#saiunkoku monogatari

[minoyrheyr]

I can't believe they adapted Li Kouyu having NO SENSE OF DIRECTION lmao

[deimosnohanayome]

彩雲国物語 / Saiunkoku Monogatari by Yukino Sai 2006 | dir. Shishido Jun

[scarletlaments]

Anime Recommendations (1\??)

[kindwhispers]

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S RIGHTS DAY MEDIA RECOMMENDATIONS

for international women's rights day, I'm also sharing different pieces of media I love which delineate women’s experiences in a deeply-ingrained and oppressive patriarchal system. please watch in your own discretion, as most of these feature SA and violence in women

Starting from the top left:

Kim Ji-Young, Born 1982 (2019) - a film about what it means to be a daughter, a wife, a mother, a woman in a patriarchal society. antiquated expectations, societal constraints that women are being constantly put through where misogyny, sexism, male chauvinism are still so extremely normalised and unaddressed

Anne with an E (2017) - AOGG tv adaptation with a more progressive and even better nuances as well as straightforward feminist themes, resisting traditional gender roles, perpetuation of the same patriarchal beliefs due to internalisation of social norms

Requiem (2021) - it’s a film short available on youtube about lesbians during the witch trials where most victims were women labeled as witches. misogyny and patriarchy in religious institutions

Moral (1982) - timeless feminist Filipino film about heteronormative and patriarchal gendered roles and traditional social dichotomy that the Philippines was/still being circumscribed by during the Marcos regime

Brutal (1980) - Filipina women with intersectional experiences of misogyny, male chauvinism, and patriarchy. women's internalised misogyny due to the social norms, but still having to challenge and resist it rather than being complicit, hypersexuality due to SA in women, misogyny and oppression in religion and nuclear family

The Day I Became a Woman (2000) - a wonderful and timeless chronicles of different generations of Iranian women experiencing misogyny in religion and being under an oppressive patriarchal regime, liberation that women in Iran still actively fight for

Yume no Hashibashi (2018) - a yuri manga about lesbians being oppressed in patriarchy and being forced in compulsory heterosexuality

Moonlight Flowers (1989) - another yuri manga about compulsory heterosexuality, marital r*pe, anti-patriarchal themes

Joyland (2022) - a film about patriarchal family structures and traditional gender roles, misogyny in the nuclear family, transmisogyny

She Loves to Cook, She Loves to Eat (2021) - fluffy yuri manga that also addresses misogyny, traditional expectations in a patriarchal society, accepting one’s sexuality without having to conform to gender norms. this manga also realistically portrays how heteronormativity affects queer people. it has lots of representations which I really love

Onna no Ko ga Iru Basho wa (2021) - an anthology that features patriarchal indoctrination and misogyny in religion seen in different cultures

Saiunkoku Monogatari (2006) - women in leadership positions, challenging misogyny patriarchy

[frostfires-blog]

Hey! Have you watched The Legend of Princess Chang ge Donghua from last year. I don't see many people talk about it. Chang ge definitely is among my most favourite female characters. Saying this after reading the manhua of the same. The donghua can turn off many because of the 3DCG but it definitely has its strong points. Now I really want some similar recommendations but it's difficult to find one. Can you suggest some sharing the same historical setting?

Hi, thanks for sending in an ask!

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1.) The Legend of Princess Chang Ge

Unfortunately, I haven't seen the donghua of The Legend of Princess Chang Ge... This is actually the first one I've heard of it... I went to go read the synopsis on MAL and it sounds interesting...

Admittedly 3D CGI turns me off from many series as well... I tried watching the donghua for both SVSSS and Thousand Autumns last year but the uncanny valley feelings it evoked were too strong... Another historical romance donghua I liked released its season 2 last year but as the animation style shifted to 3D CGI, I also couldn't bring myself to finish it. I'll probably try the series in order to attempt to work past this issue when I have time—but I'm pretty swamped at the moment.

From what I can tell this donghua is set in historical China, unfortunately most of the recommendations I have seem to be romance-centric and lighter in tone and are pretty popular so chances that you've seen them are high.

2.) Recommendations for anime/donghua set in historical Asian-inspired settings

It's a bit difficult to recommend series similar to one I haven't seen myself, so these might not have the same sub-genres, themes and tone, but I tried my best to match the series' aesthetic and setting. Also, I'm sorry if you've seen most of these already...

-> 2.1.) Akatsuki no Yona | Yona of the Dawn

Although Akatsuki no Yona's setting is mostly derived from Korea's Three Kingdoms period, it incorporates some elements from ancient China. This series follows Yona, a sheltered princess who is forced to flee after her father's murder and a subsequent coup d'état. As she journeys across her kingdom with her bodyguard to find four legendary dragon warriors, she seeks to educate herself about the plight faced by her people and lend a helping hand. This series is a compelling blend of drama, fantasy, romance, comedy and action—in addition to being a masterpiece in terms of its character development and character dynamics.

-> 2.2.) Karasu wa Aruji wo Erabanai | Yatagarasu: The Raven Does Not Choose Its Maste

This anime follows a succession struggle in a world ruled by shape-shifting raven creatures called Yatagarasu. I don't want to delve too deeply into the series' plot and setting because it's pretty difficult to do so without spoiling some key plot points... But trust me, it's definitely worth watching for it's clever plot twists. Although this series' setting is more so inspired by Japan's Heian period than ancient China, it has that darker historical-drama element that I think you're looking for. Overall, this series does a phenomenal job at blending political intrigue, action and mystery with its fantastical setting. Although this series came out in 2024 but was surprisingly underrated and unfortunately slipped past most people...

-> 2.3.) Koukyuu no Karasu | Raven of The Inner Palace

Koukyuu no Karasu is set in a fantastical version of Ancient China's imperial court and blends elements of drama, mystery and fantasy. This anime centres around the Raven Consort, Liu Shouxue whose role in the inner palace is solve supernatural mysteries while retaining her distance from others, including the emperor himself. As she gradually begins to forge connections with those around her, she unravels the secrets behind her powers and position. The series' strong points are its complex characters, compelling narrative, and the inherent chemistry between its cast. Also, this series is quite light in terms of romance if that's what you're looking for.

-> 2.4.) Kusuriya no Hitorigoto | The Apothecary Diaries

This anime is set in a fictional country based of Imperial China and follows Maomao, an apothecary obsessed with poison, after she is sold into servitude at the Imperial Palace. As she uses her expertise and intellect to solve mysteries and conspiracies, she catches the eye of several important figures and thus gets increasingly embroiled in various political conflicts despite her attempts to remain inconspicuous. If you're looking for a multidimensional series with high production values and compelling characters—then look no further.

-> 2.7.) Mo Dao Zu Shi | Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation

If you're a fan of BL series, then MDZS is a great option as its fantastical setting blends various ancient Chinese dynasties and lightly references actual locations. This series centres around Wei Wuxian's descent from a talented youth to the cultivation world's greatest pariah and the aftermath of his downfall. Thirteen years after his death, he is resurrected and forced to partner with his former rival Lan Wangji—with who he shares a complex past—to solve a string of mysteries that will ultimately uncover the cultivation world's dark secrets but also the truth behind his downfall and rebirth. This series' strong points are its complex characters and worldbuilding in addition to its nuanced themes and social commentary. If you're looking for a series that blends mystery, fantasy, action and drama, then look no further. I however will note that the donghua heavily censors the romance compared to the novel…

-> 2.5.) Saiunkoku Mongatari | The Story of Saiunkoku

This is another anime set in a fictional world inspired by Imperial China. Saiunoku Monogatari centres around Kou Shuurei, a noble woman from a poor family who chases after her dream of becoming a government official—despite woman being barred from civil service. In addition to navigating court politics, she also tasked with reforming the emperor into a responsible ruler. This series blends drama, romance with comedy and historical fantasy with its strong point being its compelling, capable and confident protagonist.

-> 2.6.) Shi Yi Chang An: Mingyue Jishi You | Memory of Chang'an

This donghua is set during China's Tang dynasty and centres around its grand capital city Chang'an—which is now known as Xi'an. This series follows Emela/Li Mingyue and Li Qiang as they balance navigating various political conflicts together alongside developing relationship after being forced into a political marriage to secure stability between their states. This series blends together historical-romance and slice-of-life comedy with elements of drama and political intrigue.

-> 2.8.) Tian Guan Ci Fu | Heaven Official's Blessing

This is another BL series, and it is written by the same author as MDZS. This donghua is set in a classic ancient Chinese xianxia world and centres around the supernatural interactions of the three realms—the mortal kingdoms, the heavenly capital and the ghost realm. This series begins with its protagonist Xie Lian's third ascension to godhood after 2 prior banishments. A fateful encounter with a ghost king, Hua Cheng, sets Xie Lian on a path that will not only uncover centuries of divine corruption but will also reveal the truth about his own past entanglements with the former. This series is a compelling blend of fantasy, mystery, drama and action and boasts both complex character dynamics and intricate plot points. This series is packed with plenty of detailed symbolism and well-incorporated multi-layered themes. However, just like with MDZS, the donghua heavily censors the romance element compared to the novel…

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[anisongoftheday]

The Story of Saiunkoku Opening

Hajimari no Kaze by Ayaka Hirahara

[lonndoodles]

[animefeminist]

You Don’t Have to Kick Ass to Be Kickass: Shoujo fantasy and the value of the noncombatant hero

Over the decades, the number of fantastical stories starring female characters has slowly but significantly risen. As that number has gone up, so too have the number of lady action heroes. Girls and women are no longer relegated to the roles of “white mage” or “brainiac”; they can sling spells, slay vampires, and punch supervillains in the face right alongside the menfolk.

And this is a good thing—for the most part. As with any media trend, there are complications, chief among them the balance between combatant and noncombatant protagonists. It’s all well and good to physically defend others, but not everyone can or even wants to be an action hero. By depicting only combat-oriented protagonists, writers are subtly telling audiences that you have to be a fighter in order to be the hero at the center of a story.

By exclusively valorizing masculine-coded characteristics while snubbing feminine-coded ones, we’re just holding everyone to the same (unhealthy) standards of physical strength that boys have been held to for ages. The answer to who gets to be a hero in terms of gender identity may have changed a bit over the years, but what makes someone a hero in terms of gender expression has remained largely the same.

Read it at Anime Feminist!