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ふしぎ遊戯 玄武開伝 [Fushigi Yûgi: Genbu Kaiden] #12
Fushigi Yûgi: Genbu Kaiden, Vol. 12
Travel back to the mystical Universe of the Four Gods in this prequel to hit the hit series Fushigi Yugi!
When schoolgirl Takiko Okuda attempts to destroy her father's translation of The Universe of the Four Gods , she is instead sucked into the story, becoming the Priestess of Genbu in an epic journey to find the seven Celestial Warriors!
The time has come for Takiko to assume the powers of the priestess and summon Genbu. As war and disaster break out around her, she must choose the three wishes that will save the Universe of the Four Gods. But according to prophecy, to summon a god the priestess must die…
Final volume!
When schoolgirl Takiko Okuda attempts to destroy her father's translation of The Universe of the Four Gods , she is instead sucked into the story, becoming the Priestess of Genbu in an epic journey to find the seven Celestial Warriors!
The time has come for Takiko to assume the powers of the priestess and summon Genbu. As war and disaster break out around her, she must choose the three wishes that will save the Universe of the Four Gods. But according to prophecy, to summon a god the priestess must die…
Final volume!
192 pages, Paperback
First published May 17, 2013
17 people are currently reading
314 people want to read
About the author
Yuu Watase
353 books1,163 followersYuu Watase (渡瀬悠宇) is a Japanese shoujo manga-ka. She is known for her works Fushigi Yūgi, Alice 19th, Ceres: The Celestial Legend, Fushigi Yūgi Genbu Kaiden and Absolute Boyfriend. She likes all music, except heavy metal and old traditional music.
She received the Shogakukan Manga Award for shōjo for Ceres, Celestial Legend in 1997. Since writing her debut short story "Pajama de Ojama" ("An Intrusion in Pajamas"), Watase has created more than 80 compiled volumes of short stories and continuing series. Because of her frequent use of beautiful male characters in her works, she is widely regarded in circles[which?] as a bishōnen manga artist.[citation needed] In October 2008, Watase began her first shōnen serialization, Arata: The Legend in Weekly Shōnen Sunday.
Her name is romanized as "Yû Watase" in earlier printings of Viz Media's publications of Fushigi Yūgi, Alice 19th, and Ceres, The Celestial Legend, while in Viz Media's Fushigi Yūgi Genbu Kaiden and Absolute Boyfriend her name is romanized as "Yuu Watase". In Chuang Yi's English-language versions of Fushigi Yugi (spelled without a macron or circumflex), her name is romanized as "Yu Watase".
She received the Shogakukan Manga Award for shōjo for Ceres, Celestial Legend in 1997. Since writing her debut short story "Pajama de Ojama" ("An Intrusion in Pajamas"), Watase has created more than 80 compiled volumes of short stories and continuing series. Because of her frequent use of beautiful male characters in her works, she is widely regarded in circles[which?] as a bishōnen manga artist.[citation needed] In October 2008, Watase began her first shōnen serialization, Arata: The Legend in Weekly Shōnen Sunday.
Her name is romanized as "Yû Watase" in earlier printings of Viz Media's publications of Fushigi Yūgi, Alice 19th, and Ceres, The Celestial Legend, while in Viz Media's Fushigi Yūgi Genbu Kaiden and Absolute Boyfriend her name is romanized as "Yuu Watase". In Chuang Yi's English-language versions of Fushigi Yugi (spelled without a macron or circumflex), her name is romanized as "Yu Watase".
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
October 13, 2016
Anyone who has read the Fushigi Yugi original series knew how this was gonna end, and still…still I was hoping for some kind of twist, I WANTED some kind of twist….that didn’t come… and in the end, that’s what made the story more beautiful and heartbreaking and that's why I ended up crying last night at 2 a.m.
Fushigi Yugi Genbu is definitely one of my favourite manga series and as much as I love Fushigi Yugi and Miaka’s story, I think this is better and Takiko’s journey and her hope and will to live are much more relatable. Yuu Watase is one of the best manga artist/writers out there and I believe her works would be very appealing to people who love YA fantasy and romance, especially the Fushigi Yugi series, Ayashi no Ceres and Alice 19, so if you like YA fantasy and want to try some manga, you should read some of Yuu Watase’s stories. They will hit you righ in the feels and the will make you laugh and cry. Trust me, they are sooo worth it.
Fushigi Yugi Genbu is definitely one of my favourite manga series and as much as I love Fushigi Yugi and Miaka’s story, I think this is better and Takiko’s journey and her hope and will to live are much more relatable. Yuu Watase is one of the best manga artist/writers out there and I believe her works would be very appealing to people who love YA fantasy and romance, especially the Fushigi Yugi series, Ayashi no Ceres and Alice 19, so if you like YA fantasy and want to try some manga, you should read some of Yuu Watase’s stories. They will hit you righ in the feels and the will make you laugh and cry. Trust me, they are sooo worth it.
April 18, 2022
And so it ends. According to the author's note, it took ten years! Unsurprising, considering the various health issues Watase had during its serialization, Genbu Kaiden's publisher having to find another venue for it for its last few volumes, and--and this is astonishing to me--Watase producing a weekly serial in addition to this one in its latter stages.
Background: I visited an anime club on a trip back in the '90s, and they were watching the first Fushigi Yuugi anime, the one with Miaka as a main character. They were keeping a running tally of the character deaths, and since the episode I saw with that club was close to the end, the tally was pretty high. With that memory in mind, I fully expected some, or even most, of the main players in Genbu Kaiden to give their lives in the final parts of this story.
Whether it was a matter of being mentally prepared, or what, the multiple character deaths--even --didn't affect me all that much. The noteworthy exception is , which did cause a minor, fleeting pang. So I did get caught up in the narrative sweep of it, which was cool. Apparently people who have read or seen the first FY knew about that already, but since I've never gotten past the first two or three volumes of that series, I didn't know exactly how everything would play out.
On the whole, that specific element aside, what did I think of the ending? I liked how bombastic and dramatic it was, and how most of the celestial warriors had a role to play in the big battle. I liked the notion of Takiko being a protector and healer and never conceding to the mass death of war. It was nice that Limdo never once usurped Takiko as the main driver of events in the story, even when "war" was the main plot element. And it was great how he accepted and supported her decisions, and their consequences.
With so many characters, a few were bound to be short-changed. For example, Jiyi and Fei-Yan never managed to be anything but obsessive, implacable enemies. I'd have liked to see more of the younger female characters like Filka and Aya. Aya in particular was absent for quite a few volumes and only showed up again at the very end!
This was worth reading, even if I never fully got into synch with it. Watase's storytelling feels more mature and less slapdash than it did in the other series of hers I've read. Some of the cheesier elements of the story that carried over from the first Fushigi Yuugi were kept decently under control, while not eliminating all of the melodrama that goes hand-in-hand with shoujo .
Time for the big question: am I willing to keep FY: Genbu Kaiden? It would entirely depend on whether I feel it would be worthwhile to reread it. I'm on the fence about that, which probably means the answer should be no. I did enjoy it, and it was definitely worth a look to see how Watase, with more maturity and experience behind her, handled what she considers to be her tentpole series. I'm very curious to see what I'll think of her shounen series, Arata: The Legend. As for this one: three and a half stars, rounded down.
Background: I visited an anime club on a trip back in the '90s, and they were watching the first Fushigi Yuugi anime, the one with Miaka as a main character. They were keeping a running tally of the character deaths, and since the episode I saw with that club was close to the end, the tally was pretty high. With that memory in mind, I fully expected some, or even most, of the main players in Genbu Kaiden to give their lives in the final parts of this story.
Whether it was a matter of being mentally prepared, or what, the multiple character deaths--even --didn't affect me all that much. The noteworthy exception is , which did cause a minor, fleeting pang. So I did get caught up in the narrative sweep of it, which was cool. Apparently people who have read or seen the first FY knew about that already, but since I've never gotten past the first two or three volumes of that series, I didn't know exactly how everything would play out.
On the whole, that specific element aside, what did I think of the ending? I liked how bombastic and dramatic it was, and how most of the celestial warriors had a role to play in the big battle. I liked the notion of Takiko being a protector and healer and never conceding to the mass death of war. It was nice that Limdo never once usurped Takiko as the main driver of events in the story, even when "war" was the main plot element. And it was great how he accepted and supported her decisions, and their consequences.
With so many characters, a few were bound to be short-changed. For example, Jiyi and Fei-Yan never managed to be anything but obsessive, implacable enemies. I'd have liked to see more of the younger female characters like Filka and Aya. Aya in particular was absent for quite a few volumes and only showed up again at the very end!
This was worth reading, even if I never fully got into synch with it. Watase's storytelling feels more mature and less slapdash than it did in the other series of hers I've read. Some of the cheesier elements of the story that carried over from the first Fushigi Yuugi were kept decently under control, while not eliminating all of the melodrama that goes hand-in-hand with shoujo .
Time for the big question: am I willing to keep FY: Genbu Kaiden? It would entirely depend on whether I feel it would be worthwhile to reread it. I'm on the fence about that, which probably means the answer should be no. I did enjoy it, and it was definitely worth a look to see how Watase, with more maturity and experience behind her, handled what she considers to be her tentpole series. I'm very curious to see what I'll think of her shounen series, Arata: The Legend. As for this one: three and a half stars, rounded down.
July 26, 2014
Although strongly connected to Fushigi Yugi, Genbu Kaiden manages to be a perfectly stand-alone story where natural associations to the older story are seldom popping up.
In this case, I believe that this prequel exceeds not only the reader expectations (since it has been written after the "sequel") but also the sequel itself.
Finally, the author is getting better in telling such stories: in 12 volumes one can read what happens to the Genbu's priestess without getting involved into too much unnecessary finery and the action doesn't lag in time repeating itself into some strange loop.
The last two volumes could have possibly be compacted in one, skipping some extra drama steps that seemed to me too forced, though.
The strongest points that made this reading endearing are a couple:
1)the presence of a great heroine (sometimes though, too much of an heroine too little of a real human being). A strong female character, Takiko, who is determinated, gentle, loving and grows out of her initial troubles. Sometimes a martyr, though, but possibly this is a trait that makes her perfect to be Genbu's priestess, afterall.
2)the love relationship between the two main characters, Takiko and Rimdo/Uruki. It is very beautifully depicted and, although it develops possibly a bit too fast, it is not the only moving force that makes the action go, but, even though it is central, it surrounds the action more than driving it.
Certainly, I might have been changing the end, if I would have been the mangaka, but I can't deny it somehow fits the plot.
In this case, I believe that this prequel exceeds not only the reader expectations (since it has been written after the "sequel") but also the sequel itself.
Finally, the author is getting better in telling such stories: in 12 volumes one can read what happens to the Genbu's priestess without getting involved into too much unnecessary finery and the action doesn't lag in time repeating itself into some strange loop.
The last two volumes could have possibly be compacted in one, skipping some extra drama steps that seemed to me too forced, though.
The strongest points that made this reading endearing are a couple:
1)the presence of a great heroine (sometimes though, too much of an heroine too little of a real human being). A strong female character, Takiko, who is determinated, gentle, loving and grows out of her initial troubles. Sometimes a martyr, though, but possibly this is a trait that makes her perfect to be Genbu's priestess, afterall.
2)the love relationship between the two main characters, Takiko and Rimdo/Uruki. It is very beautifully depicted and, although it develops possibly a bit too fast, it is not the only moving force that makes the action go, but, even though it is central, it surrounds the action more than driving it.
Certainly, I might have been changing the end, if I would have been the mangaka, but I can't deny it somehow fits the plot.
August 8, 2013
I had just finished reading the last book of Fushigi Yugi: Genbu Kaiden. I'm glad that the heroine Takiko(the Priestess of Genbu) is a strong girl who bravely faces hardship and difficult choices when her loved ones were at stake. I'm glad the story ends in an realistic way instead of being a happy ever after fairy tale.
September 2, 2017
Never was there a story of such woe, as that of Takiko and her Rimudo.
December 3, 2024
I must not read all of the OG story cause I kept hoping for a twist. I like that Takiko was always the lead character, the men around her never took over her story or plot. Honestly all the deaths were sad to me, I assumed some would have to go cause war/epic battle ending but that didn’t make me any happier about their loss. I just wish the ending wasn’t what we were promised from the beginning which makes me believe that the OG ends no differently.
November 30, 2020
Well, I knew the tears would come, I just wasn't prepared for how much. This is an overall gush/spoiler session for the whole series so you've been warned. This manga gives equal time to action, romance, familial conflict/relationships, politics/prophecies, and character development in a mere twelve volumes. If that's not talent, I don't know what is! Everything is much more streamlined than any other manga I've read (though I realize that's not saying much), so, in the spirit of streamlining...
Pros
-Takiko
*Unlike many "girl finds herself thrust into a faraway land/role of the chosen one" stories, Takiko never once hesitates in her duty to summon Genbu, even after realizing it will take her life in the process. Her reason to stay stems from a few areas:
1.Her need to be necessary/wanted (she's a bit of an outcast in school so no friendships to speak of, her mom's just passed away from tuberculosis so her caregiver role has ended, and her father sees Takiko, her mom, and her grandmother as burdens, pulling him away from writing the book Takiko eventually falls into)
2.Distraction (focusing her energy on her newfound friends/celestial warriors, and just being around people who don't know her life in "present day"-I use quotations because it's in our past- and therefore don't give her the pity face or run for fear of spreading the highly infectious disease keep her from remembering all she's lost and that hope hasn't run dry here)
3.Love (I mean... Uruki is a complete catch, but... later. It's her love/respect of human life at the expense of her own that really shines through)
*She's a skilled swordswoman from her own time, meaning she's not the damsel in distress we're used to.
*Why did she have to get tuberculosis?! When she pulled the blood stained handkerchief from her lips and started thinking: "I'm scared! I'm scared!", I just couldn't hold it together.
-Uruki
*This man right here, the wind manipulator himself, has all the other celestial warriors pretend to lose faith in Takiko so she'll return home, even after she confesses her love for him, all to make sure she can live a full life even if it's without him... Oh, cruel fate! If only he knew. And that's the saddest bit: all his sacrifice to make sure she lived was for nothing. I know many will argue her death was always meant to happen, but when she returned and eventually accepted his proposal, watching the wedding and their brief happiness cut short by Genbu.... And then Tomite and Hikitsu had to perish too!? My emotions! MY EMOTIONS!
*Not only did he have to suffer the loss of his new bride, but his father who eventually accepted him after casting him out because of the bogus "your newborn son will grow up to kill you" prophecy, and his friend/brother figure, Soruen. At least we got the final frame of himself and Takiko meeting in the meadow of their afterlife, never to part again.
*Not only did he let grant Takiko's last wish, but he also honored their wedding vows: to love only one in his life. He never took another wife or consort, opting instead to raise Fuiruka's great-grandson as his successor.
-Just an observation...
*When Takiko stumbles upon her future husband confined to a tree... Inuyasha, is that you?
Having only watched the OG Fushigi Yugi anime before reading this, (I know I'm committing a cardinal sin here), I can say from a personal perspective, this series was much more moving. It doesn't have a traditional HEA, but friendships are formed, alliances remade, tears are shed, and a world of never ending happiness where they can always see the sun awaits not only Takiko and Uruki, but the others they lost along the way.
Pros
-Takiko
*Unlike many "girl finds herself thrust into a faraway land/role of the chosen one" stories, Takiko never once hesitates in her duty to summon Genbu, even after realizing it will take her life in the process. Her reason to stay stems from a few areas:
1.Her need to be necessary/wanted (she's a bit of an outcast in school so no friendships to speak of, her mom's just passed away from tuberculosis so her caregiver role has ended, and her father sees Takiko, her mom, and her grandmother as burdens, pulling him away from writing the book Takiko eventually falls into)
2.Distraction (focusing her energy on her newfound friends/celestial warriors, and just being around people who don't know her life in "present day"-I use quotations because it's in our past- and therefore don't give her the pity face or run for fear of spreading the highly infectious disease keep her from remembering all she's lost and that hope hasn't run dry here)
3.Love (I mean... Uruki is a complete catch, but... later. It's her love/respect of human life at the expense of her own that really shines through)
*She's a skilled swordswoman from her own time, meaning she's not the damsel in distress we're used to.
*Why did she have to get tuberculosis?! When she pulled the blood stained handkerchief from her lips and started thinking: "I'm scared! I'm scared!", I just couldn't hold it together.
-Uruki
*This man right here, the wind manipulator himself, has all the other celestial warriors pretend to lose faith in Takiko so she'll return home, even after she confesses her love for him, all to make sure she can live a full life even if it's without him... Oh, cruel fate! If only he knew. And that's the saddest bit: all his sacrifice to make sure she lived was for nothing. I know many will argue her death was always meant to happen, but when she returned and eventually accepted his proposal, watching the wedding and their brief happiness cut short by Genbu.... And then Tomite and Hikitsu had to perish too!? My emotions! MY EMOTIONS!
*Not only did he have to suffer the loss of his new bride, but his father who eventually accepted him after casting him out because of the bogus "your newborn son will grow up to kill you" prophecy, and his friend/brother figure, Soruen. At least we got the final frame of himself and Takiko meeting in the meadow of their afterlife, never to part again.
*Not only did he let grant Takiko's last wish, but he also honored their wedding vows: to love only one in his life. He never took another wife or consort, opting instead to raise Fuiruka's great-grandson as his successor.
-Just an observation...
*When Takiko stumbles upon her future husband confined to a tree... Inuyasha, is that you?
Having only watched the OG Fushigi Yugi anime before reading this, (I know I'm committing a cardinal sin here), I can say from a personal perspective, this series was much more moving. It doesn't have a traditional HEA, but friendships are formed, alliances remade, tears are shed, and a world of never ending happiness where they can always see the sun awaits not only Takiko and Uruki, but the others they lost along the way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 5, 2017
The end is finally here. Waaaaaaaaaaaah. If you've read FY you know how this is gonna end, and indeed there are no real surprises or twists. Still the bitter-sweet ending does have a little bit of hope and is beautifully drawn.
I never felt the end of this series quite lived up to the promise of the beginning - and its a bit unbalanced in tone - the last 3 volumes so emotionally charged that its melodrama heaped on melodrama with little room for much else. Saying that the artwork is gorgeous and I fell in love with these characters just as much if not moreso in a couple of cases than the original cast of FY. Takiko is a far more mature and courageous heroine compared to Miaka.
I wish more had been made of some of the celestial powers, particularly Limdo's gender switching which just seemed to fade into the background. I'd also have loved to have seen more Tomite towards the end - he was such a star player to begin with - and more Hikitsu who didn't have the opportunity to be as awesome as the rest... so basically what I'm saying is Watase why didn't you stretch this out for another volume? Because the FY universe is awesome and I'd have loved to have spent a little longer there.... lol. And that is the mark of a good manga.
art and story/characters both contributing equally in an epic that made me both laugh and cry.
I never felt the end of this series quite lived up to the promise of the beginning - and its a bit unbalanced in tone - the last 3 volumes so emotionally charged that its melodrama heaped on melodrama with little room for much else. Saying that the artwork is gorgeous and I fell in love with these characters just as much if not moreso in a couple of cases than the original cast of FY. Takiko is a far more mature and courageous heroine compared to Miaka.
I wish more had been made of some of the celestial powers, particularly Limdo's gender switching which just seemed to fade into the background. I'd also have loved to have seen more Tomite towards the end - he was such a star player to begin with - and more Hikitsu who didn't have the opportunity to be as awesome as the rest... so basically what I'm saying is Watase why didn't you stretch this out for another volume? Because the FY universe is awesome and I'd have loved to have spent a little longer there.... lol. And that is the mark of a good manga.
art and story/characters both contributing equally in an epic that made me both laugh and cry.
February 7, 2024
4.5
He llorado múltiples veces. No es el final redondo que quería pero si el que esperaba, es solo que hubiera preferido un reencuentro con todos, no solo con el Uruki pero lo entiendo.
Debería haber visto venir quienes iban a morir teniendo en cuenta los eventos de la original, aún así hasta el último capítulo nada y dios como me ha dolido lo de Tomite. Es que literalmente mi personaje favorito junto a Takiko y PUM, a tomar por saco.
No quiero enrollarme mucho pero es que Takiko... Vaya PERSONAJAZO, lo que me ha hecho sufrir la tía durante la invocación. La adoro y le doy la razón a Uruki con que es la sacerdotisa más fuerte idccc (excluyo a Suzuno porque no he leído su historia. En fin, que la adoro.
Me voy a tomar un tiempo antes de empezar la siguiente aprovechando que sigue en parón hasta marzo, solo espero que me guste tanto o más que esta.
He llorado múltiples veces. No es el final redondo que quería pero si el que esperaba, es solo que hubiera preferido un reencuentro con todos, no solo con el Uruki pero lo entiendo.
Debería haber visto venir quienes iban a morir teniendo en cuenta los eventos de la original, aún así hasta el último capítulo nada y dios como me ha dolido lo de Tomite. Es que literalmente mi personaje favorito junto a Takiko y PUM, a tomar por saco.
No quiero enrollarme mucho pero es que Takiko... Vaya PERSONAJAZO, lo que me ha hecho sufrir la tía durante la invocación. La adoro y le doy la razón a Uruki con que es la sacerdotisa más fuerte idccc (excluyo a Suzuno porque no he leído su historia. En fin, que la adoro.
Me voy a tomar un tiempo antes de empezar la siguiente aprovechando que sigue en parón hasta marzo, solo espero que me guste tanto o más que esta.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 4, 2017
To be honest, I cried. I cried a lot. Takiko has been the best priestess of all(Byako priestess exempted from the comparison due to no manga yet on it). I was very happy to know that they reunited on earth in an unspecified time compared to the shitty story of Tamahome reborn as another guy. I just hate how Miaka never died just because their love was powerful. Does that mean that Takiko's love wasn't powerful? What the hell was Yuu Watatse thinking?
Takiko's love for Uruki made more sense than Miaka's!
Takiko's love for Uruki made more sense than Miaka's!
February 14, 2015
I finally finished this series, yay! I found it a lot better then the first Fushugi yugi. This might because the protagonist isn't as foolish, or maybe because the author is older and more self reflective. I knew the sad ending was coming too, and that helped it from being to depressing. Also the body count was decidedly lower, and we knew they were coming from the first narrative.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 12, 2022
As a avid fan of the fushigi yuugi franchise since i can remember i was looking forward to the back story for the first priestess. After first novel i was very excited however as we progressed through the volumes I feel like the story was rushed towards the end personally and didnt get that impact that the story has ended but overall still a good story.
July 15, 2015
oh i liked that, this was a properly mythic tragic ending
i do think the impact was a little muted for me - just because it's been so long that i don't really remember who's who anymore - but that last chapter where the villagers were telling takiko's story worked for me
3 stars
i do think the impact was a little muted for me - just because it's been so long that i don't really remember who's who anymore - but that last chapter where the villagers were telling takiko's story worked for me
3 stars
August 22, 2013
Probably one of the best shojo endings I've ever come across. Takiko stayed strong until the very end, and is my favourite heroine from a manga so far.
June 6, 2019
I'm just going to put my review of the whole series here, because I want to.
First of all - I love the original Fushigi Yugi series, both anime and manga versions. A college roommate introduced me to the story and it's been one of my favorites ever since. That was also around the time Genbu Kaiden began and I'm happy to know that the series was finally completed.
Honestly, the story of Takiko Okuda didn't really hold that much appeal to me, mostly because we find out so little about her in the original story. She was merely an example to Miaka of how being a priestess of one of the four beast gods would end so horribly wrong. A plot device to up the drama and nothing more (Suzuno's story is the one I really wanted to know more about, and I have heard that Yuu Watase is writing a series for Byakko, which is exciting!)
But looking back on it, that just meant that there had to be more to Takiko's story than we were initially led to believe. She wasn't *just* a weak-minded girl who got caught up in the book of the Universe of the Four Gods. Her father wasn't driven insane to kill himself and his daughter. They were a family with disagreements and conflict, but they also cared about each other a lot. The Universe of the Four Gods is just... it brings a lot of... stuff... into people's lives.
Anyway, I loved how Takiko's character was fleshed out here. She's taking care of her ill mother, her mother dies, her father is largely absent during this time. Then her father comes back with the translation of the book and everything follows from there. Takiko is upset (rightfully so), tries to destroy the book that she believes her father loved more than he cared about her mother and she's taken inside the story.
Takiko's story is very different from Miaka's or Yui's, for a lot of reasons. None of the beast gods have been summoned in the world of the book and the priestess and celestial warriors are considered bad omens. So Takiko and the Genbu warriors are certainly not treated with any kind of honor or respect in Bie-Jia (and I am blanking on the spelling of the land, so apologies if I don't get it right). In fact, the government of Bie-Jia is turning toward Qu-Dong (the land of Seiryu - and it doesn't seem that those bastards were much better, even 200 years prior to the events of Fushigi Yugi) for help in... kind of a dick-move way. (I'm not sure how else to describe it.)
Takiko also falls in love with Uruki, one of the celestial warriors - so it really isn't that unusual for the priestess to have a romantic relationship with a celestial warrior (no matter what anyone said to Miaka and Tamahome, so stick that in your pipe and smoke it). Mostly, the relationship between Takiko and all her celestial warriors is one of having to build trust over time. Like I mentioned earlier, the Genbu celestial warriors are seen as bad omens and everyone born with a mark of Genbu has not been treated well by their society. That adds another layer of storytelling in this arc and one that I really enjoyed. I was glad that this just wasn't a repeat of the story I already knew and loved. Yes, I love the original story - but Takiko and the Genbu warriors aren't the same as Miaka and the Suzaku warriors. I don't want just a warmed-over rehash of something I already know. Make these characters unique in their own ways.
I am delighted to say that this story is certainly not a warmed-over rehash of anything. This feels like it's a separate time period within the story and the universe and it's wonderful. I especially loved that Takiko's death (which, if you know the original story, you know that's a foregone conclusion) isn't because she was too weak-willed to handle the beast god's power. She was already dying of the same illness that took her mother, yet she went back into the book to help out these people that she'd already come to love. Her dying wish was to live for others, which tells me that she was probably the strongest out of all the priestesses that went into the book (granted, we haven't seen Suzuno's story in its entirety, so we'll see if that assessment holds up).
Anyway, this was a fun series - full of heart and humor and drama and just plain old good storytelling. I would expect nothing less from Yuu Watase.
First of all - I love the original Fushigi Yugi series, both anime and manga versions. A college roommate introduced me to the story and it's been one of my favorites ever since. That was also around the time Genbu Kaiden began and I'm happy to know that the series was finally completed.
Honestly, the story of Takiko Okuda didn't really hold that much appeal to me, mostly because we find out so little about her in the original story. She was merely an example to Miaka of how being a priestess of one of the four beast gods would end so horribly wrong. A plot device to up the drama and nothing more (Suzuno's story is the one I really wanted to know more about, and I have heard that Yuu Watase is writing a series for Byakko, which is exciting!)
But looking back on it, that just meant that there had to be more to Takiko's story than we were initially led to believe. She wasn't *just* a weak-minded girl who got caught up in the book of the Universe of the Four Gods. Her father wasn't driven insane to kill himself and his daughter. They were a family with disagreements and conflict, but they also cared about each other a lot. The Universe of the Four Gods is just... it brings a lot of... stuff... into people's lives.
Anyway, I loved how Takiko's character was fleshed out here. She's taking care of her ill mother, her mother dies, her father is largely absent during this time. Then her father comes back with the translation of the book and everything follows from there. Takiko is upset (rightfully so), tries to destroy the book that she believes her father loved more than he cared about her mother and she's taken inside the story.
Takiko's story is very different from Miaka's or Yui's, for a lot of reasons. None of the beast gods have been summoned in the world of the book and the priestess and celestial warriors are considered bad omens. So Takiko and the Genbu warriors are certainly not treated with any kind of honor or respect in Bie-Jia (and I am blanking on the spelling of the land, so apologies if I don't get it right). In fact, the government of Bie-Jia is turning toward Qu-Dong (the land of Seiryu - and it doesn't seem that those bastards were much better, even 200 years prior to the events of Fushigi Yugi) for help in... kind of a dick-move way. (I'm not sure how else to describe it.)
Takiko also falls in love with Uruki, one of the celestial warriors - so it really isn't that unusual for the priestess to have a romantic relationship with a celestial warrior (no matter what anyone said to Miaka and Tamahome, so stick that in your pipe and smoke it). Mostly, the relationship between Takiko and all her celestial warriors is one of having to build trust over time. Like I mentioned earlier, the Genbu celestial warriors are seen as bad omens and everyone born with a mark of Genbu has not been treated well by their society. That adds another layer of storytelling in this arc and one that I really enjoyed. I was glad that this just wasn't a repeat of the story I already knew and loved. Yes, I love the original story - but Takiko and the Genbu warriors aren't the same as Miaka and the Suzaku warriors. I don't want just a warmed-over rehash of something I already know. Make these characters unique in their own ways.
I am delighted to say that this story is certainly not a warmed-over rehash of anything. This feels like it's a separate time period within the story and the universe and it's wonderful. I especially loved that Takiko's death (which, if you know the original story, you know that's a foregone conclusion) isn't because she was too weak-willed to handle the beast god's power. She was already dying of the same illness that took her mother, yet she went back into the book to help out these people that she'd already come to love. Her dying wish was to live for others, which tells me that she was probably the strongest out of all the priestesses that went into the book (granted, we haven't seen Suzuno's story in its entirety, so we'll see if that assessment holds up).
Anyway, this was a fun series - full of heart and humor and drama and just plain old good storytelling. I would expect nothing less from Yuu Watase.
October 26, 2025
Review for complete series
Despite Fushigi Yuugi being a classic fantasy shoujo manga, I only got around to it long after its original publication. Sadly, I was rather disappointed by it, especially given that it is a popular work. Genbu Kaiden is a newer work of Watase's and serves as a prequel to the original series and this series is everything I hoped the original would have been.
All the things wrong with the original were made right here: our main character Takiko largely makes sensible decisions - sure, they are sometimes also emotionally loaded and not always strategic, but she never left me shaking my head in frustration over stupid decisions. Takiko and her love interest don't fall in love from the start allowing for a much more natural flow which in turn led me to genuinely care about them. The pacing was just right for this kind of plot with only a few chapters seeming a little rushed. The characters we meet along the way are more fleshed out and contribute to the story beyond being yet another follower of the main character - they've got agendas and dreams of their own. The fact that they still chose to follow Takiko just makes their bonds seem a lot stronger than in the original series. While I love a bit of comedy here and there, it was far more subtle than in the original which at times came across as silly.
Having fixed all that, this is a wholesome fantasy series with lovely friendships, interesting family dynamics and bittersweet turn of events. Takiko is a strong main character both in her determination but also in her willingness to lift a weapon despite being physically weaker than her companions. The world is interesting and the art is simply beautiful. Although I doubt it will ever happen, if Watase were ever to redraw the original series at this standard, I have no doubt I would love it. Instead, I will hope that her other prequel series, Byakko Senki, will soon no longer be on hiatus and be drawn to the end.
Only one little beef I had with this series: it's common for many manga, especially in the shoujo area, to have a style in which the characters look very much alike. It's usually hair and clothing more than anything else that makes characters look different from each other. This has never been an issue for me but I don't mind when artists add some more diversity. What I don't like is when authors add diversity purely for diversities sake. I am not sure if this is what Watase's intention was but the Genbu Kaiden cast was a lot more diverse than the original series' was (e.g. I was very pleased to have some more important female characters besides the main character). But, as I have already found with some of Watase's other works, she tends to add some goofy or stereo typical cartoonish characters. Hatsui is an overweight character and everything from design to behaviour and personality feels like a joke rather than a proper member of the group. Why not add a competent overweight character rather than, apologies, a bumbling idiot who is treated more like an overgrown child?
January 8, 2021
(12/30/2020)
I respect Watase so much for that ending. Like, they went there and allowed the story to end as it did. I confess, I was somehow surprised by the deaths of Tomite and Hikitsu. I did cry, I felt...so much.
I love Takiko so much, I think she's a great heroine. Her romance I was shockingly behind, for the most part.
My fav warrior WAS probably Namame. He was a precious bean, I love him so! I do think, the best character arcs go to him, Limdo, Tomite and, of course, Takiko. Takiko is best girl.
The only weakness in the series was it's lack of advancement for the other warrior's storylines. Hatsui never grows up or changes, neither do Inami, and, unfortunately, Urumiya (Teg) is barely in the story when he stops being captive. Except for a last minute love story, I wish his page time had been used better.
I still loved it, and the main thrust of the story is solid. Dare I say, amazing. I WILL be collecting the volumes.
I respect Watase so much for that ending. Like, they went there and allowed the story to end as it did. I confess, I was somehow surprised by the deaths of Tomite and Hikitsu. I did cry, I felt...so much.
I love Takiko so much, I think she's a great heroine. Her romance I was shockingly behind, for the most part.
My fav warrior WAS probably Namame. He was a precious bean, I love him so! I do think, the best character arcs go to him, Limdo, Tomite and, of course, Takiko. Takiko is best girl.
The only weakness in the series was it's lack of advancement for the other warrior's storylines. Hatsui never grows up or changes, neither do Inami, and, unfortunately, Urumiya (Teg) is barely in the story when he stops being captive. Except for a last minute love story, I wish his page time had been used better.
I still loved it, and the main thrust of the story is solid. Dare I say, amazing. I WILL be collecting the volumes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 11, 2022
writing a review for all 12 here:
i love this series, both the original and this arc (although this one is definitely my fave!) i love takiko and uruki together. their chemistry is so good and i appreciated that watase didn’t force a love triangle with tomite like she did with miaka, tamahome, and hotohori. i also feel like the seishi’s had a lot more personality in this one as opposed to the original because they weren’t being used as love interests. although the ending was bittersweet, i really loved that she went in that direction instead of giving us the same fairytale ending as the first one. it definitely makes me look forward to reading byakko’s arc and i really hope they adapt this one as an anime too!
i love this series, both the original and this arc (although this one is definitely my fave!) i love takiko and uruki together. their chemistry is so good and i appreciated that watase didn’t force a love triangle with tomite like she did with miaka, tamahome, and hotohori. i also feel like the seishi’s had a lot more personality in this one as opposed to the original because they weren’t being used as love interests. although the ending was bittersweet, i really loved that she went in that direction instead of giving us the same fairytale ending as the first one. it definitely makes me look forward to reading byakko’s arc and i really hope they adapt this one as an anime too!
July 3, 2022
Look, I'm no stranger to Fushigi Yûgi. I knew how this was gonna go. But it still stung all the same. I've got some big feelings about a few deaths in particular. Still, this was a strong finish, far stronger than the original I would argue. Also, if Tomite and Hikitsu aren't queer I'll eat my hat, which makes them spending their afterlives together guarding the Shinzaho all the more interesting imho.
June 9, 2024
what a wonderful ride this was. as yet another fan that grew up with the original fushigi yuugi story, i was so amazed by how yuu watase was able to show up, improve and deliver with this arc. most of us going into this story already knew how it was going to end from the original series, but it didn't make it any less heartbreaking to witness. in fact, i feel as if it made all the more painful, seeing how loving and brilliant all these characters were and knowing how it would end. this story has my heart and i wish it was as loved as the original!
March 9, 2018
Even thought I knew the ending from the first FY I still wasn’t prepared enough to not ugly cry. This was an amazing series, I wish it would’ve had a couple of more volumes but with the creators work load, this manga really had amazing character ties and developments, especially from the main character.
May 8, 2021
So much emotion in this final volume. I’ve never cried so much. Such a beautiful ending though. The last few pages were my favorite.
Overall, I really enjoyed this series. I love it as much as the original one. No need to compare. Read them both. It’s worth it. They’re both special in their own ways.
Overall, I really enjoyed this series. I love it as much as the original one. No need to compare. Read them both. It’s worth it. They’re both special in their own ways.
May 27, 2021
What a beautiful conclusion. I knew what was coming from the beginning, but I couldn’t help hoping that something magical would happen and change it, however I’m glad it ended the way it did. In the long run it made the story that much more impactful and important. I loved this series just as much at the Suzaku/Seriyu arc and can’t wait to see where the Byakko arc takes us.
January 11, 2023
SABÍA COMO ACABABA, he leído estos libros 800 veces por lo menos, lo sabia, y aun así nada ha impedido que llore A MARES durante todo el tomo. Literal he tenido que parar de leer para secarme las lagrimas por que no veía nada. Es una historia PRECIOSA y la amo aunque me duela. Una parte de mi corazoncito siempre estará con Takiko y las 7 estrellas de Genbu ❤️
December 29, 2019
This last one was my favorite in the series. I liked Genbu Kaiden even more than the original series! I thought her story writing definitely matured as she did. I hope she writes the Byakko arc someday.
September 20, 2018
A beautiful way to end a series! I cried, cried, cried for these characters. I need to re-read the original now!
March 24, 2019
wow, what a tear jerker!
October 24, 2020
Takiko's storyline was not fair on the character compared to Miaka. I don't get why the stronger heroine's in Shojo manga always seem to get done over. maybe that's the trend; if it is, it sucks.
December 27, 2020
What a stunning conclusion!
November 25, 2021
What a fantastic journey!
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