Fushigi Yugi (Curious Play)

Fushigi Yūgi literally Mystery Game but usually rendered as Curious Play) is a Japanese manga series created by Yuu Watase and serialized in the manga magazine Shōjo Comic. The name is rendered as Fushigi Yūgi in the Viz versions and as Fushigi Yugi in the Chuang Yi version. Many fans use either the latter or Fushigi Yuugi.

The Fushigi Yūgi manga was adapted into an anime series which spans a total of 52 TV episodes, divided into two seasons. Additionally, there are 2 TV "specials", and a total of 13 OVAs. The first OVA has 3 episodes, the second OVA has 6 episodes and the sequel OVA Fushigi Yūgi Eikoden has 4 episodes.

There is also a prequel currently being published under the name Fushigi Yūgi Genbu Kaiden.

Plot summary

Miaka Yūki is a junior-high student desperate to pass the entrance exam for the illustrious Jonan High School. Her best friend, Yui Hongo is a straight 'A' genius applying for the same school, and her mother is pushing her also in an attempt to see Miaka gets the best education available, although Miaka would rather attend Yotsubadai High School and not go through all of the stress. The result is Miaka is constantly under pressure to study and attends juku (cram school) every day, when she’d rather be with her friends and eating.

While Yui is returning a book in the library, Miaka drops a coin by the food machine (in the anime). When she reaches down for it, Suzaku appears before her and leads her into the Restricted Section. As the girls go through the books, Miaka stumbles across The Universe of the Four Gods and both girls start to read. In a flash of bright red light, the two girls are then sucked into the book-world, and are saved from assault by a man with (鬼, Oni^?) written on his forehead, who is later revealed to be Tamahome. Just then, Yui is sucked back into the real world and she continues reading the book to help progress the story.

Miaka, now stuck in the book, runs into a gang looking to sell her to a brothel. Tamahome steps in and helps her again, and in trying to repay him, gets them into a sticky situation with the Emperor’s men. They tried to escape the dungeon, only to come across the Emperor, Hotohori himself, who explains that they believe Miaka is the legendary Priestess of Suzaku (Suzaku no Miko), a girl from another world who will gather Konan’s Celestial Warriors and summon the phoenix god, Suzaku.

Doing so will grant her the power to grant any three wishes. Miaka decides to accept the responsibility, and already has a head-start, as Tamahome and Hotohori are two of the seven Celestial Warriors, distinguishable by characters for their respective constellations on their bodies. The third, Nuriko, is found quickly afterwards in a somewhat unconventional way. Soon Miaka and company are setting out across Konan in search of the other four warriors.

The series describes their travels and their adventures along the way to summoning Suzaku, enduring various trials along the way, both quest-driven and personal. Miaka, however, would soon discover that her greatest enemy would lie in her own best friend. Yui, who was sucked into the book after helping Miaka escape it briefly, has assumed the mantle of Kutō (or "Qu Dong" in the manga)'s priestess of Seiryū, Suzaku no Miko's deadly enemy.

Characters

Main characters

The main characters are Miaka Yūki, who is brought into the other world and declared to be the "Suzaku no Miko" or shrine maiden of Suzaku by emperor Hotohori and the seven Suzaku-seishi or celestial warriors of Suzaku. Suzaku is a red phoenix, the Guardian of the South in Chinese astrology, and the Suzaku-seishi corresponds to the Chinese constellations.

Suzaku

Suzaku is a Vermilion Bird god and also the protector of the country of Konan (Hong Nan). He appears to Miaka later when she has returned to her world and asks for his help.

His element is fire, and his priestess is Miaka Yūki.

Celestial warriors of Suzaku

• Tamahome
• Hotohori
• Nuriko
• Chichiri
• Tasuki
• Mitsukake
• Chiriko

Seiryū

Seiryū is the Azure Dragon, protector of the country of Kutō (Qu Dong). Its element is water, and its priestess is Yui Hongo .

Celestial warriors of Seiryū

• Nakago
• Amiboshi
• Suboshi
• Soi
• Ashitare
• Tomo
• Miboshi

Genbu

Genbu is the Black Tortoise, the guardian of the country of Hokkan (Bei-Jia). Its element is earth, and Takiko Okuda is the priestess.

Celestial warriors of Genbu

• Uruki
• Tomite
• Hatsui
• Namame
• Hikitsu
• Inami
• Urumiya

Byakko

Byakko is the White Tiger, the guardian of the country of Sairou (Xi-Lang). Its element is metal, and Suzuno Ōsugi is the priestess.

Celestial warriors of Byakko

• Tatara
• Tokaki
• Subaru
• Kokie
• Amefuri
• Karasuki
• Toroki

Other characters

Keisuke Yūki

Miaka's older brother.

Tetsuya Kajiwara

Tetsuya is Keisuke's best friend.

Miaka's Mom

Miaka's mother is a single mother, who divorced her husband when Miaka was a little girl. Miaka clearly remembers how hard it was for Mrs. Yūki to get over her divorce and vows to make her proud at any cost. Extremely hardworking, she only wants what is best for her children, and pushes them to do their best.

In the case of Miaka, she pushes her to apply for the prestigious Jonan high school even though Miaka really wants to go to Yotsubadai High School. This leads to tension, and causes Miaka to run away from home at one point in the manga. In the anime, she criticizes Miaka for being happy that Yui decides to apply for Jonan as well, saying that if Yui makes it, the chances of Miaka getting in are unlikely. Despite sounding cold, Mrs. Yuki really believes that she is doing her daughter a favor by telling her such harsh truths, wanting to make her work her hardest so she can be the best.

Tai Yi-Jun (a.k.a. Tai Itsukun)

Voiced by: Hisako Kyouda (Japanese), Catherine Luciani (English)

As the creator of "The Universe of the Four Gods", Taiitsukun watches over all. In the manga, she is known as Tai Yi-Jun. Usually appearing as a wrinkled old woman (giving rise to the Sunukake-baba (Sand Witch) nickname), she frightens all of the Suzaku Warriors (usually it would be Tasuki) except Chichiri who claims he is gotten used to her face in the three years he had studied under her.

She resides at Mount Taikyoku, which is very beautiful, but to those with evil in their hearts will see nothing but rocky cliffs. She is aided by the Nyan-Nyans. Her true identity is eventually revealed to be the Jade Emperor.

Nyan-Nyan

Voiced by: Tomoko Kawakami (Japanese), Melissa Charles (English)

The childlike goddesses serve Taiitsukun and reside at Mount Taikyoku with her. They are also known as Lai Lai. They can take the appearance of floating orbs and can appear when commanded.

They have healed Miaka and her warriors when it was necessary, also offering to fix Nuriko's perversion (much to his dismay) and Taiitsukun's face (much to her annoyance). Their other function is to serve as vessels for the spirits of the dead Celestial Warriors, so that they can fight along side their priestess, in which case they take on the appearance of whomever they are inhabited by, and have all of their powers.

Toki

Voiced by: Katsuya Shiga (Japanese), Jeff Nimoy (English)

The adopted grandson of Suzuno Ōsugi, priestess of Byakko, he always thought the tales of her being a priestess in the Universe of the Four Gods were ludicrous. When Toki finds out that Keisuke and Tetsuya know about the Universe of the Four Gods, he takes them to Suzuno and tells them that she claimed to have been a priestess of the book.

Until Suzuno died, he had always been skeptical of the story but realized its truth when he sees Tatara's and Suzuno's spirits (shown as how they looked like when she was the young priestess) rejoin again in their love.

Toki is not actually related to Suzuno, as she never married once she returned to life in the real world. Toki's grandfather was in love with Suzuno, but as her heart belonged to Tatara only, he married someone else. He and his wife had children, one of whom is Toki's father. Toki's grandfather remained close to Suzuno, and as she grew older Toki took on the responsibilities of caring for her. Toki described his relationship to Suzuno as a "ridiculous real-life love story."

Hahm Xi-Fang

The adopted daughter of Tokaki and Subaru. About the same age as Tamahome, she is told by Tokaki to make Tamahome forget about Miaka. While she and Miaka are talking, she tells Miaka that she thinks that Tamahome treats Miaka like a little sister.

While their relationship did start this way, at this point it was clear that they couple had a strong love. However, deep down she knows that she cannot compete with the love that Miaka and Tamahome have.