The Twelve Kingdoms
The Twelve Kingdoms (Japanese十二国记June Kokuki, literally: " The records of the twelve countries ") is an unfinished Light Novel series ( illustrated novels ) by Fuyumi Ono (小野 不由 美) with illustrations by Akihiro Yamada. It includes six novels and a collection of short stories that were published between 1991 and 2001 by Kodansha. Studio Pierrot continued the series at an anime with 45 episodes, aired in Japan between April 9, 2002 and 30 August 2003 NHK. In addition, the series served as a template for two PlayStation 2 games that were released by Konami in 2003 and 2004, for a now adjusted online role-playing game, and for some radio plays.
Action
The high school student Yōko is a very insecure girl trying to get along with each as much as possible. Lately, it is increasingly plagued by nightmares that leave her no peace. One day appeared a strangely dressed man named Keiki in the classroom on, calls Yōko " the One " and asks her to come with him to a safer place, as it was being followed. He urges Yōko to hurry, kneels before her, offering her his protection and his soul and asks them to accept. Totally surprised Yōko accepted. Shortly thereafter, appears a bird-like monsters, before they flee to the school roof. There they meet Yuka and Asano, two schoolmates Yoko. When it comes to the fight with the " bird", Keiki Yōko is a special sword and " inspired " them with a kind of "spirit", which is able to defeat the monster Yōko. Finally takes Keiki Yōko and their comrades, of which she does not want to separate, through some kind of dimensional swirls with in his and, as he claims, even Yoko's world. There they separated shortly after the arrival of Keiki and it starts a complex history in the land of the " 12 Kingdoms".
Novels and short stories
Precursor of the The Twelve Kingdoms was the horror novel masho no Ko (魔性 の 子, literally demonic child), who appeared in Shinchosha on 25 September 1991. This is about a boy ( Taiki ), who comes from another world in modern Japan. Some events of this novel have also been adopted in the following series of novels.
June Kokuki consists of six novels and a short story collection. The first publication took place from June 20, 1992 instead of September 5, 2001 at the imprint Kodansha X Bunkoban and consisted of 11 novel volumes, as individual novels were published in two parts. These were illustrated by Akihiro Yamada. From 15 January 2000 to 15 July 2001 Second publication was made without the illustrations imprint Kodansha Bunkoban in 9 volumes. Since 1 July 2012, a re-release in Shinchosha appears, starting with masho no Ko and the two-part first novel.
The series, however, is how the anime officially not yet complete. In Japan, the novels sold ( as of 2007) more than eight million copies.
From August 2007 to April 2010, the first four novels were published in The Twelve Kingdoms Tokyopop under the name. Translators are Heike Boudalfa and Kimiko Nakayama Ziegler.
- The shadow of the moon. The Sea of Shadow (月 の 影影 の 海, Tsuki no Kage Kage no Umi. ): Yōko is Empress of the country Kei.
- The sea of the wind. On the edge of the maze (風 の 海 迷宮 の 岸, Kaze no Umi Meikyu no Kishi. ): Taiki chooses the Emperor of the country Tai.
- The Eastern sea god. The Blue Sea in the west (東 の 海神 西 の 滄海, Higashi no Watatsumi Nishi no SOKAI. ): Plays chronologically before the other novels. Shoryu, the emperor of the country En, suppressed a rebellion.
- One thousand miles of the wind. Sky at dawn (風 の 万里 黎明 の 空, Kaze no Banri Reimei no Sora. ): Yōko, Suzu and shōkei rid the province Wa Kei.
- Tonan no Tsubasa (図南 の 翼): shusho is Empress of the country Kyō.
- Tasogare no Kishi. Akatsuki no Sora (黄昏 の 岸暁 の 天, literally. Coastline at dusk sky at dawn ): Risai meets Yōko for help in summoning Taiki to ask.
- Kasho no Yume (華胥 の 幽 夢, literally Kashos dream ): Various short stories that play in the countries Tai, Hō, Kei, Sai and Sō. Toei (冬 栄)
- Jōgetsu (乘 月)
- Shokan (书简)
- Kasho (华 胥)
- Kizan (帰 山)
Anime
The anime is based on the multi-volume series of novels. However, since this is very long and complex, multiple storylines are in the anime began but cut with discontinuance of the serial episode at 45, but not all are resolved. The plot focuses on Yoko's history.
The anime filmed the following novels and short stories:
- Follow 1-14: Tsuki no Kage, Kage no Umi (Eng. moon shadow, shadow sea )
- Follow 15-21: Kaze no Umi, Meikyu no Kishi (German Sea of Wind, Shore of the Labyrinth )
- Episode 22: Shokan
- Follow 23-39: Kaze no Banri, Reimei no Sora (German wind from afar, sky at dawn )
- Episode 40: Jōgetsu
- Follow 41-45: Higashi no Watatsumi, Nishi no SOKAI (German god of the seas of the East, Ocean of the West)
In Germany the Anime Anime Virtual was unsynchronized with German subtitles on five double - DVDs than 12 Kingdoms - Juuni Kokki published.