Search Worlds Without End

For high-schooler Yoko Nakajima, life has been fairly ordinary--that is until Keiki, a young man with golden hair, tells Yoko they must return to their kingdom. Once confronted by this mysterious being and whisked away to an unearthly realm, Yoko is left with only a magical sword; a gem; and a million questions about her destiny, the world she's trapped in, and the world she desperately wants to return to. More than just a fantasy story filled with horrific monsters, half-beasts, and magicians, The Twelve Kingdoms centers around a world reminiscent of Chinese mythology and rife with civil and political upheaval.

Born in Japan and raised as a human, Taiki is overwhelmed when he's brought back to the kingdom of Tai, where he's told he's a kirin. With little knowledge or guidance, he must trust his latent instincts to choose a king for the Kingdom of Tai from among dozens of men and women who seek the position. Will the frustrated Taiki, who can't even figure out how to transform into animal form, make the right choice? And more important, will he discover the kirin that lives within?

The kirin of the En Kingdom, Rokuta, was transported to Japan for his own protection. But he was abandoned soon after birth by his surrogate parents, left to fend for himself in the mountains. It just so happened that at the same time, a young boy in the En Kingdom named Koya was also abandoned by his own parents, after which he was raised by demon beasts. Their similar circumstances aren't the only thing to bind these two boys, though. Twenty years after their abandonment, their destinies intersect, with potentially disastrous consequences for the En Kingdom.

In the kingdom of Kei, Youko struggles in her new role as ruler. She's ashamed that her subjects are disappointed in her weakness, and she suffers greatly. In the kingdom of Hou, young, pampered Shoukei watches her father, the ruler of Hou, slain before her very eyes. And in the kingdom of Sai, Suzu slaves away under a scornful mistress... When these three young women set out on their own journeys to find new happiness, their worlds will collide, and a new door to the future will open!

An all-new translation!

Experience a quest for survival and self-discovery as one girl finds herself lost in a strange, unknown world...

When high school student Youko Nakajima is approached by an enigmatic, blonde-haired stranger named Keiki, her life is turned upside down. Whisked away into the perilous world of the Twelve Kingdoms--a realm teeming with mythical beasts, ancient prophecies, and political intrigue--Youko finds herself alone and hunted. With danger at every corner, she must fight to survive, all while grappling with shocking revelations about her true identity that could shatter everything she thought she knew.

Shadow of the Moon, Shadow of the Sea introduces readers to a breathtaking fantasy world, where nations rise and fall, and destiny awaits those who dare to seize it!

An all-new translation!

UNSEEN, A DESTINY UNVEILED...

Thrown into the mysterious kingdom of Kou, high schooler Youko Nakajima faces a world brimming with mythical beasts, political turmoil, and unrelenting trials. Yet, in this land where trust is scarce, an unexpected ally--a scholarly half-beast named Rakushun--refuses to abandon her. Together, they journey toward the kingdom of En and the powerful ruler who may hold answers to her purpose in these strange realms. As the shadows of her fate come into focus, will Youko confront her own fears and accept the throne she never wanted?

An All-New Translation.

A LIFE DISPLACED AND A DESTINY IN QUESTION...

Taiki, the young black-haired Kirin of the kingdom of Tai is presented with an impossible task. A noble beast shouldered with the duty of selecting the next ruler, he was stolen away by a storm and sent to Japan, where he would be born to a human mother. It';s now taken ten years to return Taiki to the land he should';ve been calling home, but can he truly take up the mantle of Kirin and choose the kingdom';s next ruler?

THE MAKINGS OF A MONARCH

When Rokuta, the Kirin of the En Kingdom, discovered Shouryuu was to become its ruler, he’d hoped the new king would be able to prevent all war. But twenty years later, and the young Kirin is having doubts. Can Shouryuu really protect the common people? Or will the burden of his conflicts end up resting upon the shoulders of the innocent once more, with villages set aflame and children left to starve? Rokuta is at a crossroads--should he support the king's enemies to keep the peace or trust that nobody is better to serve as ruler than Shouryuu?

THREE WOMEN. THREE TRIALS.

Despite ascending to the throne of the kingdom of Kei, Youko Nakajima's troubles are still not at an end. As queen, she relies on her many advisors to make up for her lack of experience, but when all they do is squabble with each other, the only thing left to do is descend the mountain and come face-to-face with her subjects themselves. Meanwhile, the king of Hou has been killed by insurgents, and his daughter, Shoukei, is forced to live as a peasant to survive. At the same time, Suzu, a girl from Japan, suddenly finds herself whisked away to the kingdom of Sai. Hardships await all three women, but will their trials be rewarded with happiness at the end?

BRINGING HOPE TO A KINGDOM

A queen blind to the hardships of her subjects, a princess ashamed to discover her father's corrupt deeds, and a girl seeking vengeance for the loss of a new friend. Youko, Shoukei, and Suzu continue following their separate paths toward a fairer and more peaceful world. But with a province under Youko's rule suffering under hard labor and heavy taxes, will Shoukei and Suzu be able to trust this young ruler who came from another world? The destinies of these three women are wound far tighter than they know, and their meeting will define the future of the kingdom of Kei.

VOICES OF THE NAMELESS

The Twelve Kingdoms are often defined by the destinies of kings, queens, and beasts beyond imagination. However, there are many people whose lives are shaken by these decisions who never seek the spotlight. In The Birds of Hisho, a potter struggles with the weight of responsibility that comes with creating a ceramic bird for a ritual as part of Youko's coronation. But with his grievous past plaguing his mind, can the artist bring himself to create a bird that truly represents hope?

Four short stories detail the lives of everyday people within The Twelve Kingdoms and their struggles to fulfill their places in the world.