Fushigi Yugi
ran from May 1992 until June 1996 and tells the story of two friends Miaka and Yui, who end up pulled into the mysterious book “The Universe of the Four Gods”. After being separated from Yui, Miaka learns that she has come into the book to become the priestess of the god Suzaku. It is her role as Priestess to unite the seven Celestial Warriors and summon Suzaku in order to gain three wishes. Trying to stop her is the Celestial Warriors of the God Seiryu. This 3-in-1 collection is the combined volumes of 10, 11, and 12.
Highlights
This collection picks up right in the middle of the trap laid by the Seiryu warriors from the last volume. After being helped by an old enemy, Miaka regains her resolve to summon Suzaku and also goes to confront Tomo in order to regain what was stolen from her. Once there she meets up with Tamahome and after a tearful reunion, they are separated again, with Miaka trapped in an illusion of her own world and Tamahome forced away.
With Miaka thinking she is back home and that her journey with her friends was just all a dream, she goes about her life as usual. After meeting an attractive boy, she starts to get the feeling that something is wrong, and it isn’t until a friend outside the illusion distracts Tomo and she frees herself from his illusions. With Miaka reunited with the other Suzaku warriors, they learn that about Tamahome’s past and Tamahome learns of the “one wish the Gods can’t grant” which upsets him and his behavior afterwards causes Miaka to flee to a place said to be where lovers meet, telling Tamahome to meet her there if he truly cares for her. Sadly, this is a trap by Nakago and he catches her. This part of the collection ends with the Suzaku Warriors coming to rescue Miaka and Yui gaining all that is needed to summon Seiryu.
The end of this collection is the darkest of the three. With Seiryu summoned the forces of Qu-dong mobilizing to conquer Konan. Yui uses the first wish to seal Suzaku, which causes the Suzaku warriors to lose their powers. Yui uses her second wish to take Miaka and herself back to her own world, but somehow Tamahome ends up being taken with them and ends up in the Real World, where he learns the truth about his existence.
Overall
I enjoyed this collection. The fights were impressive and well drawn. Each warrior is able to manipulate their chi into various tools for combat, and not in the way like other shows where they fire off chi blasts, but as in one person uses their chi to fight by playing a flute. Another is able to fight with illusions so powerful that it makes you think you have been hurt. It’s a very enjoyable take on chi combat.
The art is beautiful and well drawn. I really enjoy how everything is very realistically drawn, outside the occasional chibi joke. Speaking of jokes, there were a couple of good jokes involving Miaka’s appetite and jokes at Tamahome’s expense, mainly due to his name and his love of money. One that comes to mind is where the Celestial Warriors of Suzaku are fighting against what could be described as zombie monks, use money to distract them. As the warriors begin to runaway, Tamahome is seen on the ground picking up the money and has to be forcibly dragged away.
I highly recommend this volume for fans of the romance and fantasy genre and if you are already a fan of the series to begin with. But a big selling point is you get 3 volumes at once. This is a great deal that wont take much space in your library.
ComicsOnline gives Fushigi Yugi volume 4 4.5 out of 5 Chi attacks.
