Fushigi Yûgi: The Mysterious Play, Vol. 17: Demon

ふしぎ遊戯 [Fushigi Yûgi] #17

by Yuu Watase

An enormous explosion rocks Taka's apartment complex with Taka is inside, and as fire engulfs the building, an image of the demon god Tenko appears in the flames Could Taka have been injured in the blast, or, worse, have fallen into Tenko's clutches? When Tenko steals the four stones that Miaka has already collected, is all hope lost for the return of Taka's memories? And will Tenko's manipulation of Taka and Miaka's friends slowly drive wedges between them and ensure their defeat?

Genres: Manga, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels, Shojo, Comics, Young Adult

193 pages, Paperback

First published April 25, 1996

About the author

Yuu 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".

Reviews

[Jolly Ann Paciencia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yehey ! I finally finished it . The ending is very lovely.

[Bibliothecat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review for complete series



I am actually really sad and disappointed. Fushigi Yuugi was that one classic shoujo fantasy that I never got around to reading even though I was convinced I would love it. I love Watase's art - this is an older work and the art is a tad dated, but it's perfectly lovely. It's a portal fantasy quest story with Chinese lore and it's not ridiculously long like many of its peers (I'm looking at you Inu Yasha and Yona of the Dawn). Eighteen volumes seemed like the perfect length and there was just no way I wasn't going to love this. It turns out that this manga has some of the worst pacing I have ever come across.

At its core, the story is pretty straight forward: Miaka is your normal school girl who comes by a magic book, gets pulled into an ancient fantasy world and is sent on a quest to collect items that will help her save the world she's in. For this, she needs to pull together some preordained set of warriors who fight by her side. Of course she falls in love with one of them and there's the big drama or which world she will end up staying in. All of this is pretty standard in this type of portal fantasy but that's exactly what I am here for. So while the premise isn't hugely unique, it's definitely not the problem I had with this story.

The first couple of volumes were insta-everything. I'm not just talking about Miaka and Tamahome falling madly in love from volume one, all other relationships are established in the same way. Yui, Miaka's best friend, is also in love with Tamahome from the moment they meet. The emperor is in love with Miaka from before they meet. All allies join their ranks effortlessly and they become best buddies just because. There's no real effort in recruiting any of the characters nor even finding them. Part of the whole point of this quest was to find these characters yet they just sometimes stumble into a scene, introducing themselves and declaring they're part of the gang and are already set to join them on a quest - no questions asked. It was so extreme that I don't think the last two characters added to the group were given much of a personality and were completely forgettable.

The problem with tossing these characters together like that is that there are no real developments. They say they all love and care for each other but, as far as I am concerned, I can't really believe them. If I see characters get to know each other, grow and form bonds, I will care for them. If they just pop out of the blue and risk limb and life for each other I feel there is something sorely lacking. I can't invest into friendships or romances that just kind of happened without any development whatsoever.

The plot becomes continuously more dark and a lot of deaths and loss occur. I'd normally feel something for these characters by that point but everything feels so over the top dramatic given what it is all based on. The pacing did improve quite a bit halfway through the series and the last couple of volumes were over all well-paced. The problem is that the damage was already done - the characters grew on me to some extent and while their actions and motifs became more believable, it still didn't do away with how wishy-washy their starting point was.

I also need to dedicate a paragraph to Yui - I feel no sympathy for her whatsoever. I don't care if she was manipulated, her actions were shallow and selfish. She blames Miaka for things she didn't do and sets heaven and hell loose just to get an uncalled for revenge. It's such a shame because I liked Yui's character in the second arc but yet again, it was already ruined by how she acted in the first arc. I'm not saying a character can't redeem themselves, Yui did do her part to earn forgiveness. The problem is that her anger and bitterness was completely misplaced and out of proportion.

I am not saying that this is a bad manga. I do think that a lot of people who like this are driven by nostalgia and I think I would have liked it a lot more had it also been one of my first manga. But after years of manga reading, this just doesn't deliver emotionally what I would expect of a good fantasy manga. The art is its strongest point, the characters are nice but they were never given the time they needed to grow. I don't think that eighteen volumes was too short, I just think that Watase priorities the wrong things over proper character and relationship development. I am not even sure what I am going to do with my copies - it's a good chunk of eighteen volumes taking up shelf space and somehow I don't see myself reading it again. Yet there's a part of me that just really wants to like this - but of course, wanting to like something and actually liking it are not the same thing. I think it will ultimately depend on how much I like its prequel Genbu Kaiden - I expect it to be a better work as it was written later and Watase has already proven in other works and in Fushigi Yuugi's second arc that she can write a properly paced story.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lots of Chichiro and Tasuki and hey, this series actually remembered Yui used to be a priestess! Awesome! Not awesome: more sexual assault, more contrived reasoning behind trying to break up Miaka and Tamahome, and honestly Mitsukake is really under appreciated in this book despite having some key moments. With the last (?) volume coming up, it'll be interesting to see how Watase wraps everything up.

[Phoebe A · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't like this volume but the ending was really really interesting!

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Today's post is on Fushigi Yûgi: The Mysterious Play, Vol. 17: The Demon by Yu Watase. It is 193 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. The cover is Miaka and Take with Suzaku behind them. It is the seventeenth in her long running series and you need to have to have read the rest of the series to understand what is going on. There is no foul language, mild sexuality and mild violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of the main character Miaka. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- An enormous explosion rocks Taka's apartment complex with Taka is inside, and as fire engulfs the building, an image of the demon god Tenko appears in the flames Could Taka have been injured in the blast, or, worse, have fallen into Tenko's clutches? When Tenko steals the four stones that Miaka has already collected, is all hope lost for the return of Taka's memories? And will Tenko's manipulation of Taka and Miaka's friends slowly drive wedges between them and ensure their defeat?


Review- So much drama in this volume from Tasuki getting mind controlled to finding the 'real' Tamahome at the end, little bit of everything happens. Taka is trying to discover if he is real or not, does Miaka really love him or is he just a shadow of Tamahome? The memory stones are gone but they may have been used to create the Tamahome that we see at the end of the volume. So much as happened in this series and I am very curious about how this is going to end and if any more characters are going to die to save both worlds.


I give this this volume a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money.

[Zennica Bunny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Volume 17 wraps up the Fushigi Yugi saga with heartfelt goodbyes, lingering drama, and just enough twists to keep me guessing. Miaka and Tamahome’s journey comes full circle, finally giving us the resolution we’ve been waiting for (and yes, it brought some tears).

It does lean heavily on nostalgia, but honestly, I didn’t mind. The emotional payoff was worth it, even if a few moments felt a bit predictable. It’s a bittersweet farewell to a series that’s been equal parts chaotic and captivating. I’d give it three out of five stars—a satisfying, if slightly familiar, finale.

[Lau · Rating 3 out of 5]

Le subo medio punto porque el capítulo final con la historia de Chichiri y la sorpresa de la última escena fueron de la calidad del primer arco. El resto es más de lo mismo, y estoy ya más que cansada de ver que intentan violar a Miaka.

Vamos que termina.

[Bee (BacchusVines) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Never did like the idea of a love triangle. :\

[✨Sky✨ ♏ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 stars

[Andrea Aguas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, this one isn't a drag. Finally getting some good action.

[Bradley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent tale. Good stuff. =)

[Lindsey Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

What?

[David Doel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why only two stars? Because this volume was as clear as mud! Both the art and the words left me dry.

[Leila Anani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing that 17 volumes in this series is still emotionally gripping with the same high level of artwork.

Tasuki and Chichiri come into their own in this one. Tasuki is influenced by another of Tenko's minions who unleashes hidden desires - He tries to steal Miaka for his own! And we get Chichiri's tragic past revealed.

Big thumbs up - two great characters given a lot more depth and I love the ideas that are playing beneath the surface of this one. We have the tragic incest of Lian and Mei - now careless puppets of Lord Tenko - OMG he's so evil.... not quite Nakago but still an excellent villain. And the whole notion of Tamahome/Taka how can he be real if he's just a character in a book - There's one amazing illustration that encapsulates this perfectly - we have Taka in a seated position and a background of random what i take to be newspaper text in the background - articles full of random facts. I just love the juxtaposition here of real & fantasy.

Love this whole series to bits.

[Veronica Ika · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Devastating Explosion
A massive explosion rocks Taka's apartment complex, throwing his safety into question. As flames engulf the building, the ominous presence of the demon god Tenko looms in the inferno, casting doubt on Taka's fate and raising fears of his potential capture.

The Loss of Hope
With Tenko's appearance and the theft of the four stones Miaka had diligently collected, despair sets in as the hope for Taka's memory restoration dwindles. As Tenko manipulates Taka and Miaka's friends, tensions rise, threatening to drive wedges between them and undermine their unity.

A Battle of Resolve
Faced with adversity and betrayal, Miaka and her allies must steel themselves for a battle against Tenko's influence. As they struggle to overcome the obstacles before them, they are forced to confront their own doubts and fears, knowing that their resolve will be tested like never before in their quest to reclaim what was lost.

[Emi G · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one is packed with drama. I knew what was in it from watching the anime and thus it took me two weeks before I could actually work up enough nerve to read it. Its so far the ONLY book I've EVER hesitated when reading. I just love the characters too much to watch them be tormented like that, particularly a certain monk.

[Emi えみ Takami 鷹見 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Remember how I said there was so much drama in Rosario + Vampire 7 that it gave me a headache to read? The same applies to this volume. Luckily, there's only 1 more volume until I can start the next spin-off series!

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite book of the series because it contains Chichiri's backstory! I still love him this second read through. This also has the best cliffhanger ending of the whole series! I can't wait to read the last one.

[Indah Threez Lestari · Rating 4 out of 5]

#Program BUBU

Pertama kali dibeli dan dibaca pada tanggal 22 April 2003.

[Tamikan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ruined it. I'm just going to pretend nothing after volume 13 is real.

Art is still pretty.

[Danyka · Rating 5 out of 5]

I watched and loved the Anime version of this since I was a kid. It also landed on my favorites.

For now, I got no plans for buying a copy.

[Galion Public Library Teens · Rating 5 out of 5]

A.J. liked "all of it" and recommends the book to "everyone."

[Rei · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5...
.-. WHAT?!
I like how Tamahome and Tasuki tease each other

[fawkes · Rating 3 out of 5]

No entiendo nada, le pongo 3 estrellas por el final pero por lo demás ugh.

[Mel · Rating 3 out of 5]

One more to go!!!

[Raechel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Will Chichiri be able to overlook the pain of the past to help his friends?