The Twelve Kingdoms Forum

Just in case anyone is wondering what this is about, here's some links:
http://www.otyaku.com/animeObserver/index.php
Complete translation for "Tasogare no Kishi, Akatsuki no Sora" vol 1:
http://www.otyaku.com/animeObserver/TKAS/TKAS_menu.htm

Hopefully it won't take too long for the author to pick ...

For characters in a long-running series, they normally have some kind of character growth. In a lot of series, this is often about becoming "stronger" - skill, determination, power and so on. But it's pretty rare for a character to change fundamentally.

Across the novels, Youko does become mentally ...

Though this thread is more about views of Juuni Kokki outside Japan, I thought this might be of interest:
http://aeug.blogspot.com/2005_09_01_aeug_archive.html#112749516511874971

Basically a top 100 anime of *all time* according to a survey TV Asahi did, interviewing Japanese people.

The Twelve ...

That's strange, then, since the kanji is definitely "ten" and not "sora," and my dictionary doesn't list "sora" as a pronunciation for it. Ten can mean "heavens" or "sky," while "sora" just means "sky."

But who am I to argue with furigana?


If you read enough Japanese, you eventually come across ...

In reverse order...

Note that at the end, the graves are now surrounded by a carpet of flowers. If you look at the earlier episodes, the ground is very barren and dusty. The obvious conclusion is that this is Tentei strongly approving of Youko's rule (now).

For the audiance with the minsters ...

Youko's speach was about earning respect (instead of demanding it) and specifically, that the current style of grovelling on the ground will be forbidden except in special cases (cerimonial, diplomatic...). Basically, she thinks the current situation is too stiff and formal and too humiliating - it ...

I'm pretty sure this has been mentioned before, but the first main story arc of the "new" series is set in En 500-ish years ago - ie En-ou and Enki (Shouryuu and Rokuta) are the main characters.

Ep 40 (which I've seen untraslated) continues after ep 39, and it looks like from ep 41+ it'll be ...

Shoukou gives up because he's been proven wrong. He thought that the logic of the world was messed up - Tentei choosing Youko (a Kaikyaku) as empress couldn't possibly be right, and since he wasn't getting "divine retribution" for committing all those attrocities, obviously the heavens weren't ...

I think Rakushun with a sword would look pretty silly. Anyway, he's a "the pen is mightier than the sword" type. Anyone want to make some bets on Rakushun Vs Enho...? :)

We have a cool last scene with Youko smiling while holding up a sword and saying "It can kill [an immortal]". Very nice. That's ...

For "what next for the 3 divas":

Youko's going to have a much better idea of what she needs to do in the short term and long term (from her perspective). First thing on the menu would be some spring cleaning for the bad apples in government, maybe some new laws (or even some original ideas and ...

Besides this though, anyone else gets the feeling that Kantai is the bear-half-beast? I also recollect when Koukan was said to have gone missing after he was attacked, they showed a scene (quickly flashed) where a carriage (I assume it was the one he was riding in) had claw marks on the side ...

I was re-watching ep 1 recently. Wow, Youko is so different then. Okay, she changes somewhat in how she comes across within a few episodes, but it's quite interesting just how much she changes. I wonder how much she is going to actually change going forwards (rather than simply her acting for the ...

Some more comments:

Yeah, the sword-fight with Youko at the beginning was cool. Great episode, though sad.

I've been trying to figure out who Sonshou's saviour is - the too strong guy who can also talk with Mr Twitchy (Asano). He doesn't seem to have a Hinman, though that seems like the most ...

Ouch, that's torn it. Sonshou was talking about trying to get the attention of the Empress to make her see what's going on, but she already knows... but now Youko is majorly pissed off. If her enemies weren't such a bunch of bastards, I might feel sorry for them.

I wonder if Youko is going be able ...

It's a bit late, but I'd just like to say - thanks for all the replies.

I think the most likely case is that Enki had some kind of premonition of what would happen to Youko, rather than she has a "killer" personality. At the beginning of the series, Youko is having dreams which seem like ...

Let's see...

Sonshou = Miss blue hair's original name
Shoukei = more like a nick-name (jewel of the palace)
Gyokuyou = her "new" name when she entered the rike


PS It's rather more common in Japanese culture (dunno about Chinese) to change your name. So you might have a child name, a coming of age ...

btw, I was just re-watching ep 30...

I noticed Rakushun called the Suugu "Tama".

Tama is a "typical" name for a kitty-cat! I dunno if that was meant as a joke, but I laughed out loud at it

I think it's much too early to say what effect Seishuu's death will have on Suzu. It's fairly logical to assume that she'll get better by the end of the current story arc, but I think this one goes up to episode 39, so there's still a long way to go.

His words while he was living certainly has had ...

As we learn in episode 29, the population (of Kei with an emperor) can manage by themselves. Not great, but okay. So the emperor doesn't have to go to huge lengths to have a "successful" country. A poor emperor can do more harm than good with poor policies. Even neglect is not necessarily a problem ...

4) she could change her personality so that she has a character type that doesn't care about what other people think. (Youko the delinquent)

5) Move to a different country


She picked the last one, or rather, it was forced on her

In ep1 when Youko happens to meet Enki, he says she has the "scent of blood".

I don't remember seeing something that clarifies what he meant by that. Any ideas? If all (potential) emperors have that "scent" (ouki - ie aura of the emperor?), why didn't Enki do anything then?

Maybe it applies to ...

With regards to Fushigi Yuugi, one interesting point is that the original (manga) started in 1995, while the JK novels started in 1992!

I got tired of FY after about 20 episodes. Too much shojo melodrama for my tastes. With JK, I eagerly await every single episode and was overjoyed to hear that ...

I think trying to summarise 10-15 episodes with just one phrase is a little overkill in some ways, but it does help you focus on the story from a higher level I guess.

The best I can think of for the 2nd arc is "your place in the world".

It seems to me that Taiki's main problem is he doesn't fully ...

Of course Rakushun is a loony! He thinks he's Yogi Bear - walks around naked all the time just wearing a tie (well scarf)


Just kidding!

Well, prospective parents need to pray to Tentei at a Riboku. Doesn't seem like it's quick and easy to get a kid - requires effort. So, any children are your children - no "biological" tie but certainly is an emotional tie.