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ふしぎ遊戯 玄武開伝 [Fushigi Yûgi: Genbu Kaiden] #1
Fushigi Yûgi: Genbu Kaiden, Vol. 01
When schoolgirl Takiko Okuda attempts to destroy her father's translation of "The Universe of the Four Gods," she is instead literally sucked into the story, becoming the Priestess of Genbu in an epic journey to find the seven Celestial Warriors!
In her first encounter, she meets the mysterious outlaw Limdo, a Celestial Warrior with a tattoo of the Chinese character for "woman" on his chest. Limdo can not only summon the wind as one of his special powers, but he can also transform into a woman!
Takiko meets up with the bowman, Chamka, who is hunting Limbdo. It seems Chamka is one of the seven Celestial Warriors as well...
In her first encounter, she meets the mysterious outlaw Limdo, a Celestial Warrior with a tattoo of the Chinese character for "woman" on his chest. Limdo can not only summon the wind as one of his special powers, but he can also transform into a woman!
Takiko meets up with the bowman, Chamka, who is hunting Limbdo. It seems Chamka is one of the seven Celestial Warriors as well...
189 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
About the author
Yuu Watase
393 books1,155 followersA Japanse shoujo manga-ka. She is known for her works Fushigi Yūgi, Alice 19th, Ceres: The Celestial Legend, Fushigi Yūgi Genbu Kaiden and Absolute Boyfriend. She likes all music, except heavy metal and old traditional music.
She received the Shogakukan Manga Award for shōjo for Ceres, Celestial Legend in 1997. Since writing her debut short story "Pajama de Ojama" ("An Intrusion in Pajamas"), Watase has created more than 80 compiled volumes of short stories and continuing series. Because of her frequent use of beautiful male characters in her works, she is widely regarded in circles[which?] as a bishōnen manga artist.[citation needed] In October 2008, Watase began her first shōnen serialization, Arata: The Legend in Weekly Shōnen Sunday.
Her name is romanized as "Yû Watase" in earlier printings of Viz Media's publications of Fushigi Yūgi, Alice 19th, and Ceres, The Celestial Legend, while in Viz Media's Fushigi Yūgi Genbu Kaiden and Absolute Boyfriend her name is romanized as "Yuu Watase". In Chuang Yi's English-language versions of Fushigi Yugi (spelled without a macron or circumflex), her name is romanized as "Yu Watase".
She received the Shogakukan Manga Award for shōjo for Ceres, Celestial Legend in 1997. Since writing her debut short story "Pajama de Ojama" ("An Intrusion in Pajamas"), Watase has created more than 80 compiled volumes of short stories and continuing series. Because of her frequent use of beautiful male characters in her works, she is widely regarded in circles[which?] as a bishōnen manga artist.[citation needed] In October 2008, Watase began her first shōnen serialization, Arata: The Legend in Weekly Shōnen Sunday.
Her name is romanized as "Yû Watase" in earlier printings of Viz Media's publications of Fushigi Yūgi, Alice 19th, and Ceres, The Celestial Legend, while in Viz Media's Fushigi Yūgi Genbu Kaiden and Absolute Boyfriend her name is romanized as "Yuu Watase". In Chuang Yi's English-language versions of Fushigi Yugi (spelled without a macron or circumflex), her name is romanized as "Yu Watase".
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 144 reviews
April 14, 2016
[This review covers all twelve volumes]
Back in sixth grade, the entire class almost religiously watched the anime Fushigi Yuugi every Friday night and then talk about it in groups come school day. The classroom would be filled with lively chatter about what happened in a recent episode, most especially when my best friend at that time would bring along merchandise such as posters, action figures and copies of the English translated manga itself she tirelessly looked for so she can share them with me. At first it started with the girls but pretty soon the boys joined in, mostly because the anime is scandalous in itself, featuring semi-nude and acceptably sensual scenarios that are not that aggresively sexual.
It's a love story about the star-crossed lovers Miaka and Tamahome that got the girls hooked while it's an action-adventure fantasy that the boys could enjoy. Three years ago, I re-watched the anime again and the nostalgic charm was still there. I was compelled to read the manga and also pick up the other spin-off series and I was glad I did because Yuu Watase creates really riveting female-centered stories. Though the very first Fushigi Yuugi is my first love, the third and final installment of the series Genbu Kaiden was ultimately the greatest love of my life, shoujo manga-wise.
I could compare the first FY to a high school boyfriend. He was your sweetheart and you grew up together but he will always belong in the past. Genbu Kaiden is the man you eventually settle down with and marry, and together you are partners celebrating and honoring your sacred union no matter the difficulties of every day life and obligation. This is resonant in the deeply contrasting ways Yuu Watase wrote the love stories between Miaka and Tamahome, and Takiko and Rimudo; the former was the definitive young love that often consumes itself and burns quickly while the latter is the kind of love that knows there are worlds outside its scope that are just as meaningful and so the lovers become mature enough to accept their relationship should not be codependent and they don't end up entiterly losing themselves in each other. They have other important relationships outside one another, and decisions to make where their love for each other sometimes don't have to be the only priority.
Takiko is the very first maiden to be whisked away during the 1920's in Japan, transported by the magical Book of the Four Gods into ancient China. According to an old legend, a woman from another world will appear as a prophecy foretold where she will become the priestess of a certain country, a representative of one of the four gods, depending on the geography she will make her appearance in. In the first FY, high schoolers Miaka Yuuki and her best friend Yui Hongo took the mantle as priestesses for Suzaku and Seiryuu of the South and East Kingdoms respectively. For Takiko, she became priestess for the West, representing Genbu. The storyline for this manga follows the same formula as its predecessors Fushigi Yuugi and Ayashi no Ceres where the young, impressionable maiden gathers the seven warriors of the god they are aiming to summon. The story dictates that the priestess is allowed a wish if she successfully gathers all warriors and summons the god. It's a premise as predictable and universal as any hero's journey, only this time making the hero in question a heroine and she always develops romantic feelings for one of her warriors, almost always the first one she encountered the moment she gets transported. The central conflict lies in how they endure the varied tests and threats to their blooming romance.
The same thing happens to Takiko in this manga, much like Miaka was with Tamahome. The glaring difference, however, is the characterization and development of their individual arcs and as a couple's relationship. I would like to believe that Watase has learned from her mistakes with handling Miaka and Tamahome's love story which was essentially a really flawed and superfluous one.
As a supposed prequel to the original FY but written much later on, Genbu Kaiden retains a freshness and vitality to it most likely because of its lead character Takiko. Unlike the unassuming Aya, clumsy and fickle Miaka and the vengeful Yui, Takiko was instantly likable and admirable in her courage and purity of the spirit. I think it's her family situation that enabled her to deal with things more maturely. Her mother has consumption while her father has always been neglectful of her, always buried in his work. Her unrequited love for a childhood friend remained unfulfilled after he married another woman, leaving Takiko generally all alone and ignored. After her mother fully succumbs to her illness and dies, Takiko's father returns but was more concerned with publishing his latest translation on an old story about the Four Gods of Ancient China than attend to the funeral arrangements. Angry and betrayed, Takiko takes away the copy of the book from her father and boldly questions him if he wished she was a son and if she was indeed male, perhaps he may have paid attention to her; even love her. Her father acquiesces that this was true which forever devastated Takiko beyond words so she tries to rip the book in two but ends up getting magically transported within its pages.
In ancient China, she encounters a strange man who can control the winds and even turn physiologically into a woman. She then meets one of the bounty hunters looking for this person and was caught up between their rivalry immediately. Later on, she discovers the purpose of her coming to this land; about being a prietess foretold to save the kingdom from destruction and ruin. Unlike Miaka who agreed so she can wish herself home or Yui who wanted to take revenge, Takiko readily accepted the prophesy as her calling because of the most heartbreaking motivation ever: SHE WANTED TO FEEL NEEDED AND BE OF USE TO PEOPLE. She cared for her sick mother as a young girl and never felt like her father wanted her (which she had confirmed before coming to China) and was relieved--joyous, even--to feel like she can help people if she took the role of the priestess, not fully aware of the consequences and repercussions of such a role. It's all because Takiko's inherent brokenness lies in her desperation to give love and hopefully, mercifully, receive a piece of it in return.
In spite of such a sad and seemingly defective trait, this is actually what makes Takiko such a well-developed and compelling heroine to root for. This girl is unafraid to pick up a weapon and fight. She has some training in kendo so she is capable enough to hold herself during duels which is great to see because she never has to be a helpless damsel in distress all the time. Most of all, what I believe is the most amazing thing about Takiko is her compassion that enables her to identify with people's suffering and spiritually heal them. In Genbu Kaiden, people consider the priestess prophesy to be a bad omen. Anyone they discovered to be one of the potential seven warriors of Genbu was shunned, ostracized, exploited or driven away from their homes. This is the greatest challenge of Takiko's journey in finding them: some of these warriors already hate Takiko because of her priestess role and would never join her cause…until Takiko finds a way to touch their soul and make them believe they have a place in the world, that they do belong and they matter.
I get so choked up in every encounter she has with a Genbu warrior who all have tragic tales to tell about being outcasts and victims of their fates. Reading Takiko reaching out to them and earning their trust and devotion is so wondrously thrilling and emotionally resonant, further strengthening my admiration for Takiko. She is a person who knew rejection so well and has become loving and patient because of it. Each Genbu warrior knew rejection themselves firsthand; either through their own families or at the hands of their own clan/community. Takiko finds them and saves them, gives their lives meaning and urges them to fight not for glory or reward but merely for the sake of their countrymen even though many of them despise the Genbu warriors for what they are.
Takiko is never discouraged. She continues to thrive and serve her role faithfully…even if it meant never having a proper relationship with Rimudo, the first warrior she encountered and who gradually captured her heart and made it soar heights she never would have fathomed possible. Much like Takiko, Rimudo has upsetting daddy issues; his own father is having him hunt down to be killed all because of the prophesy that guarantees Rimudo will be his undoing. This is what initially drew the two together other than the usual physical attraction. Rimudo likes Takiko's ferociousness in accomplishing her tasks and the passion imbued in every selfless act of hers. Takiko likes Rimudo because he is burdened with a tragedy he constantly tries to overcome, and surprises her every time he puts aside his self-interest to lend her a hand in her calvary. Pretty soon these feelings deepened until they could no longer hide from their respective masks and costumes as renegade crowned prince on-the-run and savior priestess for long and they professed their love as they make a promise every day to stay in love even if duty and the upcomig civil wars have to be prioritized. I love the fact that they are both of independent will; they don't get so obsessed with each other that nothing else matters. Takiko and Rimudo were never selfish people that sometimes when they do get a little selfish, I encourage it because both deserve some kind of happiness as young lovers.
Genbu Kaiden is understandably not a happy ending in the romance side of things, at least not in a conventional sense. Takiko and Rimudo may love each other so much but have accepted that they could never be together at least not in body. The priestess after all has to be virginal. They could never be wholly together in heart and spirit either because Takiko is steadfast in fulfilling her role as priestess of Genbu and securing peace for the country. And, because Rimudo loves her for her unique courage, he decides to fight by her side for the good of all even if it meant losing her in an ultimate twist: if you have seen FY anime before then you know the price of summoning Genbu. Once Takiko discovers it, she never wavered from her obligation. She readily accepts its steep price and gives herself to the fate awaiting her to save her friends and the country and its people she has learned to love and be fiercely protective of.
Overall, Genbu Kaiden is intricate, heartfelt and engrossing with well-rounded characterizations composed of sensible conflicts and small yet satisfying resolutions in between. It has an empowered lead female character who is unafraid to define her relationships and not the other way around. It has an elegantly resonant and moving love story as its centerpiece but in spite of its love-story trappings, Genbu Kaiden is also a story about rejection and acceptance both from self and others as well as the transformative powers of friendship and community.
You can start reading the manga HERE and I hope this review will convince you. It's such a spellbinding tale about love in all its beautiful and often painfully cathartic forms. I guarantee that you will fall in love with Takiko as a person and root for her and Rimudo because they are inspiring individuals who luckily happen to be a romantic couple. The other Genbu warriors are also endearing and special in their own ways and their separate relationships with Takiko enhance the magic and poignancy of the narrative.
RECOMMENDED: 9/10
DO READ MY REVIEWS AT
Back in sixth grade, the entire class almost religiously watched the anime Fushigi Yuugi every Friday night and then talk about it in groups come school day. The classroom would be filled with lively chatter about what happened in a recent episode, most especially when my best friend at that time would bring along merchandise such as posters, action figures and copies of the English translated manga itself she tirelessly looked for so she can share them with me. At first it started with the girls but pretty soon the boys joined in, mostly because the anime is scandalous in itself, featuring semi-nude and acceptably sensual scenarios that are not that aggresively sexual.
It's a love story about the star-crossed lovers Miaka and Tamahome that got the girls hooked while it's an action-adventure fantasy that the boys could enjoy. Three years ago, I re-watched the anime again and the nostalgic charm was still there. I was compelled to read the manga and also pick up the other spin-off series and I was glad I did because Yuu Watase creates really riveting female-centered stories. Though the very first Fushigi Yuugi is my first love, the third and final installment of the series Genbu Kaiden was ultimately the greatest love of my life, shoujo manga-wise.
I could compare the first FY to a high school boyfriend. He was your sweetheart and you grew up together but he will always belong in the past. Genbu Kaiden is the man you eventually settle down with and marry, and together you are partners celebrating and honoring your sacred union no matter the difficulties of every day life and obligation. This is resonant in the deeply contrasting ways Yuu Watase wrote the love stories between Miaka and Tamahome, and Takiko and Rimudo; the former was the definitive young love that often consumes itself and burns quickly while the latter is the kind of love that knows there are worlds outside its scope that are just as meaningful and so the lovers become mature enough to accept their relationship should not be codependent and they don't end up entiterly losing themselves in each other. They have other important relationships outside one another, and decisions to make where their love for each other sometimes don't have to be the only priority.
Takiko is the very first maiden to be whisked away during the 1920's in Japan, transported by the magical Book of the Four Gods into ancient China. According to an old legend, a woman from another world will appear as a prophecy foretold where she will become the priestess of a certain country, a representative of one of the four gods, depending on the geography she will make her appearance in. In the first FY, high schoolers Miaka Yuuki and her best friend Yui Hongo took the mantle as priestesses for Suzaku and Seiryuu of the South and East Kingdoms respectively. For Takiko, she became priestess for the West, representing Genbu. The storyline for this manga follows the same formula as its predecessors Fushigi Yuugi and Ayashi no Ceres where the young, impressionable maiden gathers the seven warriors of the god they are aiming to summon. The story dictates that the priestess is allowed a wish if she successfully gathers all warriors and summons the god. It's a premise as predictable and universal as any hero's journey, only this time making the hero in question a heroine and she always develops romantic feelings for one of her warriors, almost always the first one she encountered the moment she gets transported. The central conflict lies in how they endure the varied tests and threats to their blooming romance.
The same thing happens to Takiko in this manga, much like Miaka was with Tamahome. The glaring difference, however, is the characterization and development of their individual arcs and as a couple's relationship. I would like to believe that Watase has learned from her mistakes with handling Miaka and Tamahome's love story which was essentially a really flawed and superfluous one.
"I'm sorry but I don't have magical powers of my own that you can absorb from my body. That light you see is simply my heart's way of expressing how devoted I am in becoming the priestess. And nothing will take that away from me."
As a supposed prequel to the original FY but written much later on, Genbu Kaiden retains a freshness and vitality to it most likely because of its lead character Takiko. Unlike the unassuming Aya, clumsy and fickle Miaka and the vengeful Yui, Takiko was instantly likable and admirable in her courage and purity of the spirit. I think it's her family situation that enabled her to deal with things more maturely. Her mother has consumption while her father has always been neglectful of her, always buried in his work. Her unrequited love for a childhood friend remained unfulfilled after he married another woman, leaving Takiko generally all alone and ignored. After her mother fully succumbs to her illness and dies, Takiko's father returns but was more concerned with publishing his latest translation on an old story about the Four Gods of Ancient China than attend to the funeral arrangements. Angry and betrayed, Takiko takes away the copy of the book from her father and boldly questions him if he wished she was a son and if she was indeed male, perhaps he may have paid attention to her; even love her. Her father acquiesces that this was true which forever devastated Takiko beyond words so she tries to rip the book in two but ends up getting magically transported within its pages.
In ancient China, she encounters a strange man who can control the winds and even turn physiologically into a woman. She then meets one of the bounty hunters looking for this person and was caught up between their rivalry immediately. Later on, she discovers the purpose of her coming to this land; about being a prietess foretold to save the kingdom from destruction and ruin. Unlike Miaka who agreed so she can wish herself home or Yui who wanted to take revenge, Takiko readily accepted the prophesy as her calling because of the most heartbreaking motivation ever: SHE WANTED TO FEEL NEEDED AND BE OF USE TO PEOPLE. She cared for her sick mother as a young girl and never felt like her father wanted her (which she had confirmed before coming to China) and was relieved--joyous, even--to feel like she can help people if she took the role of the priestess, not fully aware of the consequences and repercussions of such a role. It's all because Takiko's inherent brokenness lies in her desperation to give love and hopefully, mercifully, receive a piece of it in return.
In spite of such a sad and seemingly defective trait, this is actually what makes Takiko such a well-developed and compelling heroine to root for. This girl is unafraid to pick up a weapon and fight. She has some training in kendo so she is capable enough to hold herself during duels which is great to see because she never has to be a helpless damsel in distress all the time. Most of all, what I believe is the most amazing thing about Takiko is her compassion that enables her to identify with people's suffering and spiritually heal them. In Genbu Kaiden, people consider the priestess prophesy to be a bad omen. Anyone they discovered to be one of the potential seven warriors of Genbu was shunned, ostracized, exploited or driven away from their homes. This is the greatest challenge of Takiko's journey in finding them: some of these warriors already hate Takiko because of her priestess role and would never join her cause…until Takiko finds a way to touch their soul and make them believe they have a place in the world, that they do belong and they matter.
I get so choked up in every encounter she has with a Genbu warrior who all have tragic tales to tell about being outcasts and victims of their fates. Reading Takiko reaching out to them and earning their trust and devotion is so wondrously thrilling and emotionally resonant, further strengthening my admiration for Takiko. She is a person who knew rejection so well and has become loving and patient because of it. Each Genbu warrior knew rejection themselves firsthand; either through their own families or at the hands of their own clan/community. Takiko finds them and saves them, gives their lives meaning and urges them to fight not for glory or reward but merely for the sake of their countrymen even though many of them despise the Genbu warriors for what they are.
Takiko is never discouraged. She continues to thrive and serve her role faithfully…even if it meant never having a proper relationship with Rimudo, the first warrior she encountered and who gradually captured her heart and made it soar heights she never would have fathomed possible. Much like Takiko, Rimudo has upsetting daddy issues; his own father is having him hunt down to be killed all because of the prophesy that guarantees Rimudo will be his undoing. This is what initially drew the two together other than the usual physical attraction. Rimudo likes Takiko's ferociousness in accomplishing her tasks and the passion imbued in every selfless act of hers. Takiko likes Rimudo because he is burdened with a tragedy he constantly tries to overcome, and surprises her every time he puts aside his self-interest to lend her a hand in her calvary. Pretty soon these feelings deepened until they could no longer hide from their respective masks and costumes as renegade crowned prince on-the-run and savior priestess for long and they professed their love as they make a promise every day to stay in love even if duty and the upcomig civil wars have to be prioritized. I love the fact that they are both of independent will; they don't get so obsessed with each other that nothing else matters. Takiko and Rimudo were never selfish people that sometimes when they do get a little selfish, I encourage it because both deserve some kind of happiness as young lovers.
Genbu Kaiden is understandably not a happy ending in the romance side of things, at least not in a conventional sense. Takiko and Rimudo may love each other so much but have accepted that they could never be together at least not in body. The priestess after all has to be virginal. They could never be wholly together in heart and spirit either because Takiko is steadfast in fulfilling her role as priestess of Genbu and securing peace for the country. And, because Rimudo loves her for her unique courage, he decides to fight by her side for the good of all even if it meant losing her in an ultimate twist: if you have seen FY anime before then you know the price of summoning Genbu. Once Takiko discovers it, she never wavered from her obligation. She readily accepts its steep price and gives herself to the fate awaiting her to save her friends and the country and its people she has learned to love and be fiercely protective of.
Overall, Genbu Kaiden is intricate, heartfelt and engrossing with well-rounded characterizations composed of sensible conflicts and small yet satisfying resolutions in between. It has an empowered lead female character who is unafraid to define her relationships and not the other way around. It has an elegantly resonant and moving love story as its centerpiece but in spite of its love-story trappings, Genbu Kaiden is also a story about rejection and acceptance both from self and others as well as the transformative powers of friendship and community.
You can start reading the manga HERE and I hope this review will convince you. It's such a spellbinding tale about love in all its beautiful and often painfully cathartic forms. I guarantee that you will fall in love with Takiko as a person and root for her and Rimudo because they are inspiring individuals who luckily happen to be a romantic couple. The other Genbu warriors are also endearing and special in their own ways and their separate relationships with Takiko enhance the magic and poignancy of the narrative.
RECOMMENDED: 9/10
DO READ MY REVIEWS AT
April 4, 2024
DNF!
IDK, the storyline didn't grab me that strongly as I had hoped. Maybe if I were younger, I might have enjoyed it more. However, as an adult, I found this manga too silly for my liking.
IDK, the storyline didn't grab me that strongly as I had hoped. Maybe if I were younger, I might have enjoyed it more. However, as an adult, I found this manga too silly for my liking.
August 14, 2018
The plot itself somehow didn't grab me, but I liked the main character Takiko and thought the art, historical research, writing etc was objectively well done. I especially liked the historical pages about early 20th century education and controversies over things like girls learning sports. There were a lot of details I hadn't know. Here's an example of some notes:
The sailor uniform now worn in so many Japanese schools first made its appearance in 1919 (Taisho year 8) at Yamakawa Girls' Academy in Tokyo.
Meiji 39 (1906) It was a fad to pronounce and write words backwards (Ex: "baka" --> "kaba" and call it "the New Esperanto."
Meiji 40 (1907) "Byuburu": the verb form of beauty. Refers to a guy with ho-hum looks pretending he's hot stuff.
There were female delinquent gangs by the first year Taisho.
October 7, 2019
If you're at all familiar with Fushigi Yuugi, Watase's epic series from the early '90s, you'll know the basic setup for this one. In the midst of family troubles, a young Japanese girl named Takiko is thrown into the world of the Four Gods through a magical book. In this other world, she is the Priestess of Genbu, fated to bring together seven warriors under Genbu's banner and summon the god to make a climactic wish.
I'll be honest--I don't like any of Watase's earlier manga, including FY. But I do like Arata, and the little of this I've read so far. (Not love. Like.) She's grown as both an artist and a storyteller in the intervening years. While this one has its fair share of melodrama and pointless fan service, the characters and story feel better grounded. The reader can easily see Takiko as a good fit for her important role in this fantasy world, with her determination and willingness to take an active role in strange, unsettling circumstances.
Pointless: so is the love interest, huh? Stands to reason since he
I found this volume and the next one while going through some boxes at home. So far this is perfectly pleasant, but my first impression of it hasn't been strong enough to make me think I'll want to track down the rest if they aren't already in those boxes. We'll see what happens once I've read volume 2.
I'll be honest--I don't like any of Watase's earlier manga, including FY. But I do like Arata, and the little of this I've read so far. (Not love. Like.) She's grown as both an artist and a storyteller in the intervening years. While this one has its fair share of melodrama and pointless fan service, the characters and story feel better grounded. The reader can easily see Takiko as a good fit for her important role in this fantasy world, with her determination and willingness to take an active role in strange, unsettling circumstances.
Pointless: so is the love interest, huh? Stands to reason since he
I found this volume and the next one while going through some boxes at home. So far this is perfectly pleasant, but my first impression of it hasn't been strong enough to make me think I'll want to track down the rest if they aren't already in those boxes. We'll see what happens once I've read volume 2.
May 19, 2012
Can I ask Goodread friends a question? Why WHY can I never accept the main guy as the love interest? I know he is but I hate the fact that I always find a minor character much better. All you read about now is some girl meets this "mysterious guy" and you instantly know they will end up liking each other..... WOW its frustrating.
I like Chamka in the manga. Yes this is MUCH better than Fushigi Yuugi with Miaka who I HATED. i loved the story but tomoe.....why? Miaka is just annoying! But then again if Miaka ended up with Tasuki there would be some serious hating. Haha its funny how worked up I get over characters:) Anyways... I will definitely continue reading even though Im sooooooooooo mad that Rinbuawhatshisname is gonna end up with Takiko. ANd to add a quick note: Her character is AWESOME!!!!!!!
I like Chamka in the manga. Yes this is MUCH better than Fushigi Yuugi with Miaka who I HATED. i loved the story but tomoe.....why? Miaka is just annoying! But then again if Miaka ended up with Tasuki there would be some serious hating. Haha its funny how worked up I get over characters:) Anyways... I will definitely continue reading even though Im sooooooooooo mad that Rinbuawhatshisname is gonna end up with Takiko. ANd to add a quick note: Her character is AWESOME!!!!!!!
February 10, 2020
First rating: 2 stars
Second rating: 3 stars
Of all the manga and manga-ka I thought I'd ever revisit, this was not one of them. There is a plethora of issues with Yuu Watase's works overall, and I remember the original Fushigi Yuugi being a top offender for some of the worst aspects of said issues. As of present, I don't intend to ever return to that series, and you'd probably have to pay me a nice chunk of money before I'd consider it. However, over the years, a couple of her works stuck out to me as points of intrigue, probably because I'd never gotten farther than reading the first volume or two of each before running into a brick wall of "no availability." Fushigi Yuugi: Genbu Kaiden was one of them, as I was genuinely curious to see how it differed overall from the parent series, and now here we are, 15 years after I first read it, making the effort to dive back in and see if I can't read this series to completion and determine my opinion based on an adult's perspective (and not let my poor opinion of Fushigi Yuugi color my thoughts on this series.)
So let's give those of you who read my reviews a quick bit of background, in the event none of you have read Fushigi Yuugi and need some understanding of the connections between the two series. FY was a big series for Watase and I'd hazard a guess it was her first series that made it into English publication here in the states. It's an early example of the isekai genre: two girls are pulled into the world of a book, the Universe of the Four Gods, and through some pretty wild circumstances, our titular character becomes the priestess of Suzaku, and her best friend becomes the [somewhat misguided, manipulated and bordering-on-evil] priestess of Seiryuu. A priestess of one of the four celestial beast-gods usually has a small contingent of warriors [with individual magical abilities] that surround her (usually a bunch of pretty-boys, because this is Yuu Watase) to protect her while she...does...something or other that's important to eventually bring about her role as a priestess to grant wishes, restore peace, and summon the beast-god she's assigned to, with the downside that she and her warrior bodyguards are likely going to die in the process. (I say "something or other" because I cannot recall for the life of me what the hell Miaka actually does in FY, if she does in fact, do jack-squat at all beyond crying over Tamahome.)
So that's what you need to know regarding the first series that Watase wrote. She drew from the Chinese legends about the four celestial beasts, but only explored aspects of two in FY. In FYGK, written as a prequel series ex post facto, she jumps back in time to 1923, as the original transcriptor of the Universe of the Four Gods is finishing his work on his way back home to Japan, and his daughter, Takiko, happens to be pulled into the world of the book. Along the way, she's starting to meet characters with the magical markings denoting them as celestial warriors destined to protect the priestess of Genbu, and learns that this is who she is going to become. None of this is really a spoiler, it's thrown at you in the descriptor summary for this manga.
Re-reading this first volume, it's not quite as bad as I remember, at least not enough to warrant the rather harsh [and arguably not thought-out] two-star rating I gave it. Is it still rampant with the same tired tropes and problematic issues from FY and recycles a lot of the character aspects from that series into this one? Yes, yes it is. Does Watase still sameface the vast majority of her characters even just in this series, not counting how sameface her character designs are throughout all of her works? Tragically, the answer to this is also yes. But as far as an opening to a series goes, I think it's pretty action-packed from the start and remains fairly engaging throughout all the chapters in this volume. Additionally, Takiko is far more tolerable than Miaka as a protagonist, and shows, at least somewhat, that she's capable as a protagonist. (I also enjoyed a lot of the side notes between chapters regarding Watase's research into the time period and how she incorporated or adjusted things into this volume.)
I'll be going through this (and Absolute Boyfriend and Alice the 19th, also by Watase) in the future, so I'm going to hope and pray that I'm not so disappointed by where the series goes in the end that I come to regard it with the same hateful rage that I do FY or C:CL. Fingers crossed, anyway. There's nothing wrong with enjoying Watase's work, as far as I'm concerned, but I do think it's important to analyze aspects of it more closely and come to an understanding of what in her work isn't okay, which is what I'm hoping to do for myself.
Small side note, but this has been bugging me ever since I received my copy of this volume in the mail and noticed it: Limdo's hand on this front cover is proportionally too small. A general rule of art that's especially good to take note of in manga, is that the size of one's hand [from the heel of the palm to the tips of the fingers, when splayed open] should be proportionate to the size of the individual's face. If the hand looks big enough to cover most of the face when pressing hand to face, then good, it's the right proportions. Limdo's hand here would not do that; it's too small to be proportionate, and that annoys me enough I have to point it out.
Second rating: 3 stars
Of all the manga and manga-ka I thought I'd ever revisit, this was not one of them. There is a plethora of issues with Yuu Watase's works overall, and I remember the original Fushigi Yuugi being a top offender for some of the worst aspects of said issues. As of present, I don't intend to ever return to that series, and you'd probably have to pay me a nice chunk of money before I'd consider it. However, over the years, a couple of her works stuck out to me as points of intrigue, probably because I'd never gotten farther than reading the first volume or two of each before running into a brick wall of "no availability." Fushigi Yuugi: Genbu Kaiden was one of them, as I was genuinely curious to see how it differed overall from the parent series, and now here we are, 15 years after I first read it, making the effort to dive back in and see if I can't read this series to completion and determine my opinion based on an adult's perspective (and not let my poor opinion of Fushigi Yuugi color my thoughts on this series.)
So let's give those of you who read my reviews a quick bit of background, in the event none of you have read Fushigi Yuugi and need some understanding of the connections between the two series. FY was a big series for Watase and I'd hazard a guess it was her first series that made it into English publication here in the states. It's an early example of the isekai genre: two girls are pulled into the world of a book, the Universe of the Four Gods, and through some pretty wild circumstances, our titular character becomes the priestess of Suzaku, and her best friend becomes the [somewhat misguided, manipulated and bordering-on-evil] priestess of Seiryuu. A priestess of one of the four celestial beast-gods usually has a small contingent of warriors [with individual magical abilities] that surround her (usually a bunch of pretty-boys, because this is Yuu Watase) to protect her while she...does...something or other that's important to eventually bring about her role as a priestess to grant wishes, restore peace, and summon the beast-god she's assigned to, with the downside that she and her warrior bodyguards are likely going to die in the process. (I say "something or other" because I cannot recall for the life of me what the hell Miaka actually does in FY, if she does in fact, do jack-squat at all beyond crying over Tamahome.)
So that's what you need to know regarding the first series that Watase wrote. She drew from the Chinese legends about the four celestial beasts, but only explored aspects of two in FY. In FYGK, written as a prequel series ex post facto, she jumps back in time to 1923, as the original transcriptor of the Universe of the Four Gods is finishing his work on his way back home to Japan, and his daughter, Takiko, happens to be pulled into the world of the book. Along the way, she's starting to meet characters with the magical markings denoting them as celestial warriors destined to protect the priestess of Genbu, and learns that this is who she is going to become. None of this is really a spoiler, it's thrown at you in the descriptor summary for this manga.
Re-reading this first volume, it's not quite as bad as I remember, at least not enough to warrant the rather harsh [and arguably not thought-out] two-star rating I gave it. Is it still rampant with the same tired tropes and problematic issues from FY and recycles a lot of the character aspects from that series into this one? Yes, yes it is. Does Watase still sameface the vast majority of her characters even just in this series, not counting how sameface her character designs are throughout all of her works? Tragically, the answer to this is also yes. But as far as an opening to a series goes, I think it's pretty action-packed from the start and remains fairly engaging throughout all the chapters in this volume. Additionally, Takiko is far more tolerable than Miaka as a protagonist, and shows, at least somewhat, that she's capable as a protagonist. (I also enjoyed a lot of the side notes between chapters regarding Watase's research into the time period and how she incorporated or adjusted things into this volume.)
I'll be going through this (and Absolute Boyfriend and Alice the 19th, also by Watase) in the future, so I'm going to hope and pray that I'm not so disappointed by where the series goes in the end that I come to regard it with the same hateful rage that I do FY or C:CL. Fingers crossed, anyway. There's nothing wrong with enjoying Watase's work, as far as I'm concerned, but I do think it's important to analyze aspects of it more closely and come to an understanding of what in her work isn't okay, which is what I'm hoping to do for myself.
Small side note, but this has been bugging me ever since I received my copy of this volume in the mail and noticed it: Limdo's hand on this front cover is proportionally too small. A general rule of art that's especially good to take note of in manga, is that the size of one's hand [from the heel of the palm to the tips of the fingers, when splayed open] should be proportionate to the size of the individual's face. If the hand looks big enough to cover most of the face when pressing hand to face, then good, it's the right proportions. Limdo's hand here would not do that; it's too small to be proportionate, and that annoys me enough I have to point it out.
April 1, 2023
Review for complete series
Despite Fushigi Yuugi being a classic fantasy shoujo manga, I only got around to it long after its original publication. Sadly, I was rather disappointed by it, especially given that it is a popular work. Genbu Kaiden is a newer work of Watase's and serves as a prequel to the original series and this series is everything I hoped the original would have been.
All the things wrong with the original were made right here: our main character Takiko largely makes sensible decisions - sure, they are sometimes also emotionally loaded and not always strategic, but she never left me shaking my head in frustration over stupid decisions. Takiko and her love interest don't fall in love from the start allowing for a much more natural flow which in turn led me to genuinely care about them. The pacing was just right for this kind of plot with only a few chapters seeming a little rushed. The characters we meet along the way are more fleshed out and contribute to the story beyond being yet another follower of the main character - they've got agendas and dreams of their own. The fact that they still chose to follow Takiko just makes their bonds seem a lot stronger than in the original series. While I love a bit of comedy here and there, it was far more subtle than in the original which at times came across as silly.
Having fixed all that, this is a wholesome fantasy series with lovely friendships, interesting family dynamics and bittersweet turn of events. Takiko is a strong main character both in her determination but also in her willingness to lift a weapon despite being physically weaker than her companions. The world is interesting and the art is simply beautiful. Although I doubt it will ever happen, if Watase were ever to redraw the original series at this standard, I have no doubt I would love it. Instead, I will hope that her other prequel series, Byakko Senki, will soon no longer be on hiatus and be drawn to the end.
Only one little beef I had with this series: it's common for many manga, especially in the shoujo area, to have a style in which the characters look very much alike. It's usually hair and clothing more than anything else that makes characters look different from each other. This has never been an issue for me but I don't mind when artists add some more diversity. What I don't like is when authors add diversity purely for diversities sake. I am not sure if this is what Watase's intention was but the Genbu Kaiden cast was a lot more diverse than the original series' was (e.g. I was very pleased to have some more important female characters besides the main character). But, as I have already found with some of Watase's other works, she tends to add some goofy or stereo typical cartoonish characters. Hatsui is an overweight character and everything from design to behaviour and personality feels like a joke rather than a proper member of the group. Why not add a competent overweight character rather than, apologies, a bumbling idiot who is treated more like an overgrown child?
June 19, 2023
idk what yuu wasate put in this manga but i feel like a cat who can’t get enough catnip. this was so cheesy and dumb and the relationships zoom by fast but i couldn’t put it down no matter how hard i tried. while it is pretty comedic there are quite a bit of heavy topics happening. tomahome and maika are cute, i know the SML has no chance but he’s still lovely (nuriko my beloved <3). definitely going to binge through the rest of the volumes since viz media added them all to its digital library!
March 21, 2022
Well, this is happening.
Nostalgia for the anime has led me down a rabbit hole to the prequel series. And apparently the love interest changes sex (Ranma 1/2 anyone?), so that's intriguing. Kinda cool to see archery boy (Chamuka/Tomite) doing his thing instead of just shooting ice arrows at the Suzaku gang.
Nostalgia for the anime has led me down a rabbit hole to the prequel series. And apparently the love interest changes sex (Ranma 1/2 anyone?), so that's intriguing. Kinda cool to see archery boy (Chamuka/Tomite) doing his thing instead of just shooting ice arrows at the Suzaku gang.
March 2, 2019
3.5 stars. As usual, it’s a total set-up for the rest of the series. Loved the throwbacks to FY:SS, and looking forward to more.
January 10, 2024
Takiko es una reina y Tomite es mi novio por el momento. Me encanta ver a una protagonista con los ovarios bien puestos ❤️
January 20, 2024
3.25-3.5
Interesante comienzo, a ver cómo sigue.
Interesante comienzo, a ver cómo sigue.
October 16, 2016
*** Attenzione, questa recensione copre l'intera serie, dal volume 1 al volume 12 ***
Premessa: amo la Watase. Credo di aver letto quasi tutti i suoi fumetti pubblicati in Italia (perlomeno i principali) e non ce n'è uno che non mi sia piaciuto. Avevo amato Fushigi Yugi e quando ho saputo che usciva questa seconda serie, l'ho presa a scatola chiusa. Tra la lettura del primo Fushigi e questo però sono passati più di dieci anni e quindi ogni richiamo alla storia precedente mi è sfuggito, o era solo un vago ricordo. Tuttavia, le due opere possono essere lette separatamente senza problemi.
Ma veniamo a questa serie. C'è tutto ciò che amo in un manga. Una storia appassionante, antichi miti e leggende, ambientazioni in stile giapponese fantastico, magia, dedizione, sacrificio, lotte, speranza, intrighi, sofferenza, lacrime, dolcezza, amore e... bishounen a volontà! *_* Sul serio, amo come la Watase disegna i ragazzi, sono uno più bello dell'altro. Ovviamente i miei tre preferiti sono quelli a cui è riservato un tragico destino (non sarebbero i miei preferiti se non avessero ogni capello intriso di quell'aria tragica che mi piace tanto e lo sguardo triste pronto al sacrificio), ma anche quelli che se la passano meglio, come il protagonista, mi hanno fatto palpitare in più di un'occasione. La protagonista è un gran bel personaggio, anche lei una ragazza altruista, che matura molto nel corso della storia, che da ragazzina triste e amareggiata diventa una donna pronta a dare tutta se stessa per le persone che ama, passando da essere una semplice intrusa venuta da un altro mondo a incarnare la sacerdotessa di Genbu in tutto e per tutto. Molto belli anche tutti i comprimari; a ciascuno è riservato un momento di gloria e di tutti viene rivelato un pezzetto di passato, in modo da poterli comprendere meglio e da poter accettare le loro scelte.
Il finale è dolceamaro, come spesso accade con la Watase (ho appena letto Sakuragari, che ne è il perfetto esempio), ma è l'unico finale "giusto" che poteva esserci. Insomma, un manga promosso a pieni voti, una lettura consigliata per tutti quelli che amano storie romantiche ambientate in un mondo fantastico di grandi eroi e leggende.
Premessa: amo la Watase. Credo di aver letto quasi tutti i suoi fumetti pubblicati in Italia (perlomeno i principali) e non ce n'è uno che non mi sia piaciuto. Avevo amato Fushigi Yugi e quando ho saputo che usciva questa seconda serie, l'ho presa a scatola chiusa. Tra la lettura del primo Fushigi e questo però sono passati più di dieci anni e quindi ogni richiamo alla storia precedente mi è sfuggito, o era solo un vago ricordo. Tuttavia, le due opere possono essere lette separatamente senza problemi.
Ma veniamo a questa serie. C'è tutto ciò che amo in un manga. Una storia appassionante, antichi miti e leggende, ambientazioni in stile giapponese fantastico, magia, dedizione, sacrificio, lotte, speranza, intrighi, sofferenza, lacrime, dolcezza, amore e... bishounen a volontà! *_* Sul serio, amo come la Watase disegna i ragazzi, sono uno più bello dell'altro. Ovviamente i miei tre preferiti sono quelli a cui è riservato un tragico destino (non sarebbero i miei preferiti se non avessero ogni capello intriso di quell'aria tragica che mi piace tanto e lo sguardo triste pronto al sacrificio), ma anche quelli che se la passano meglio, come il protagonista, mi hanno fatto palpitare in più di un'occasione. La protagonista è un gran bel personaggio, anche lei una ragazza altruista, che matura molto nel corso della storia, che da ragazzina triste e amareggiata diventa una donna pronta a dare tutta se stessa per le persone che ama, passando da essere una semplice intrusa venuta da un altro mondo a incarnare la sacerdotessa di Genbu in tutto e per tutto. Molto belli anche tutti i comprimari; a ciascuno è riservato un momento di gloria e di tutti viene rivelato un pezzetto di passato, in modo da poterli comprendere meglio e da poter accettare le loro scelte.
Il finale è dolceamaro, come spesso accade con la Watase (ho appena letto Sakuragari, che ne è il perfetto esempio), ma è l'unico finale "giusto" che poteva esserci. Insomma, un manga promosso a pieni voti, una lettura consigliata per tutti quelli che amano storie romantiche ambientate in un mondo fantastico di grandi eroi e leggende.
July 22, 2016
Untuk vol.1-12 (tamat)
Ini merupakan prekuelnya Fushigi Yugi, dan jujur saya lebih suka yang ini:
1. Humornya ga se -'wah' komik-komik sensei yang lain (seperti Appare Jipangu, Imadoki, Arata, Alice 19th, Delicious Study, dll), tapi tetep enak untuk diikuti.
2. Ga ada cinta segi-segian sampe rebut-rebutan lalu persahabatan rusak gara-gara seorang cowok. Ga ada! Yeyy!
3. Lebih masuk akal. Yang mati ya mati, ga hidup lagi atau rohnya membantu yang masih hidup untuk memenangkan pertarungan.
4. Dan yang utama itu endingnya... yang menurutku lebih bagus dari sekuelnya, walaupun di seri ini endingnya tragedi!
Dan sampai sekarang saya masih belum bisa move-on sama kematian Soruen (ಥ﹏ಥ)
Sayangnya saya masih penasaran sama asal muasal dari kitab itu, masih butuh penjelasan asal mulanya, kenapa bisa ada, dll (atau ini sudah dijelasin tapi saya terlewat?)
Ini merupakan prekuelnya Fushigi Yugi, dan jujur saya lebih suka yang ini:
1. Humornya ga se -'wah' komik-komik sensei yang lain (seperti Appare Jipangu, Imadoki, Arata, Alice 19th, Delicious Study, dll), tapi tetep enak untuk diikuti.
2. Ga ada cinta segi-segian sampe rebut-rebutan lalu persahabatan rusak gara-gara seorang cowok. Ga ada! Yeyy!
3. Lebih masuk akal. Yang mati ya mati, ga hidup lagi atau rohnya membantu yang masih hidup untuk memenangkan pertarungan.
4. Dan yang utama itu endingnya... yang menurutku lebih bagus dari sekuelnya, walaupun di seri ini endingnya tragedi!
Dan sampai sekarang saya masih belum bisa move-on sama kematian Soruen (ಥ﹏ಥ)
Sayangnya saya masih penasaran sama asal muasal dari kitab itu, masih butuh penjelasan asal mulanya, kenapa bisa ada, dll (atau ini sudah dijelasin tapi saya terlewat?)
April 28, 2015
This story takes place in Japan in the 1920's. Takiko is a teenager with an absent father and a sick mother and she's tough - really tough. When her father, the novelist, returns from China having translated an ancient manuscript, Takiko ends up swept into the story - literally. She finds herself in China as the prophesied one - she has been sent to save the people.
I found it interesting and I'd like to continue on for a while. At time I was confused as to who was speaking and exactly what was going on in the battle scenes. I like the characters. I found the beginning of the book that took place in Japan in the twenties to be the most interesting but I tend to like reality more than fantasy which is where the story is taking us.
I found it interesting and I'd like to continue on for a while. At time I was confused as to who was speaking and exactly what was going on in the battle scenes. I like the characters. I found the beginning of the book that took place in Japan in the twenties to be the most interesting but I tend to like reality more than fantasy which is where the story is taking us.
June 19, 2015
Because it's so short and only the beginning of the story, I give it three stars. Otherwise I would've given it four or more stars. The drawings are very good, and I really like the story! Although Manga is not my cup of tea and I never read graphic novels, I enjoyed it for one time only. Part of me is still curious about how the series continues but I prefer a normal book with more words!
January 14, 2014
Wah, gara-gara baca ulang Fushigi Yuugi, jadi baca ulang ini. Mangascannya sih, karena koleksi seri ini (meskipun bajakan) juga turut hilang.
April 23, 2012
romance+historical fiction=AWWWWWWWWWWWWW
unfortunately they stopped translating to english D:<
currently on: ch. 32
unfortunately they stopped translating to english D:<
currently on: ch. 32
October 5, 2014
This was great but at times I did find it confusing but it was really good!
Can't wait to read the rest of the series :)
Can't wait to read the rest of the series :)
August 2, 2020
Reviewing the entire 12-volume series in this instance.
Fushigi Yuugi holds a special spot in my heart - was my introduction to anime back in high school. I wanted to smack Miaka every now and then, but the rest of the characters and their interactions was so much fun. I had not yet come across the "ordinary girl whisked away to a fantasy land" trope, and found it quite enthralling. Looking back, Fushigi Yuugi had a lot of problems - the main character Miaka was not very bright and kept throwing herself into dangerous situations she had to kept being rescued from, the love scenes were overly mushy, and rape (attempted, suggested, completed) was overused as a motivation for characters' behavior and a plot device.
I'm getting back into manga, and ran into this. At only 12 volumes (most of the series I'm enjoying go past 20, even 40 volumes!), seemed like a no brainer to read the original story of the Universe of the Four Gods, and learn about the Genbu priestess and her warriors. I was so pleasantly surprised! It stands well on its own, and, dare I say, is better than the original, with its action-packed plot drawing from the framework of the priestess collecting her celestial warriors, with a little bit of royal intrigue a la Richard III, and a superb set of characters. While it is technically a prequel to Fushigi Yuugi, Genbu Kaiden can be read on its own, without any prior knowledge of that universe.
The Genbu priestess, Takiko, rocks. She is smart, kind, determined and selfless and can fend for herself - this priestess is trained in martial arts and needs no rescuers. I'll try not to compare it to the original much after this, but there is a vast difference between Takiko and Miaka. Miaka serves as an empty vessel for a wish fulfillment story; Takiko is the center of a character driven story. Takiko is not perfect tho - she has been rejected left and right in her life, and feels her life is not as worthy as others; her motivation for taking up priesteshood is to feel like she has a purpose (although isn't that the primary motivation of what we all do anyway?). The selflessness has a downside of lack of self worth.
The story is set in the Meiji period (early 1900's). Takiko is understandably upset at her father, who is never around and is too focused on translating an old Chinese text into Japanese to spend any time caring for his sick wife, who is terminally ill from tuberculosis. After her mother's death and a fight with her father, Takiko is drawn into the book translated with her father, where he is tasked with finding the seven celestial warriors and summoning the god Genbu, to make three wishes. However, this will not be an easy task, as people in that world consider the celestial warriors a bad omen and one of the warriors is involved with the royal family and a convoluted power struggle.
The warriors are all interesting. Limde/Uruki goes through quite a journey while his past catches up with him. The artwork is beautiful, character designs are varied. I was thrilled to see that the warriors are not all young and lithe bishounen (beautiful men), particularly enjoyed Hatsui, Inami and Naname. Although I guess it is easy to figure out who the main love interest is going to be in Watase Yuu's works because they all kind of look like Tamahome.
The story is not all sunshine and rainbows tho, keep Kleenex around! Watase Yuu is a superb story teller, and manages to tell a lot with her graphics. The last volume uses cinematographic views to very effectively put the reader into an emotional rollercoaster. I appreciate the way she uses close ups and unusual points to view to get you into the head of the different characters.
And now, the story of Byakko's summoning is just starting. Do I want to subject myself to picking up each volume as Viz releases them, or do I wait until the end and read them in one sitting? Genbu took 10 years to come together...
Fushigi Yuugi holds a special spot in my heart - was my introduction to anime back in high school. I wanted to smack Miaka every now and then, but the rest of the characters and their interactions was so much fun. I had not yet come across the "ordinary girl whisked away to a fantasy land" trope, and found it quite enthralling. Looking back, Fushigi Yuugi had a lot of problems - the main character Miaka was not very bright and kept throwing herself into dangerous situations she had to kept being rescued from, the love scenes were overly mushy, and rape (attempted, suggested, completed) was overused as a motivation for characters' behavior and a plot device.
I'm getting back into manga, and ran into this. At only 12 volumes (most of the series I'm enjoying go past 20, even 40 volumes!), seemed like a no brainer to read the original story of the Universe of the Four Gods, and learn about the Genbu priestess and her warriors. I was so pleasantly surprised! It stands well on its own, and, dare I say, is better than the original, with its action-packed plot drawing from the framework of the priestess collecting her celestial warriors, with a little bit of royal intrigue a la Richard III, and a superb set of characters. While it is technically a prequel to Fushigi Yuugi, Genbu Kaiden can be read on its own, without any prior knowledge of that universe.
The Genbu priestess, Takiko, rocks. She is smart, kind, determined and selfless and can fend for herself - this priestess is trained in martial arts and needs no rescuers. I'll try not to compare it to the original much after this, but there is a vast difference between Takiko and Miaka. Miaka serves as an empty vessel for a wish fulfillment story; Takiko is the center of a character driven story. Takiko is not perfect tho - she has been rejected left and right in her life, and feels her life is not as worthy as others; her motivation for taking up priesteshood is to feel like she has a purpose (although isn't that the primary motivation of what we all do anyway?). The selflessness has a downside of lack of self worth.
The story is set in the Meiji period (early 1900's). Takiko is understandably upset at her father, who is never around and is too focused on translating an old Chinese text into Japanese to spend any time caring for his sick wife, who is terminally ill from tuberculosis. After her mother's death and a fight with her father, Takiko is drawn into the book translated with her father, where he is tasked with finding the seven celestial warriors and summoning the god Genbu, to make three wishes. However, this will not be an easy task, as people in that world consider the celestial warriors a bad omen and one of the warriors is involved with the royal family and a convoluted power struggle.
The warriors are all interesting. Limde/Uruki goes through quite a journey while his past catches up with him. The artwork is beautiful, character designs are varied. I was thrilled to see that the warriors are not all young and lithe bishounen (beautiful men), particularly enjoyed Hatsui, Inami and Naname. Although I guess it is easy to figure out who the main love interest is going to be in Watase Yuu's works because they all kind of look like Tamahome.
The story is not all sunshine and rainbows tho, keep Kleenex around! Watase Yuu is a superb story teller, and manages to tell a lot with her graphics. The last volume uses cinematographic views to very effectively put the reader into an emotional rollercoaster. I appreciate the way she uses close ups and unusual points to view to get you into the head of the different characters.
And now, the story of Byakko's summoning is just starting. Do I want to subject myself to picking up each volume as Viz releases them, or do I wait until the end and read them in one sitting? Genbu took 10 years to come together...
February 3, 2023
Después de terminar de leer la primera saga de Fushigi Yûgi, decidí enlazarla con Fushigi Yûgi: Genbu (ふしぎ遊戯 玄武開伝), la precuela del manga original que nos cuenta la historia de Takiko, la sacerdotisa que vino antes de Miaka y Yui. Este obra consta de 12 tomos divididos en 40 capítulos y se publicó entre los años 2003 y 2013; la autora Yuu Watase tardó más de 10 años en completar esta serie por culpa de varios problemas de salud de los que habla en los diferentes tomos. En España esta obra la publicó la editorial Glenat/EDT dejándola inconclusa a falta de 1 solo tomo, una verdadera pena.
Yuu Watase creó con esta saga un manga completamente diferente al original, como ella misma dice, se trata de historias que se pueden leer de manera independiente sin ningún problema. En el caso de la saga de Gembu, creo que la autora consigue un equilibrio bastante bueno entre romance y acción convirtiendo este manga en un Shōjo que se acerca mucho al Shōnen. Además, desde mi punto de vista, los personajes son muy diferentes a los de la saga original, mucho mas maduros y adultos. Eso se ve claramente en la protagonista, Takiko, una chica fuerte que se defiende cuando lo necesita, no como Miaka, que siempre era "el personaje que había que salvar". De hecho, desde el punto de vista de los personajes, ese manga me ha gustado más que la saga original, pues nunca llegué a conectar con Miaka y Tamahome.
Otro elemento muy importante a destacar en esta segunda parte es el dibujo. Se nota como el estilo de la autora ha evolucionado y encaja realmente bien con la historia que quiere contar. Además las escenas acción están realmente bien dibujadas, algo que se echaba de menos en la primera parte de la obra, que tenía un dibujo más "noventero".
En cuanto al contenido, creo que con esta saga de Gembu, Yuu Watase ha conseguido una obra superior a la original en varios aspectos. Habla de temas más profundos como la crisis climática, hay problemas políticos que están bien traídos y además es posible ponerse en la piel de todos los personajes, tanto los buenos como los malos. Además, en los 12 tomos de la obra ocurren siempre muchas cosas y nunca se estanca la acción, algo que se agradece, puesto que en la obra original, a partir del tomo 13 comenzaba una segunda parte de la historia bastante floja. En Gembu, Yuu Watase consigue mantener siempre la tensión de los acontecimientos.
En el territorio del manga no es muy común que haya precuelas o segundas partes, pero en el caso de Fushigi Yugi se agradece enormemente esta saga de Gembu, que amplía el universo creado por Yuu Watase y se trata de una agradable lectura para todos los que buscan un buen Shōnen o un buen Shōjo.
Yuu Watase creó con esta saga un manga completamente diferente al original, como ella misma dice, se trata de historias que se pueden leer de manera independiente sin ningún problema. En el caso de la saga de Gembu, creo que la autora consigue un equilibrio bastante bueno entre romance y acción convirtiendo este manga en un Shōjo que se acerca mucho al Shōnen. Además, desde mi punto de vista, los personajes son muy diferentes a los de la saga original, mucho mas maduros y adultos. Eso se ve claramente en la protagonista, Takiko, una chica fuerte que se defiende cuando lo necesita, no como Miaka, que siempre era "el personaje que había que salvar". De hecho, desde el punto de vista de los personajes, ese manga me ha gustado más que la saga original, pues nunca llegué a conectar con Miaka y Tamahome.
Otro elemento muy importante a destacar en esta segunda parte es el dibujo. Se nota como el estilo de la autora ha evolucionado y encaja realmente bien con la historia que quiere contar. Además las escenas acción están realmente bien dibujadas, algo que se echaba de menos en la primera parte de la obra, que tenía un dibujo más "noventero".
En cuanto al contenido, creo que con esta saga de Gembu, Yuu Watase ha conseguido una obra superior a la original en varios aspectos. Habla de temas más profundos como la crisis climática, hay problemas políticos que están bien traídos y además es posible ponerse en la piel de todos los personajes, tanto los buenos como los malos. Además, en los 12 tomos de la obra ocurren siempre muchas cosas y nunca se estanca la acción, algo que se agradece, puesto que en la obra original, a partir del tomo 13 comenzaba una segunda parte de la historia bastante floja. En Gembu, Yuu Watase consigue mantener siempre la tensión de los acontecimientos.
En el territorio del manga no es muy común que haya precuelas o segundas partes, pero en el caso de Fushigi Yugi se agradece enormemente esta saga de Gembu, que amplía el universo creado por Yuu Watase y se trata de una agradable lectura para todos los que buscan un buen Shōnen o un buen Shōjo.
December 19, 2023
Today's manga post is on Fushigi Yûgi: Genbu Kaiden, Vol. 01 by Yuu Watase. It is 189 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. The cover has two of the main characters on it, Takiko and Limdo. This is a prequel to the first Fushigi Yûgi series, but you do not have to have read it to understand the story. There is some mild foul language, no sex, and some violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of Takiko. There Be Spoilers Ahead.
From the back of the book- When schoolgirl Takiko Okuda attempts to destroy her father's translation of "The Universe of the Four Gods," she is instead literally sucked into the story, becoming the Priestess of Genbu in an epic journey to find the seven Celestial Warriors!
In her first encounter, she meets the mysterious outlaw Limdo, a Celestial Warrior with a tattoo of the Chinese character for "woman" on his chest. Limdo can not only summon the wind as one of his special powers, but he can also transform into a woman!
Takiko meets up with the bowman, Chamka, who is hunting Limbdo. It seems Chamka is one of the seven Celestial Warriors as well...
Review- A great start to the prequel of a classic series. Takiko has been caring for her mother as they wait for her father to return from wherever he wondered off to. When he returns, he is still obsessed with a book called "The Universe of the Four Gods," and is not there when Takiko's mother dies. In her anger, Takiko tries to destroy the book. That is when she is taken into the world of the Four Gods. The story is strong with Takiko having a strong will and she makes choices in her life. The two warriors she has met are interesting and they have strong powers. The bad guys know that she is here and they are ready for her. I am looking forward to seeing what is going to happen next.
I give this manga a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money.
From the back of the book- When schoolgirl Takiko Okuda attempts to destroy her father's translation of "The Universe of the Four Gods," she is instead literally sucked into the story, becoming the Priestess of Genbu in an epic journey to find the seven Celestial Warriors!
In her first encounter, she meets the mysterious outlaw Limdo, a Celestial Warrior with a tattoo of the Chinese character for "woman" on his chest. Limdo can not only summon the wind as one of his special powers, but he can also transform into a woman!
Takiko meets up with the bowman, Chamka, who is hunting Limbdo. It seems Chamka is one of the seven Celestial Warriors as well...
Review- A great start to the prequel of a classic series. Takiko has been caring for her mother as they wait for her father to return from wherever he wondered off to. When he returns, he is still obsessed with a book called "The Universe of the Four Gods," and is not there when Takiko's mother dies. In her anger, Takiko tries to destroy the book. That is when she is taken into the world of the Four Gods. The story is strong with Takiko having a strong will and she makes choices in her life. The two warriors she has met are interesting and they have strong powers. The bad guys know that she is here and they are ready for her. I am looking forward to seeing what is going to happen next.
I give this manga a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money.
January 7, 2022
(English copy from my Instagram @agamundisr_escritor)
Konnichiwa to all readers 🌸
Today I bring you a very special manga review. I bet you have ever wanted to enter the world of a book or take a character out of it. Well, this is the case of the protagonist of this shōjo with a Chinese setting. With that said, we begin:
💖Miaka and Yui, two teenage friends since childhood, discover an ancient book entitled "The Universe of the Four Gods". Once they start reading it, they get caught up in it. Converted into the priestesses of Suzaku and Seiryu respectively, they are given the mission to reunite the constellations of both gods, facing them for the love of Tamahome.
💖The plot features several interesting plot twists such as betrayals or symbiosis with the "real world". In turn, there is an erotic element focused from a non-morbid perspective, sometimes present as a comic element. It also presents controversial issues for the nineties such as gender identity.
💖Regarding the characters, I consider that although Miaka and Tamahome have been over-developed coming to MSue / Gstu, their outcome has moved me. But Nuriko's drama and Yui's tragedy have come to me much more. I think there was scope to develop the Suzaku constellations further due to the long length of the manga.
🌸Evaluation: Fushigi Yûgi has seemed like a beautiful shôjo story whose weakness is its virtue. The excess weight of the Miaka-Tamahome relationship may put off some more critical readers who prefer action to love, although in retrospect and considering the outcome, I can accept the strong bond to some extent. I think that the work knows how to combine historical references with fantasy, resulting in a title that has come to me, despite not being perfect.
Rating: 5/5 🌸
Arigato gozaimasu for your time 🌸
Konnichiwa to all readers 🌸
Today I bring you a very special manga review. I bet you have ever wanted to enter the world of a book or take a character out of it. Well, this is the case of the protagonist of this shōjo with a Chinese setting. With that said, we begin:
💖Miaka and Yui, two teenage friends since childhood, discover an ancient book entitled "The Universe of the Four Gods". Once they start reading it, they get caught up in it. Converted into the priestesses of Suzaku and Seiryu respectively, they are given the mission to reunite the constellations of both gods, facing them for the love of Tamahome.
💖The plot features several interesting plot twists such as betrayals or symbiosis with the "real world". In turn, there is an erotic element focused from a non-morbid perspective, sometimes present as a comic element. It also presents controversial issues for the nineties such as gender identity.
💖Regarding the characters, I consider that although Miaka and Tamahome have been over-developed coming to MSue / Gstu, their outcome has moved me. But Nuriko's drama and Yui's tragedy have come to me much more. I think there was scope to develop the Suzaku constellations further due to the long length of the manga.
🌸Evaluation: Fushigi Yûgi has seemed like a beautiful shôjo story whose weakness is its virtue. The excess weight of the Miaka-Tamahome relationship may put off some more critical readers who prefer action to love, although in retrospect and considering the outcome, I can accept the strong bond to some extent. I think that the work knows how to combine historical references with fantasy, resulting in a title that has come to me, despite not being perfect.
Rating: 5/5 🌸
Arigato gozaimasu for your time 🌸
December 17, 2023
"Fushigi Yûgi" by Yuu Watase is a delightful return to a classic from my teenage years. Revisiting this manga filled me with a sense of nostalgia, and I was pleased to find that it still holds its charm. One of the standout features of this volume is Watase's exceptional artwork. The illustrations are not only visually pleasing but also contribute significantly to the overall storytelling. The characters come to life with expressive details, and the intricate backgrounds add depth to the fantastical world.
Watase creates a tale that seamlessly combines elements of fantasy and adventure. The narrative unfolds with a perfect balance of world-building, character development, and plot progression. The protagonist's journey is both engaging and emotionally resonant, drawing readers into a richly imagined universe. As someone who enjoyed the series in my teens, I appreciate how the story continues to resonate with its timeless appeal.
The characters in this volume are well-crafted and contribute to the overall enjoyment of the manga. The protagonist's growth and the relationships that develop throughout the story add layers of complexity to the narrative. Watase excels in creating characters with depth, making them relatable and endearing. The interactions between characters are filled with emotion and nuance, enhancing the overall reading experience.
"Fushigi Yûgi" is a manga that stands the test of time. With its enchanting artwork, compelling storytelling, and well-developed characters, it still keeps my attention. Whether you're revisiting it like me or discovering it for the first time, this is a satisfying series, offering a blend of fantasy and emotion.
Watase creates a tale that seamlessly combines elements of fantasy and adventure. The narrative unfolds with a perfect balance of world-building, character development, and plot progression. The protagonist's journey is both engaging and emotionally resonant, drawing readers into a richly imagined universe. As someone who enjoyed the series in my teens, I appreciate how the story continues to resonate with its timeless appeal.
The characters in this volume are well-crafted and contribute to the overall enjoyment of the manga. The protagonist's growth and the relationships that develop throughout the story add layers of complexity to the narrative. Watase excels in creating characters with depth, making them relatable and endearing. The interactions between characters are filled with emotion and nuance, enhancing the overall reading experience.
"Fushigi Yûgi" is a manga that stands the test of time. With its enchanting artwork, compelling storytelling, and well-developed characters, it still keeps my attention. Whether you're revisiting it like me or discovering it for the first time, this is a satisfying series, offering a blend of fantasy and emotion.
May 8, 2022
{REVIEW FOR THE ENTIRE VOLUME}
I was reading this when I am on my trip in Brazil. I love the FS “mysterious play” it was one of my favorite anime back in the day. I am now 28 yrs old grown up working woman and I still love FY, I dont want to make this review long, Genbu Kaiden is more darker, kinda hardcore than the orig FY Miaka/Tamahome , I also believe that GK has the most strongest celestial warriors (they are all unique).
GK is something that is unexpected, there are many challenges, obstacles and it is always hard to look for new celestial warriors. This is also interesting as it shows the history of the book “The Universe Of Four Gods” and the author which is Takiko’s father in the Taisho era. Unlike Miaka who is kinda childish ,Takiko is a fighter, she is charming but she’s mature woman , she thinks of the people who need her and she is convinced to save them all.
There are twist and turns in this story which is very interesting. If you want to know more, read it! Highly recommend 🙂
I was reading this when I am on my trip in Brazil. I love the FS “mysterious play” it was one of my favorite anime back in the day. I am now 28 yrs old grown up working woman and I still love FY, I dont want to make this review long, Genbu Kaiden is more darker, kinda hardcore than the orig FY Miaka/Tamahome , I also believe that GK has the most strongest celestial warriors (they are all unique).
GK is something that is unexpected, there are many challenges, obstacles and it is always hard to look for new celestial warriors. This is also interesting as it shows the history of the book “The Universe Of Four Gods” and the author which is Takiko’s father in the Taisho era. Unlike Miaka who is kinda childish ,Takiko is a fighter, she is charming but she’s mature woman , she thinks of the people who need her and she is convinced to save them all.
There are twist and turns in this story which is very interesting. If you want to know more, read it! Highly recommend 🙂
April 22, 2020
So I decided to give this one another try. And I actually enjoyed it! It's one of the prequel series to the original series, according to the author. The art style was by the same author but was much newer than the 90s art because she had been working on manga for a long time. Because of that, the story and characters were more fleshed out.
The story was actually pretty interesting and maybe MORE interesting than the original series. It reminds me of a high fantasy epic. But with cliches and (sorta) annoying characters.
The characters were okay. I liked the main character Takiko but didn't like that she had a crush on this adult guy. (I'm trying not to hurl) Limdo.... Well. They are something! They can switch their body's gender and this causes some issues but is a pretty good plot device. I didn't really connect with them since, even though we were given enough time to and there were some epic scenes. Soren was pretty cool. I liked his cloak. Chamka was actually pretty interesting to me. Yeah there were a few !! scenes, but they got resolved fast. He seems really sweet.
The art was more sure of itself than the original one. The author knew what she wanted and knew how to do it. It still has some 90s feel about it, but it doesn't feel like it's from the Sailor Moon era. One problem I have is the faces. They feel flat in 3/4 perspectives.
All in all, I'm glad I gave it a second chance! I'm totally reading this for Chamka but the story is pretty interesting too!
--------
Initial Review:
Lol what is this? This doesn't match anything of the original series. Not even the art. Maybe try again later.
The story was actually pretty interesting and maybe MORE interesting than the original series. It reminds me of a high fantasy epic. But with cliches and (sorta) annoying characters.
The characters were okay. I liked the main character Takiko but didn't like that she had a crush on this adult guy. (I'm trying not to hurl) Limdo.... Well. They are something! They can switch their body's gender and this causes some issues but is a pretty good plot device. I didn't really connect with them since, even though we were given enough time to and there were some epic scenes. Soren was pretty cool. I liked his cloak. Chamka was actually pretty interesting to me. Yeah there were a few !! scenes, but they got resolved fast. He seems really sweet.
The art was more sure of itself than the original one. The author knew what she wanted and knew how to do it. It still has some 90s feel about it, but it doesn't feel like it's from the Sailor Moon era. One problem I have is the faces. They feel flat in 3/4 perspectives.
All in all, I'm glad I gave it a second chance! I'm totally reading this for Chamka but the story is pretty interesting too!
--------
Initial Review:
Lol what is this? This doesn't match anything of the original series. Not even the art. Maybe try again later.
January 8, 2021
(12/15/2020)
This is a strong first volume. Takiko is a good heroine. Limdo is an interesting character. The plot is just what I want (a person sucked into a fantasy book is my JAM) so I'm pleased.
I first read this initially WAY back when it was first coming out, but I'm glad I'm rereading it now and finishing the series. I would recommend giving it a go, and see if you like volume one.
Specific notes on this volume:
Strongly, dislike Takiko's dad, as is logical.
I know it won't be explored as I wish, but I like the idea of a character or person, having shifting sex characteristics. Makes my queer heart happy to play w the idea that your sex can be as fluid as your gender. ALAS I doubt it will be explored. :/
This is a strong first volume. Takiko is a good heroine. Limdo is an interesting character. The plot is just what I want (a person sucked into a fantasy book is my JAM) so I'm pleased.
I first read this initially WAY back when it was first coming out, but I'm glad I'm rereading it now and finishing the series. I would recommend giving it a go, and see if you like volume one.
Specific notes on this volume:
Strongly, dislike Takiko's dad, as is logical.
I know it won't be explored as I wish, but I like the idea of a character or person, having shifting sex characteristics. Makes my queer heart happy to play w the idea that your sex can be as fluid as your gender. ALAS I doubt it will be explored. :/
May 9, 2019
I blame this on me being unaware, but this is NOT a child-friendly graphic novel. Yes, the back cover says that a character has a power to turn into a woman/ into a man, but that still didn't warn me enough. That wasn't even the character that was shown nude, though. What in the world? D:
As for the plot, it was interesting, and I could've liked it. The story is about a girl who has a distant relationship w/ her father, her mom is sick, and basically, this girl falls into a book. It transports her to that world, and she is supposed to be their hero. It's random, but interesting. lol. If it wasn't for those comic panels of nudity, it would be ok to continue.
As for the plot, it was interesting, and I could've liked it. The story is about a girl who has a distant relationship w/ her father, her mom is sick, and basically, this girl falls into a book. It transports her to that world, and she is supposed to be their hero. It's random, but interesting. lol. If it wasn't for those comic panels of nudity, it would be ok to continue.
October 2, 2019
I ADORED the Fushigi Yugi anime in high school. This follow-up series appears to have been published around the time I discovered the anime, but it definitely didn't make it to the small towns of Northern Ontario. Excited to have found it at the library.
The set-up hits enough of the same notes as the original story to feel familiar, but it's different enough to be its own thing. Placing both timelines in the past is fun, and I love the author notes explaining anachronisms and artistic license.
This priestess is very different from Miaka and I'm excited to see how she handles the challenges ahead.
The set-up hits enough of the same notes as the original story to feel familiar, but it's different enough to be its own thing. Placing both timelines in the past is fun, and I love the author notes explaining anachronisms and artistic license.
This priestess is very different from Miaka and I'm excited to see how she handles the challenges ahead.
September 19, 2023
This second series is about a young woman whose ultimate fate we know from the first Fushigi Yuugi, and so there is double the pressure: to develop that wonderful glimpse we get and to be a sequel to a popular and fun manga/anime. Genbu Kaiden starts off sad and slow, and it takes a while to pick up, but Watase comes through in spades in this series. The plot is more focused, less silly, and there are more battles (the characters are significantly more powerful), but it is definitely the same world. I don't think it beats out the original, but that may be personal preference more than a discerned quality.
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