Author / Artist:
Yuu Watase
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 Rimudo, one of the Celestial Warriors who has a tattoo of the Chinese character for "woman" on his chest. As it turns out, it's there for a good reason: Rimudo can not only summon the wind as one of his special powers, but also transform into a woman! Caught up in pursuit, because Rimudo is regarded an outlaw, Takiko falls in with the bowman Chamuka, who is hunting Rimudo. Chamuka regards Takiko an outlaw as well, but they eventually become traveling companions, for it seems Chamuka is a one of the seven Celestial Warriors as well...
Thu, 01/21/2010 - 00:58 — Anonymous
Pull Quote:
I love the fantasy premise of the FY stories. Girl gets transported back in time to ancient China and has to help save the land she’s materialized in. Becoming one of the priestesses of the Four Gods, she must gather together a group of supernatural warriors to help her defend her new home, meeting adventure and romance along the way. The blend of fantasy and history is a fun mix, and Takiiko’s romantic tribulations don’t hurt any. There’s always a lot going on in the FY universe.
Thu, 01/21/2010 - 01:01 — Anonymous
Pull Quote:
The fuss is about this: the soul of Fushigi Yûgi is here, but Watase-sensei has become a better storyteller and a better artist in the decade or so since the original tale came out. This prequel focuses on earlier times: it’s 1923 and Takiko Okuda is on the verge of losing her mother to tuberculosis and taking her anger and frustration out on her absentee father. In the world of the Four Gods, it’s an earlier period of time as well. Bêi-Jîa, the country in the north, is under the threat of war by Qu-Dong, the country in the east.
Thu, 01/21/2010 - 00:55 — Anna
Pull Quote:
Takiko fills the role of priestess of Genbu, the woman charged with summoning the guardian spirit of the strange country where she now lives. Limdo is one of the seven celestial warriors that she must collect before fulfilling her final duty as a priestess. The plot of Genbu Kaiden will be very familiar to anyone who has read Fushigi Yugi or any quest-type manga. But I found it a much more satisfying read than Fushigi Yugi simply because when returning to the world she created years earlier, Watase brings better storytelling skills, pacing, and a more refined art style. Genbu Kaiden gives her a chance to improve on the story in a number of ways.
Thu, 01/21/2010 - 01:04 — Anonymous
Pull Quote:
I never read Fushigi Yugi, the series that this one is a prequel to, though I have read some of Watase's other works. While I'm not impressed at all with her modern romance Absolute Boyfriend that's been running in Shojo Beat, I found Fushigi Yugi: Genbu Kaiden entertaining and easy to get into.
Tue, 12/08/2009 - 08:42 — swanjun
Pull Quote:
This is an intensely emotional volume that shows off all the best elements of this series. The chapters are action-packed, but none of it is remotely superfluous. Every moment is meaningful, and there is not a single unnecessary word or gesture in the entire volume. Up until now, the story had been a well-written adventure and a satisfying romance, but this volume really demonstrates the maturity of Watase’s writing at this point in her career. The intensity of the relationships feels natural and well earned, and even the less-developed characters are rich enough at this point to carry off some deeply emotional moments.
Thu, 01/21/2010 - 00:57 — Anonymous
Pull Quote:
What I discovered is that, while Watase still isn't one of my favorite manga-ka, I enjoyed this much more than either of her other series that I've tried. Genbu Kaiden is a prequel series to the original Fushigi Yûgi, and I gather from the author's notes that readers who're familiar with the original series will already have some idea of where this story is going. The plot has some predictable elements, but not enough to detract from the enjoyment of reading the story.
Tue, 12/08/2009 - 08:43 — swanjun
Pull Quote:
After giving poor Takiko a taste of some real jealousy (which of course she strives valiantly to overcome), this story’s primary romance begins to really soar, only to be struck down by Tai Yi-Jun’s revelation to Uruki. The only unfortunate thing about this volume is Uruki’s decision to reject Takiko (just after having reassured her of how much he cares) for the purpose of supposedly keeping her safe from a destiny she knows nothing about and which is absolutely hers to choose. It’s always maddening when someone takes it upon his/herself to limit another person’s choices “for their own good” and this is not made less maddening by the persons involved being fictional. While this is the kind of plot device to be expected in a shojo fantasy, honestly, Watase could have done better.
Thu, 01/21/2010 - 01:03 — Anonymous
Pull Quote:
Yeah, I like this series a lot. I had trouble following the first half of this volume. Uruki is still recovering from what happened last volume, and actually, all the celestial warriors gather back together under the protection of a friendly rebel clan and a forest that forms a magical barrier against enemies. They’re all pretty critically injured, and after what happened at the end of last volume there also needs to be some closure. I actually like the way the event was dealt with, it was quite tasteful and stuck with the spirit of the series as far as… priestesses and magic and stuff go. I wasn’t really familiar with what was going on last volume, but this was touching all the same.
Thu, 01/21/2010 - 00:56 — Anonymous
Pull Quote:
There's something particularly pleasant about reading a series by a well-loved manga creator and finally feeling like you have some idea what the fuss is all about. I've said before that I'm finding Fushigi Yûgi: Genbu Kaiden much more engrossing than the other Yuu Watase series I've tried, and volume 9 hasn't changed my opinion.
Thu, 01/21/2010 - 01:00 — Anonymous
Pull Quote:
This series, surprisingly, is missing The Suck. I love Yuu Watase, but I also understand that she mixes in a lot of crap with her good work–half her cast always has to be 100% insufferable, and her love stories can grate on the brain. But this backstory manga to its extremely popular predecessor is some of Watase’s strongest work, balancing action, adventure, romance, and angst surprisingly well.
