Fushigi Yugi: Genbu Kaiden is the prequel to the immensely popular manga series Fushigi Yugi. The series takes place in the year 1923 and tells the story of the Priestess of Genbu, Takiko Okuda, and her journey to save the land of Beî Jîa.
Highlights
After being sent home by her friends, who claim she isn’t needed to save Beî Jîa, Takiko accepts that she isn’t wanted. While trying to forget her journey and friends, she attempts to get used to her old life and her father attempts to destroy the book so she can’t go back.
Through her father, who is an author and has been following her adventures, she learns the inevitable fate of Beî Jîa, as well as learning why her friends did what they did. She becomes more determined to return to Beî Jîa in order to be with the man she loves and, if need be, die by his side.
Overall
Before picking up this volume, I honestly didn’t even know it existed. I was familiar with the original Fushigi Yugi and since this is a prequel I was vaguely aware of the Priestess of Genbu, but other than that I was drawing a total blank. I was being drawn into the emotional turmoil of Takiko, but I’m sure if I knew more about her I would feel more.
I really wish I had gotten into the series earlier, because some of the Celestial Warriors had some very interesting powers that didn’t show up in this volume, and I was let down because I was hoping to see some action with elastic, prehensile hair. Not that the action wasn’t bad, I just wish there was more. Also some terms and characters I was unfamiliar with because I was just now getting into the series.
As I’ve been saying, I enjoyed this story and am definitely going to be going through the previous volumes. Anyone who is a fan of the Fantasy genre would enjoy this, as would anyone who enjoys a nice romance story.
ComicsOnline gives Fushigi Yugi: Genbu Kaiden 4.5 out of 5 Mystical Books
