AnimeNfo

[Last Exile (#35342)]

 Similarity to Fushigi Yugi?

[blue_scarlet (#41202)]

I've watched Fushigi Yuugi and it's oavs

[slippy (#46880)]

Completely different kinds of shows.

FY is basically magical girl shoujo using Chinese fantasy novel-type stuff. I still love the series, but half of it is a love triangle made up of "Miaka! Tamahome! Miaka! Tomohome!" All of the tropes (bishis, triangle, yoai characters, lots of magic, strong girl, girl friend drama) are there.

I still consider 12K shoujo, mainly because the adaptation still adapts some shoujo drama tropes, but this is far as you can get from FY or Utena or whatever. There's no core love story (from what I've seen so far.) The bishounen are at arm's length. Even the character design (same as Rahxephon) draws as much from fantasy art as anime. There is real literary stuff going on here.

It's easier to think of 12 Kingdoms as a Chinese historical soap opera with fantasy touches. If you like Zhang Yimou's films (Raise the Red Lattern, Farewell My Concubine, To Live, etc.), you'll love the psychological realism, the wounded Chinese fatalism, against the lush backdrop. And if you're into those Chinese/Taiwanese historical soap operas (Princess Pearl), you'll fall in love with this show hard. This is one of the most important, revolutionary shows ever done in the fantasy or shoujo genre.

[charn (#40191)]

Hm.. then I should watch this series then..

I didn't watch this series because its animation looks really crappy.. but if so many people said the plot is awesome then it's worth a shot..

Last question.. is the last Ep of 12 Kingdoms still didn't end ?? How many manga vol. are there ? has the manga ended yet ?

[slippy (#46880)]

12K is actually a literary adaptation; it's based on a series of very popular teen fantasy novels (main character in show is only one of many in book series), which haven't been imported yet to the States. Because the source isn't manga, it doesn't really follow a shoujo template. But you can see the director trying to rearrange some elements to fit shoujo magical girl stylisms. The series is built on interconnected story arcs focusing on different people (but almost always around Yoko) Personally, I thought the direction was a little iffy for the first arc, but then the narrative moves beautifully afterwards.

I haven't finished the show, but 12K ends in midstream during one of the arcs. Something happened to the director, and they had to stop production.

[Last Exile (#35342)]

I'd agree that Madhouse would be a good choice until I saw Tenjou Tenge. That lowered my respect for them A LOT.

GONZO are too wild to do it (even thought they're my favourite). Sunrise, maybe but I have issues with them on some of their work. BONES, perhaps, but they eventually got sloppy with Fullmetal Alchemist, so I can't truly endorse them either.

Ah well.

[slippy (#46880)]

Aesthetically, Bones is the perfect fit. You want to do a filmic Flying Daggers-meets-Red Lantern Zhang Yimou-ish production? You go to Bones. Guaranteed, there will be intermitten animated sequences that'll make little otaku cry at the total beauty. Yoko's face would be rich with nuanced expressions. A lot of the internal stuff (with the sword spirit) that goes on in the first arc is perfect for Bones's psuedo-music video treatment. But the studio hasn't proved yet they can do a lengthy show on budget or on time. They'll probably milk their entire budget on filming the flight over the ocean. And I'm sure we'll see at least 3 recaps after the first bloody arc.