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REVIEW: The Twelve Kingdoms Novel 2


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LydiaDianne



Joined: 28 Jan 2006
Posts: 5633
Location: Southern California
PostPosted: Sun Apr 06, 2008 11:33 pm Reply with quote
Key has pointed out one major issue with Tokyopop concerning these novels...WHY IS IT TAKING A BLOODY YEAR BETWEEN NOVELS? Sheesh! Release them faster! I don't want to be getting the final book 10 years from now!

Other than that...I LOVED the story. It filled in some holes but it also has left me wondering what cause Taiki spoiler[to go back/get sent back to Japan like he obviously was in the anime.] I'm looking forward to seeing that explained and how he spoiler[responds to returning back to his proper world.]

The last thing that I have to say is:

READ THESE BOOKS!
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chichiriNoDa



Joined: 13 Dec 2007
Posts: 531
PostPosted: Sun Apr 06, 2008 11:43 pm Reply with quote
Just wondering how many novel does Twelve Kingdoms have?
I might check this one out cause the review sounds interesting. I also wanted to check-out the anime for a very long time now.
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LydiaDianne



Joined: 28 Jan 2006
Posts: 5633
Location: Southern California
PostPosted: Sun Apr 06, 2008 11:54 pm Reply with quote
chichiriNoDa wrote:
Just wondering how many novel does Twelve Kingdoms have?
I might check this one out cause the review sounds interesting. I also wanted to check-out the anime for a very long time now.


I believe that there are a total of 12 books - sort of makes sense doesn't it? Wink Very Happy

The anime is terrific as well. I wish that it had gone futher than it does. There is an incomplete storyline. But other than that, it's pretty terrific.
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chichiriNoDa



Joined: 13 Dec 2007
Posts: 531
PostPosted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 12:07 am Reply with quote
Well that figures your comment about getting the final book after 10 years. I know why are they taking so long? It would suck if each of the book are release every year.

I really wanted to purchase the complete collection of Twelve Kingdom. The cheap collection, where the series was split into 2 dvd cases that contains 4 disc in each case set.
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jsevakis
Former ANN Editor in Chief


Joined: 28 Jul 2003
Posts: 1684
Location: Los Angeles, CA
PostPosted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 7:12 am Reply with quote
LydiaDianne wrote:
chichiriNoDa wrote:
Just wondering how many novel does Twelve Kingdoms have?
I might check this one out cause the review sounds interesting. I also wanted to check-out the anime for a very long time now.


I believe that there are a total of 12 books - sort of makes sense doesn't it? Wink Very Happy


There WERE, but four of the stories comprised two volumes in their original Japanese printings. TOKYOPOP is printing them in one volume, so there will be only eight books in this edition:

1. "Shadow of the Moon, The Sea of Shadow" (now just "Sea of Shadow")
Youko becomes Empress of Kei. (originally 2 volumes, covered by TV eps 1-14)

2. "Sea of the Wind, Shore of the Labyrinth" (now just "Sea of Wind")
Taiki chooses the Emperor of Tai. (originally 2 volumes, covered by TV eps 15-21)

3. "Sea God in the East, Vast Sea in the West" (not yet printed by TP)
The Emperor of En suppresses a rebellion. (covered by TV eps 41-45)

4. "A Thousand Miles of Wind, The Sky at Dawn" (not yet printed by TP)
Youko, Suzu and Shoukei free the Wa Province in Kei. (originally 2 volumes, covered by TV eps 23-39)

5. "The Aspired Wings" (not yet printed by TP)
Syusyou becomes Empress of Kyou. (not animated)

6. "The Shore at Twilight, The Sky at Daybreak" (not yet printed by TP)
Risai meets Youko to request help in summoning Taiki. (originally 2 volumes, not animated)

7. "The Dream of Prosperity" (not yet printed by TP)
Short stories collection (not animated)

8. "The Demonic Child" (not yet printed by TP)
Taiki's story in modern Japan. (partially covered in TV eps 15-21?)

A new short story was recently printed too, so there might be more books in the future.
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LydiaDianne



Joined: 28 Jan 2006
Posts: 5633
Location: Southern California
PostPosted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 9:44 am Reply with quote
Hey, thanks Justin. I appreciate the title list!

So, now I only have to wait 6 years instead of 10! Wink Very Happy
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Julia-the-Great



Joined: 14 May 2005
Posts: 328
PostPosted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 12:11 pm Reply with quote
jsevakis wrote:

There WERE, but four of the stories comprised two volumes in their original Japanese printings. TOKYOPOP is printing them in one volume, so there will be only eight books in this edition:

Does it make sense that, if they've previously combined two volumes into one, some of those later stories that are two volumes will be combined into one?
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Weazul-chan



Joined: 10 May 2005
Posts: 625
Location: Michigan
PostPosted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 12:54 pm Reply with quote
jsevakis wrote:
LydiaDianne wrote:
chichiriNoDa wrote:
Just wondering how many novel does Twelve Kingdoms have?
I might check this one out cause the review sounds interesting. I also wanted to check-out the anime for a very long time now.


I believe that there are a total of 12 books - sort of makes sense doesn't it? Wink Very Happy


There WERE, but four of the stories comprised two volumes in their original Japanese printings. TOKYOPOP is printing them in one volume, so there will be only eight books in this edition:

1. "Shadow of the Moon, The Sea of Shadow" (now just "Sea of Shadow")
Youko becomes Empress of Kei. (originally 2 volumes, covered by TV eps 1-14)

2. "Sea of the Wind, Shore of the Labyrinth" (now just "Sea of Wind")
Taiki chooses the Emperor of Tai. (originally 2 volumes, covered by TV eps 15-21)

3. "Sea God in the East, Vast Sea in the West" (not yet printed by TP)
The Emperor of En suppresses a rebellion. (covered by TV eps 41-45)

4. "A Thousand Miles of Wind, The Sky at Dawn" (not yet printed by TP)
Youko, Suzu and Shoukei free the Wa Province in Kei. (originally 2 volumes, covered by TV eps 23-39)

5. "The Aspired Wings" (not yet printed by TP)
Syusyou becomes Empress of Kyou. (not animated)

6. "The Shore at Twilight, The Sky at Daybreak" (not yet printed by TP)
Risai meets Youko to request help in summoning Taiki. (originally 2 volumes, not animated)

7. "The Dream of Prosperity" (not yet printed by TP)
Short stories collection (not animated)

8. "The Demonic Child" (not yet printed by TP)
Taiki's story in modern Japan. (partially covered in TV eps 15-21?)

A new short story was recently printed too, so there might be more books in the future.
The Demonic Child isn't actually part of the Twelve Kingdoms series according to my research. it was written before the Twelve Kingdoms series was started but events from it were worked into Taiki's story. however, I've never seen anything saying how much of it was worked into the Twelve Kingdoms canon so there could be a whole bunch of it that isn't even if there is some that is. I'm hoping that it IS included in Tokyopop's release but since it is not completely part of the series it may not be. (granted, I'm still a little wary of Tokyopop and novels because of the thing with The Slayers novels never getting completed so I'm not being too optimistic even if I do hope.)
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jsevakis
Former ANN Editor in Chief


Joined: 28 Jul 2003
Posts: 1684
Location: Los Angeles, CA
PostPosted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 6:56 pm Reply with quote
Weazul-chan wrote:
The Demonic Child isn't actually part of the Twelve Kingdoms series according to my research. it was written before the Twelve Kingdoms series was started but events from it were worked into Taiki's story. however, I've never seen anything saying how much of it was worked into the Twelve Kingdoms canon so there could be a whole bunch of it that isn't even if there is some that is. I'm hoping that it IS included in Tokyopop's release but since it is not completely part of the series it may not be.


Good point, I don't know for sure either. Demonic Child was written before the others, so there's a chance that was later reworked into Sea of Wind. I haven't read it, and my resident 12 Kingdoms expert isn't on AIM at the moment. I'll ask her next time I see her.
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Orange_Popsicle



Joined: 01 Mar 2008
Posts: 34
PostPosted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 7:51 pm Reply with quote
I guess this might be kind of odd, but I've read both Sea of Shadow and Sea of Wind and have never watched the anime. And, to tell the truth, I love it all the same. Even if there wasn't an anime, I would still be in love with the series. The fact that there is an animated version of these books just makes them even better. (I actually bought the first 25 episodes from FYE the other day--I just haven't had time to sit down and watch them yet)

I agree with what previous posters have said. Tokyopop taking a year to publish each book is incrediebly... annoying, to say the least. But, then again, I'm not that shocked because if I remember correctly Fruits Basket has had a six-month-long gap between releases before.
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scortia



Joined: 27 Mar 2006
Posts: 174
PostPosted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 8:23 pm Reply with quote
Orange_Popsicle: You won't be disappointed with the anime at all. It follows the novels very faithfully and only makes small changes or ones necessary to make the conversion from novel to anime.

I really enjoyed the 2nd novel. Of course, I liked Kenro Shinkun being in the anime since he tied into a later arc,... but the novel was fine without him since we get more internal monologue from characters like Sanshi to make up for him not being there. I honestly was surprised just how identical the anime and novel werel for this arc. I knew what was going to happen, but the read was still very engaging because of the smooth writing style. Just couldn't put the book down.

I love how endearing Keiki is in this arc... given he's a plank of wood at every other point of the series. Smile

... waiting a year for each novel is just absolutely painful. Really want to get to the novel that covers the final arc of the anime since it was so condensed. Anime hyper
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BleuVII



Joined: 19 Sep 2006
Posts: 672
Location: Tokorozawa, Japan
PostPosted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 9:40 am Reply with quote
I liked this book. It was less my cup of tea than the first one, and when I finished it, I was disappointed, but the more I look back on it, the more I realized how much I liked it.

Also, I don't know if Tokyopop is going to translate them in their original order, or if they're going to publish the ones that were animated first. If it's the original order, then next year's book will be one of the ones that was never animated.
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Jedi General



Joined: 27 Nov 2006
Posts: 2485
Location: Tucson, AZ
PostPosted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 12:51 pm Reply with quote
TRSI finally shipped my copy! After reading this review, I'm certain that I'll love it just as much as the first novel. This time, though, I won't stop in the middle of the book to go and watch the entire anime for the first time. Anime smile
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marie-antoinette



Joined: 18 Sep 2005
Posts: 4136
Location: Ottawa, Canada
PostPosted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 9:04 pm Reply with quote
I think that as long as TP is doing the hardcover releases, we aren't going to see the books coming out any faster. A friend of mine also says that he believes that they said they would only be released annually as well, so I think we are stuck as far as that goes. They are following standard novel releases for fantasy series that come out in hardcover and paperback, so I guess it's not really the surprising.
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Brians9824



Joined: 23 Jan 2006
Posts: 281
PostPosted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 10:34 pm Reply with quote
I'm curious as to why the books are being marked down for lack of drawings. I mean this is a book, why is there even a rating for art?
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