Discuss about anything related to the Twelve Kingdoms, also known as 十二国記, Juuni Kokki or Jūni Kokuki. Talk about the novels, the anime, the writer Fuyumi Ono or illustrator Akihiro Yamada, but beware for spoilers!
Well, I just finished watching the series recently and I need to get something off my chest. My question is, what was Asano's purpose for being in the "other" world? It really saddened me when Asano died for few reasons. I mean, compared to Youko and Sugimoto, he really didn't belong there. Youko was destined to be the queen so she had a reason for being there, Sugimoto actually asks Keiki to take her to his world but Asano, from the beginning, didn't want to go into the other world. The one person out of the three friends who didn't "belong" in the other world is the one that dies and I found it to be rather depressing. He could've lived a normal life if Youko hadn't asked Keiki to bring him.
Only purpose, from what I saw, he served was to help Youko realize what kind of country she would make. Even though that might be a good reason, he didn't know this as he was dying.
Also, another question: Why was he smiling when he had died?
I guess it's sad because I actually wanted all three of them to go back home at the end. :b
The character Asano and Sugimoto was added to help build the character of Nakajima before he went to EN. If they follow the book's version of the story, it whole story will just focus on Nakajima alone (too much flashback) which is very hard and dare say boring for the viewers to follow.
Asano also act a character that connects main characters together in the Wa State uprising rather than separate stories running separately like in The Lord Of The Rings.
carmolita wrote:he was smiling (just my opinion ) because he found his purpose ..why, he was there and was happy he was able to help before he died..
That's what I didn't get.. He didn't know that his message was going to get through or if the battle was going to be successful since he died (or was unconscious at that point and died later on) in the middle of it.
I still don't know why he had to die, though. They could've just sent him back to his home world and there, and end of story. Or better yet, send him back home, give him amnesia like Taiki when he was sent back and forget his character all together. Ehh, I know I'm stretching this but it was just the most depressing part in the anime for me. He had a life back home and he was probably happier there, too. Then he goes to the other world, goes psycho and later dies. It's just so unfair.
Two possible reason, one is to stress the degrading experience and the fear while kowtow to a tryant. It makes the person doing inferior and even you want to rise up, you have pay it with your life.
Another is to bring home the reason for Nakajima to ban kowtow is to see how the practice turn a once normal guy like Asano into a pitiful person. It also bring the person being kowtow a superiority complex and in Nakajima case, make her feel disconnected with anyone she contacts (since everyone kowtow while speaking to her).
Asano's death bring a more stronger message than rather he lived and goes back home happy. It's makes the viewer relate to why Nakajima wants to abolish kowtow and actually agrees with it.
Maybe he realized his own foolishness, running all the time, puting blame to the others, not even trying to get along in the new world, not trying to understand anything at all. Was he unable to understand his situation or he just didn't want to? Or maybe it occured to him what Youko was doing and why.
I think he smiled partially because he was glad that finally he didn't have to, and didn't, play by their rules, grovelling and being bullied, even though that cost him his life. In a sense, he regained his self-respect and maybe that's why he died with a smile on his face.
The reason he was smiling is because if you remember after he was stabbed the reinforcements that he was going to retrive actually were going to make it in time. I believe his "smile" is him being relieved that in the "world" he played his part.
cmonster wrote:My question is, what was Asano's purpose for being in the "other" world?
I feel that this was one of the bigger ironies of this series. Someone already mentioned the real reason Asano is in the series above, but how he was incorporated in the storyline was quite brilliant to me.
I guess it's sad because I actually wanted all three of them to go back home at the end. :b
I never got this feeling at the end, though that's because of my own meaning of "home" is probably different.
In this case, I can highly identify with Youko, as I never had an easy childhood at home. If I was having troubles at school, home was never a place that I could "escape" to. Back in my teens, it was the only home I had. A decade later, I can't stand to be there, even for just a visit. Now my home is the bedroom of the house I share with my sister. Home is the couch at my girlfriend's apartment. Places I can escape to and relax at the end of a long day of work.
