The BEST episodes of The Twelve Kingdoms season 1
Every episode of The Twelve Kingdoms season 1, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of The Twelve Kingdoms season 1!
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.
#1 - A Great Distance in the Wind, the Sky at Dawn - Final Chapter
Season 1 - Episode 39 - Aired 3/11/2003
Queen Kei, having learned much about her world, her kingdom, and most of all her people, takes her rightful place, on the throne and in control. Her first order is to rescind the rule of prostration except on official or formal occasions.
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#2 - Shadow of the Moon, Sea of the Shadow - Chapter Nine
Season 1 - Episode 9 - Aired 6/11/2002
Youko and Rakushun are reunited, and go to see a kaikyaku teacher who, with Rakushun, explains more about the world. Youko's fate is uncovered. Fighting invading youmo, she meets King En.
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#3 - A Great Distance in the Wind, the Sky at Dawn - Chapter Fifteen
Season 1 - Episode 38 - Aired 3/4/2003
Youko reveals her identity to Suzu and Shoukei, and their developing friendship is confirmed. The Imperial Army arrives - to Youko's alarm, as only she is supposed to be able to mobilise it. They realise there is a traitor in the court.
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#4 - A Great Distance in the Wind, the Sky at Dawn - Chapter Twelve
Season 1 - Episode 35 - Aired 2/4/2003
Suzu and Shoukei finally connect and find they have the same objectives. Still in disguise and seeking Enho, who has been abducted by Shoukou, Youko meets the two young women and the resistance at an inn.
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#5 - A Great Distance in the Wind, the Sky at Dawn - Chapter Fourteen
Season 1 - Episode 37 - Aired 2/25/2003
Shoukou surrenders to the queen. Asano tries to redeem himself by delivering a message to Shoukei's rebels, but they are already on the way. Youko, Suzu and Shoukei finally all meet.
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#6 - Shadow of the Moon, Sea of the Shadow - Final Chapter
Season 1 - Episode 13 - Aired 7/9/2002
King Kou defeats himself: King En and Youko rout the false queen of Kei and Youko, reluctantly, agrees to take her rightful place. Keiki restores Yuka to Japan, where she finds a strange boy whose art looks like a map of the 12 kingdoms.
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#7 - In the Moonlight
Season 1 - Episode 40 - Aired 7/5/2003
Queen Kei sends a wise messenger to Gekkei, who has been ruling Hou after killing its king but refusing to take the title. Kei and Rakushun follow King En to Mt Shou, where he goes on a mysterious pilgrimage every year.
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#8 - A Great Distance in the Wind, the Sky at Dawn - Chapter Eight
Season 1 - Episode 30 - Aired 12/17/2002
Shoukei bribes her way free and she and Rakushun set off to find Youko. Suza, Asano and young orphan Seishuu arrive in Kei and Suzu unknowingly meets Youko under tragic circumstances.
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#9 - A Great Distance in the Wind, the Sky at Dawn - Chapter Seven
Season 1 - Episode 29 - Aired 12/10/2002
Wise old Enho teaches Youko about the basics of ruling the kingdom. Shoukei is caught and imprisoned for stealing from Queen Kyou. Asano proves himself less than perfectly sane.
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#10 - A Great Distance in the Wind, the Sky at Dawn - Chapter Thirteen
Season 1 - Episode 36 - Aired 2/18/2003
The fighting begins, with the resistance proving itself tactically brilliant. Shoukou finds himself under siege and in considerable danger.
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#11 - Shadow of the Moon, Sea of the Shadow - Chapter Six
Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 5/21/2002
Rescued by the rat half-beast Rakushun, Youko recovers and Rakushun tells her about the world of the 12 Kingdoms. Together they head for En, where they will be more kindly treated. Yuka is betrayed.
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#12 - Shadow of the Moon, Sea of the Shadow - Chapter Twelve
Season 1 - Episode 12 - Aired 7/2/2002
Finding out about the last queen of Kei, Youko doubts her own ability to rule wisely. Yuka finally finds out how King Kou has used and betrayed her, and stops fighting against Youko.
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#13 - Shadow of the Moon, Sea of the Shadow - Chapter Eleven
Season 1 - Episode 11 - Aired 6/25/2002
En's minister explains to Youko and Rakushun Enki's story, and how he came to choose the King of En.
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#14 - Sea God of the East, Azure Sea of the West - Final Chapter
Season 1 - Episode 44 - Aired 8/23/2003
Atsuyu reveals his true nature to the court and in the face of condemnation admits defeat, but fails even then to be honest. King En promises a land of green meadows and fruitfulness to all his subjects.
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#15 - Shadow of the Moon, Sea of the Shadow - Chapter Seven
Season 1 - Episode 7 - Aired 5/28/2002
Youko saves her travelling companions, but Rakushun is hurt. Youko takes up with the entertainers she'd met previously, as their guard. They arrive at the port for her to take ship to En, but it's full of officials looking for her.
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#16 - Shadow of the Moon, Sea of the Shadow - Chapter Three
Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 4/23/2002
Attacked on their way for judgement, Youko uses the mystical sword Keiki gave her. Escaping, the three are befriended by a native woman who feeds and clothes them, then offers them work in another town. On the way Youko has another vision.
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#17 - Shadow of the Moon, Sea of the Shadow - Chapter Four
Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 4/30/2002
Takki, their apparent saviour, has less innocent plans for Youko and Yuka than getting them work in an inn. While they make their escape, Asano meets another kaikyaku (people from our world), an old man who arrived before the end of WW2.
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#18 - Shadow of the Moon, Sea of the Shadow - Chapter Ten
Season 1 - Episode 10 - Aired 6/18/2002
King En takes Youko and Rakushun to his palace, where more explanations of how the royal system works are given. At the same time Yuka is being similarly educated by the kaikyaku teacher. Youko has important decisions to make.
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#19 - Shadow of the Moon, Sea of the Shadow - Chapter Eight
Season 1 - Episode 8 - Aired 6/4/2002
King Kou changes Yuka's appearance so she can fight Youko without being recognised - then sends bird demons to do the job when the two young women are on board ship. A larger demon fights the birds, and Yuka changes back to merely human.
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#20 - A Great Distance in the Wind, the Sky at Dawn - Chapter Six
Season 1 - Episode 28 - Aired 12/3/2002
As Youko travels through Kei, learning the realities of the kingdom, Shoukei escapes Kyou, intent on taking the Queen of Kei's place and regaining her own kingdom. Asano sneaks onto the ship carrying Suzu to Kei.
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#21 - A Great Distance in the Wind, the Sky at Dawn - Chapter Three
Season 1 - Episode 25 - Aired 11/12/2002
Suzu dreams of Youko welcoming her as a sister. Shoukei's status is discovered and her life threatened - as is Youko's when one of her officials apparently betrays her.
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#22 - Shadow of the Moon, Sea of the Shadow - Chapter Five
Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 5/7/2002
Yuka believes herself to be the chosen one instead of Youko, and takes up with the kirin Kourin. After Youko and Asano are separated, she tries to kill Youko, but injures her instead.
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#23 - Sea of the Wind, Shore of the Labyrinth - Chapter Three
Season 1 - Episode 17 - Aired 9/17/2002
Keiki and Taiki meet at Lady Gyokuyou's suggestion, and although their first meeting does not go well, they soon become friends and learn from each other.
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#24 - A Great Distance in the Wind, the Sky at Dawn - Chapter Ten
Season 1 - Episode 33 - Aired 1/21/2003
Suzu joins the resistance against Shoukou. Shoukei is unknowingly saved by Youko when she nearly gives herself away. Shoukou tasks Asano with finding Youko, since he knows what she looks like.
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#25 - Sea of the Wind, Shore of the Labyrinth - Final Chapter
Season 1 - Episode 20 - Aired 10/8/2002
Keiki, Enki and King En conspire to prove Taiki correct, causing great relief. In the present, in Japan, Yuka is convinced the strange young man belongs in the 12 kingdoms.
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