Fuyumi Ono, The Twelve Kingdoms: Sea of Shadow (Tokyopop, 2007)
Yoko Nakajima is a typical high school girl. She goes to an average all-girls' school picked out for her by her father. She's class president; her grades are good and she at least seems to get along with her family and most of her classmates. The only thing that's even vaguely out of the ordinary about Yoko is her hair, which is an odd shade of red, unusual for a Japanese girl. No one would say there's anything remarkable about her at all.
At least, not until a mysterious golden-haired man, Keiki, shows up at school one day and delcares to Yoko that she is his master. Before she can even begin to comprehend what he might mean, the school is under attack by a monstrous bird-like creature, which Keiki forces her to fight with a jeweled sword. Afterwards, Keiki whisks her away, to a land beyond a sea of deep shadows. A violent storm separates the pair, and when Yoko awakens from her storm-tossed trip, she finds herself alone in this strange land, bearing only the sword given to her by Keiki.
And thus opens the first of seven volumes in Fuyumi Ono's wildly popular epic series The Twelve Kingdoms. With no idea where she is, where Keiki might be or how to get home, Yoko has few options available to her. Nothing in her previous life has prepared her to survive in this world on her own, with no money, no map and no natural fighting skills. Luckily for Yoko, she seems to understand the native language (although she senses it is not Japanese) and Keiki has left her a parting gift -- a creature that dwells within her and lends her its fighting ability. And fight she must, for humans and demons alike seem to want her dead.
Yoko's journey to find Keiki takes her across many leagues, one sea and two countries. But her physical and emotional journey is far more grueling and substantial. She grows from a soft and pliable schoolgirl into a lean and cynical fighter who must learn to trust others again by the book's end. She's haunted by visions of home, sent by the sword, and taunted by a randomly appearing blue monkey that digs at every unspoken fear in her heart. It's this depth that makes Yoko a fascinating heroine. She's neither saintly nor whiny, but believable: a young woman thrust into a situation where her options are to do or die, and she's chosen to live. No, she doesn't always do the wise or right thing, but her flaws make her interesting; a good thing, since most of this volume focuses on her alone.
As the action in Sea of Shadow draws to a close, Yoko has drawn allies to herself and seems accepting of her role in this new world, if not entirely at ease. The point is made that she may return home, but she may not escape who she is, nor escape her destiny, no matter which world she lives in. Once Yoko is reunited with Keiki, (who is actually a kirin who had taken human form to find her), the stage is set for the following books: she must claim her rightful title as Keiki's master before a usurper in the land of Kei destroys the land and all its people.
With its detailed fantasy setting (characters discuss the social, political and religious fabric of the various countries in some, but not excessive, detail), fascinating characters (such as the half-rat/half-man beastling Rakushun, who nurses Yoko back to health) and intricate plot, it's easy to see why Twelve Kingdoms is such a popular series worldwide. This opening salvo sets the stage extraordinarily well, introducing readers to the geography of the Twelve Kingdoms; to some of the history and mythology of the kingdoms, and, most importantly, to Yoko and some of those who will support or oppose her as she undertakes her quest. Action and character development are well-balanced, the former often serving to further the latter. Readers used to western fantasy, filled with elves and dwarves, will be grateful for the refreshing lack of such here, since the author draws on eastern mythos for the fantastical creatures that populate the land. The translation flows well, and the book is addictive, making it next to impossible to put down.
Once again, Tokyopop has picked a definite winner for their Popfiction line!
