Sucked back into the book again eh? Or rather, the DVDs. Watase Yuu, the creator, had a good thing going didn’t she? Just so you know, you’re on volume three. You might want to go back and start at the beginning, unless you like having no idea of what’s going on. I’m sure you don’t, though. It’s going to be a long story, so it’s best to make sure you go in order. We’re up to episode 20 of a girl who has stumbled into a book called The Universe of the Four Gods and must call upon the Beast God Suzaku in order to have her wishes granted. But of course, things are never as easy as all that. How else would we have any fun?

There are 52 episodes on a total of 8 volumes, significantly less than if you were to get them on VHS. Half, in fact.

The Deal In This Volume:
The only way for Miaka to save everyone she loves is to find the Seven Warriors of Suzaku and call up the God in order for her wishes to be granted. The catch is that finding the warriors isn’t going to be easy, and what’s more, some of them don’t even know they’re celestial warriors. Journeys like these are also always fraught with danger. Then there’s the other small problem of Tamahome being in the clutches of Nakago and Yui. That might not be so bad – except he’s swallowed a poison that binds him to Yui, driving Miaka from his mind. Will she be able to withstand the pain of a broken heart?

Animation, Voices, Music:
The animation has been steady the past 20 episodes, and isn’t going to falter at any point. There have been other series (ok, not many, but Samurai 7 had a few episodes that did) where it may take a sudden weird turn. I always was a fan of the colors – Tasuki’s necklace and hair are great examples. The detail is nice too. No wrong here. It’s something you can look forward to.

There aren’t any major problems with voices – not like the way I couldn’t handle the voice actors for Naruto. There are a few times when I think the English voice actors try just a little too hard, but overall they’re good. Hotohori is one of my favorites. Miaka’s pretty good too. Tasuki…well, there are times when I’m fine with him, but then there are other times when it makes me twitch. I’m a pushover when it comes to his Japanese voice actor though. In fact, I love all the Japanese voice actors thus far. Sure, Miaka initially was a tad bit annoying, but her voice grows on you after a while. All is good. Huzzah. ^_^

As per usual we still have our old school music for the time the anime was made. Works well in the series in all the situations. Sad, action, what have you. The opening song and closing songs have been the same for the past three volumes and will be that way for another long while. I like them both – they’re peppy and when you decipher a few lyrics it’s fun to sing along a little to.

What You’ll Like:
Hotohori passing off as a woman. That bit was pretty funny, what with that guy fawning all over him and all. And you can’t deny Nuriko’s and Tasuki’s actions. Ok, let’s face it – everyone has their goofy moments. Miaka trying to get a fish. Tasuki and his little fangs. Him and Chichiri always yelling at each other. The situations everyone manages to get themselves into are all interesting and unique. There’s always something lurking around the corner that you won’t expect. It’s got everything so far, so there’s just even more goodness to come.

Oh, and did I mention Tamahome vs. Tasuki? Flippin’ love Tasuki...

What Will Annoy You:
There isn’t much in this volume that will get you agitated. Aside from Yui being an idiot and suddenly super-sinister, something that is still slightly questionable, it’s all fine.

The biggest pet peeve I tend to have is the fact that neither Miaka nor Yui change out of their school uniforms. Do you know how annoying that would get? I’d be out of my normal clothes the next day. I’m not going to go trouncing around in the forest or castle in a school uniform. Forget it. Either lavish me with High Priestess fashion or get me something practical to travel in. Sheesh.

Warning! A warning for all you parents out there – I don’t know what you allow your child to see and not see, so I’ll just point out that there is a tiny bit of swearing, violence (blood, death, etc.), a bit of cross-dressing (although that was basically in the first half of the series), and some nudity/sexual content. It’s up to you.

Volume 3:
14. Wolf in the Fortress
15. The City Of Resurrection
16. Battle of Sorrow
17. Magic Flute
18. Love Trap
19. Shattered Love
20: Unreachable Hope

NT

Want a more in-depth look at the episodes? Start here with the VHS:
Fushigi Yugi: The Mysterious Play Vol. 1 - The Universe of the Four Gods

Fushigi Yugi Series
Fushigi Yugi: The Mysterious Play - Vol. 1
Fushigi Yugi: The Mysterious Play - Vol. 2
Fushigi Yugi: The Mysterious Play - Vol. 4
Fushigi Yugi: The Mysterious Play - Vol. 5
Fushigi Yugi: The Mysterious Play - Vol. 6
Fushigi Yugi: The Mysterious Play - Vol. 7
Fushigi Yugi: The Mysterious Play - Vol. 8

Fushigi Yugi OAVs
Fushigi Yugi - The Mysterious Play Special Vol. 1: Illusions
Fushigi Yugi - The Mysterious Play Special Vol. 2: Memories
Fushigi Yugi - The Mysterious Play Special Vol. 3: Reflections
Fushigi Yugi Eikoden

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD