Juuni Kokki (Twelves Kingdoms) Novel discussion

[abd08]

Hey ppl!!

I've just finished watching the Juuni Kokki anime, and want to start reading the Manga. Does anyone know from which number of the manga (Japanese) I should start reading from to coincide with the end of the anime?

Thank You!!!!

abd08

[NoSanninWa]

I was unaware that there is a manga. It must have been written after the anime was made, so I don't know if any volume follows the last episode of the anime. The anime was originally based on a series of novels. You can read translations of them at 12K Novel Translations.

[Yamano667]

you can buy them in the manga stores in Japan
if you live in tokyo ..there is one huge manga store there

[Jn183]

Hi,
I was wondering if there is a manga for this. I can't seem to find any clue about the manga with google. Doesn't seem ANN or animenfo had any info on it except about the anime. If there is could you give me the link or site where I could get it through scanlation or buy it. Thx alot

[microlith]

Don't think there's a manga.

The anime series is based on a still-running novel series published in Japan by White Heart.

[Jn183]

I just found some stuff about it, thx to ur lil info. It seem the only thing missing from the anime are short story of those other Kingdom beside En, Kei, Kou, Sai, Hou, and Rou. And darn there is no english verison of it yet. Thx microlith-san

[mayukhers112]

Originally Posted by Jn183

And darn there is no english verison of it yet.

Well, though it isn't licensed, I found a site a long time ago with translations of the series. Unfortunately, I can't find it right now....I'll look for it...

[NoSanninWa]

The novel translations are on two sites at:
Volume 1 only: http://12ktp.inspirelight.net/
Later volumes: http://www.people.cornell.edu/pages/...oms/index.html

[StormD]

Edit: ^^^ Well would you look a that...

This guy is translating the novels: http://www.people.cornell.edu/pages/...oms/index.html

But he's doing it basically a couple pages at a time, so it's pretty slow-going. Apparently, the novels use a lot of archaic Japanese that's slightly more difficult to translate than the average project. There was a rumor last fall that Del Ray was aquiring, the license to translate and distribute the novels, but they denied it. Apparently they are "considering" it though, but who knows.

[Jiji]

Well, the first novel is officially published, so here is some info:


The Twelve Kingdoms; Sea of Shadow
by Fuyumi Ono
(c) Fuyumi Ono and Kodansha Ltd.
N. American licence: TokyoPop
English translation by Alexander O. Smith

Yoko is a high school girl with flaming red hair and few redeeming characteristics, going through life trying to please everyone, but inevitably failing. She is timid, deceitful, even cruel sometimes and she just wants to be liked and to stay out of the spotlight. Unfortunately, living this way has the effect of making no real friends and her red hair makes her teachers think she is a party girl who goes out at night. But suddenly a strange man arrives with numerous monstrous creatures, turning her life upside-down and yanking her off to a strange place, then promptly disappearing. Yoko is left with a strange sword to fight for her survival in a world that mostly wants her dead. She is forced to deal with people without being able to hide behind social conventions, and as if that weren’t enough, a strange, blue demonic monkey keeps appearing and playing on her fears and her despair.

The incredible richness of the fantasy world Yoko is thrown into draws equally from modernist realism and Japanese and Chinese mythology and history. Yoko receives a sword with a jewel and that sword functions as a mirror also, tying into the three treasures of Japanese mythology. Chinese mythology brings the reader the Mandate of Heaven and the general cosmography.

Japanese writing in translation is typically a bit spare compared to the lavish descriptions Westerners are used to. This is largely due to how kanji convey a range of meanings, but English must select the right word out of many. But Ono's work here manages to give enough of the detail the reader wants so that the rich world of the 12 Kingdoms comes quite alive. Few of the characters or plot points lose any of their expected vividness, and I often really did feel like I was there in the novel. The anime was routinely criticized for the confusing amount of terms that Ono made up for her world, but Tokyopop’s localization managed to balance the vocabulary well so that when the reader is lost in the names, it is because Yoko is. In fact, the novel managed to remain accessible for both readers who don’t care about Japanese and readers who do, with the inclusion of kanji when a character is explaining something unfamiliar. I’m not so sure about TP’s decision to release this as a hardbound book since it might not “cross over” to regular young adult fiction like they think it might.

You don’t get the sense, fortunately, that Ono is trying to criticize modern life or government by proposing some pie-eyed return to a simpler time. This is not an allegory or even a rant against today’s society. If Ono has a point to make, it’s probably more to do with how to live life on a personal level, that, as Shoryu says, one must first be master of one’s self before being a king…or indeed before being anything in life. Due to the blue monkey, Yoko frequently ponders moral issues and even religion’s influence on them at one point. If there is one obvious weakness in the novel, it is that the ending might seem slightly anti-climactic. Keep in mind; this is due to the fact that this is only the first book out of at least 6 that are planned by Tokyopop.

Comparisons with the anime will be unavoidable, and I certainly could not keep the images of the TV series out of my head completely, and the OST imposed itself while reading frequently. Much has been said about how the character of Asano is not in the novel, and Sugimoto is a very minor character in the beginning, never seen again. This has the effect of increasing Yoko’s isolation and therefore increasing the dramatic impact of what she goes through. There are few other differences, however, making the question for the anime's fans not "what happens next" but rather, "how will Ono take us there?" Personally, I found the journey delightful.

I think that whether you are a fan of the anime or never saw it and don’t want to, you will still enjoy this book enormously. The fact that the protagonist is a girl doesn’t, in my opinion, lessen the appeal this story would have to both genders of readers.

[Tiamat's Disciple]

Not quite the right place for this i know, but this is the only place it sort of fits >.<

Anyway, 12 kingdoms novels have been LICENSED!!!! And by Tokyopop aswell, vol 1 was just released.

I was totaly knocked out when i got an email about it earlier, ive never heard anything about the books being licensed. This is just awsome, ordered it straight away from amazon and now counting the seconds till the postman delivers it this morning (should be in 3 hours or so)

Crest of the Stars was also licensed, thats another i didnt know about. Knew the anime and manga were licensed (got the manga) but didnt know the novels were. Also ordered that aswell.

12 Kingdoms is one of my all time fave anime, hope the books are as good as that.

[jedinat]

Read it last week. It was pretty good. I'll probably get all of them, or at least the ones about Yoko.

[herbert]

You better read at least until book 5. It is not in anime nor about Yoko, but it happens to be my favourite.

[Tiamat's Disciple]

Yeah the books take a different track to the Anime, less focus on Yoko, which can be a good and bad thing depending on how well its written. I've always felt gutted that the anime was cut short, i can now finally get the full thing. My only hope is that they release ALL of the books, not just a few vols

[rooboy]

As long as they sell there's no reason why they won't. Supposedly the light novels have actually done pretty well for Tokyopop so far (according to the editor who posts on their message board). Of course, 12 Kingdoms is a slightly different beast because it has a higher price.

[Tiamat's Disciple]

really, i hadnt noticed to be honest. Over here in the UK manga goes for around £4.99-6.99, the 12 kingdoms books are around the £6.50 mark, which is about average for books. Hell if you dig around you can get vol 1 for £3 >.< i was miffed when i found that particular shop since i just paid full prioce for mine >.<

[rooboy]

Here (the U.S.) the novels have generally been cheaper than Tokyopop's manga (the novels have been 7.99, the manga is 9.99); however, 12 Kingdoms is 16.99. Obviously still a great deal for a book (it's also hardback, I think, I haven't picked mine up yet :/ ), but more expensive than the other novels TP has released. I imagine it will still be pretty succesful.

[jedinat]

Originally Posted by rooboy

Here (the U.S.) the novels have generally been cheaper than Tokyopop's manga (the novels have been 7.99, the manga is 9.99); however, 12 Kingdoms is 16.99. Obviously still a great deal for a book (it's also hardback, I think, I haven't picked mine up yet :/ ), but more expensive than the other novels TP has released. I imagine it will still be pretty succesful.

Well it is hardback, 460 pages. Versus the 7.99 novels which are about 200 pages and paperback.

[psycho bolt]

Is the whole series finished?

[SeijiSensei]

According to Amazon, volume two will be released next March.