Sea of the Wind, Shore of the Labyrinth

The Sea of the Wind, Shore of the Labyrinth is the second arc of the Twelve Kingdoms anime series. It is based on the events of the second novel, The Twelve Kingdoms: Sea of Wind, and alludes to some elements of The Demonic Child.

Youko Nakajima prepares to ascend Mount Hou to properly assume her right as the new ruler of Kei and accept the mandate of Heaven. At the suggestion of Keiki, they make a brief detour and meet with the oracle Youka, who relates to Youko the story of Taiki, the missing kirin of the kingdom of Tai.

As Youko learns, Taiki was also a taika and was abruptly brought to the Twelve Kingdoms to learn his true destiny. However, the young Taiki had lived over ten years in as a human in Japan and must struggle to discover his true nature and choose the next ruler of Tai.

Meanwhile, Youko's classmate Yuka Sugimoto has safely returned to Japan and has become interested in Kaname Takasato, a boy who was spirited away and returned some time later only to be at the center of many mysterious accidents.

Characters

 * Taiki, the kirin of Tai, a taika and a rare black kirin; his name in Hourai was Kaname Takasato
 * Haku Sanshi, Taiki's nyokai, a demon born for the sake of protecting Taiki
 * Youka, a nyosen, a female sage on Mt. Hou dedicated to caring and protecting the kirin, Taiki is especially close to her
 * Teiyei, a senior nyosen on Mt. Hou
 * Lady Gyokuyo, the leader of the nyosen on Mt. Hou
 * Gyousou, a general of Tai's royal army, regarded as an honourable and valiant warrior, ascends Mt. Hou to see if Taiki will choose him as king
 * Risai, a general of one of Tai's provincial armies, a warmhearted woman who ascends Mt. Hou to see if Taiki will choose her as king
 * Keiki, the kirin of Kei, befriends Taiki to help Taiki learn to be a kirin
 * Jokaku, the ruler of Kei, a shy and timid woman
 * Renrin, the kirin of Ren, she aids in returning Taiki to the Twelve Kingdoms
 * Enki, the kirin of En, a taika
 * Shoryu, the ruler of En for the past 500 years, a taika
 * Youko Nakajima, Jokaku's successor as the ruler of Kei, a taika
 * Yuka Sugimoto, Youko's classmate, an ordinary girl from Japan
 * Suguru Takasato, Kaname Takasato's younger brother, develops an interest in Sugimoto