Genre: Shoujo
Parental Guidance Recommended
1995, Watase Yu, TV Tokyo, Emotion, Tomodachi Anime, Pioneer.
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Best friends Miaka and Yui start their colorful adventure in Ancient China when they open a mysterious magical book that sucks them into a tale of priestesses and clan protectors. An unfortunate twist of fate combined with a sense of betrayal and the tragedy of a love triangle pulls the best friends apart, with one leading a worthy clan into salvation while the other wanting only the destruction of the one who destroyed her life.
Miaka is Suzaku no Miko, who is treated with love and respect by her 7 constellation Seishi, especially by the one with the mark of the devil upon his forehead--the courageous and achingly attractive Tamahome.
Yui is Seiryuu no Miko. Embittered by a violation of dignity forced upon her by her best friend's negligence, she embraces the negative beliefs instilled upon her by Nagako, the leader of her own group of Seishi. She wants revenge...and Tamahome.
Will the best friends survive the pain of being enemies, or will they have to face the deaths of all that they hold dear in order to reconstruct the ties that have been severed?
(52 Episodes)
A box of chocolates. >>> by thundersenshi (rewriten 09.09.01) Fushigi Yuugi is a masterpiece in every sense of the word. This is probably the only series which has so deftly combined the elements of drama, adventure, action, comedy and romance. It will make you laugh, and you won't even see it coming. A few moments after that, it will make you cry. And most of the twists here will really catch you off guard. FY is that powerful. It's just like a box of chocolates-- you never know what you're gonna get .
I think I should also mention that this is the only anime series I watched for two consecutive days, with very little sleep (sleep? What sleep?). All 52 episodes, mind you. Sitting before the television screen, and watching the events unfold, I was absolutely helpless. It was a good thing my friend had let me borrow the whole set of tapes, and I just kept popping them into the VHS player, one after the other. If I had waited to watch it per volume, I don't think I could've endured the suspense. There are no dumb fillers or anything--I could've gotten my sleep earlier, if that were the case.
And the best part? You will fall in love with its unique and endearing characters. Trust me. They will make your stomach ache from laughing, and they will break your heart. But the emotions they will draw from you is all part of the package we love so much. So don't be surprised about FY's immense popularity--it's a well-deserved one.
ORIGINAL REVIEW (written ??.??.1999)
Fushigi Yuugi is one of those popular anime, and rightly so. So it's not as big a hit as Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon is (I can't help comparing! I still think FY is better!) but I definitely find it more dramatic and just as magical. One cannot help but be enchanted with all the breathtaking scenery of Ancient China with its mysterious legends and charming people. I find the whole anime itself original, and I love it.
The characters are great, and I find them very charming. I get a kick out of hearing Miaka's cracks--she's the main character, and to tell you the truth, I'm not really fond of main characters. Besides being charming, they're pretty unique and endearing, too. I mean, who would've dreamed up of a prince charming who asks for money in return for the rescue and steals chewing gum? However, some of the best characters in the entire show weren't given justice, much to my disbelief and disappointment.
The love story (whose, I can't tell. I would probably end up spilling all the spoilers) is nice, too. I was delighted when I realized I wasn't sickened by it! It was funny, cute and sweet, even though it still gave off a tiny dose of frustration.
The story flow is excellent. None of those filler-episodes, of course! You don't get that queasy feeling of being cheated, or go round and round in some lame routine. I finished FY within 2 days, only stopped once for a 6-hour break (I needed to sleep ^^;)! Somehow, it was quite hard to get off in front of the TV because I just had to know what would happen next. The same goes for my siblings who watched it with me.
That brings me to another wonderful aspect of FY. The whole thing is just so full of twists that one can have a hard time trying to guess what's going to happen next. It's actually nice being on the edge of your seat with anticipation and suspense. The twists and conflicts are usually good, but I admit sometimes they can be surprisingly bizarre or shocking and sometimes disappointing.
Lastly, what I like best about this anime, is the numerous unexpected flash of comedy during supposedly serious or dramatic scenes. It's probably the most unique aspect I've seen yet. The mix of drama and comedy as that of FY's is rare because surprisingly, the "timing" and "blending" is never off, unlike in other cases. It can make you laugh and cry at the same time; a truly rare and delightful combination that makes it truly one of the best.
Individual Rating: Art/Animation 9; Story 10; Characters 10; Sounds 9
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