Forum - View topicThe Twelve Kingdoms (TV).
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selenta
 Subscriber Posts: 1774 Location: Seattle, WA |
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Oh my god yes, QFT. This is a show that almost needs to be either marathoned or take some outside vocab lessons from someone who's seen it. Everything sounds exactly the same if you're not paying attention to the exact spelling of the words; I can honestly say I didn't feel comfortable with all the vocab in the show until episode 20 or 25 (ok, I was a little slow... but they all sounded the same  ). The first 6 episodes are so are all about building the world, a world that uses every second of those 6 episodes to do so (well, those 6 episodes and about 20 episodes worth over the next 40  ). The world is absolutely one of the most interesting I've ever seen. It didn't have a proper ending... that and the slow start are the two biggest weaknesses to be sure. It could've gone on for hundreds, hundreds of episodes and barely scratched the surface of the depth of the world. Definitely in my top 5.
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Kruszer
 Posts: 7983 Location: Minnesota, USA |
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Ah yes there is that mind-numbingly confusing terminology to learn. After I finished the series I felt like I'd learned another language or something. 
Also yes it's better in multiple episode chunks. That how I saw it, 5 episode blocks in my college's anime club. |
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Deltakiral
 Posts: 3338 Location: Glendora, CA (Avatar Hei from Darker than BLACK) |
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Just to point something out did you have the booklets that came with the DVDs? The R1 from Media Blaster had a very nice insert that did a fairly good job helping to figure out what was going on. I always had in my hands for the first two volumes. I am always hoping that I come to this site and the new will read "New OAV plans for 12 Kingdoms....more details to come" but no good news thus far  .
Delta |
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selenta
Subscriber Posts: 1774 Location: Seattle, WA |
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No, I didn't Delta. I've actually heard a lot of great things about the inserts in it; it sounds like it's the best thing media blasters has ever done. All joking/bashing aside, I still don't even own the series
 I've been looking around the last day or two for the best deal on the whole series, and right now it looks like amazon is the best; if I can't find anything better by wednesday, I'll be ordering it from them (finally have some more money to spend on anime again, looking to pick up about a paycheck or two's worth of quality shows that I need to buy copies of before I pick up something I haven't seen yet  Thankfully, that's about how much money I have at my disposal).
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Deltakiral
Posts: 3338 Location: Glendora, CA (Avatar Hei from Darker than BLACK) |
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Are you planning on getting boxes one and two or are you going with individuals releases? I personally have the individuals volumes so I can't really speak for the boxes and what comes with them....however I do like my white cases on my shelf...even if they take up more room. Delta P.S. selenta's hentai? You have a stalker on ANN....or two accounts? Last edited by Deltakiral on Tue Oct 24, 2006 3:19 am; edited 1 time in total |
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selenta
Subscriber Posts: 1774 Location: Seattle, WA |
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It's a seperate account, I had just made it for organizational purposes.
Anyway, I was looking to get the box set; but another thing that's probably going to sound funny, is that I've never bought a real box set before (I have 3 bootlegged boxsets /sigh), are there more inserts and special stuff in each volume or do box sets come with stuff the individuals wouldn't? Or does it depend? Ah well, w/e, I'm not buying them for the wall scrolls and other goodies anyway
EDIT: Hehe, I couldn't figure out what was so funny with your post for a minute: it's "stalker" |
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Deltakiral
Posts: 3338 Location: Glendora, CA (Avatar Hei from Darker than BLACK) |
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Well I am not sure what the boxes included according to the rightstuf page it just says it contains the episode #-#....but doesn't note if there any booklets or whatever. But then again neither do the regular edition. So in short boxes included probably the same disc but unknown if the booklets are included as well.
Yeah that what happens when you work all day and then work on some pre-law papers.....augh my brain hurts. I am so glad that I finished that paper, I don't ever want to know anymore about that case..... Delta |
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Kruszer
Posts: 7983 Location: Minnesota, USA |
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I have the sets myself. The two boxes have an insert in each of them explaining things as well as descriptions on what goes on in the individual story-arcs printed on the packaging of the fold-out styled boxes
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Randall Miyashiro
 Posts: 2451 Location: A block away from Golden Gate Park |
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When the series first came out I bought the first three DVDs, but gave up on the story since the characters bothered me too. When the two boxes came out I bought them and really enjoyed the rest of the series. The DVDs have the same content, and I believe are even the same pressing with the same trailers. I individual DVDs have a fold out insert with a duplicate image of the cover on the front, episode list on the back, Map Encyclopedia and Youma list in the inside. I like the box sets overall since it is made with matted cardboard. I believe it is similar to the cardboard that the Lord of The Rings Extended Editions come in. As far as the series goes I too enjoy the story of the three girls and the stories about Tai the best. I will also say that the Gundam 8th was fun, but Miller's Report was a bit of a rehash. It reminded me of the 0083 movie. |
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AirCooledMan_2006
 Posts: 594 Location: Delaware, U.S. |
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Just because a few eps suck doesn't mean the whole series is like that. Stick it out till the very end. In the words of the rabid Blue Sox fan from Cowboy Bebop: "Blue Sox fans never leave the game early!"
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TheVok
Posts: 613 Location: North York, Ontario, Canada |
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I started renting this series recently and have now watched the first 'arc', i.e. the first 14 episodes, on the first three DVDs.
I don't have a problem with the characters, but I do have a problem with the storytelling style. It's almost all exposition. In some episodes especially, nothing happens, people just stand around spouting background information. Does this change? Because I'm really not interested in just listening to characters spouting background information day after day .... |
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selenta
Subscriber Posts: 1774 Location: Seattle, WA |
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Kind of yes, kind of no. The problem is that (like I said a long time ago on this thread) the world has enough depth that 39 solid episodes of exposition still probably wouldn't be enough to completely flesh everything out. I actually just watched episodes 1-8 over the last two nights with my roommate, and there really wasn't too much inapplicable background information. The whole point of the first arc is to build the world, the rest of the story is exploration.
Basically it's one of the only true "fantasy" anime I've seen, so if you're not a fan of fantasy and don't want to give it a chance to flesh itself out, then stop. The story definitely moves, and it becomes very complicated later on with a number of independent threads going simultaneously, but it'll never be an action flick. As the story gets almost exponentially better until episode 39, I suggest you keep watching, but it all really comes down to whether or not you think the show has potential based on what you've seen so far. |
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Kelly
Posts: 868 Location: New York City |
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@ TheVok:
If you plan on continuing, I hope you payed attention to all that exposition, because this is a complicated story and it was necessary to understanding Youko's situation. Yes, the series does switch back and forth almost equally between Youko's story and exposition about other characters. So if you didn't like, for example, King En and Rokuta's backstory (which actually happened to be one of my favorite parts of the series, including the one volume final arc which is basically an epilogue totally devoted to them), then the series might just not be for you. If it hasn't grabbed you so far, it's going to be a while before you get payoff in the exciting end of the third arc, and you might be fustrated because all of the subplots are not wrapped up in the end (those who do like the series continue to bemoan the absence of a third season, particularly in regards to the second arc about Taiki). There's also a recap episode at the end of the first three arcs, which is my one criticism of the series and might drive someone on the fence off the edge. Twelve Kingdoms is one of my favorites, but it sounds to me like you've given it a good shot and it just isn't your thing. There's always a chance you'll have an epiphany, but I'd hate to see you waste more money since you've passed what I consider the make-or-break point. |
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Amethyst Alchemist
Former ANN Editor
 Posts: 312 Location: where it's always a good morning |
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I think it is a series worth seeing through to the end (though the last couple episodes, especially, have little value to me). I bought the two boxed sets and am pretty happy. The series overall was a small let down to me. I was expecting a little more since it is ranked so highly here. I still think it is interesting, though, and worth a watch. It does have some pretty unique aspects and very good points in the story.
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TheVok
Posts: 613 Location: North York, Ontario, Canada |
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I didn't mind the first recap episode at all, because at least that's what it was meant to be. What I don't like are the episodes that don't need to be all exposition, but are anyway. I don't need action sequences, necessarily. I just need a more engaging form of storytelling than this constant exposition. It's completely unnatural to hear characters speaking like this for hours on end. |
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