Fushigi Yūgi

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Fushigi Yūgi
Cover of the 10th volume of the original Japanese manga release
ふしぎ遊戯 (Fushigi Yūgi)
Genre	Bishōnen, Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Manga
Author	Yuu Watase
Publisher	Shogakukan
Other publishers: Editorial Ivrea Conrad Egmont Kustannus Japonica Polonica Fantastica Seoul Publish Viz Media Bongkoch Comics Gollancz Manga Chuang Yi
Demographic	Shōjo
Magazine	Shōjo Comic
Original run	May 1992 – July 1996
Volumes	18
TV anime
Director	Hajime Kamegaki
Studio	Studio Pierrot
Licensor	Geneon
Network	Animax, TV Tokyo
Other networks: Tooniverse GMA 7, AXN-Asia, Animax Animax International Channel)
Original run	April 6, 1995 – March 28, 1996
Episodes	52
OVA
Director	Hajime Kamegaki
Studio	Studio Pierrot
Licensor	Geneon
Episodes	3
Released	October 25, 1996
Runtime	25 minutes
OVA: Fushigi Yūgi OVA 2
Studio	Studio Pierrot
Licensor	Geneon
Episodes	6
Released	May 25, 1997-August 25, 1998
Runtime	25 minutes
OVA: Fushigi Yūgi Eikoden
Director	Nanako Shimazaki
Studio	Studio Pierrot
Licensor	Geneon
Episodes	4
Released	December 21, 2001
Runtime	25 minutes
Light novel
Author	Megumi Nishizaki
Illustrator	Yuu Watase
Publisher	Shōgakukan
Published	January 30, 1998 – September 26, 2003
Volumes	13
Related
Fushigi Yūgi Genbu Kaiden, is a prequel manga series written after Fushigi Yūgi

Fushigi Yūgi (ふしぎ 遊戯, Fushigi Yūgi^? lit. Mysterious Play) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yuu Watase. It was originally serialized in Shōjo Comic from May 1992 through June 1996. The manga series was given an English language release in North America by Viz Media, which started in 1999. Spanning eighteen volumes, Fushigi Yūgi tells the story of two teenaged girls, Miaka and Yui, who are pulled into "The Universe of the Four Gods", a mysterious book at the National Library.

The series became very popular and was later adapted into a 52 episode anime series by Studio Pierrot. The series originally aired from April 6, 1995 through March 28, 1996 on the anime satellite channel Animax and the regular cable channel TV Tokyo. The anime series was followed by three Original Video Animation releases, with the first having three episodes, the second having six, and the final OVA, Fushigi Yūgi Eikoden, spanning four episodes. A thirteen volume Japanese light novel series also followed Fushigi Yūgi. The novels were published by Shōgakukan from January 30, 1998 to September 26, 2003. On October 25, 2003, Watase began releasing a prequel to the manga series, Fushigi Yūgi Genbu Kaiden.

Contents 1 Plot 1.1 Differences in the anime adaptation 2 Characters 3 Production 4 Media 4.1 Manga 4.2 Anime 4.3 Novels 4.4 Video game 5 Reception 6 References 7 External links

[edit] Plot

Junior high school student Miaka Yūki is under a lot of pressure to pass the entrance exam for the competitive Jonan Academy. Her best friend, Yui Hongo, agrees to apply for the same school so that they can go together. While at the library one day, Miaka and Yui come into contact with a strange book there, known as The Universe of the Four Gods. As a result of reading this book, they are then transported into the novel's universe. Inside the novel she finds Tamahome whom she seems to fall in love with and he as well. A twist happens with Miaka and Tamahome trying to stay together no matter what and discovering her best freind Yui turns evil.

The series describes the various trials that the two teenagers face, both quest-driven and personal. Miaka would discover that her greatest enemy would lie in her own best friend, Yui, due to a series of events set in motion. Feeling betrayed, the two oppose one another as priestesses, bringing together their own respective warriors and vying for the chance to be granted three wishes by the gods whom they hope to summon.

[edit] Differences in the anime adaptation

Please help improve this article or section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. (February 2008)

The anime only follows part one of Fushigi Yugi. Part two was covered in a series of OVAs (see below)

[edit] Characters

Main article: List of Fushigi Yūgi characters

• Miaka Yūki
  A typical teenage girl with a healthy appetite, Miaka once went to a library with Yui and was accidentally pulled into the world The Universe of the Four Gods. There she becomes the Priestess of Suzaku and promises to seek out her seven guardians and summon Suzaku, the guardian god of Hong-Nan, in order to save the country from the threat of the war hungry country of Qu Dong.^[1] During the journey, Miaka forms new friendships and discovers true love with Tamahome, but she also strives to repair her friendship with her best friend Yui, who has become her enemy. In the OVA Miaka was seen more mature than before but still having a healthy appetite, it is shown when she gave more priority to the foods in front of her than seeing Hotohori's sick wife.

• Yui(Julie)Hongo
  Miaka's best friend, Yui(Julie), is pulled into the The Universe of the Four Gods while trying to help Miaka return from the book. She turns against Miaka for not coming to save her when she entered the book a second time. She chooses to become the Priestess of Seiryū for Qu Dong, swearing to use the god's powers to separate Miaka and Tamahome and to destroy Hong-Nan. Under the influence of Nakago, one of the Seiryū Seven, Yui works to stop Miaka from summoning Suzaku. It is said that Nakago just made Yui believed that she was raped when she enters the book but actually before Yui was just almost raped because Nakago arrived at the right time. At the end of the series Yui showed that she loved her best friend most and the real world where she is, so her last wish was for their world's sake.

• Tamahome
  One of Miaka's Suzaku Seven guardians, Tamahome has an obsession with money born out of his need to care for his sick father and many siblings. In meeting and falling in love with Miaka, Tamahome finds a new reason for living. A powerful fighter, Tamahome doesn't back down from an enemy and is willing to die to protect his friends and loved ones. When he fights, the symbol for "Ogre" appears on his forehead. He is also the first one whom Miaka and Yui met when both of them entered the book.

• Nakago
  The general of the army of Qu Dong and the most powerful of the Seiryū Seven, Nakago is a cold, manipulative man who uses the insecurities in Yui's heart to turn her against Miaka. Nakago is willing to do whatever he must, including sacrificing his own Seiryū comrades to achieve his goals. He takes a sadistic interest in Tamahome and enjoys taunting him during their several fights.

• Hotohori
  The young emperor of Konan and also a celestial warrior of Suzaku. He is very beautiful and sometimes mistaken for a female due to this factor. His duty is to ensure safety for his empire and people. Defeating Nakago and the Priestess of Seiryū, Yui, is the only way in which he can do this. Most of the time his comrades were feeling a bit odd when he praise himself being good looking.

• Nuriko
  On the face of it, Nuriko is a beautiful woman who lives in Hotohori's palace grounds as a prospective wife, but hides a shocking secret. Nuriko is also one of Suzaku's celestial warriors with the power of incredible strength. Although Nuriko originally despises Miaka, they become the best of friends and fight together to save the empire and protect Miaka and Tamahome's love. At the latter part, Nuriko was initiating a different kind of love for Miaka.

• Chichiri
  Chichiri is another one of Suzaku's celestial warriors, holding magical and mysterious powers whilst using his chi. He is a light hearted, cheerful member of the Suzaku warriors, but hides a tragic past. Most of the time he is seen teleporting using his hat or his cloak.

[edit] Production

Please help improve this article or section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. (February 2008)

[edit] Media

[edit] Manga

Written and illustrated by Yuu Watase, Fushigi Yūgi was originally serialized in the monthly manga magazine Shōjo Comic. It premiered in the May 1992 issue and ran for over four years, with the final chapter appearing in the June 1996 issue. The series was simultaneously published in eighteen collected volumes by Shogakukan, with new volumes being released on a quarterly schedule.^[2]

In 1992, Viz Media licensed the manga for an English language release in North America. The series was originally released in a flipped trade paperback format, starting in August 1998.^[3] Viz kept the original Chinese names of characters and places, at the request of Watase, causing some confusion for fans as the anime version uses the Japanese names. For example, in the manga, Hotohori's country is named "Hong-Nan" rather than the "Konan" found in the anime series.^[4] After eight volumes, Viz stopped publication of Fushigi Yūgi, reviving it in June 2003 when it released the first two volumes in unflipped standard manga size volumes. The remaining volumes were released on a quarterly schedule, including the remaining ten volumes. The final volume of the series was released in April 2006. In the table below, the dates and ISBN numbers given for the first eight volumes are for the second edition releases.^[2][5]

Viz also serialized Fushigi Yūgi in their manga anthology magazine, Animerica Extra, starting with the October 1998 debut issue and running until the December 2004 issue, the magazine's final issue.^[3] In January 2009, Viz is slated to re-release the series as part of their "VIZBIG" line, which usually combines two or three individual volumes of the original release into a single, larger volume.^[6]

#	Original		English
	Release date	ISBN	Release date	ISBN
1	May 1992	ISBN 978-4091343512	June 2003	ISBN 978-1569319574
2	August 1992	ISBN 978-4091343529	June 2003	ISBN 978-1569319581
3	November 1992	ISBN 978-4091343536	July 2004	ISBN 978-1569319925
4	January 1993	ISBN 978-4091343543	October 2004	ISBN 978-1569319932
5	April 1993	ISBN 978-4091343550	December 2004	ISBN 978-1591160977
6	July 1993	ISBN 978-4091343567	April 2005	ISBN 978-1591160984
7	October 1993	ISBN 978-4091343574	July 2005	ISBN 978-1591161394
8	January 1994	ISBN 978-4091343581	October 2005	ISBN 978-1591160878
9	April 1994	ISBN 978-4091343598	November 2003	ISBN 978-1591160960
10	July 1994	ISBN 978-4091343604	March 2004	ISBN 978-1591161387
11	October 1994	ISBN 978-4091362216	June 2004	ISBN 978-1591161073
12	January 1995	ISBN 978-4091362223	February 2004	ISBN 978-1591162018
13	April 1995	ISBN 978-4091362230	November 2004	ISBN 978-1591160861
14	July 1995	ISBN 978-4091362247	April 2005	ISBN 978-1591167372
15	October 1995	ISBN 978-4091362254	July 2005	ISBN 978-1591168430
16	January 1996	ISBN 978-4091362261	October 2005	ISBN 978-1421500232
17	April 1996	ISBN 978-4091362278	January 2006	ISBN 978-1421501802
18	July 1996	ISBN 978-4091362285	April 2006	ISBN 978-1421503936

[edit] Anime

Main article: List of Fushigi Yūgi episodes

Produced by Studio Pierrot, the fifty-two episode Fushigi Yūgi anime series premiered on Animax and TV Tokyo on April 6, 1995. The series aired weekly, until the final episode aired on March 28, 1996. The series is now available on dvd, including all 52 episodes.

The anime series was followed by three Original Video Animation releases. The first OVA, covering three episodes, takes place a year after the events of the main series and has no ties to the original manga. It was released to DVD on October 25, 1996. The second OVA, which has 6 episodes, animates the last four volumes of the manga series that had been left out of the main series. The episodes were split across two volumes, with the first released May 25, 1997, and the second coming over a year later on August 25, 1998. The final OVA, Fushigi Yūgi Eikoden, spans four episodes and is based on two of the light novels written by Megumi Nishizaki. It was released on December 21, 2001.

The main series and all three OVAs were licensed for Region 1 release by Geneon Entertainment, then named Pioneer, under the expanded title "Fushigi Yugi: The Mysterious Play." It has been suggested that Geneon chose to license the series based on its popularity among the fansub community.^[7] The main series was released in eight individual volumes and as two box sets, the "Suzaku" and "Seiryū" sets. The first two OVAs were release together in a set titled "Fushigi Yugi: The Mysterious Play OVA". Fushigi Yūgi Eikoden was released as a single disc volume. The two box sets and the two OVAs were released with similar packaging, to give them a consistent look.^[8] All four sets were taken out-of-print and no longer available. With the closure of Geneon USA, the individual volumes are now also out-of-print.

[edit] Novels

Over a series of five years, Megumi Nishizaki wrote thirteen Japanese light novels based on Fushigi Yūgi. With illustrations by Yuu Watase, Fushigi Yūgi Gaiden primarily explores the lives the various Celestial Warriors before they are seen in the manga. The only two novels to be set after the manga, Eikō Den (Jōkan) and Eikō Den (Gekan), later became the basis for the third Fushigi Yūgi original video animation, Fushigi Yūgi Eikoden. Originally published by Shogakukan, none of the novels have been licensed for English release.

Volume	Title[9]	Release Date	ISBN
1	"Genrō Den" (幻狼伝)	January 30, 1998	ISBN 978-4094207736
Details Tasuki's life between joining the Mt. Reikaku Bandits and the appearance of the Priestess of Suzaku.
2	"Shōryū Den" (昇龍伝)	July 23, 1998	ISBN 978-4094207743
Chichiri's life shortly after the accident when he loses his eye through to his first meeting Miaka.
3	"Yuki Yasha Den" (雪夜叉伝)	February 2, 1999	ISBN 978-4094207750
Details of Nuriko becoming a cross-dresser and entering the royal harem.
4	"Ryūsei Den" (流星伝)	April 23, 1999	ISBN 978-4094207767
Amiboshi and Suboshi's tragic past.
5	"Suzaku Hi Den" (朱雀悲伝)	July 1999	ISBN 978-4094207774
The story of Hotohori, his brother Tendō and their relationship with Hōki. This story is later told by Hōki to Mayo in the Eikoden OVA.
6	"Seiran Den" (青藍伝)	December 1, 1999	ISBN 978-4094207781
Nakago's past and his rise to power within the Kutō army.
7	"Eikō Den (Jōkan)" (永光伝(上巻))	February 1, 2000	ISBN 978-4094207798
Set ten years after the final events in the manga, teenage girl Mayo Sakaki goes into The Universe of the Four Gods. Unhappy with her own life, Mayo wants to achieve a storybook ending with Taka, whom she has a crush on.
8	"Eikō Den (Gekan)" (永光伝(下巻))	March 1, 2000	ISBN 978-4094207804
Continues Mayo's story as she is tricked by a false Suzaku, and saved by Miaka.
9	"Shugyoku Den" (朱玉伝)	December 21, 2001	ISBN 978-4094207897
Tamahome's life from his training under Tokaki to when he first meets Miaka and Yui. Interestingly, this novel also tells of Miaka's backstory and her connection with Tamahome during the years of the manifestation of his powers.
10	"Hōmei Den" (逢命伝)	March 1, 2002	ISBN 978-4094207903
Mitsukake's romance with Shōka.
11	"Yūai Den" (優愛伝)	April 26, 2002	ISBN 978-4094208214
Chiriko's whereabouts before he joined up with the rest of the Suzaku Warriors.
12	"Sanbō Den (Jōkan)" (三宝伝(上巻))	July 1, 2003	ISBN 978-4094208221
Explains how Tenkō used his powers to influence people to do his bidding to break the seal the four beast gods placed on him, as well as to gather the Shinzaho of Genbu, Byakko, Seiryuu and Suzaku. The two main characters are Chichiri and Tasuki.
13	"Sanbō Den 2 (Gekan)" (三宝伝(下巻))	September 26, 2003	ISBN 978-4094208238
Continues story from part 1.

[edit] Video game

Idea Factory is developing a Sony Playstation 2 video game based on the Fushigi Yūgi series that will be called Fushigi Yūgi: Suzaku Ibun (ふしぎ遊戯 朱雀異聞). It has a projected release date in Japan of May 29, 2008, and will be available in regular and limited editions.^[10][11]

[edit] Reception

Please help improve this article or section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. (February 2008)

THEM Anime Reviews preferred the manga to the anime, and criticized the production values of the anime, and repetitious dialogue and the reuse of footage in flashback episodes.^[12] DVD Verdict criticized the "convoluted" plot and "nonsensical" dialogue.^[13] Another review noted that although Miaka "makes out with her boyfriend quite a bit", the climax is "of the heart and soul", despite the many battles that the characters go through. Her strength and belief in herself give her the strength and courage to change the world.^[14] Drazen considers the humour in Fushigi Yūgi to be based on super deformed caricatures and strange to Western audiences.^[15]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Fushigi Yūgi

• Official Viz Media Fushigi Yūgi manga series site
• Official Studio Pierrot Fushigi Yūgi anime series site (Japanese)
• Fushigi Yūgi (manga) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia
• Fushigi Yūgi (anime) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia

OVAs

• Official Studio Pierrot site for Fushigi Yūgi Eikoden
• Fushigi Yūgi Eikoden (anime) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia

Fushigi Yūgi (Yuu Watase) v • d • e
Fushigi Yūgi Genbu Kaiden | Fushigi Yūgi Eikoden | Fushigi Yūgi episode list
	Characters People of the real world: Keisuke Yūki | Tetsuya Kajiwara | Taka Sukunami Priestesses: Miaka Yūki | Yui Hongo | Suzuno Ōsugi | Takiko Okuda Suzaku Seishi: Tamahome | Hotohori | Nuriko | Chichiri | Tasuki | Mitsukake | Chiriko Seiryū Seishi: Nakago | Amiboshi | Suboshi | Soi | Ashitare | Tomo | Miboshi Genbu Seishi: Uruki | Tomite | Hatsui | Namame | Hikitsu | Inami | Urumiya Byakko Seishi