Fushigi Yûgi

Fushigi Yûgi: The Mysterious Play

Cover of the first edition of the first volume of Fushigi Yûgi, published by Shogakukan on May 26, 1992
ふしぎ遊戯
(Fushigi Yūgi)
Genre Action, Adventure, Comedy-drama, Reverse harem, Historical fantasy, Romance, Martial arts
Manga
Written by Yuu Watase
Published by Shogakukan
English publisher
Demographic Shōjo
Magazine Shōjo Comic
Original run May 1992 – July 1996
Volumes 18
Anime television series
Directed by Hajime Kamegaki
Music by Yusuke Honma
Studio Studio Pierrot
Licensed by
Network Animax, TV Tokyo
English network
Original run April 6, 1995 – March 28, 1996
Episodes 52
Original video animation
Directed by Hajime Kamegaki
Music by Yusuke Honma
Studio Studio Pierrot
Licensed by
Released October 25, 1996 – August 25, 1998
Runtime 25 minutes (each)
Episodes 9
Light novel
Written by Megumi Nishizaki
Illustrated by Yuu Watase
Published by Shōgakukan
Original run January 30, 1998 – September 26, 2003
Volumes 13
Original video animation
Fushigi Yûgi Eikoden
Directed by Nanako Shimazaki
Written by Hiroaki Sato
Music by Ryo Sakai
Studio Studio Pierrot
Licensed by
Released December 21, 2001 – June 25, 2002
Runtime 30 minutes (each)
Episodes 4
Related

Fushigi Yūgi (ふしぎ遊戯), also known as Fushigi Yûgi: The Mysterious Play or Curious Play,[1] is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yuu Watase. Shogakukan published Fushigi Yûgi in Shōjo Comic in its original serialized form from May 1992 through June 1996. Viz Media released the manga series in English in North America starting in 1999. Spanning eighteen volumes, Fushigi Yûgi 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. It is essentially based on four mythological creatures of China.

Studio Pierrot adapted the series into a 52-episode anime series. The show originally aired from April 6, 1995 through March 28, 1996 on the anime satellite channel Animax and on the regular cable channel TV Tokyo. The anime series spawned three Original Video Animation releases, with the first having three episodes, the second having six, and the final OVA, Fushigi Yûgi Eikoden, spanning four episodes. A thirteen-volume Japanese light novel series also followed Fushigi Yûgi: Shōgakukan published the novels from January 30, 1998 to September 26, 2003. On October 25, 2003, Watase began releasing a prequel to the manga series, Fushigi Yûgi Genbu Kaiden, and ended in May 2013. Another prequel to the manga series, Fushigi Yûgi Byakko Ibun was published in February 2015. It also became popular in the Philippines when it was first shown in Tagalog version by GMA Network in late-2000s and also in TV5 in 2009.

Plot

The series describes the various trials of Miaka Yūki and Yui Hongo, two Middle-school students. While at the library one day, Miaka and Yui encounter a strange book known as The Universe of the Four Gods. Reading this book transports them into the novel's universe in ancient China. Yui is transported back to the real world almost immediately, but Miaka finds herself the Priestess of Suzaku. Miaka is destined to gather the seven Celestial Warriors of the god Suzaku in order to summon Suzaku and obtain three wishes. She falls in love with the Celestial Warrior Tamahome, who eventually reciprocates and Miaka's desire to use a wish to enter the high school of her choice begins to shift towards finding a way to be with Tamahome. Yui is also drawn into the book when she tries to help Miaka to come back to the real world; becoming the Priestess of Seiryuu, working against Miaka out of jealousy over Tamahome and revenge for the humiliation and pain she had suffered when she first came to into the book's world.

Media

Manga

Written and illustrated by Yuu Watase, Fushigi Yûgi originally appeared in serial form 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.

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.[2] Several characters have both Japanese pronunciations and Chinese pronunciations. In 1998 Watase visited the United States and met with Viz staff members at their San Francisco headquarters. Viz kept the original Chinese names of characters at the request of Watase. Bill Flanagan, the editor of the English version, asked Watase if he should use the Chinese names for popular characters such as Tai Yi-Jun (Taitsukun) and she also asked for the Chinese names to be used there. The characters with names remaining in Japanese in the English version are the characters such as Tamahome who have Japanese pronunciations of ancient constellations; there was never any intention of them having Chinese names.[3]

This caused 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 Yûgi, 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. The dates and ISBN numbers given for the first eight volumes in the table on the link above are for the second edition releases.[5]

Viz also serialized Fushigi Yûgi 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.[2] 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]

Anime

Produced by Studio Pierrot, the fifty-two episode Fushigi Yûgi anime series premiered on Animax and TV Tokyo on April 6, 1995. The series aired weekly, until the final episode that was aired on March 28, 1996. The series was licensed for English-language release to Region 1 DVD and VHS format by Geneon Entertainment, then named Pioneer, under the expanded title "Fushigi Yûgi: 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. Media Blasters license-rescued the series, and released the first season to DVD on June 19, 2012.[8] Season 2 was released on February 12, 2013.[9][10]

Original video animations

Following the anime adaptation three original video animation (OVA) works appeared. The first, spanning 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 Yûgi Eikoden, spans four episodes and is based on two of the light novels written by Megumi Nishizaki. Released on December 21, 2001, it focuses on a new character, Mayo Sakaki, a sixteen-year-old girl who attends Yotsubadai High School. Upon finding "The Universe of the Four Gods" in a trash bin at the park, Mayo soon discovers that the story remains incomplete. In the unfamiliar world of the book, Mayo must come to terms with her own life and the unhappiness within it.

Geneon Entertainment also licensed the OVAs for Region 1 DVD release. The first two OVAs were released together in a set titled "Fushigi Yûgi: The Mysterious Play OVA". Fushigi Yûgi Eikoden was released as a single disc volume. The OVAs were released with similar packaging as the main series, to give them a consistent look.[11] All three OVA series have also been re-licensed by Media Blasters.

Novels

Over a series of five years, Megumi Nishizaki wrote thirteen Japanese light novels based on Fushigi Yûgi. Illustrated by Yuu Watase, Fushigi Yûgi 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 Yûgi original video animation, Fushigi Yûgi Eikoden. Originally published by Shogakukan, none of the novels have been licensed for English release.

Volume Title[12] Release Date ISBN
1 "Genrō Den" (幻狼伝) January 30, 1998ISBN 978-4094207736
Details Tasuki's life between joining the Mt. Reikaku Bandits and Miaka's appearance. 
2 "Shōryū Den" (昇龍伝) July 23, 1998ISBN 978-4094207743
Chichiri's life shortly after the accident when he loses his eye to his first meeting with Miaka. 
3 "Yuki Yasha Den" (雪夜叉伝) February 2, 1999ISBN 978-4094207750
Details how Nuriko became a cross-dresser and entered the imperial harem. 
4 "Ryūsei Den" (流星伝) April 23, 1999ISBN 978-4094207767
Details Amiboshi and Suboshi's tragic past. 
5 "Suzaku Hi Den" (朱雀悲伝) July 1999ISBN 978-4094207774
The story of emperor Hotohori, his brother Tendō and their relationship with Hōki. This story is later told by Hōki herself to Mayo Sakaki in the Eikoden OVA. 
6 "Seiran Den" (青藍伝) December 1, 1999ISBN 978-4094207781
Details Nakago's past and his rise to power within the Kutō army. 
7 "Eikō Den (Jōkan)" (永光伝(上巻)) February 1, 2000ISBN 978-4094207798
Set ten years after the final events in the manga, Mayo enters 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, 2000ISBN 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, 2001ISBN 978-4094207897
Tamahome's life from his training under Tokaki to when he first meets Miaka and Yui. Interestingly, this novel also tells 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, 2002ISBN 978-4094207903
Details Mitsukake's romance with Shōka. 
11 "Yūai Den" (優愛伝) April 26, 2002ISBN 978-4094208214
Recounts Chiriko's whereabouts before he joined the rest of the Suzaku Warriors. 
12 "Sanbō Den (Jōkan)" (三宝伝(上巻)) July 1, 2003ISBN 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, 2003ISBN 978-4094208238
Continues story from part 1. 

Video game

Idea Factory released a Sony PlayStation 2 video game based on the Fushigi Yûgi series called Fushigi Yûgi: Suzaku Ibun (ふしぎ遊戯 朱雀異聞). It was released in Japan on May 29, 2008 on the PlayStation 2, and is available in regular and limited editions.[13][14]

Reception

THEM Anime Reviews preferred the manga to the anime, criticizing the latter's production values, repetitious dialogue, and reuse of footage in flashback episodes.[15] DVD Verdict criticized the "convoluted" plot and "nonsensical" dialogue.[16] 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.[17] Drazen considers the humour in Fushigi Yûgi to be based on super deformed caricatures and therefore strange to Western audiences.[18]

Winnie Chow of Animerica was disappointed by the ending of the anime adaptation, finding the final battle that resolves the series to be "lame at best" that left her cheering more for Nakago than the "good guys". Throughout the series, she notes that the scenes between Miaka and Tamahome became "increasingly sickening" and "overdone".[19]

Fushigi Yûgi Eikoden was panned by THEM Anime Reviews, which considered the animation to be its only strong point. In particular, the reviewer found the new main character to be unlikeable.[20]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Curious Play". Animax Asia. Retrieved 11 November 2011.
  2. 1 2 "Viz Builds Strong Shōjo Slate". ICv2. 2001-09-06. Retrieved 2008-02-23.
  3. ↑ Watase, Yû. Fushigi Yûgi: The Mysterious Play. Volume 1: Priestess (contains content from Animerica Extra from Volume 1, Issue 1 through Volume 2, Issue 4). Second Printing, May 2004. p. 202.
  4. ↑ Lavey, Megan (2004-04-13). "Fushigi Yûgi (Shōjo Edition) Vol. #01". Anime on DVD. Retrieved 2008-02-04.
  5. ↑ "Viz Announces Release of Second Edition Manga Titles" (Press release). Viz Media. 2004-03-18. Retrieved 2008-02-23.
  6. ↑ "Amazon: Viz Adds Gaba Kawa, Heaven's Will, Oishinbo". Anime News Network. 2008-02-24. Retrieved 2008-02-24.
  7. ↑ Of Otaku and Fansubs: A Critical ^·^ Light of Current Issues in Copyright Law
  8. ↑ "Media Blasters Reveals Fushigi Yuugi Boxset for April". Anime News Network. 12 January 2012.
  9. ↑
  10. ↑ http://www.amazon.com/Fushigi-Yugi-Season-Two-Boxset/dp/B008U1AOKM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1354769819&sr=8-1&keywords=Fushigi+Yugi
  11. ↑ "Sailor Moon Explained, Plus Fushigi Yugi, Cardcaptors, More". ICv2. 2001-08-12. Retrieved 2008-02-23.
  12. ↑ Note: ISBNs for all of the novels have been retrieved from Amazon.co.jp. Kanji and rōmaji titles were retrieved from Webcat Plus.
  13. ↑ "Fushigi Yuugi: Suzaku Ibun". GameFAQs. Retrieved 2008-02-06.
  14. ↑ "Fushigi Yûgi: Suzaku Ibun". Idea Factory. Retrieved 2010-04-28.
  15. ↑ Fushigi Yugi: The Mysterious Play THEM Anime Reviews
  16. ↑ Fushigi Yugi: The Mysterious Play...The Return Home (Volume 2) DVD Verdict
  17. ↑ the new stereotypes of anime and manga
  18. ↑ Drazen, Patrick (October 2002). Anime Explosion! The What? Why? & Wow! of Japanese Animation. Berkeley, California: Stone Bridge Press. pp. 281–282. ISBN 1-880656-72-8. OCLC 50898281.
  19. ↑ Chow, Winnie (November 2000). "Best of the West Reviews: Fushigi Yūgi: The Mysterious Play, Vol. 16: The Last Page". Animerica. San Francisco, California: Viz Media. 8 (10): 71. ISSN 1067-0831. OCLC 27130932.
  20. ↑ THEM Anime Reviews 4.0 - Fushigi Yugi: The Mysterious Play: Eikoden
Fushigi Yûgi
OVAs
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