Shadow of the Moon, the Sea of Shadow - Chapter One

 (月の影 影の海 一章, Tsuki no Kage Kage no Umi Isshou) is the first episode of the Twelve Kingdoms anime series. It depicts events covered in the first novel of the series.

Summary
A man is seen saying "Sekishi" and Youko wakes up in her room, only to realize that she has had another bad dream.

Once downstairs, Youko's mother wants her to get her hair dyed after school, because it is red and she has been asked if that is her real hair color. Her parents find it embarrassing and a disgrace because no one on either sides of her family have red hair, and it makes Youko stand out too much. Youko says she will dye it after school and leaves.

On the bus, Youko begins staring at a girl with red hair, obviously dyed, and is rudely confronted by the dyed haired woman only to be saved by Asano. At school, she and Asano talk, coming from behind, Yuka addresses Youko, who then pauses for a moment, then pretends she didn't hear Yuka, ignoring her completely. Asano comments on how that was mean then leaves Youko to talk with his male friends.

In class, the girls begin to make fun at Yuka's expense. One girl asks to move her seat aloud to Youko blaming it on Yuka. Youko, as class president, tries to calm the class down and ends up taking the girl's seat.

When class has ended, Youko is sitting in her seat, from behind, is spoken to by a man with golden hair. She immediately gets up and begins backing away when he starts to accuse her of being the one he has been searching for. A voice calls out to the man, calling him Taiho explaining that there is trouble nearby. Once Youko backs into the board, the man tells her she must take the throne, bowing at her feet proclaiming he will protect her but he needs her to accept the terms first. Confused, she does just that, then when her teacher walks in, he asks her what is going on. As she says she does not know the window glass in the room shatters, wounding most of the people in the classroom.

Youko is afraid and confused because she and the golden haired man are unharmed. Her teacher grabs her leg asking her what is happening and why she is not hurt. She runs out the room followed by the strange man. A few students in the hallways get hurt as more glass shatters. The man tells her to go up the stairs if she does not want anyone else to get hurt. She does as he says and ends up on the roof where she finds Yuka and Asano hanging out.

After noticing the activities, Yuka becomes very engrossed in what is happening because it is what she has dreamt of. She asks the blonde man for his name, and he responds with Keiki. He tells Youko that she needs to fight then hands her a sword. Youko detests and tosses it to the ground. Yuka tries to take it and fight but is unable to lift it. Then, a large bird suddenly appears, the blonde man refers to it as a Kochou. When Keiki is about to take Youko away to his world, Yuka demands she wants to go with them, as well asYouko tells Keiki she won't leave without her friends.

Keiki ends up taking Youko, Asano, and Yuka with him. They end up on a pier where he tells a water like monster called Jouyuu to go inside her Yuoko's body, once there, he tells the creature to lie dormant. Youko pleads with him to take it out. Keiki, once again, gives the sword to her twelling her to fight and make sure to keep her eyes open. She does so slashing the Kochou's head off.