This prequel was written by Yuu Watase some 10 years after the original Fushigi Yuugi and took another 10 years to complete. As a fan of the Universe of the Four Gods, I was especially thrilled when the mangaka decided to come out with Genbu Kaiden, the prequel to story of the priestesses of Suzaku and Seiryuu.
Her art has since improved substantially and the tone of the story is a lot more mature compared to her older work. Pacing is a lot faster, action is more violent and intense, and the story itself is really beautifully tragic. It also helps that Rimudo is a hot hunk! I love him and Tamahome equally. I really wish this one would also be made into an anime in the near future and can't wait for Byakko Gaiden to come out! Rumor has it that Yuu Watase has planned the Byakko arc for 2015.
Takiko's fate has already been revealed in the original FY. Even though I already know what to expect for the ending, I'm still balling my eyes out. It speaks volumes if a mangaka can make a story about a stone (literally) be a tear-jerker. Yuu Watase's knack for story telling has definitely improved and matured over the last two decades. For those who were fans of the original FY, I highly recommend Genbu Kaiden.
That said, I still love the original Fushigi Yuugi more as it's a classic. Takiko is too perfect as the heroine. There's not much character development for her because she starts and ends the same way: brave, strong (having been trained to fight with a naginata), understanding, and self-sacrificing. Where Miaka's strong will is driven by her love for Tamahome and her friendship with Yui, Takiko's selflessness comes from her desire for acceptance (as she faced rejection from her first love and her father). While the story of Genbu Kaiden was written beautifully, a perfect protagonist is just not realistic. In terms of plot development, there isn't as much conflict/drama and plot twists as in the original FY. It's not super boring, but I think Yuu Watase could have added more to make the story more intense and engaging.
All in all, Genbu Kaiden is a very well written manga and another success by Yuu Watase. I only wish I can read Byakko Kaiden right now to round up the Universe of the Four Gods.