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The Twelve Kingdoms

Name: The Twelve Kingdoms
Genre: Animation, Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Released: 2002-04-09
Cast: Aya Hisakawa, Takehito Koyasu, Kenichi Suzumura, Masaki Aizawa, Kappei Yamaguchi

2002 | 4 seasons | 25 min | Animation, Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Sunday Safe Betearly rating

Why it’s a Sunday Safe Bet

Solid across the board without standing out anywhere. A safe bet when you want something reliable.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it: Made for sci-fi fans, action fans and animation lovers. If you loved Charmed, start here.
The mood: Feel-good.
The pace: 4 seasons, but most episodes stand on their own, so you can dip in anywhere (about 25 minutes each).
What might put you off: No age rating on record, so check it first for young kids.
It's in Japanese, so expect subtitles (or a dub).

Nakajima Youko is your average somewhat timid high school student. One day, a strange man named Keiki appears before her, swearing allegiance. Before she could properly register what was happening, demon-like creatures attack Youko and her friends, after which they are pulled into a different world. A world unlike what she has ever known. Separated from Keiki, Youko and her friends must do whatever they can if they wish to survive in this new world.

How it earned its rating

CriticsNot counted
Not enough reviews on record yet
AudiencesNot counted
Not measured yet: not enough ratings
AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
Reach & staying powerSolid
Ran for 4 seasons and reached a small audience so far; still draws a steady audience long after release
Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 83K people sought it out in the past year

Season by season

The show overall is a Sunday Safe Bet. Here's how each season stacks up; Shadow of the Moon, The Sea of Shadow is the high point.

Shadow of the Moon, The Sea of Shadow2002 · 14 episodes · 7.2 out of 10
Sunday
The Sea of Wind, The Shore of the Maze2002 · 8 episodes · 6.0 out of 10
Monday
A Great Distance in the Wind, the Sky at Dawn2002 · 18 episodes
Not rated yet
The God of the Sea in the East, the Mighty Ocean in the West2003 · 5 episodes
Not rated yet

Trailer

Cast & crew

Aya Hisakawa
Takehito KoyasuKeiki (voice)
Kenichi SuzumuraRakushun (voice)
Masaki AizawaShōryū (voice)
Kappei YamaguchiRokuta (voice)
Aya IshizuYuka Sugimoto (voice)
Yuji UedaIkuya Asano (voice)
Rie KugimiyaTaiki (voice)
Kousuke OkanoTakasato (voice)
Naomi WakabayashiSuzu (voice)