The Twelve Kingdoms Forum

sunako wrote:He doesn't have a tragic background that attributes to his personality: He simply is the way he is.

Much as I can enjoy the tragic background tales that so many anime have for their characters, I rather like this about Keiki - that he can simply be the way he is because that's the way he is. His personality is more inate and self-driven that way.

(Well, in fact, he actually does have a tragic background story, but it isn't used to explain the way his personality developed. His personality was influencing what happened more than what happened influencing him.)

sunako wrote:His friendship with Taiki is also very endearing, touching a few chords within me during my perusal of the novels. It was the only time that I was induced to tears for this series.

The brief pieces of that which we get to see in the anime are among my favorite scenes in the series. I wish we got to see more of it. (And I really wish I could read the novels. I feel like there's so much more I'm missing.)

sunako wrote:The only thing that prevents Keiki from being my favourite character is the one factor that would make him stand out in your average shoujo title -- His personality. It's not that he's totally devoid of a personality, of course, but his reserved mien is such that people may be given the impression that there is no more to his character than his seriousness and reticence.

I really like Keiki's personality, possibly because it makes him the character I can most closely relate to in the series. (Serious-minded, but socially awkward, with a difficulty in expressing himself - that would describe either Keiki or me equally well.) It also makes him come across as the most deeply emotional character in the show.

sunako wrote:their incompatibility, personality-wise (serious x serious just doesn't work out, unfortunately).

This part I have to disagree with. The biggest problem overly serious-minded people have in relationships is not being understood by anyone who doesn't share that trait. The most compatible people tend to be very similar to each other in their fundamental values, with their differences being in more superficial traits. Seriousness is more like a basic value than a superficial trait in this sense (for how it reflects both what's important to someone and even more significantly, just how important it is). The most compatible partner for someone who is overly serious is someone else who is also overly serious about the same things, but whose skills and apptitudes are in different areas.

Niwashi

My all-time favourite is Youko. She really developed well during the show and anyway, she's HOT. I like the fact that she's so human, yet she tries to rise above her old self. RESPECT.

Suzu and Shoukei are also great characters, pity the show ended, I'd like to see them developed even more. Actually, I like almost every character in the show. All except Ko-o.

Am I the only person who actually likes Shouko? I don't really think of him as a full villain in the same vein as Ko-o; in fact, the fact that he showed some form of honour at the end-when he asked Youko to behead him-endeared him to me in a strange way (probably in the 'Got guts to face the music' kind of way). I'd be sorry to see him go, somewhat.

yuene wrote:Am I the only person who actually likes Shouko? I don't really think of him as a full villain in the same vein as Ko-o; in fact, the fact that he showed some form of honour at the end-when he asked Youko to behead him-endeared him to me in a strange way (probably in the 'Got guts to face the music' kind of way). I'd be sorry to see him go, somewhat.

He's a bastard, but an interesting bastard. I've been musing on a fanfic I haven't got around to writing about him going to the execution block. He muses about his contempt for Gahou and the PM and how much he enjoyed sending them to their deaths with his testemony etc. As he steps up to the block he wonders what the afterlife is like. He wants to find out.

yuene wrote:Am I the only person who actually likes Shouko? I don't really think of him as a full villain in the same vein as Ko-o; in fact, the fact that he showed some form of honour at the end-when he asked Youko to behead him-endeared him to me in a strange way (probably in the 'Got guts to face the music' kind of way). I'd be sorry to see him go, somewhat.

It might go a bit too far to say I'd like him as a person, but I certainly like him as a character. Motivation is really what distinguishes a good villian, and Shouko's motivation is intriguing - the disillusioned idealist who thinks that the gods' system for maintaining order and peace doesn't work and that it lets greed and corruption prevail, but at some level really just wants to be proven wrong. I also admired when he asked Youko to behead him, but it's really what he wanted all along. By bringing him to justice, she restored his faith in the kingdom, the gods, and the whole system that governs all of the twelve kingdoms. It seemed that the restoring of his faith became almost as big a victory for Youko as the removal of a tyrant.

Jinx999 wrote:He's a bastard, but an interesting bastard. I've been musing on a fanfic I haven't got around to writing about him going to the execution block. He muses about his contempt for Gahou and the PM and how much he enjoyed sending them to their deaths with his testemony etc. As he steps up to the block he wonders what the afterlife is like. He wants to find out.

I hope you get around to writing that one. It sounds like an idea I'd like to see fleshed out into a full story.

Niwashi2 wrote:I hope you get around to writing that one. It sounds like an idea I'd like to see fleshed out into a full story.

I actually have got around to hammering out most of it now. I need to double check everything, especially the names, which I can never remember, esp. the PM character and the Minister of Law. I also want to write a short second chapter focusing on Youko and her somewhat different view of things.

What was the name of the female minister of law of Kei, the member of Seikyou's cabal who wasn't arrested at the end?

Niwashi2 wrote:I hope you get around to writing that one. It sounds like an idea I'd like to see fleshed out into a full story.

It's now up on Fanfiction.net.

I like the emperor of En the best followed by Enki.

I don't know what to think of Keiki. I like the mouse and the empress of Kyo.

I don't like Youko, towards the end, she seems to have become over confident and the kind of person who won't change her mind once she makes a decision. She also reminds me of Queen Elizabeth I of England who transformed from an innocent school girl to a monarch who established her throne through bloodshed.

HeyJinx999, what's the fic called?

Am I the only one who likes Asano? I know he was an anime-exclusive character... but I always found it entertaining to see him interact with this world he was lost in.

Shusei 2 wrote:HeyJinx999, what's the fic called?

It's up in Fanfiction.net and called "A beautiful day to die"
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2315240/1/

Cool, thanks. I'll definately check it out ^-^

what about the youma's that plague the world >.< someones got to like them the best! aint they just adorable?~

Am I the only one who likes Asano? I know he was an anime-exclusive character... but I always found it entertaining to see him interact with this world he was lost in.

Actually, no. I sort of liked Asano as well, though he spent most of his time acting like a dolt; I guess it's sort of understandable because he doesn't even know the language and thus he hasn't the slightest clue as to what is going on. I nearly cried when he died...like he never got to go home. The last scene was just so poignant...

Yeah! Youma are cool. Especially the Hiso. A bunny with teeth and attitude. I think the author must watch a lot of Monty Python's Holy Grail. That just cracked me up...

Poor Asano. I didn't understand why Youka didn't send his body back to Horai. But I liked him too - especially how he kept laughing maniacly, and he really clung to Suzu.

I think she didn't want to send him back because firstly, she'd have to get Keiki to invoke a shoku, which would be disastrous for Kei (flooded fields do not a good harvest make). Secondly, he did die fighting for Youko. And of course, can you imagine the commotion back in Horai if they suddenly found a dead body lying on the pier? I can almost see the headines!

yuene said:

Secondly, he did die fighting for Youko. And of course, can you imagine the commotion back in Horai if they suddenly found a dead body lying on the pier? I can almost see the headines!

Hm... could've made for an interesting little side story though. ^-^

I like Korin (I think that is how you spell her name) to bad that she had to die. I liked her cause she was so pretty and she finally stood up against that meanie King Ko. I also like Rokushun and Yoko.

Yeah! Rakushun and Youko!

But... Kourin... I think more than anything else I just felt sorry for her.

Wow, almost no one likes Keiki? It's a little surprising to me. I like him most. He has so cool appearance and great voice.

I like Keiki but he is not my favourite character because he is too quiet. Still water runs deep. I think I'm the only person who does not like Youko.

I don't think it's that he's too quiet-at least that's not the case for me. He just seems very 2 dementional at times. All he does is act like a worry wort and look pretty. (well, that's not all he does. But at times it sure feels like it.)

I think he does his job well. Could not be better. He chose the right queen, supported her all the way, introduced her to the grand tutor, tolerated her stubborn personality, accepted her different way of solving problems. He looks worried because he has failed once with the previous queen, if Yoko fails. he is dead meat.

If only the author had made him Mr Romantic play boy like En O......wow, he'd become my favourite character!!! The Ruler of En is my favourite. YEP!

I don't really know if that's the case. It's the queen/king (empress/emperor?) fault not to let the Kirin be his/her way. Is Keiki dead meat? You mean Youko other half is dead meat? No way.

Remember how Enki looked like in his early years? He was not just worry about Shouryuu, he almost betrayed him.

I want to see the 500 years old Keiki and Youko.

Now that would be very interesting-although I don't think they'd be quite as easy going as Shouryuu and Rokuta are with each other I think a really strong and sensitive bond would be formed between Keiki and Youko.