The Twelve Kingdoms Forum

Think we'd be able to have scans from those whose able to get a copy of the 2006 calendars?

Once it comes in, I'll try to take pics of them (they're supposed to be very very big).

AliceC wrote:Once it comes in, I'll try to take pics of them (they're supposed to be very very big).

weeeh...thanks for that...

kei_taiho wrote:weeeh...thanks for that...

Not a problem. I just need to get them first. >.< I hope the quality will turn out okay. If it's the glossy kind, it might not come out well.

i don't think it is glossy....the manufacturers of the calendar know that it would be better if they make a matte surface on the calendar....glossy messes itself easily.... thanks again..

I hope not. When they make it glossy and I try to take pictures, the light reflects back. *sigh* so annoying. Well, the calender still hasn't come in yet. Should be soon. ^__^

I tried to do a gif of the sword but it was kinda hard... does anyone know of a way to get the animation off the site or anything all I can think of is playing it each time, printscreening it and then doing it as a gif in photoplus... but it's kinda taking a long time.

throughout the years japanese has been "borrowing" words from other languages and integrating them into Japanese (in recent years, the vast majority of these coming from English). I guess Ono is using words that were used before these loan words came into use? Must be really difficult to read in Japanese then...

I don't know much about antique antique Japanese, I only know that Asia heavily influenced each others' languages...mainly by Chinese.
That's also because of that one Emperor who basically wiped out most of the other languages in order to unify China (by burning schools and killing people--mass killing of people---, so he did unify China in the long run...just very cruelly and bloody...I think he was kinda crazy). This is partically why there are so many dialects, but one writing system.

Language wise- as other's have pointed out, the barrowing of English and other western words was not really that influencial nor important, until after the forced opening of ports. If most of the culture was based before that...or at the beginning of aculturation, than western languages would be out of place in Juuni Kokki. It could only be used in Wa at current times (modern day Japan).

Juuni Kokki does require a huge amount of research. It is based on folklores, oral stories, and quite a few historical instances. Let's not forget that Rokuta and Shouryuu's story was based on an actualy historical time periods where many elderly person started watching Juuni Kokki because they learned of those contents. Then they just got sucked into the goodness of Juuni Kokki (okay, I don't know if this part is true, I'm just rambling).

*sigh*... spammers...

carmolita wrote:i was discussing 12k at the anime on dvd forum and one of the posters is a translator from kyoto ..and he gave some interesting info on ono sensei and her book collection..

Most of the changes the added in the anime just make it more unlikable; I felt the books were stronger without the extra characters.
The anime did expand on the climax of the first storyline.

Book length: Most of these 'light' novels are between 200 and 400 pages in Japanse, which tends to be less pages in English. Dengeki Bunko seems to split a book in two if it goes over 400 pages, like they did with the third Alison book.
Ono Fuyumi tends to get rather long. Most of the 12 Kingdoms books are two parts, and the four arc, the third anime arc, is two 600 page volumes.
She also has the mainstream horror novel Shiki, which is five volumes long in paperback, each 500-600 pages. Very long, and very good. (So far; I've only read the first.)

She's not famous for being particularly fast; she's mentioned that Twelve Kindoms requires a crippling amount of research, and she has to contantly add new words and kanji to her computer's database. Her refusal to use any words borrowed from English, for example, makes things rather difficult.

The irritating thing is that future Twelve Kingdoms novels will be released in regular Kodansha bunko first, with crappy Windows desktop cover design, and then later rereleased with illustations from Kodansha White Heart bunko.

then I said:

I noticed that about ono sensei novels being released in two sets and wonderd why she did it that way..Is it because it takes yamada sensei a long time to do the illustrations or do they (kodansha) want you to buy both collections?

--How does it make it difficult for her not to borow any words from English? I like the that she didn't and I loved how she mixed both cultures both chinese and japanese and created this extrodianary world- I don't know if anyone could of taken on such a task Did she say how she came up w/ the idea of this world?

-- I agree w/ you about her not being very fast the release dates on her novels shows/reflects that ...if it follows the pattern the next one should come out next year ...but that's only if it follows the pattern...

then he replied:

White Heart is a niche market fantasy line, sells to teenage girls. Possibly because Shiki was a big hit, possibly because of the anime, they reissued the series from the mainstream Kodansha bunko line. Now books appear there first. Only one book has been published since, however. Not sure how long the gap is.

Borrowed English words are often used in Japanese; she had to research and replace all of them with antiquated Japanese or even Chinese terms.
She blatently based the world on the China featured in the big stories, Saiyuuki and the like. Just like China, but with sennin.

It's been three years since she released anything, really. Something should be out soon. I sort of assumed she was working on something as long as Shiki.


After reading that- now I really believe Kodansha editor about her writting/workimg on taiki's book /12k what does everyone else think?

BTW what is antiquated Japanese ?

nice carmolita...you realy good in getting info about fuyumi ono which i has failed...good job and thanks

carmolita
I'm sorry i missed such an important post. Thank you very much for sharing!
However, just have to mention this:

Most of the changes the added in the anime just make it more unlikable; I felt the books were stronger without the extra characters.

Let me humbly and personally but strongly disagree.
At the beginning they might seem absolutely irrelevant, but at the end i thought they added a lot to the series.
And boy, am i glad they added many things to the first arc!
Well, as they say, you can't argue about the taste... To each his own.
And i absolutely loved how anime creators managed to give so much heart and emotion to the characters even without added words, through the facial expressions and body language.

Hi Carmolita,

Thanks, really nice calendar. I checked the websites and realised they are out of print! Do you know if we can still place an order?

How can I order from amazon.jp ? Goddamit. I'm in europe so america is not so much better an option...

slovenia

Is the address on one of the post in the first stage still valid?
The Japanese address to write to ono-sensei?
I would like to write to Ono-sensei to support her.
Even though it'll be in English, I think any encouragement would help.
Also signed the petition, hopefully we'll see more Juuni Kokki.

More Youko and Rakushun please!

Hmm, glad to know that they still print calendars after the series ended so long ago. ^^ And it is new art right, I believe?

I received the the 12 Kingdoms Anime/illustration book yesterday. I can't read it because its in Japanese, but the photos are good. Thanks to Carmolita for the link.

I didn't see anything on this at the Tokyopop website. Could it be just a rumor perhaps?

It looks like they are saying that during a recent interview between TokyoPop and AnimeY.de. Further down a TokyoPopTeam moderator says that he can't give any information but be assured that translations by TokyoPop are quality. He then says to have patience, more info coming. Dated Feb 19, 2006 so it is recent.

I hope this is true - if nothing else, I can read German (not perfect, and I can't speak it) but it is better than nothing. The translations that the three guys are doing from Japanese and Chinese would be more accurate though, than me reading the German . I just hope it will be an actual novel and not a manga version of the novel. Nothing against manga, but I want the novels.

No clue if this means English is coming... Still, not to be obstinate, but until it shows up on the TokyoPop website and not just a forum I am treating it as a rumor (then I won't be disappointed if it is false).

I was looking at another anime and inadvertently found an answer to the question of whether the same company would publish a book in two different countries. Check out this info for Peacemaker Kuragane: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclo ... hp?id=2895
The book was published by TokyoPop in Germany with 5 volumes, but ADV Manga in US with only 3 volumes (and no plans to publish the rest). Very inconsistent. It sounds like there may be no cooperation between countries with international releases - even if it is the same company.

Anyway - I checked TokyoPop Germany and still no new info on 12 Kingdoms publication. Darn.