Ranked #335

Saiunkoku Monogatari

Oh, Saiunkoku Monogatari. I will never understand why this show isn't more popular. But I digress.

Story: 10

At first glance, the plot may seem a bit shallow - a girl becomes the consort of a reluctant Emperor, let the silliness begin! - but wow does it become so much more. Essentially, Saiunkoku Monogatari is an engaging drama filled with political intrigue disguised as a simple reverse harem story. Even the simplest details connect to overall story and the plot becomes more and more developed as the show progresses.

Animation: 8

Not much to say here other than Saiunkoku Monogatari does have an overdose of bishies. Don't let that deter you though. None of the characters are there just for looks.

Sound: 8

Pretty well done score. Some of the highlights include anytime Shuurei plays the erhu and the OP/ED themes.

Character: 10

This show has a lot of characters, but they are introduced slowly and all of the major characters have their backgrounds fleshed out enough. Shuurei is easily one of the best female protagonists I've come across. She has a girl power! attitude that never comes off as obnoxious. Her interactions with the rest of the cast are entertaining to watch. She has a magnetic personality, but not to the point of ridiculousness (Honda Tohru comes to mind). Though truth is, I kind of like all of the characters. Some stand outs include Seiran (one of my top ten favourite characters ever) and Ryuuren with his crazy flute.

Enjoyment: 10

The plot twists, the characters, the everything. I finished this show some time ago, but I wouldn't mind rewatching it. It's the kind of show where you miss little details the first time around.

Overall: 10

My enjoyment of this show compels me to give it a 10. The story is just so much more than a little blurb of a summary. The characters really grew on me, the soundtrack added to the mood. The beautiful backgrounds always caught my eye. There's just so much substance to this show - it's not for someone looking for a simple story. Prepare to be sucked into the world of Saiunkoku Monogatari, I know I was. read more

Almost everyone who has seen Saiunkoku Monogatari has compared it to Fushigi Yuugi. Sure, there are similar elements, such as the ancient China setting, the characters' appearance and of course the reverse harem. However, I think that the thing that links both series the most is that they're both really good.

The story focuses on Shuurei Kou, a resident of Saiunkoku. She dreams of becoming a government official and throughout the series, we see her chasing that dream, as well as juggling love, friendship and work at the same time.

I greatly admire Shuurei, as well as the other women characters in this series. She's definitely not like Miaka, personality-wise (she does look a bit like Miaka). She's smart, capable, and courageous; She carries with her all the virtues that women should have, and the story focused more on her qualities rather than her appearance (honestly, the boys are prettier than Shuurei). I believe that Saiunkoku Monogatari is one rare anime that portrays how women can make a huge difference in their societies. First you have Shuurei, who defied all odds and emerged superior in the end. There's also Sai Rin, who surpassed her male sibling and became one of the heads of the merchant alliance. There's Eiki, who refuses to have anyone tell her what to do.

Even with the slightly feminist theme, I do believe that Saiunkoku Monogatari can gain a male audience. The male characters are also very chivalrous and noble. My favorite would be Ensei and Seiran. Both of them are ready to give up their lives for the future of their loved ones. There's also Eigetsu, who is able to accomplish so much at such a young age. If you're not satisfied with that, there's always the chinese proverbs that are given in every episode (they double as episode titles).

Madhouse never fails to amuse me. I always say that anything Madhouse makes is automatically a must see for me. However, I am a bit disappointed this time. The animation for Saiunkoku Monogatari wasn't so impressive (but the last few episodes improved). I noticed that the movements weren't so smooth (Fight scenes need work), and I wasn't a fan of the color scheme either. It wasn't that bad, but it wasn't that good either.

Voice acting was very interesting. I actually had a chance to see clips of the voice actors working, and it was very entertaining to watch Houko Kuwashima (Shuurei) and Tomokazu Seki (Ryuuki). I think they did a very good job of portraying their respective characters' personalities.

The music wasn't that impressive at first either, but in time I started to like it. I even had the lyrics to the opening and ending themes memorized. I guess I didn't like it too much because I usually prefer contemporary anime music, but it did fit the theme of the series very well. I think they even used Chinese instruments to produce the music.

Truth be told, I usually prefer anime series that are set in modern time and in the real world. The fact that it's set in ancient China threw me off at first, but by watching it I was able to see what a gem it really is. It was very entertaining, educational and even funny at times. Saiunkoku Monogatari was able to sway my preference because it is truly an inspiring tale and it should be seen by everyone (And I can't wait for the second season!). read more