Saiunkoku Monogatari (TV)
Political intrigue, assassinations and conspiracies abound in romantic period drama Saiunkoku Monogatari (Tale of the Land of Many-Coloured Clouds) where a young girl tries to change the world.
Saiunkoku Monogatari was originally a series of novels by Sai Yukino, with a manga adaptation illustrated by Kairi Yura.
The anime version was produced by Madhouse Production who are responsible for many hit anime shows including Bomberman, NANA, and the highly acclaimed Tokyo Godfathers.
The story takes place in a fictional fantasy world reminiscent of ancient China, made up of eight provinces each named after a different colour.
Our heroine Kou Shuurei is the daughter of the poor imperial court librarian. Although it is a well respected position, it is badly paid.