Or maybe the first to get super popular. I don't know how influential Fushigi Yuugi is to the current isekai boom/climate (maybe not at all). I can't help myself referring to this whenever I read (another) one about a villainess trying to redeem herself/escape death while reinstating the status quo/classism/imperialism and basically making the shit out of the seemingly-innocent-original-main-girl (who turns out to be calculating and manipulative), who is (coincidentally) super similar to Miaka.

So wait, is this revenge? Were those authors got annoyed by Fushigi Yuugi when they were little too? It's super far-fetched. But if there was at least one popular isekai villainess story that IS. Then, revenge is sweet.

Please excuse my rating. I got too annoyed with this Mary Sue, cheesy story. That annoyance sticks with me probably till death. Nevertheless, happy for your enjoyment!

I just LOVE the plot idea: a girl that gets into a book and blah. But the execution... meh. Miaka and Tamahome love was too much too soon.
I like the idea of Miaka personal problems (Miaka issues with her mother)
The art is meh during the manga but the covers are soo good.

... Last updated on April 2nd, 2022, 1:56pm

I would totally agree with the comments on FY's anime which shows exaggerated flashbacks and so on. The shouting stuffs like "tamahome!" "miaka!!" thats so stubborn. But that's way back a decade ago. Who knows what kind of famous trends back then, and if you watch it now, some of new generation would hate it because of yes the weak and worse heroine. But why wont we focus on the positive sides? indeed the growing relationship between miaka and the suzaku seven is THE BEST FRIENDSHIP FOR ME. The humor and comedy stuffs is totally the best. Nuriko is totally (for me) who pulled off the whole thing. You wont notice him or pay attention to love him since he is always there and here in the series but when there's this chapters starting to tell stuffs about him, the whole thing spreading alot. I totally love him, no matter what. Its the same with the other characters, all the suzaku and seiryuu is so distinctable and uniquely different from each other. For the critics from the commentors are probably have a mature mind and lot of expectation through out everything, well for us fushigi lovers we tend to enjoy every moment of the anime, and the characters as well. This anime would be perfect, but in the end seems Watase leave the fact that the other Suzaku Seven needs to be with miaka too, why she only give happy ending to miaka and tamahome? why wont tasuki and nuriko and so the others reincarnated in the real world? that would make sense but it didn't. This is the classic needs a spin-off. If this anime was made at 2000's probably watase's point of view, she'll balance the Romance and the Friendships. I think its really unfair since im not a big fan of miaka and tamahome, but a big fan of Nuriko

I think a lot of us like the memory of this manga/anime rather than the actual manga/anime which is why we have such mixed feelings about it. Likewise, I read this in junior high and now a junior in high school I've gone back to the story, but it just wasn't as great as when I first read it.

The suspense, love, action and all that jazz just didn't appeal to me as much as it did in junior high. Maybe it's because I was so simple-minded back then. I remember fan girl squealing at everything, but now I'm just "meh." I suppose we've all grown up a bit and we prefer to reminisce in something we once loved, though we can hardly see the appeal anymore. (I'm not speaking for everyone.)

However, no matter how old you are, I think if it's your first time reading or watching Fushigi Yuugi you'll really love it, but if you try reading or watching it a second time or even third time around you might be put off by it or be like me and skip around to your favorite memorable moments.

Still, give it a shot. There's a reason we liked it so much in the pastXD

I was first introduced to Fushigi Yuugi (the anime version) in middle school by a friend. Only a few minutes in to the first episode and I was immediately hooked. The anime follows the manga very closely, although some small details have been omitted and changed (for the better in my opinion). I highly recommend the anime if you don't want to sit through all 18 volumes.

Our heroine, Miaka, is a 15 year old glutton who is clumsy, dull-wit, and overly naive. She's just your average school girl struggling to pass the entrance exam for high school. After she enters the Universe of the Four Gods, at the request of Hotohori, she decides to become the Priestess of Suzaku to wish for her acceptance into Jonan Academy along with her best friend Yui. As the story progresses, Miaka falls in love with one of her seven seishi, Tamahome, and together, in her quest to summon Suzaku, overcomes various hardships and obstacles and learns the importance of responsibility, courage, and self-sacrifice.

Unfortunately for Miaka, her best friend Yui was also sucked into the book and was manipulated to become her enemy. Determined to take revenge on Miaka, Yui becomes the Priestess of Seiryuu to summon the beast God to grant her wish to go home and to take Tamahome away from Miaka. Can Miaka stay together with her love Tamahome and save her frienship with Yui before Seiryuu seishi Nakago takes over both the book and the real world?

A lot of people complain how Miaka is weak and always needs her seishis to save her, but that's not true. She never backs away from the face of danger and despite being physically weak, throws herself at the enemy as bait just so her friends can escape. Miaka has the strongest will out of all the four priestess. Her belief in her love with Tamahome and in her friendship with Yui never wavered. Although overly naive and innocent, it is precisely these qualities along with her carefree cheerful nature that attracts four of the Suzaku seishi (Tamahome, Hotohori, Noriko, Tasuki) and one Seiryuu seishi (Amiboshi) to fall in love with her.

Everyone compares Miaka to Takiko in Genbu Kaiden. Yes, there is a world of difference in their maturity level. After all Takiko is the oldest of the four priestesses to enter the book. However, Miaka is without a doubt the strongest out of all four which shows at the end because she wasn't devoured by the beast god. Her character is more relatable as she's just your flawed, average 15 year old kid. Takiko is a very unrealistic heorine as she is just too perfect to be true and therefore, has no character development.

All in all, Fushigi Yuugi trumps Genbu Kaiden anyday. While I loved Genbu Kaiden, I find it boring compared to FY, although the art in Genbu Kaiden is WAY WAY WAY better. If I were to describe the plot twists and story development for Genbu Kaiden vs Fushigi Yuugi, then I would say Genbu Kaiden progresses linear whereas original FY is zig zag. There's just a lot more twists in the story in FY than GK, because we have an extremely smart and powerful antagonist Nagako from the Seiryuu side who calculates like 10 steps ahead of the Suzaku seishis.

Summary:
- Characters: Fushigi Yuugi (more comedic) = Genbu Kaiden (more mature)
- Art: Fushigi Yuugi (meh~) < Genbu Kaiden (WAY more beautiful)
- Story: Fushigi Yuugi (way more plots twists and drama) > Genbu Kaiden (a bit boring)

So overall, it's different strokes for different folks. The plot and story in Fushigi Yuugi is SO SO SO MUCH better than the story of Genbu Kaiden. On the other hand, the art in Genbu Kaiden is SO SO SO MUCH better than in Fushigi Yuugi. Fushigi Yuugi is also very comedic while Genbu Kaiden is very sad and dark. They're completely two different stories. It just depends on what kind of story you like. I personally like a great story with comedy sprinkled throughout, so my pick is DEFINITELY Fushigi Yuugi. Genbu Kaiden is a fantastic prequel and beautifully written, but in my heart, its story will never surpass or come close to Fushigi Yuugi (which is a classic in my opinion).

... Last updated on May 3rd, 2013, 4:52pm

for those who like cheesy romance. i enjoyed reading it when i was young and i actually liked miaka, i thought she was cute. the art is good and theres a lot of hot guys and funny parts. the plot is also interesting and i think its supposed to be basically like a put-yourself-in-heroine's-shoes fantasy, with all the guys falling in love with you and stuff.
if you arent into cheesy stuff this is not for you.

... Last updated on February 1st, 2013, 10:18am

It has a setting, it has a story too. But most of it is there so you can have this wishy washy romance. One could give Miaka credit for being brave, or they could give her credit for taking reckless actions that brews up more trouble for the characters.

It's humorous, it's cute, but whatever kind of epic story it was trying to tell was completely ruined the by the pointless separations and angst.

I realize this is a classic, but honestly.

... Last updated on November 3rd, 2013, 10:55pm

I suggest those that hate the heroine of this but like the story can just go ahead read the genbu version
much much better. more mature romance, a heroine that can save herself and actually has a priestess power.

I'm a sucker for cheesy romances so I love Fushigi Yuugi.

One: The male characters are HOT! Specially Nakago!

Two: character development was slow but that's what i think makes it easier to relate to. You can't just change after a few encounters with a bad guy and retain that new, stronger character throughout the story. that just doesn't make sense! True, Miaka is annoying with her being ditzy, naive and weak but that's why I like her! She doesn't have that special power that makes guys fall for her. She doesn't do EVERYTHING right. She doesn't just suddenly pull out some secret power within herself and she doesn't become the ultimate girl every man would want overnight! She's imperfect but she tries. I don't blame her for always calling for help. we've already established that she has no real physical power. But she doesn't always think about herself. All the characters love her for her innocence and the way she tries for all of them. All the characters love her because she IS weak yet she's willing to help them in the only way she's useful, being the Priestess of Suzaku. And if you think about it, she gets sent back to a time where honor, hard-work and courage were admirable but also when people valued it above their lives. I'm just saying that most of the people nowadays don't even know what honor is. So it's only natural to be loyal to her so why not get along along the way?

I'm saying that Fushigi Yuugi is a great anime/manga with realistic character development and an actual plot. I don't understand why people even bother saying that they don't like it now when they enjoyed it before.

I never thought I'd find a weaker "heroine" than Bella in Twilight but Miaka takes the cake. She's absolutely useless and a pig and yet somehow all the guys are attracted to her. I read through this manga halfway mainly because I liked Nakago but then it got too annoying and melodramatic and I just skipped to the ending.