Anime

The Story of Saiunkoku (彩雲国物語, Saiunkoku Monogatari) anime series was produced by Madhouse Studios and directed by Jun Shishido. It premiered in Japan on NHK on April 8, 2006. The first season ran for 39 episodes until its conclusion on February 24, 2007. The second season, referred to as Saiunkoku Monogatari Second Series (彩雲国物語 第2シリーズ), premiered on April 7, 2007 and ran for another 39 episodes until its conclusion on March 8, 2008.

In May 2007, Geneon Entertainment announced it had acquired the license to releases the anime in North America with English language options. In September 2007, after only two volumes had been released, Geneon closed its North America operations. In July 2008, Funimation Entertainment announced that it will distribute several Geneon titles, including The Story of Saiunkoku.

Overview
Based on the light novels by Sai Yukino, The Story of Saiunkoku tells the story of a kingdom who is recuperating after a tumultuous civil war that left the throne in the hands of an incapable Emperor, who inherited the throne after four of the other heirs were arrested for treason while another one was exiled.

Kou Shuurei, a spirited but impoverished young noblewoman who aspires to become a government official in hopes of bettering her country, finds her dreams inhibited by the fact that women are barred from civil service. Her father, Kou Shouka, works in the Archives of the Imperial Palace, a position that offers some prestige, though does not pay well. Shuurei teaches at the local temple and works at various jobs to help make ends meet.

In order to force Shi Ryuuki, the Emperor of Saiunkoku, to take up his responsibilities, Shuurei agrees to the request of the Emperor's advisors to become the Emperor's consort for six months. Through Shuurei's influence, Ryuuki strives to become a good emperor and the lives of everyone they come to know begin to change. As Shuurei accomplishes her dream of becoming an official, the story follows her interactions with the Emperor and other members at court; the political intrigues that take place within the imperial court; and her commitment to better herself and her country.

Cast and Staff

 * Director: Jun Shishido
 * Series Composition: Reiko Yoshida
 * Script: Ayuna Fujisaki, Kurasumi Sunayama, Reiko Yoshida
 * Storyboard
 * Hiromi Yokoyama
 * Jun Fujiwara
 * Jun Shishido
 * Kimiko Tamai
 * Kiyotaka Ohata
 * Shigeru Kimiya
 * Takeo Takahashi
 * Yo Miura
 * Yumi Kamakura
 * Episode Director
 * Hajime Ohtani
 * Hiromi Yokoyama
 * Makoto Shinohara
 * Shota Kawajiri
 * Tokio Yamauchi
 * Music: Kunihiko Ryo
 * Original creator: Sai Yukino (novel)
 * Original Character Design: Kairi Yura (novel illustration)
 * Character Design: Miwa Oshima
 * Art Director: Chikara Nishikura
 * Animation Director
 * Ki Duk Park
 * Kimiko Tamai,
 * Kyong Seok Choi,
 * Nam Yul Park
 * Seong Jong Kim
 * Tatsuyuki Maeda
 * Tomoko Shimizu
 * Sound Director: Fusanobu Fujiyama
 * Director of Photography: Shinya Matsui
 * Producer: Ikuko Shimogawara, Yuji Shibata
 * Animation producer: Masao Maruyama, Satoshi Yoshimoto
 * Background Art
 * Kumiko Inoue
 * Makiko Fujino
 * Manabu Fukuda
 * Mayumi Shirata
 * Rina Fujiwara
 * Clean-Up Animation: Hitomi Takei
 * Color design: Chiharu Tanaka
 * Conceptual Design: Kazuo Watanabe
 * Editing: Kashiko Kimura
 * In-Between Animation: Kanoko Abe
 * Key Animation: Mika Takazawa
 * Photography: Natsuka Kawano, Tomohiro Suga
 * Production Coordination: Atsuko Kashiwagi, Hideo Ihara
 * Recording: Hiroyasu Yamashita
 * Sound Effects: Shoji Kato
 * Theme Song Arrangement: Akihira Koyama (ED), Takeshi Fujii (ED), YANAGIMAN (OP)
 * Theme Song Composition: ID (OP), Sachi Tainaka (ED)
 * Theme Song Lyrics: Sachi Tainaka (ED)
 * Theme Song Performance: Ayaka Hirahara (OP), Sachi Tainaka (ED)

Music

 * Gallery: Saiunkoku Monogatari OP/ED

The series uses three pieces of theme music. "Hajimari no Kaze" (はじまりの風, lit. "Wind of Beginnings") by Ayaka Hirahara is used for the opening theme for both the first and second seasons. For the ending theme, "Saikō no Kataomoi" (最高の片想い, lit. "The Greatest Unrequited Love") by Sachi Tainaka is used for the first season, while "Asu e" (明日へ, lit. "To Tomorrow") by Miho Teruya is used for the second season.