Fushigi Yugi: Genbu Kaiden by Yuu Watase

Title: Fushigi Yugi: Genbu Kaiden

Mangaka: Yuu Watase

Age Group: Older Teens

Series is: Ongoing with 9 volumes

Volume(s) Reviewing: 1-2

My Rating: 4/5

In 1923, Takiko Okuda is angry at her father for being away so long while her mother is ill. When he came back, he brought along the text of "The Universe of the Four Gods", which he is translating. Working feverishly to finish the translation, his wife died during the meantime. Angry, Takiko attempts to rip his book apart, only to get sucked into it! Waking up in another realm, she turns out to be the Priestess of Genbu. In order to return to her own world, she must find the seven Celestial Warriors so the god Genbu could be summoned to save the country at war. Will she be able to complete her journey and go back to her own world?

Older manga and anime fans would likely have heard of Fushigi Yugi (the original series that the mangaka worked on during the 90s). Fushigi Yugi: Genbu Kaiden is the prequel to it (even though it is created 14 years after). One would be quick to recognize Yuu Watase's style, in art and writing. Her art has changed quite over the years and I definitely prefer her current style. It is more sharp and concise, compared to nearly two decades ago.

I think Takiko is a better protagonist compared to Miaka (Fushigi Yugi's protagonist). She has a sense of pride and handles her problems much better in comparison. She knows how to fight and is willing to defend herself, rather than waiting for someone to save her. Uruki is the first person who she encounters after she entered this new world. Uruki has the ability to become a woman with his powers, so it sure shocked the hell out of Takiko! He does have an interesting background that leads him to where he is today though.

The second volume doesn't hesitate to introduce a new wave of characters, not slowing down on the action for one bit. You can tell the characters are parallel to Fushigi Yugi's characters by the role they play (ex. villain) and their distinct personalities and quirks.

So far, I enjoyed the first two volumes of Fushigi Yugi: Genbu Kaiden. I highly recommend this one to be a read for Yuu Watase's fans. Be sure to check it out even if you are not familiar with the mangaka's works. Even if you haven't read the original series, you wouldn't be confused going into Fushigi Yugi: Genbu Kaiden because the stories are unrelated to each other except for the main plot idea.

Bookmooched copies from Rachel.