Juuni Kokuki

Enki

Supporting

One of Raizens old friends, Enki is slightly slow-witted but amazingly powerful. He wins the demon world tournament and becomes the sole king of demon world, defeating Mukuro after she expended most of her power fighting Natsumi, another one of Raizens ol...

Keiki

Main

Keiki is a kirin and the Saiho of Kei. He contacted Youko in Japan and brought her to the Twelve Kingdoms, though they were separated. Soon afterwards, he fell under a spell from Kou's Saiho, and was forced to appear in front of a pretender to the throne ...

Nakajima Youko

Main

Youko was a 16-year-old living a fairly ordinary life as an honor student in Japan, whose primary worry is her naturally red hair. One day at school, a man named Keiki suddenly appeared and bowed at her feet, swearing loyalty to her. The school was then a...

Taiki

Main

Taiki is the Kirin of Tai, though is not fully mature and is actually a heina (an immature Kirin), and Koki (a rare black Kirin). Like Youko, Shouryuu, and Enki, he is a taika from Hourai; as a result, he is known by the name Kaname Takasato. His nickname...

Aozaru

Supporting

The blue monkey that dwells inside Kei's sword. Actually he is a part of Youko's conscience who is constantly teasing her.Aozaru (青猿, Azure Monkey) is the physical manifestation of the sentient spirit of the scabbard of the Suigūtō (the Water Monkey Sword...

Atsuyu

Supporting

Atsuyu, whose formal given name is Setsuyuu, is the self-proclaimed regent of the province of Gen in the kingdom of En. Early in Shoryus reign, Atsuyu attempts a rebellion against the king of En, claiming that Gens prosperity has declined due to the incom...

Bishin

Supporting

Bishin is a traveling candy peddler. She has a daughter named Gyokuyou.In the novels, she is unnamed. She and her daughter find Youko in the forests of Kou, exhausted and on the verge of collaspe near nightfall. They give her some sugar water and attempt ...

Chou

Supporting

No biography written....

Chuuchin

Supporting

Chuchin is a student at the Daigaku in the Kingdom of En along with Rakushun and Meiken. He was given the name "Chuchin" (spider pillow); an anecdote claims that his overzealous studying resulted in spider webs forming on his pillow, thus the origin of hi...

Daishikou

Supporting

Daishikou was the Minister of Law in the kingdom of Kei upon Youko Nakajima's ascension to the throne. The Minister is depicted as a woman in the anime; the Minister of Law's gender in the novel is not stated.The Minister of Law is aligned with Seikyou's ...

Enho

Supporting

Enho is a wise man who lives in the city of Hokui in the province of Ei, where Keiki is the provincial leader. When Youko decides that she knows too little about her kingdom to rule wisely, Keiki sends her to Enho to study. Among the citizens of Kei, only...

Gaishi

Supporting

Gaishi is a friend of Kantai. After the rebellion in Kei, Gaishi becomes part of the five-man squad in charge of defending the Forbidden Gate. Before Youko Nakajima was enthroned, he was in the Baku Provincial Guard.When Risai comes to Kei and barges thro...

Gyokuyo

Supporting

Gyokuyo is the personal handmaiden of Youko when she reigns as the monarch of Kei. She ranks high amongst the palace staff and is trusted with ensuring Youko's well-being for domestic matters, and has served the kingdom for a long time. While she appears ...

Gyokuyou

Supporting

A little girl who makes and sells candies. Youko denies an offer to eat lunch with the girl and her family. In the novels, she and her mother make a very brief appearance in The Twelve Kingdoms: Sea of Shadow, where she is referred to as Kuyo. She and her...

Haku Sanshi

Supporting

Sanshi is the Nyokai of the black Kirin Taiki. During the many years following the disappearance of Taiki's ranka she searched for him relentlessly while everyone gave up, and finally was able to help retrieve him from the human world. She hasn't left his...

Hourin

Supporting

Hourin was the kirin of the kingdom of Hou during the reign of Chuutatsu, the father of Shoukei; Chuutatsu is the second king she had chosen. When the king becomes increasingly fanatic about enacting harsh laws in hopes of ensuring his people become right...

Joei

Supporting

Joei is the younger sister of the previous queen of Kei, Jokaku, daughter of the Jou family. Unlike her sister, she is confident and believes herself to be qualified to be a monarch; as a result, she resents that Jokaku was chosen to be the queen instead....

Jokaku

Supporting

Jokaku was Youko Nakajima's immediate predescessor as the ruler of Kei. After her death, she was posthumously known as You-ou, the Prophet-King.Jokaku's inability to control of the court resulted in her withdrawal into the Inner Palace and refused to invo...

Kaiko

Supporting

Kaiko is Keiki's nyokai (female youma who protects the Kirin). She looks like a woman with feathered wings, fur, and bird feet.In her first appearance, Kaiko is summoned by Keiki when he and Youko Nakajima are trapped on the roof of her school by kochou. ...

Kaka

Supporting

Kaka was the previous Royal Consort of Hou being the wife of Chuutatsu, and mother of Shoukei.Though Chuutatsu was reviled for his cruelty; Gekkei, the governor of Hou's Kei Province, understood that Chuutatsu's fall was because the king could not see tha...

Kantai

Supporting

Kantai is secretly the general of the province of Baku. He is a hanjyuu that can take the form of a large bear, and he is incredibly strong, even in human form. He saves Shoukei after she ran from the soldiers who sought to arrest her after she threw a ro...

Keikei

Supporting

Keikei is a little boy who lives in a rike with his older sister, Rangyoku, and Enho. He and Rangyoku originally came from the Wa Province and their parents died late in the reign of Jokaku, when all the women of the country were being exiled.When the new...

Koshou

Supporting

Koshou is the charismatic leader of the Shisui rebels. He rallies the rebels to fight against Shoukou, even though he believes that they cannot win. When Youko declares that Shoukou must be spared, Koshou supports her. When the town of Takuhou, the capita...

Kouko

Supporting

Kouko is the queen of Sai, who has ruled the country for twenty years alongside her kirin, Sairin.Prior to becoming the ruler of Sai, Kouko had served as the Taifu, one of the three advisors of Shishou, her nephew and immediate predecessor as king. Kouko'...

Kourin

Supporting

Introduced as Shuurei's other servant at the palace. She was adopted by Taiho Sa after he saw her collapsed in front of his house due to the war eight years ago. She looks up to him a lot and was even willing to poison Shuurei and then sacrifice her life ...

Kouya

Supporting

Kouya is a demon dog and Madaraos childhood friend. He is revered for his strength and speed. ...

Kyouki

Supporting

Kyouki is the current kirin of the kingdom of Kyou. His master is Shushou. Notably, he remained on Mount Hou for twenty-eight years before choosing Shushou to be the new ruler of Kyou. In contrast to other kirin, he is physically large and not slender.Tho...

Meiken

Supporting

Meiken is a student at the Daigaku in the Kingdom of En along with Rakushun and Chuchin, both of whom he is good friends with. He defends Rakushun when others treat him differently because he is a hanjyuu, though Meiken also suggests that Rakushun should ...

Nakajima Masashi

Supporting

Masashi Nakajima is the father of Youko Nakajima and husband to Ritsuko Nakajima. It is implied that he is a salaryman.Youko's father appears only in the Sea of Shadow arc and is unnamed in the novel. Little is known about him, and he is depicted as somew...

Nakajima Ritsuko

Supporting

Ritsuko Nakajima is the mother of Youko Nakajima.Ritsuko is a well-meaning mother who, despite her stern manner, cares greatly about her daughter. Despite her own personal preferences, such as which schools she wants Youko to attend, she usually goes alon...

Ooki Suzu

Supporting

Suzu's life seemed to begin with hardship. Her family had to send her away for money, she was caught in a shoku on her way to her new residence, and then found floating in the ocean of the Twelve Kingdoms. When she awoke and couldn't understand the langua...

Prince Of Kou

Supporting

He is the son of Chou, previous Emperor of Kou.He and his sister were the prince and princess of Kou. They elect to remove themselves from the Divine Registry after their father passes away and volunteered themselves into work brigades to help maintain th...

Princess Of Kou

Supporting

She is the daughter of Chou, previous Emperor of Kou.She and her brother elect to remove themselves from the Divine Registry after their father passes away and volunteered themselves into work brigades to help maintain the kingdom until the next king asce...

Rakushun

Supporting

Rakushun is a hanjyuu with the form of a rat. Though Youko is initially distrustful of him, he becomes her first good friend after she is taken from Japan, after managing to teach some essential skills to Yoko about life. Rakushun is proud of being a hanj...

Rakushuns Mother

Supporting

She is the mother of Rakushun and citizen of Kou. When Rakushun brought wounded Youko to their home, she helped to nurse her. After she had recovered and not knowing who to trust, Youko was afraid that she might report about her to the soldiers of Kou.Aft...

Renrin

Supporting

Renrin is the Kirin of the kingdom of Ren. She is described as a cheerful young woman appearing about eighteen years of age. In contrast to her master, she is very proper and refined.In Renrin's first appearance in the series, she is requested by Lady Gyo...

Ribi

Supporting

Ribi is the consul to Gen Province. Ribi was appointed a consul to Gen Province by Shoryu. While he informed her that her assignment was tantamount to giving up her life because she will be at the mercy of the provincial lords if anything should happen to...

Risai

Supporting

Risai is the general of Tai's Jou Province and well-known, though she is not as renowned as Gyousou. When Taiki's return to the Twelve Kingdoms is announced, she is among the many who ascend Mount Hou in hopes of being chosen as the new king. She is a sen...

Risetsu

Supporting

Risetsu, is the kirin of the kingdom of Han. She has served her ruler, Go Ranjou, for 300 years and has the appearance of an innocent young girl, though is known for being mischievous. The pair get along extremely well and Ranjou fondly refers to her as h...

Riyou

Supporting

She was the mistress of Fu-ou, a previous ruler of Sai. Before meeting Fu-ou she was a prostitute. Fu-ou made her a sage and the mistress of the Suibi Grotto, where she lives. After his death, the Sai-ou who ascended the throne allowed her to retain her r...

Sairin

Supporting

Sairin is the current kirin of Sai.Before selecting Kouko as the monarch of Sai, Sairin had chosen a king known as Shishou, who climbed Mount Hou after the death of the king who preceded him. At the beginning of his reign, he presented Sairin with the roy...

Saku Gyousou

Supporting

Introducing himself as "General Saku from Kouki Province," his real name is Sou but people call him Gyousou. The first time a glimspe of him was offered was when Taiki and Sanshi were sitting on the mountain watching the candidates travel up the trail. Wh...

Seishuu

Supporting

Seishuu is a young boy with failing eyesight who winds up travelling with Suzu. He lost both of his parents to youma. Seishuu originally came from Kei, but when Jokaku ordered the exile of all the women in the kingdom, his family decided to leave. His fat...

Sekki

Supporting

Sekki, the brother of Koshou, is the brains behind the Shisui rebels. When Youko appears searching for Enho, Koshou is about to attack her because he believes she is a spy who is going to give them away, but Sekki stops him. He later explains that he hear...

Shoukei

Supporting

Thirteen for thirty years while her father was King of Hou, her name was Sonshou but she was called Shoukei. She lived like a spoiled brat in the palace because her father would never let her out into the kingdom.When her father was overthrown by Gekkei, ...

Shoukou

Supporting

Shoukou is the governor of the Shisui Prefecture in the Wa Province of Kei. His corruption is so great and the taxes he demands are so high that he threatens the fragile stability of Youko's rule as the new Queen of Kei. When Shoukou's carriage runs over ...

Shouryuu

Supporting

Shoryuu is Shiryuu and Shunreis adopted son. He was an orphaned baby found by Shunrei in the mountains. Later, both Shunrei and Shiryuu assumed the role of his adoptive parents....

Shoushun

Supporting

Shoushun is a nyosen (female sage) who resides at Mt. Hou. She is among the fifty oracles dedicated to caring and protecting the young kirin (a creature that chooses the ruler of each kingdom) that are born on the mountain.Shoushun was from village in En ...

Shushou

Supporting

Shushou, the queen of Kyou, has ruled for over 90 years, but she has the appearance of a young girl, since that was when she was chosen to become the new ruler. She ascended the throne twenty-seven years after the death of the previous king. Though strict...

Sou Rangyoku

Supporting

Rangyoku is a resilient and cheerful sixteen year old girl who lives in a rike in the Ei Province. She and her younger brother, Keikei, originally came from the Wa Province. When their parents died late during the reign of Jokaku, they elected to leave Ke...

Sourin

Supporting

Sourin is the kirin and Saiho of the kingdom of Sou, which has prospered for six hundred years under the rule of Senshin. Out of affection for her, she is nicknamed "Shou-Shou" by the members of Senshin's family.Like all kirin, Sourin is naturally benevol...

Sugimoto Yuka

Supporting

Yuka is one of Youkos classmates in Japan and gets transported to Kou along with Youko and Asano. She enjoys fantasy books and is thrilled to be part of the adventure, believing that she is destined for greatness. Destined to be a rival, she becomes extre...

Takasato Suguru

Supporting

Suguru Takasato is Kaname Takasatos younger brother. Though he does not wish to consider the idea, he is uncomfortable and unsettled by the idea that his brother is truly cursed given the frequency of unusual accidents occuring around Kaname after returni...

Takki

Supporting

Shortly after fleeing from her captors after arriving in Kou, Youko Nakajima sneaks into Takki's house and attempts to rob her. Takki takes pity on Youko, explaining a number of general things about the Twelve Kingdoms to Youko. Seeing as Youko is strande...

Teiei

Supporting

Teiei is a nyosen (female sage) who lives on Mount Hou. She is among the fifty oracles dedicated to caring and protecting the young kirin (a creature that chooses the ruler of each kingdom) that is born on the mountain.In The Twelve Kingdoms: Sea of Wind,...

Yokuhi

Supporting

Yokuhi is Enki's nyokai (female Youma that protects the Kirin). She has the appearance of a woman with feathers and scales all over her body, feathered wings, a lizard tail, and bird like feet.She managed to find Enki in Hourai when he was about to die fr...

Youka

Supporting

The youngest of the nyosen on Mt. Hou. When Taiki first came to Mt. Hou, he took a liking to Youka and she became his friend and primary caretaker, after Sanshi....