The Story of Saiunkoku, Vol. 1
by Karl Willems
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DVD details
Actor: Andrew FrancisDirector: Karl Willems
Brand: Funimation
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Subtitled); Japanese (Original Language); English (Original Language)
Format: Color, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 125 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2008-10-21
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: Funimation
DVD Reviews of The Story of Saiunkoku, Vol. 1
DVD Review: Not your average shojo anime
Summary: 5 Stars
They say "don't judge a book by it's cover." Or in this case, a DVD. To anyone who has watched a lot of shojo (girls') anime, the first thought that comes to mind is "Hm, this looks a lot like Fushigi Yuugi, so it must be similar." In fact, that was part of the reason why I picked it up. I thought I would give it a chance since I gave Fushigi Yuugi a chance once. Well, if you think this is just a Fushigi Yuugi clone, you'd be wrong. Beyond the setting of a fictional Ancient China-like world, that's where the similarities end.
Saiunkoku focuses on Shuurei, a young woman from a well-to-do family who has fallen on hard times. She has a passion for learning and hard work (and of course getting money from said work--she hates wasteful spending). As luck (or scheming people) would have it, she is given a position at the imperial palace, and from there she meets a very interesting cast of characters, including the emperor who doesn't really want to rule. She strives to better herself, the emperor, and the rest of Saiunkoku, hoping for a brighter future for everyone.
The series is moderate on family plots and political matters (this is based off of Ancient China after all), but it doesn't lose sight of the real joy of the show--the characters. There are a lot of them to take in from just the first four or five episodes, but 98% of them stay for the entire series, so get used to them, love them, cheer when they make an appearance, throw popcorn and boo at the screen when they make an appearance, etc. Anyone who likes shojo anime will appreciate the rare COMPETENT female main character who doesn't fall for every hot guy that she sees (which would be a problem in this show--just look at the opening animation). The love story vein is natural, cute, and almost pathetic at times, and it doesn't seem forced just for the sake of two people getting together in the end. Also, there is a wonderful lack of the traditional shojo fare of bubbles and sparkles. But I guess the flowers make up for it...
So don't let the copious amount of flowers fool you. The Story of Saiunkoku is a wonderful addition to any shojo anime lover's collection. And once you get done with the 39 episode series, don't feel sad--there's a second season that will hopefully be coming out soon.
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Description of The Story of Saiunkoku, Vol. 1
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