The soundtrack to the television show Twelve Kingdoms covers a wide array of musical grounds, from traditional Chinese and Japanese instrumentation to Celtic and other European sounds. The music is fully-orchestrated, and shows a high level of skill both in the composition and the arrangement of the pieces. The show uses the background music well to expand upon the situations and help bring the viewer into the action. Other shows also use their soundtracks to good effect. The trick with soundtrack albums is to create a new experience for fans of the show. A properly created soundtrack enhances and expands a fan's overall experience with a show, while one that is not properly arranged and put together can lead to disappointment.

The Original Soundtrack for Twelve Kingdoms does not disappoint. While the location of tracks on the album could be a little better, and some of the tracks could have used a bit of editing, the overall album is an excellent addition to any anime fan's musical library. As noted above, this album includes a variety of musical styles. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the opening track, (also the show's theme song) Juni Genmukyoku. This track is arranged more along the lines of a classical orchestral suite, with the initial main theme, an interlude focusing on Chinese instruments, including the kokyu (Chinese fiddle), and then returning to the original musical theme. It is an excellent piece of music, no matter your opinion of anime or the specific show.

Many different people and creatures live their lives within the twelve kingdoms.

Other tracks on the album directly relate to specific aspects of the show, such as combat or intrigue. An example of the latter is the fifth track, Kehai-yakudou, which brings to mind the image of someone stealthily stealing across rooftops looking for their prey. The use of traditional percussion on that track actually brings to mind the percussion techniques used in the Akira soundtrack, which was an unexpected surprise. Another unexpected surprise, even though I had seen the show and should have expected it, was the presence of Celtic instruments, such as the Irish harp that makes an appearance in track 8, Fuushun -- a piece of music that I would expect to hear on the Irish music program on my local community radio station, as opposed to an anime soundtrack.

This blend of styles helps give the world of Twelve Kingdoms its own feel, distinct from medieval China or Japan. While the fantasy world in which the twelve kingdoms exist has many visual similarities to ancient China, the mix of multiple musical styles and influences gives a subconscious clue that you are dealing with something else. This includes blending multiple styles in the same piece of music, such as track 6, Yasougetsuna, which is a duet by kokyu and piano. Maybe this is quite common in China and other Asian nations, but it had never occurred to me as a logical instrumental pairing. Another neat example is track 10, the acoustic version of the main theme, performed by acoustic guitar and kokyu. The composer seems to really like the kokyu and pairs it up with lots of different instruments. Both instruments are stringed, so they go together quite well, but it isn't something I would have thought would work. My own preconceptions aside, the instrumental pairings work very well.

This isn't to say that traditional instrumentation is neglected. The string orchestra used is the Asian Philharmonic Beijing Master Orchestra, after all. Track 11, Kuni-touhoureiin, is a wonderful blend of different traditional Chinese instruments. At times playful, at times thoughtful, the music flows back and forth well and was a nice change of pace from the other orchestral pieces.

One more item of particular note is track 13, Shuurai. This marks the only appearance on this album of the electric guitar. Shuurai is a battle theme, showing up when the characters in the show are in direct conflict. The entire track is electric guitar, keyboard, and odd electronic sounds. I must admit that it really doesn't fit with the rest of the album. It is an important track for the show, and I would not suggest that it should have been excluded from the album, but it sticks out due to its stylistic difference from the rest of the album. It's not a bad track; it's just out of place.

Still, the Twelve Kingdoms Animation OST is a fine soundtrack album that can be appreciated by many people. Fans of the show will find much to enjoy, and those that have never seen the program will appreciate the excellently composed tracks and solid arrangements of eastern and western instruments. This album is highly recommended.