She then briefly took shelter with the kindly queen of Sai until she decided to leave in search of fellow kaikyaku Youko. She boarded a ship bound for Kei where she met a boy named Seishuu who has failing eyesight, causing her to become even more desperate to find Youko so that he could be cured. After they arrive in the town of Takuhou in the prefecture of Shisui in the province of Wa in Kei, Shisui's governor Shoukou intentionally tramples the helpless Seishuu with his carriage because the boy doesn't move out of his way. The only person who stirs to help Seishuu is Youko, the disguised Queen of Kei. Seishuu's murder ignites a burning anger in Suzu that leads her to join a revolutionary group dedicated to Shoukou's downfall. And against the Queen of Kei, as all evidence shows that the Queen of Kei does nothing to stop Shoukou.

Shoukei (Voiced by: Hoko Kuwashima (Japanese), Kate Davis (English))

Shoukei was the princess of Hou, until her father's government was overthrown due to his overly strict enforcement of the law. Hundreds of thousands of his people were executed during his reign. Her father was assassinated, and her mother and the Kirin of Hou were killed right in front of Shoukei, but because she didn't know what her father had been doing, she was spared. Forced to live anonymously as a peasant, she fled Hou after her identity was discovered by townspeople angry about her father's excesses. She briefly served the queen of Kyou, but she was treatly cruelly because the queen believed her to be too proud. She decided to steal clothes and jewelry from the palace and escaped to Ryu, where she met Rakushun. She was caught by Ryu government officials with the goods she stole, but after trying in vain to blame Rakushun for her crimes she bribed her way out of trouble. Initially jealous of Youko, Shoukei comes to realize that there must be something special about the queen of Kei if she is friends with the forgiving hanjyuu. Once she arrives in Kei, she sees a man condemned to be crucified in the town of Meikaku, the capital of the Wa Province, reminding her of the brutality of her father. After throwing a rock and being chased by guards, she is saved by a young woman that Shoukei does not realize is Youko, while the condemned man is rescued by a youma acting on Youko's orders. She then joins a second group of revolutionaries in Meikaku, placing her on a path similar to that of Suzu. Shoukei often sings a song about a doll from her time as princess of Hou, until she joins with Youjo. At that time, she learns to hate the song, since she realizes that she was also a doll.

yeah, i almost lost interest in the beginning but i went ahead and wacthed it

i still need to finish it however...