List of kingdoms in Twelve Kingdoms
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The following is a list of kingdoms in the anime The Twelve Kingdoms.
In this world, there are a total of thirteen lands. At the center of the world lie Koukai and Mt. Hou which are entrusted to Seioubo. There are twelve kingdoms, twelve rulers and twelve Kirins. Each kingdom has its own Kirin, called a Saiho, who must chose a ruler. The ruler will then have immortal life as long as he keeps the kingdom healthy and their heads are not severed from their body.
Contents |
[edit] Kei
Ruler: Youko Nakajima ("Sekishi"/"Sekiraku")
Taiho: Keiki
Kanji: 慶 (jubilation, congratulations, rejoicing)
The reign of the previous Empress of Kei, Jokaku (posthumously called You-Ou) lasted only six years. She was in love with Keiki and was noted for expelling all of the women from the kingdom. She was an ineffective ruler and caused Keiki to become ill with shitsudou. To save his life, she killed herself. Afterwards, Keiki searched for the next ruler of Kei and found Youko in Hourai (Japan). However, due to the machinations of the Emperor of Kou, Keiki's horn was sealed and a false empress (Johei) was claiming the throne. With the help of the Emperor of En, Youko freed Keiki and ascended the throne as Empress of Kei. Currently, Youko must deal with understanding the politics of Kei, learning about her people, suppressing rebellions, and driving out the youma infesting the kingdom.
[edit] En
Ruler: Naotaka Komatsu ("Shouryuu")
Taiho: Enki (Rokuta)
Kanji: 雁 (wild goose)
The Kingdom of En is a flourishing kingdom that has been ruled by the current king for over 500 years. It is very peaceful and youma are rarely seen. As the ruler has been fulfilling the wishes of Tentei, the lands are fertile. Both En-Ou and Enki are taika from Japan. Enki was abandoned by his family during the time of civil war in Japan when he was very young, and he was starving when his nyokai found him. As as result of his past, he had an aversion to kings, seeing them as warmongers and the ones responsible for destroying a country.
He created a Meishoku, a mini-shoku invoked by the kirin when it is under immense stress or in danger, and returned to Japan, where he found Komatsu Naotaka, the son of a sea-faring king. Following the massacre of Shouryuu's people, Enki brought him over to En. Their relationship is further developed in the fourth arc of the anime. One hundred years after Shoryuu took the throne, he faced against the Provincial lord of Baku province, Atsuya. Shoryuu defeated the lord, and Atsuya's helper, Kouya. Kouya was a friend of Enki and left, waiting for Shoryuu to create a place where Kouyu and his youma, big can live in peace, which he was promised by Shoryuu himself.
En is noted for being very prosperous and peaceful. The cities are large, with beautiful buildings, and teeming with people. The fields of En provide food for all of its citizens. The kingdom produces wheat and domesticates livestock. There are no mines of gyoku or stones. There are few, if any, youma attacks. En has taken in refugees from Kei and Tai, providing services for them. En also has services to take care of kaikyaku. Prejudice against hanjyuu is not very common and hanjyuu are allowed education and employment.
In episode 21 of the anime, Enki notes that the countries surrounding En (Kei, Ryuu, and Tai) have been unstable and worries about how it would effect En.
[edit] Tai
Ruler: Emperor Tai (Saku Gyousou) - Missing
Taiho: Taiki (Takasato Kaname), nicknamed "Kouri" - Missing
Kanji: 戴 (be crowned with, live under a ruler, receive)
The kingdom of Tai has been in the midst of a civil war. It was said that the emperor and saiho of Tai died year after Gyousou's coronation. However, as there has been no new ranka on Mount Hou for the kingdom of Tai, it is likely that the kirin and ruler are still alive. The war continues.
Taiki is a Hiena, a non-adult kirin. He is also an extremely rare black kirin. Taiki is a Taika as well, his ranka blown to Japan by a shoku fifteen years before Youko's arrival. He returned to Mount Hou when he is ten after being found by Enki. He was at first unable to transform into his beast form due to the fact that he had been in human form for so long. Taiki chose Saku Gyousou as Emperor of Tai, despite being initially unsure (and terrified) of him. Taiki's fear was later revealed to be the aura of a ruler that was needed to be the true emperor. Taiki's nyouka is Haku Sanshi and he has a toutetsu, a powerful youma, named Gouran as a shirei. Enki called him "half-pint" and Taiki was very close to Keiki.
In the anime and book series, it is also revealed that Taiki is alive in Wa/Japan and is a high school student. He cannot remember his time spent in the world of the Twelve Kingdoms. Later in the book series, Taiki is discovered and rescued by a combination of kings, kirin and Risai together to bring him back to Mt. Hou. It isn't said what has happened to Gyousou and he is presumed missing still -- possibly alive. Taiki's visit from Tai to Ren is recorded in the side story book Kasho no Yume written by Fuyumi Ono.
The book also goes into more details about Tai under the previous King, stating that because of his extravagance most people had not benefited from the jewel, gold and silver springs; the country was nearly bankrupt; and there were constant civil wars. When Gyousou became King he decided to remedy this by reducing the number of servants at the palace to a bare minimum, closing parts of the palace that were not used, and firing most of the musicians (the former king had them in every chamber, each playing a different tune).
[edit] Kou
Ruler: Emperor Kou ("Saku-ou") **deceased**
Taiho: Kourin (Kouwa) **deceased**
Kanji: 巧 (skill, ingenuity)
The first kingdom that Youko set foot on. The emperor wanted to eliminate Youko before she became empress and control Kei by setting up a puppet monarch. His plans failed. Kourin, afflicted with shitsudou, disobeyed an order to kill Youko and was killed shielding her from Emperor Kou's sword. The emperor himself died two months after. Emperor Kou was posthumously named Saku-Ou, meaning literally, "wrong king" or "foolish king". His two children have decided to end their contracts of immortality to live among the common people, trying to eke out a living from the poor land and refusing Youko's offer to live in Kei.
Kou's fields have increasingly become barren and youma attacks are more common. Under the rule of Saku-Ou, hanjyuus and kaikyakus were deemed unnatural and were not allowed education, employment, or social services.
Note: The new ranka of Kou is growing on Mt. Hou.
[edit] Hou
Ruler: Emperor Hou (Retsu-Ou, Chuutatsu) **deceased**
Taiho: Hourin **deceased**
Kanji: 芳 (perfume, fragrant)
Emperor Hou, a former government official, believed that the citizens of Hou were corrupt and enacted very strict laws, with very harsh punishments (usually beheading). His wife, Imperial Consort Kaku, often executed citizens under false charges. The people of Hou rebelled under provincial Lord Gekkei who later takes on the interim rulership of Hou. The former emperor and Kirin (who was suffering from shitsudou) were "killed" and the princess of the family was sent away. She later is sent to Kyou before running to Kei in jealousy to confront Youko Nakajima. She takes part in a rebellion and becomes a courtier in Kei. Her family name was Sonshou, but her royal name was Shoukei.
In episode 31, Rakushun tells Shoukei that the first Buddhist temple was created in Hou during the rule of Hitsu-Ou (Unwavering Emperor), when sankyaku visited the kingdom and built it.
Note: There has been no new Kirin ranka born for Hou.
[edit] Ryuu
Ruler: Emperor Ryuu (Jo Rohou)
Taiho: Ryuuki
Kanji: 柳 (willow)
In episode 21 of the anime, Enki describes the kingdom of Ryuu as mysterious and is not sure of its status (which troubles him). A friend of Rakushun's in En claimed that Ryuu was prosperous after Rakushun was sent by Enki to investigate.
Ryuu has very strict laws (the previous Emperor of Hou was said to have modeled his laws after Ryuu's) and its emperor has ruled for 120 years (the DVD subtitles say 1200 but this is a mistranslation). However, it seems to be suffering from Shitsudou. The ministers and officials willingly accept bribes, to the extent that they took jewels that Shoukei had stolen from the Empress of Kyou as a bribe. It is likely that the corruption runs all the way up to the emperor. Youma are also infesting Ryuu's shores. Rakushun concludes that Ryuu is collapsing.
The buildings and cities of Ryuu are small and simple. Houses in Ryuu are underground, to protect inhabitants from the seasons.
[edit] Kyou
Ruler: Empress Kyou (Shushou)
Taiho: Kyouki
Kanji: 恭 (respect, reverent)
The Empress of Kyou has ruled for over 90 years. However, she has the appearance of a young girl, as that was when she was chosen to be empress.
She ran away from home when she was twelve years old to go on the pilgrimage to be selected as the empress as she could not bear to see the suffering of the ordinary people in a country without a king.
The kingdom is described as well-off under her rule. Kyou-Ou is often strict and can be capricious, but is also shown to be wise. She and Kyouki have an odd relationship, the empress often lecturing Kyouki not to be so naive and sympathetic. On some of these occasions, she slaps Kyouki but explains her reasons as well as comments that she wishes she had a shorter kirin so it would be easier for her to slap him.
Her story is told in one of the novels that were not animated, Tonan no Tsubasa, or The Aspired Wings.
[edit] Han
Ruler: Emperor Han (Go Ranjou)
Taiho: Hanrin (Risetsu)
Kanji: 範 (pattern, example, model)
Emperor Han and Hanrin have ruled their kingdom for 300 years. They have a rather cold relationship with En-Ou and Enki; Enki considers them to be rather eccentric. The kingdom of Han is known for their beautiful crafts. Many tools and accessories exported from Han to the other kingdoms. They are mentioned once in the anime, though they are seen in one of the novels.
[edit] Sai
Ruler: Empress Sai ("Kouko")
Taiho: Sairin (Youran)
Kanji: 才 (genius)
Empress Sai and Sairin have ruled for about 100 years. Sairin and Empress Sai are both known for being kind hearted and great characters, both given another name to show that they are beloved by their people. Sai-Ou's royal name is Kouko, meaning "golden mother-in-law", as she was a great-aunt to a previous Sai-Ou. She is Sairin's second king. Sairin is always seen carrying a branch with leaves on it, as a memento of the promise that her first king made to her to govern the country well, which he broke, giving her shitsudou.
[edit] Sou
Ruler:Emperor Sou (Ro Senshin)
Taiho: Sourin (Shou-Shou)
Kanji: 奏 (to play music, speak to a ruler, complete)
Currently the oldest living reign, at 600 years, and the second oldest on record, the emperor and Sou's kirin were never formally introduced. Enki describes the emperor is a meikun ("great ruler") and states that the Kingdom of Sou is prosperous under his rule.
The family of Sou-Ou helps to run the country, and are actively involved in social improvement projects (as mentioned by Kyou-Ou and Rakushun). The prince of Sou assists the emperor while the princess of Sou created a national hospital where many patients are treated. She is credited for providing Sou's health care. One prince, Rikou, appears in Tonan no Tsubasa (about Shushou becoming Kyou-ou) and the short story "Kizan", where he and Shouryuu (under his alias Fuukan) run into each other in the falling kingdom of Ryuu.
It is stated in episode 21 that Sourin is who located Enki in Hourai.
[edit] Ren
Ruler: Emperor Ren (Ou Seitaku)
Taiho: Renrin
Kanji: 漣 (ripples)
The Emperor of Ren has ruled for about 100 years and comes from a family of farmers. As such, he is not a person who is familiar with formalities, and prefers to spend his time in his farmyard in the palace. In contrast to him, Renrin is very proper and places a lot of emphasis on propriety. She possesses an Imperial Treasure: the Gogoukanda ("Serpent Bracelet of Empowerment"), a bracelet that connects the world of the Twelve Kingdoms with our world without creating a shoku. It was used to return Taiki to Mt. Hou. Ren had recently undergone a rebellion that was put down.
They are further developed as characters in one of the novels that were not animated, Kasyo no Yume-Toei, or Dreams of Kasyo-Prosperity in Winter. In that book, Taiki thanks Renrin and Ren-Ou for bringing him back to Tai. Renrin is also instrumental in The Shore in Twilight (and by extension, in Demon Child) in searching for Taiki (again) in Japan.
[edit] Shun
Ruler: Emperor Shun
Taiho:Shunki
Kanji:舜 (morning glory, rose of Sharon, althea)
The emperor of Shun has had a forty year reign. The kingdom itself is known its precious stones and medicine. While previously stable, Enki believes that the kingdom may be struggling with youma from the unstable Kou Kingdom.
