The Twelve Kingdoms/Characters

Nyokai

 * Familiar: Especially those born just as a Kirin Ranka is formed. Normal youma act as this to the Kirin who capture them, though they serve completely loyally and to the point of death, should the Kirin die of any cause their youkai will eat the body.
 * Mons: Kirin can "catch" Youkai and force them to obey their will, but it's a risky process since it boils down to a contest of wills that can take hours or days and could end with a dead kirin.
 * Monster Lord: Captured nyokai tend to be able to lead packs of similar nyokai on behalf of their kirin.

Sen-nin

 * Translator Microbes: Becoming a Sen-nin removes all language barriers.
 * Immortality: Of the ageless and imune to disease types. It even takes special enchanted weapons  to kill one.
 * Perpetual Motion Monster: Even if starved or dehydrated, a sen-nin will not die. This becomes demonstrated when in the castle dungeon for decades.

Rulers

 * Can't Live Without You: A ruler can never outlive the death of the Kirin who chose them. At most, they will live a year or two before dying.
 * Cool Sword: Some kingdoms have relics for the ruler, Kei has a sword that grants visions.
 * Fisher King: The absence of a ruler causes a World-Wrecking Wave to affect their land, raises the number and severity of natural disasters, and causes a rise in the number of wild nyokai. Just their existence improves all of these and causes a less flashy World-Healing Wave. Insane or evil rulers can be just as bad or worse as the absence of one.
 * Immortality
 * Made of Iron
 * Super Strength
 * Translator Microbes

Kirin

 * Allergic to Evil: Sort of. Blood is a poison to Kirin, and the mere smell can sicken them.
 * Animorphism: Between their true Kirin form and human.
 * The Chooser of the One: Kirin can recognize a ruler, but don't technically choose them, heaven does.
 * Flight: When in Kirin form, and can be a Cool Horse.
 * Fisher Kingdom: On the receiving end, just like the land, to their emperor's Fisher King effect.
 * Friend to All Living Things: Their compassion knows no bounds.
 * Incorruptible Pure Pureness
 * Immortality
 * My Country, Right or Wrong: With a dose of Geas, Kirin can not ever disobey an order from their ruler, the only exception being to bow to someone who isn't their ruler.
 * Stupid Good
 * Synchronization: Along with Fisher Kingdom, they will suffer a debilitating sickness that will eventually kill them if their king becomes evil or insane. Only the repentance, death or abdication of their ruler can cure them. However, unlike how the kingdom suffers in the absence of a ruler, Kirin have no such problems in a ruler-less interim.

Youko Nakajima (Queen Sekishi)
"Voiced by: Aya Hisakawa (JP), Dorothy Elias-Fahn (EN)"



Youko is just your average, shy, Japanese high-school girl. That abruptly changes when a mysterious golden-haired man drops into her classroom and pledges his loyalty to her as his master, dragging her into the alternate realm of the Twelve Kingdoms.

She is actually the displaced ruler of the Kingdom of Kei, and after reclaiming her throne from a pretender, she seeks to renew it to its former prosperity and glory.


 * Action Girl: Youko may whine a bit when she first drops into the Twelve Kingdoms, but one wouldn't want to be a demon when she gets going with her sword.
 * Adrenaline Makeover: From a mousy Class Representative to a full-on God Empress.
 * Class Representative: For several years during her school career, and a part of her initial Stepford Smiler personality.
 * Dark-Skinned Redhead
 * Extreme Doormat --> Action Girl and The Woman Wearing the Queenly Mask --> The High Queen
 * Green Eyed Red Head
 * God-Emperor
 * Heroic Self-Deprecation: "I'm such an useless Queen...!"
 * I Choose to Stay: To save Kei, she renounces any plans to return to Japan. It doesn't help that, if she returned, she'd weaken and die in few years.
 * Implausible Hair Colour: Youko has red hair, despite supposedly being full Japanese (she's not, of course, but no one knows that). A deconstruction, though -- everyone thinks she dyes it, which therefore makes her a Delinquent. This, despite the fact that she has absolutely no other delinquent qualities, and was a spineless wimp until she reached the Kingdoms. Her parents actually want her to dye it, to make it look like she doesn't.
 * King Incognito: Travels the lands more than once after being crowned, disguised as a traveling Action Girl named Youshi.
 * Parental Abandonment: We are shown Youko's parents back in Japan worrying about her, but this is played depressingly straight when her stodgily traditional father disowns her after being convinced she ran off with a gang.
 * Done more sympathetically in the novels. Her father is still overbearingly authoritarian towards her, but it is clear that the disownment stems from his own grief and denial at her disappearance. "Don't you know from watching the news?! In such cases [abductions], have you ever heard of one where [the child] was still alive? That's why I say, she's just run away!"
 * Red Eyes, Take Warning: In the anime, Youko's eyes are green, but when using her Hinman or shirei, her pupils will flash red. In either case, it means she's about to kick your ass.
 * Red Headed Heroine
 * Refusal of the Call: The Call drags her kicking and screaming toward adventure, mostly against her will.
 * Shrinking Violet: In the very beginning. She has to shred her shyness away as the story unfolds.
 * Stepford Smiler: Starts out as a junior version of this in regards to her home and social life; she reveals later the fear that there was truly nothing inside.
 * Tomboy and Girly Girl: The girly girl to Yuka, the tomboy to Rangyoku, Suzu and Shoukei.
 * Trapped in Another World
 * Shrinking Violet: In the very beginning. She has to shred her shyness away as the story unfolds.
 * Stepford Smiler: Starts out as a junior version of this in regards to her home and social life; she reveals later the fear that there was truly nothing inside.
 * Tomboy and Girly Girl: The girly girl to Yuka, the tomboy to Rangyoku, Suzu and Shoukei.
 * Trapped in Another World

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Keiki
"Voiced by: Takehito Koyasu (JP), Kim Strauss (EN)"



The kirin of Kei. He traveled to Japan in his quest to find Kei's new ruler, and found what he was seeking in Youko. He is stern and rather awkward socially, but cares for others deeply, like all kirin.

When Youko is seated on the throne of Kei, he serves as her confidant and tutor.


 * Actual Pacifist: Like all kirin, he is unable to fight directly and gets weak in the presence of blood.
 * The Consigliere
 * Hair of Gold
 * James Bondage
 * Kuudere
 * Mr. Exposition
 * Mysterious Protector:
 * Non-Action Guy: Although he can order his Seirei to fight for him, blood is a lethal poison to him, so he can't fight personally at all.
 * The Strategist
 * Team Dad
 * Weaksauce Weakness: Like all kirin, blood is poisonous to him. He also sickens and, eventually, dies if his ruler rules badly.
 * Team Dad
 * Weaksauce Weakness: Like all kirin, blood is poisonous to him. He also sickens and, eventually, dies if his ruler rules badly.

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Queen Joukaku
"Voiced by: Toshiko Fujita (JP)"



The timid daughter of a merchant family, and former Queen of Kei.


 * Achilles in His Tent: She's so terrified of her queenly duties and insecure about her performance that at one point she locks herself in her room, despite Keiki's pleas and attempts to calm her down.
 * Foil: She has a lot in common with Youko, especially the lack of self-confidence. This is most telling when Youko becomes frustrated with Keiki and acts almost the same way Joukaku once did, and Keiki is clearly disturbed by the similarity. Fortunately,
 * I Just Want to Be Normal: The eldest daughter of a simple merchant from Kei, Joukaku never really wanted to be the Queen and felt she wasn't up to the task.
 * I Just Want to Be Normal: The eldest daughter of a simple merchant from Kei, Joukaku never really wanted to be the Queen and felt she wasn't up to the task.
 * I Just Want to Be Normal: The eldest daughter of a simple merchant from Kei, Joukaku never really wanted to be the Queen and felt she wasn't up to the task.
 * I Just Want to Be Normal: The eldest daughter of a simple merchant from Kei, Joukaku never really wanted to be the Queen and felt she wasn't up to the task.

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Joei
"Voiced by: Mami Koyama (JP)"



Jokaku's younger sister. She was terribly jealous of her sister having been chosen as the Queen of Kei, believing herself far more capable. This led to her striking a deal with the King of Kou in his schemes, and being installed as a pretender empress.


 * Envy
 * The Evil Princess
 * Fake Queen
 * God Save Us From the Queen: She was a pretender to the throne, and attempted to steal Youko's rightful place by kidnapping and enchanting Keiki and plunging the nation into civil war.
 * Smug Snake

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Aozaru
"Voiced by: Kosuke Okano (JP), Richard Cansino (EN)"

A mysterious monkey-like creature that follows Youko around, taunting her with the hopelessness of her plight.


 * Trickster: He falls under almost every category -- he actively tries to get Youko to kill herself, while also giving her sound advice for survival and tipping her off when someone is going to betray her.
 * Trickster Mentor:
 * Manipulative Bastard
 * Maniac Monkey

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Seikyou
"Voiced by: Seiji Sasaki(JP), Kirk Thornton (EN)"

A high-ranked retainer in the court.


 * Evil Chancellor
 * Smug Snake

Enho
"Voiced by: Tomomichi Nishimura (JP), Michael McConnohie (EN)"

The wise elder of the town Youko has chosen to study and train in.


 * Cool Old Guy
 * Mr. Exposition: Spends lots of time explaining the setting to Youko, although not as much as Rakushun.
 * Old Retainer
 * Secret Keeper: He knows about Youko's King Incognito identity as Youshi the Action Girl and keeps his mouth shut about it.
 * Wizard Beard
 * Secret Keeper: He knows about Youko's King Incognito identity as Youshi the Action Girl and keeps his mouth shut about it.
 * Wizard Beard

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Rangyoku
"Voiced by: Tomoko Kawakami (JP)"

Enho's housekeeper; a young woman determined to provide a good life for her younger brother in the recovering Kingdom of Kei.


 * Every Girl Is Cuter With Hair Decs: Wears a big yellow bow in her hair.
 * Girl Next Door
 * Heroic Innocent Bystander
 * Les Yay: She seemed pretty interested in Youko disguised as "Youshi", even after she learned that "he" is a "she"...
 * Promotion to Parent
 * Team Chef and Team Mom: As Enho's housekeeper.
 * Yamato Nadeshiko
 * Team Chef and Team Mom: As Enho's housekeeper.
 * Yamato Nadeshiko

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Keikei
"Voiced by: Julie Ann Taylor (EN)"

Rangyoku's cheerful younger brother.


 * Cute Shotaro Boy
 * Fan Nickname: "Cakey"
 * Innocent Bystander
 * Innocent Bystander

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Gahou
"Voiced by: Kazuhiro Nakada (JP), Dave Mallow (EN)"


 * The Dragon: to.
 * Man Behind the Man: to

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Shoukou
"Voiced by: Tohru Ookawa (JP), Tom Wyner (EN)"




 * The Dragon: To Gahou.
 * Good Eyes, Evil Eyes: Just look at them and tell me which side he's on.
 * Hunting the Most Dangerous Game: One of the many evils he mentions doing is hunting humans for sport.
 * Good Eyes, Evil Eyes: Just look at them and tell me which side he's on.
 * Hunting the Most Dangerous Game: One of the many evils he mentions doing is hunting humans for sport.
 * Hunting the Most Dangerous Game: One of the many evils he mentions doing is hunting humans for sport.

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Koukan
"Voiced by: Kenji Nomura (JP), Terrence Stone (EN)"



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Kantai
"Voiced by: Yasunori Matsumoto (JP), Paul St Peter (EN)"

A roguish Kei military leader who is supportive of the resistance effort.


 * I Owe You My Life and Undying Loyalty: To
 * La Résistance
 * Reasonable Authority Figure: A military leader from the Baku province, as well as Number Two to.
 * Ship Tease: With Shoukei. He helps her run away from guards after Youko saves her, takes her in as his housekeeper, and then lets her into La Résistance.
 * Simple Staff: His Weapon of Choice.
 * Tall, Dark and Handsome
 * Tall, Dark and Handsome

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Koshou
"Voiced by: Rintaro Nishi (JP), Jamieson Price (EN)"

A large, boisterous man who is a member of the resistance and a protective older brother to Sekki.


 * Blade on a Stick
 * Boisterous Bruiser
 * The Big Guy
 * Humble Hero: He never demands any rewards once La Résistance triumphs. His only request is a scholarship for his little brother Sekki, so he can have an education and a good future.
 * Promotion to Parent: Apparently, for Sekki.
 * La Résistance
 * Rebel Leader
 * Sleeves Are for Wimps

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Sekki
"Voiced by: Kenji Nojima (JP), Yuri Lowenthal (EN)"

Much more sensible and thoughtful than his older brother Koshou, he is the brains of the resistance.


 * The Archer
 * Bishonen
 * La Résistance
 * The Smart Guy

King of Kou
"Voiced by: Takaya Hashi (JP), Bob Papenbrook (EN)"



The ruler of Kou, and the one behind the Kei usurpation plot.


 * Fantastic Racism: Hanjyuu and Kaikyaku in Kou tend to have a very bad life as a result of his laws.
 * Manipulative Bastard
 * The Rival: Considers Shouryuu and Youko this.
 * The Rival: Considers Shouryuu and Youko this.
 * The Rival: Considers Shouryuu and Youko this.

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Kourin
"Voiced by: Yuko Sasaki (JP), Wendee Lee (EN)"



The kirin of Kou. She can only helplessly carry out the King of Kou's orders, no matter how evil.


 * Hair of Gold
 * My Country, Right or Wrong: As a kirin, she physically can't disobey the King of Kou, no matter what he does or what she feels.

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Rakushun
"Voiced by: Kenichi Suzumura (JP), Jim Taggert (EN)"



A kind, intelligent hanjyuu from Kou. After nursing the half-dead Youko back to health, he accompanies her to En, and eventually manages to get her an audience with Shouryuu and Enki one he pieces out that she was chosen by Keiki.

After Youko is installed as queen, they maintain friendly correspondence while Rakushun attends En's top university.


 * Animorphism: As a hanjyuu, he can turn into a big rat. Or to be precise, he's a big rat that can turn into a very Bishonen human.
 * Flat Earth Atheist
 * Mr. Exposition: The audience gets most basic information about the world from him.
 * Odd Friendship: With Youko and Shoukei, not to mention Enki.
 * Platonic Life Partners: With Youko, Ship Tease notwithstanding.
 * Southern-Fried Genius: He has a bit of a hick accent, coming from backwater Kou. He's also brilliant.
 * Scholarship Student: Even with his incredible mind, his poor background and hanjyuu birth made it hard for him to seek schooling in Kou. Thankfully, after migrating to En and gaining the friendship and patronage of Youko and Enki, he is able to attend a top school.
 * The Smart Guy

Komatsu Saburou Naotaka (Fuukan, King Shoryuu)
"Voiced by: Masaki Aizawa (JP), Lex Lang (EN)"



The cunning, charming King of En. He is a taika, born in the age of Feudal Japan as the son of a samurai lord. After being spirited away from a losing battle by Enki, he takes the throne of En, and has ruled it ever since.


 * Action Guile Hero: Very skilled and badass fighter. Very cunning manipulator.
 * Alternate Character Reading: "Shoryuu" comes from an alternative reading of his Japanese first name, "Naotaka".
 * Big Brother Mentor: To Youko.
 * Handsome Lech: What he seems to be.
 * King Incognito: His favorite pastime. He stays up-to-date on the goings-on in and his kingdom by hitting up bars and brothels in disguise.
 * Obfuscating Stupidity: The main way he defuses national crises.
 * Samurai: What he used to be. We actually see him wearing armor and all in the flashbacks regarding how he came to be the king.
 * Tall, Dark and Handsome
 * Trapped in Another World: He was a fallen war lord from feudal Japan, before Enki brought him to this world.
 * Vitriolic Best Buds: With Enki.
 * The Wise Prince: In the flashbacks to his past in Japan.

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Enki (Rokuta)
"Voiced by: Kappei Yamaguchi (JP), Dave Wittenberg (EN)"



The kirin of En. Similar to his king Shouryuu, he was born a taika in Feudal Japan -- however, he was born to a desperately poor peasant family, and saw firsthand what the horrors of war can do to the common people. He came to distrust government figures as the ones who start wars, but eventually warmed up to Shouryuu once he proved his devotion to the welfare of En's people.


 * Adults Are Useless: Thinks this way due to his bad experiences with authority figures in the past. Shoryuu generally disabuses him of it, though he's still not too fond of people in power.
 * Bratty Half-Pint
 * Cute Shotaro Boy: Has tried to play up his youthful looks to get out of doing his paperwork, though it rarely works -- all the government workers know full well he's older than he looks.
 * Deadpan Snarker
 * Incorruptible Pure Pureness
 * Parental Abandonment: He was abandoned by his human family in the woods during a time of famine. His nyokai managed to find him before he starved to death, and brought him back to the nyosen at Mount Hou. The psychological damage was already done, tho.
 * Trademark Favorite Food: Loves to loudly munch on peaches while talking to people.
 * Vitriolic Best Buds: With Shouryuu.
 * Trademark Favorite Food: Loves to loudly munch on peaches while talking to people.
 * Vitriolic Best Buds: With Shouryuu.

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Atsuyu
"Voiced by: Joe Cappelletti (EN)"



The beloved, accomplished governor of En's most prosperous province. He has little faith in the newly-installed Shouryuu's competence as king, and is concerned for En's future.


 * The Rival: To Shoryuu.
 * Reasonable Authority Figure:
 * Sarcastic Devotee:
 * Stepford Smiler: His province is the picture of order and prosperity, and he himself cultivates an image of saintly wisdom and acceptance.
 * The Rival: To Shoryuu.
 * Reasonable Authority Figure:
 * Sarcastic Devotee:
 * Stepford Smiler: His province is the picture of order and prosperity, and he himself cultivates an image of saintly wisdom and acceptance.
 * Stepford Smiler: His province is the picture of order and prosperity, and he himself cultivates an image of saintly wisdom and acceptance.
 * Stepford Smiler: His province is the picture of order and prosperity, and he himself cultivates an image of saintly wisdom and acceptance.

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Kouya
"Voiced by: Child Kouya: Emi Motoi (JP), Megan Hollingshead (EN) Adult Kouya: Akira Ishida (JP), Scott Page-Pagter (EN)"



A cunning, manipulative young man in the service of Atsuyu, who saved his life when he was young.


 * Chekhov's Gunman: He is introduced as a minor character in Taiki's arc, and then he is not even mentioned until his backstory is fleshed out in the last arc.
 * The Dragon: To Atsuyu.
 * Evil Counterpart: To Enki.
 * Kid with the Leash: Regarding his demon.
 * Name's the Same: After befriending Enki, Kouya starts referring to his demon with Enki's human name, "Rokuta", to not forget the name of his first real friend.
 * Parental Abandonment: Similar to Enki, he was abandoned in the woods as a child during a time of famine. He was raised by a youma and eventually found and taken in by Atsuyu.
 * Psycho Sidekick: Kouya could also be considered this in regard to Atsuyu,
 * Used to Be a Sweet Kid: The sweet boy whom Enki befriended grows into a very cruel teen.
 * Wild Child: He was abandoned in the woods during a time of famine and raised by a youma. Before being taken in by Atsuyu, he could only communicate in animal noises.
 * Walking the Earth: After
 * Used to Be a Sweet Kid: The sweet boy whom Enki befriended grows into a very cruel teen.
 * Wild Child: He was abandoned in the woods during a time of famine and raised by a youma. Before being taken in by Atsuyu, he could only communicate in animal noises.
 * Walking the Earth: After
 * Walking the Earth: After

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Ribi
"Voiced by: Masako Katsuki (JP)"

A calm, intelligent civil servant, and very loyal to Shouryuu.


 * Badass Damsel: So calm and collected that
 * Brainy Brunette
 * Good Is Not Dumb: Trusts Shoryuu a lot, questions Atsuyu more than once.
 * Guile Heroine
 * The Ojou
 * The Ojou

Kaname Takasato (Taiki)
"Voiced by: Child Taiki: Rie Kugimiya (JP), Terry Sutton (EN) Adult Taiki: Kousuke Okano (JP), Johnny Yong Bosch (EN)"



The kirin of Tai. His dark hair marks him as an incredibly rare black kirin; a herald of prosperity. He is a taika, and was spirited away from his abusive family by the efforts of Enki and the Mount Hou nyosen. He struggles to come to terms with his power and identity as a kirin in an unfamiliar world.


 * Abusive Parents
 * Beware the Nice Ones: Terrifyingly powerful youma or not, if you threaten his king, prepare for a showdown.
 * Badass Adorable: See above.
 * Cute Shotaro Boy
 * Demoted to Extra: In the novels, he and Youko share the mantle of main character, and get roughly the same amount of books. In the anime, he gets a five-episode arc that is never properly concluded.
 * Did You Just Punch Out Cthulhu?: When the yet-untamed Gouran threatens Gyousou, Taiki becomes the first kirin to ever conquer and tame a toutetsu.
 * Expository Hairstyle Change: He's got shoulder-length hair as a kirin, but when he's trapped in our world, he wears it much shorter.
 * Everything's Better with Sparkles: He puts on quite the light show when transforming into kirin form...
 * Friend to All Living Things: He charms vicious animals, bloodthirsty demons, and socially inept kirin with ease.
 * Kid with the Leash: Regarding his shirei, Gouran.
 * Naive Newcomer: Since he lived 10 years in Japan, the poor kid was incredibly lost when he was returned to the kingdoms. This causes him lots of angst.
 * Eerie Pale-Skinned Brunette: Actually a plot point, as he's one of the very rare dark-haired kirin.
 * Parental Abandonment: With a dash of Abusive Parents.
 * Shrinking Violet
 * The Woobie
 * Trapped in Another World

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Saku Gyousou
"Voiced by: Keiji Fujiwara (JP), Chris Kent (EN)"



A highly-respected general in Tai, and the man Taiki chooses to be its ruler. He is a skilled and shrewd leader, though a bit impatient, and is confident in his ability to restore Tai to prosperity.


 * Authority Equals Asskicking: Thanks to being a badass general before being chosen as king of Tai.
 * Cool Sword: Won as a prize from Shoryuu, for being the only person who almost managed to defeat him in a duel.
 * Dark-Skinned Blond
 * Four-Star Badass
 * Morality Pet: Taiki serves as his, balancing out his sternness.
 * Panthera Awesome: Is commonly associated with tiger imagery, especially in the books. In both the books and anime, he is the proud owner of a massive white tiger that serves as his mount in battle.
 * Reasonable Authority Figure:
 * Royals Who Actually Do Something: An utter workaholic. He immediately starts hammering through budget and government reforms when he takes office, and during his first year in office he manages to pray to Heaven to create a new plant, just for Tai, that burns well enough to serve as a superb source of heat in the icy land.
 * Red Eyes, Take Warning: Lampshaded, then averted. Taiki is initially afraid of Gyousou because of the man's red eyes. In reality, Gyousou is a pretty nice guy, and his red eyes are not a mark of anything evil...it's just all part of the Twelve Kingdoms' technicoloring scheme.
 * Royals Who Actually Do Something: An utter workaholic. He immediately starts hammering through budget and government reforms when he takes office, and during his first year in office he manages to pray to Heaven to create a new plant, just for Tai, that burns well enough to serve as a superb source of heat in the icy land.
 * Red Eyes, Take Warning: Lampshaded, then averted. Taiki is initially afraid of Gyousou because of the man's red eyes. In reality, Gyousou is a pretty nice guy, and his red eyes are not a mark of anything evil...it's just all part of the Twelve Kingdoms' technicoloring scheme.

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Haku Sanshi
"Voiced by: Masako Katsuki (JP), Julie Ann Taylor (EN)"

Taiki's nyokai and surrogate mother. She is utterly devoted to his care and protection.


 * Godiva Hair
 * Hybrid Monster: Torso, arms, and head of a White-Haired Pretty Girl. Fish eyes. Leopard lower body. Lizard tail. [[media:Haku_Sanshi_201.png|Here]] she is, ladies and gentlemen.
 * Mama Bear: For Taiki. Justified, as nyokai are specifically bred and trained to be Parental Substitutes to young kirin, even before their eggs hatch; as soon as she was born and learned about her mission, Sanshi was seen hugging Taiki's ranka egg and happily saying his name.
 * White-Haired Pretty Girl: Erm, sort of.

Gouran
"Voiced by:"

A changeling demon known as a toutetsu; horribly powerful by any standards, enough to make even a Physical God think twice about tangling with him. Taiki brings him under his control as his shirei when he threatens Gyousou and Risai in his lair.


 * Big Badass Wolf: His preferred form when watching over Taiki is this, but...
 * Precious Puppies: Taiki usually wills him into being a Shiba Inu puppy instead.
 * Hell Hound
 * Eldritch Abomination: Several of the forms he enjoys phasing into can be described only as this.
 * Papa Wolf: Is very protective of Taiki, whether out of fondness or duty.

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Risai
"Voiced by: Naomi Shindo (JP), Michelle Ruff (EN)"

An up-and-coming military officer in Tai. She is determined to see Tai restored to its former glory, and is loyal to Gyousou and Taiki.


 * Cool Big Sis: To Taiki.
 * Graceful Loser: She's not chosen as the Queen of Tai, but takes it pretty well.
 * Lady of War
 * Les Yay: Quite a bit in the novels, with fellow Gyousou-loyal judge Kaei.

Shoukei
"Voiced by: Houko Kuwashima (JP), Kate Higgins (EN)"



As the daughter of its former ruler, she is the deposed princess of the Kingdom of Hou. Spoiled and haughty, she must adjust to her new life as a peasant and come to terms with her father's tyrannical reign.


 * Brought Down to Normal: Shoukei experiences this, going from a life of luxury to one of poverty, starvation, and near-merciless persecution almost overnight.
 * Damsel in Distress
 * Fallen Princess
 * Purple Eyes
 * Royal Brat: Pre-Character Development. Spoiled and sheltered by her Knight Templar father, the Emperor of Hou, the Break the Haughty that followed hit her hard and it took her a LONG while to get better.
 * What the Hell, Hero?:
 * Purple Eyes
 * Royal Brat: Pre-Character Development. Spoiled and sheltered by her Knight Templar father, the Emperor of Hou, the Break the Haughty that followed hit her hard and it took her a LONG while to get better.
 * What the Hell, Hero?:
 * What the Hell, Hero?:

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Sonken (King Chuutatsu)
"Voiced by:"

The former King of Hou. His Knight Templar behavior led him to enact incredibly strict laws, which eventually led to his deposition.


 * Jade-Colored Glasses: As a Self-Made Man government officer, he witnessed such corruption in his years before becoming King that he became a...
 * Knight Templar: His absolute sense of justice caused him to slaughter a large portion of his own population for minor offenses. He, his wife, and his kirin Hourin were eventually overthrown and killed.
 * Overprotective Dad: He kept his daughter Shoukei completely sheltered and shielded from all the hardships that Hou went through. Boy, did that screw her up once he was executed.
 * Unholy Matrimony: With Kaka, who was just as much of a Knight Templar as him.

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Queen Kaka
"Voiced by:"

The wife of the former King of Hou. Self-centered and haughty, her actions are among those that


 * God Save Us From the Queen
 * Hot Mom: Though she does look older than the standard one.
 * Knight Templar
 * Moral Event Horizon: See
 * Noblewoman's Laugh
 * Off With Her Head: How she was executed. In front of Shoukei.
 * Rich Bitch
 * Unholy Matrimony
 * Unholy Matrimony

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Hourin
"Voiced by:"

The former kirin of Hou. She is killed during the deposition of the king, as punishment for having chosen him in the first place.


 * Ill Girl: She already was in the last stages of shitsudou when Chuutatsu died.
 * Hair of Gold
 * Hair of Gold

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Gekkei
"Voiced by: Masahiko Tanaka (JP), Michael McConnohie (EN)"

The leader of the coup against the former king of Hou, and formerly one of the most high.ranked government officers there. He genuinely wishes for what is best for the kingdom, and is not proud of the blood on his hands.


 * Jerkass Facade: To Shoukei.
 * Knight in Sour Armor: Very, very bitter in regards to his actions.
 * Reasonable Authority Figure
 * Rebel Leader: Sort of. He was a governor in Hou, then led the uprising against the King to save the realm.
 * Knight in Sour Armor: Very, very bitter in regards to his actions.
 * Reasonable Authority Figure
 * Rebel Leader: Sort of. He was a governor in Hou, then led the uprising against the King to save the realm.
 * Rebel Leader: Sort of. He was a governor in Hou, then led the uprising against the King to save the realm.

Shushou
"Voiced by: Wakana Yamazaki (JP), Julie Maddalena (EN)"



The ruler of Kyou. Despite her youthful looks, she is a shrewd ruler, and has led Kyou into great prosperity.


 * A Child Shall Lead Them: Despite being eternally thirteen, she is the highly competent empress of Kyou.
 * Blue Eyes
 * Bratty Half-Pint: Even with her competence, she's still a young girl at heart and sometimes exhibits rather childish behavior, like kicking off her shoes while discussing things with Kyouki.
 * Corporal Punishment: She sometimes slaps Kyouki around, though only when extremely upset (like when ) and is soon back to her much gentler self.
 * Every Girl Is Cuter With Hair Decs
 * The High Queen
 * Jade-Colored Glasses: She's a good person at heart, but she lectures Kyouki for being too compassionate and kind for his own benefit.
 * Little Miss Snarker: She never sugarcoats her thoughts and words.
 * The Messiah: In the novels, the Genre Savvy Shushou ran away from home and made a pilgrimage knowing, if she finished, she'd have a chance to be chosen as Queen and help her suffering countrymen. Kyouki chose her.
 * Noblewoman's Laugh
 * No Sympathy: To Shoukei, thinking she's just a foolish little girl who did nothing to help the people of Hou and wanting to both punish and toughen her up.
 * The Ojou: As the daughter of the richest merchant in Kyou, Shushou was this before becoming empress.
 * Plucky Girl: Especially in the novels. "No one shall rule this country but me!"
 * Super Strength: Can make Shoukei bow forcibly to her...using only two fingers.
 * Really Seven Hundred Years Old: Despite looking thirteen, she is over a hundred years old -- rulers stop aging once they're chosen, and Shushou was a thirteen-year-old girl when she became one.
 * Tsundere: A Type A, due to her child-like mood swings. In the novels, at one moment she dumps hot soup on her maid for questioning her repeatedly, then begs for her forgiveness and lets her borrow one of her own dresses.
 * Tsundere: A Type A, due to her child-like mood swings. In the novels, at one moment she dumps hot soup on her maid for questioning her repeatedly, then begs for her forgiveness and lets her borrow one of her own dresses.

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Kyouki
"Voiced by: Tohru Ookawa (JP)"



The kirin of Kyou. His quiet, thoughtful demeanor is in great contrast to his Empress' bombastic outbursts.


 * The Consigliere
 * Hair of Gold
 * Nice Guy
 * Odd Friendship: He's the counselor of a girl who goes between The High Queen and a Bratty Half-Pint.

Queen Chuukin / Koukou
"Voiced by:"



The wise and kind ruler of Sai.


 * The High Queen
 * Team Mom: For the whole kingdom -- the people of Sai call her Koukou, which means "golden mother-in-law".
 * Yamato Nadeshiko: With emphasis on the subtle will of iron, as she manages to convince Riyo to let Suzu go with words alone.

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Sairin
"Voiced by:"



The kirin of Sai.


 * The Consigliere
 * Hair of Gold
 * Ill Girl: When the previous King Shishou governed ineffectually, she got shitsudou. The King then renounced to the throne and killed himself, which let her get better and choose   Chuukin as the new sovereign.
 * Yamato Nadeshiko

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Seishuu
"Voiced by: Akiko Hiramatsu (JP), Yuri Lowenthal (EN)"

An ill, orphaned young boy that Suzu befriends.


 * Break the Cutie
 * Get a Hold of Yourself, Man!: When Suzu loses herself in angst, he calls her out on how she's not the only one suffering.
 * Ill Boy: Due to an old injury, he's got severe headaches and later loses his sight.
 * Parental Abandonment: When he was a baby, he and his parents ran away from Kei during Jokaku's chaotic reign. They were good to him and he loved them... but then his father is killed by youma, then his mother gets sick and dies while waiting for the ship to Kei to arrive.
 * Ill Boy: Due to an old injury, he's got severe headaches and later loses his sight.
 * Parental Abandonment: When he was a baby, he and his parents ran away from Kei during Jokaku's chaotic reign. They were good to him and he loved them... but then his father is killed by youma, then his mother gets sick and dies while waiting for the ship to Kei to arrive.

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Riyo
"Voiced by: Minami Takayama (JP),	Juli Grossman (EN)"

A vain, tyrannical woman who takes Suzu under her wing to serve as her maid.


 * Domestic Abuse: Loves abusing Suzu.
 * Jerkass
 * Holier Than Thou: Claims to be "punishing Suzu's sins". Yeah, sure.
 * Noblewoman's Laugh
 * Raven Hair, Ivory Skin
 * Rich Bitch
 * Rich Bitch

Go Ranjou
"Voiced by: N/A"

The King of Han, who has ruled for three hundred years and brought Han great prosperity. He is somewhat difficult to get along with, and butts heads particularly venomously with Shoryuu.


 * Ambiguously Gay
 * Dude Looks Like a Lady
 * The Fashionista: Is an eager patron of Han's arts and fashion industry.
 * Paper Fan of Doom: Hits Shoryuu with his fan for being impolite to Hanrin.
 * Wholesome Crossdresser

Hanrin
"Voiced by: N/A"

The kirin of Han, (currently) nicknamed Risetsu by her king. She is a spunky and loyal partner-in-crime to her beloved king.


 * Dead Person Impersonation: Accidentally. She has a magical object that disguises her as someone the person looking at her knows; at least one person sees a dead friend.
 * Fag Hag
 * Hair of Gold
 * Princess Curls

Yuka Sugimoto
"Voiced by: Aya Ishizu (JP), Karen Strassman (EN)"



An anime-only character who is accidentally dragged into the Kingdoms when Youko is first swept over. She is convinced that she alone was meant to be brought over, and is incredibly jealous of Youko.


 * Ascended Extra: Was a mere otaku in the novels, given only a few lines in the very first book; and certainly was never taken into the kingdoms with Youko.
 * All of the Other Reindeer: Was bullied at school due to her obsession with fantasy worlds.
 * Ascended Fangirl: Subverted. She thought she was one...
 * Big Bad Friend
 * Easily Forgiven:
 * Horrible Judge of Character
 * I Just Want to Be Special
 * Important Haircut:
 * Jumped At the Call:
 * Ordinary High School Student
 * Otaku: She revels in being in a world like the fantasy novels she obsesses over.
 * Poisonous Friend
 * Psycho Supporter
 * Raven Hair, Ivory Skin
 * The Rival: To Youko.
 * Tall, Dark and Bishoujo
 * Trapped in Another World
 * Wrong Genre Savvy: Yuka is very savvy about fantasy novels... but is convinced she is the main character.

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Ikuya Asano
"Voiced by: Yuji Ueda (JP), Joshua Seth (EN)"



An anime-only character who is accidentally dragged into the Kingdoms when his old friend Youko is first swept over. He is terribly out-of-place in the unfamiliar world, and does not adapt as well as Youko and Yuka.


 * Canon Foreigner: He was specially written into the anime storyline; he never existed in the novels.
 * Childhood Friend: Youko's, since they've known each other since childhood.
 * Desperately Looking for a Purpose In Life
 * Face Heel Turn
 * Fan Nickname:
 * Trapped in Another World
 * Unlucky Everydude
 * Fan Nickname:
 * Trapped in Another World
 * Unlucky Everydude
 * Trapped in Another World
 * Unlucky Everydude
 * Unlucky Everydude

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Suzu Ooki
"Voiced by: Naomi Wakabayashi (JP), Mela Lee (EN)"



A kaikyaku from Meiji-era Japan, she was swept over in a shoku while she was leaving home to work for a local nobleman that she was sold to as a maid. Separated from all she's ever known, Suzu seeks her place in this strange new world.


 * Action Survivor
 * Butt Monkey: NOT Played for Laughs.
 * Break the Cutie: Her mistress, the sen-nin Riyo, was an absolute bitch to her for more than 100 years.
 * Chekhov's Gunwoman: Suzu gets a short scene in Taiki's arc, is then left alone for a while and reappears with a vengeance.
 * Desperately Looking for a Purpose In Life
 * My Name Is Not Durwood: "My name isn't Mokurin! I'm Suzu! SUZU!"
 * Shrinking Violet
 * Translator Microbes: Avoided. Not being a sen-nin means that, when spirited away, Suzu couldn't understand the language of the kingdoms until she was taken in by Riyo. That's actually the reason why she put up with Riyo's abuse; in return for her service, she had Suzu's name added to the heavenly roster. One of her favorite taunts for Suzu was that she was free to quit at any time, but would lose her senninhood and therefore her ability to communicate, which after many years of experiencing just that, was Suzu's greatest fear.
 * Trapped in Another World: Was a poor farm girl from the Meiji-era Japan, then arrived in the Kingdoms via shoku.
 * Unlucky Everydudette
 * Translator Microbes: Avoided. Not being a sen-nin means that, when spirited away, Suzu couldn't understand the language of the kingdoms until she was taken in by Riyo. That's actually the reason why she put up with Riyo's abuse; in return for her service, she had Suzu's name added to the heavenly roster. One of her favorite taunts for Suzu was that she was free to quit at any time, but would lose her senninhood and therefore her ability to communicate, which after many years of experiencing just that, was Suzu's greatest fear.
 * Trapped in Another World: Was a poor farm girl from the Meiji-era Japan, then arrived in the Kingdoms via shoku.
 * Unlucky Everydudette