TV series

The Twelve Kingdoms

2002–2003 · 4 seasons

A slow, serious portal fantasy that lingers on a timid girl's harsh transformation, mixing political intrigue with emotional weight and occasional action.

Overview: 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.

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In the UKNo streaming, rental or purchase options known.

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How it feels

Written by AI. It can be wrong.

Tone: earneststrength 3 of 3
darkstrength 2 of 3
melancholicstrength 2 of 3
tensestrength 2 of 3
Pacing: slow-burn, 1 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
Attention: engaged, 3 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
Themes: identity
coming-of-age
power
politics
survival
Places: fantasy world
countryside
big city
Era: timeless
Audience: teen
Form: serialised
animated
Content intensity: Gore mild
Language mild
Violence mild
Sex none

All scales, 0 to 10

Scales, 0 to 10
Scale	Value	0 to 10
Action	5
Horror	3
Humour	2
Realism	2
Romance	2
Tension	6
Darkness	6
Complexity	7
Emotional weight	7

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Where to watch in the UK

No UK streaming, rental or purchase options are known.

Streaming data from JustWatch.TMDB

Details

Genres: animation, action & adventure, sci-fi & fantasy
Created by: Koji Yoshikawa, Kentaro Nakamura, Masakatsu Ohyagi, Mitsutaka Noshiya, Hiroyuki Tsuchiya, Tsuneo Kobayashi
Written by: Sho Aikawa
Starring: Aya Hisakawa, Takehito Koyasu, Kenichi Suzumura, Masaki Aizawa, Kappei Yamaguchi, Aya Ishizu, Yuji Ueda, Rie Kugimiya
Length: 4 seasons, 45 episodes, 25 min each
Network: NHK BS1
Country: Japan
Languages: Japanese

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The Twelve Kingdoms

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