Originally released as a series of novels and a manga, The Story of Saiunkoku is a fascinating series. The show is currently running with its second season but the 39 episode original series released last year has just fallen into Geneon's hands. With a thought-provoking and engaging story, richly developed characters, and an original premise, The Story of Saiunkoku is a unique form of entertainment in the world of anime.

Saiunkoku takes place in a fictional country that is not entirely unlike ancient China. There resides a king who is treated like a Chinese emperor, the trappings appear very Chinese in origin, and even the music comes from the strings of an erhu (Chinese Violin). The Story of Saiunkoku seemingly borrows on influences from other shows like Fushigi Yugi but quite honestly it does its own thing.

It's quite obvious that Saiunkoku has fallen on hard times and most of the populous is poverty stricken. As the story begins we meet a young girl named Shurei who spends almost all of her time working odd jobs (teacher, erhu player, and accountant to name a few) in hopes to make enough to buy some rice. Shurei is the main character in The Story of Saiunkoku and she is a good pick to be just that. She maintains a strong will, fleshed out personality, and great sense of self-being that few animated characters can emulate.

Standing by Shurei's side is a family friend named Seiran. Thirteen years ago, before famine struck the peasants, Seiran became a part of Shurei's family when her father took the boy in. He's a polite and enigmatic character who works as hard to Shurei does to help out fellow citizens and to restore their home.

One day, a government official comes to Shurei's manor with an offer that's too good to refuse. Well, I should say that Shurei accepts wholeheartedly before she even finds out what the job is. After all, five hundred gold coins is nothing to scoff at! As it turns out though the job is actually much more than she and Seiran bargained for.

Given Shurei's powerful sense of being and her ability to influence people, some elders of the court have decided to make her the king's consort. You see, the king is something of an immature idiot. He spends his days languishing in his duties, takes the company of men, and for all intents and purposes he is generally unknowing of how a fitting king is supposed to act. It would appear that Shurei has her job cut out for her but luckily for her she doesn't have to worry about the king getting fresh thanks to the whole liking guys thing.

As it turns out the king has put up a veil to cover the fact that he is indeed a genius. He knows more than he lets on as far as everything is concerned and has held back in hopes that his surviving elder brother would came to take the throne from him. It also is brought to light that he's not gay and quite fancies women. Naturally as he spends more time with Shurei he begins to fall under her spell and becomes a better king.

The five episodes on this volume are very slow in pacing. With 39 episodes in the first season there is plenty of time for the story to reach fruition so The Story of Saiunkoku certainly takes its sweet time getting the point across. In each episode there is a good deal of development and a very fluid plotline from one to the next. The characters in particular receive a lot of development and there is just enough mystery here and there to keep the carrot dangling in front of your face. You'll constantly wonder what's going to happen next, if the king is hiding anything else, and who has been attempting to poison Shurei.

The world of Saiunkoku is a thriving environment with a well-realized history and back story. There is plenty of romance and political turmoil in between the cracks to keep the plot moving constantly forward. If you're looking for a show that is off the beaten path and works its hardest to craft an amazing and engaging world then The Story of Saiunkoku is not to be missed. We're only five episodes into it but I have to say this is one of the most intriguing shows I have watched in a very long time.

The Story of Saiunkoku originally aired in 2006 and is presented on DVD with anamorphic widescreen. The technical quality of the disc withstands scrutiny and there are only a few areas where the look of the show falters. Here and there you'll notice some grain and sparse compression artifacts if you look hard enough but other than those there is absolutely nothing else to mar this release. Geneon did a solid job with the transfer and the artistic style of the show compliments the bold colors and flawless presentation quite nicely.

English and Japanese 2.0 stereo tracks are the available audio outputs for the first volume of The Story of Saiunkoku. Both tracks offer dubbings of decent quality though I think the edge goes to the original Japanese track in that regard. Technically speaking both tracks offer crystal clear audio with no flaw. Their range on the soundstage is limited due to the 2.0 limitations but otherwise the presence on the front channel speakers is solid.

The only things you're going to find in the extras menu are some Geneon previews and the opening animation without text.

The Story of Saiunkoku is a very intriguing and engaging show. The political and romantic elements work well with each other and neither is handled in such a manner that it is unbelievable. Everything from the world to the characters has been handled with care and these five episodes will draw you in if you let them. I found myself constantly wondering what was going to happen next and in that regard the second volume can't get here fast enough. If you're looking for an anime with a solid story definitely give The Story of Saiunkoku a spin. Recommended

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