|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||
 |
||||||
|
|
Reviewed by Ysabet Reinhardt MacFarlane Yuu Watase's work has never really clicked for me before, and I always figured I'd given her a decent shot, having read both Absolute Boyfriend and Alice 19th. But I'd never tried Fushigi Yûgi, which is arguably her most beloved work; partly that's because I cut my anime-geek teeth on Sailormoon, a fandom in which complaints about Usagi being a crybaby were frequently answered with, "At least she's not as bad as Miaka in FY!" Despite that vague and negative impression, I always figured I'd give Fushigi Yûgi a shot if it crossed my path, but it never did. So when vol. 7 of Fushigi Yûgi: Genbu Kaiden arrived in a package of review copies, and I found that my library had the rest of the series, I got hold of the entire thing and sat down expecting it to be a decent enough read that didn't blow me away. What I discovered is that, while Watase still isn't one of my favorite manga-ka, I enjoyed this much more than either of her other series that I've tried. Genbu Kaiden is a prequel series to the original Fushigi Yûgi, and I gather from the author's notes that readers who're familiar with the original series will already have some idea of where this story is going. The plot has some predictable elements, but not enough to detract from the enjoyment of reading the story. In brief: Takiko, an ordinary girl from early 20th century Japan, is pulled into a book called The Universe of the Four Gods, which her father translated into Japanese in hopes of using its wish-granting power to save Takiko's mother's life. In the world inside the book, Takiko discovers that she is the Priestess of Genbu, and that she has to find the seven Celestial Warriors in order to fulfill her destiny--which she hopes will grant her the power to bring her mother back to life. Along the way, she falls in love with Limdo/Uruki, who is both one of the Celestial Warriors and an outcast prince who wants to kill his father. Volume 7 opens just after Takiko and her companions have learned that the power of the seventh Celestial Warrior is divided between twin brothers: Hagus, who's been their enemy from the beginning, and Teg, who's been held captive for years. Takiko and Soren, Limdo's manservant, are almost immediately taken captive and brought into enemy territory, a journey which gives Takiko the chance to learn more about the world she's found herself in, as well as about Limdo's past. Quite a lot happens in this volume, which is at that exciting spot in a series where most of the major players have been revealed and the action is well underway. I'm very curious to see what happens next; these are interesting characters in a complex political climate, and Watase has a nice sense of pacing. On top of that, the artwork is very pretty without being too cluttered, and VIZ's presentation is excellent. I may just have to go back and check out the original Fushigi Yûgi to see how it compares. Review copy provided by VIZ Media. Interested in writing for MangaLife? We're always looking for talented reviewers and columnists, so drop us a line! Charles Webb Editor-in-Chief, MangaLife.com |
1 September 2010
|
||||
 |
| home | reviews | news | features | about us | advertise | privacy policy | contact us |
