ssjakira1's Full Review: Fushigi Yugi: The Mysterious Play Vol. 6 - Dark Re...
Plot Details: This opinion reveals minor details about the movie's plot.
Yeah, I couldn't handle any more articles about postmodernism or I was going to go absolutely insane. So I quit and turned on some Fushigi Yuugi. Ah, sweet relief.
Watase Yuu is responsible for this girls’ anime, though I’m not familiar with anything else she’s done the way I am with a few other creators. But if you like you can look her up on the internet and see if there’s anything else you’d be interested in. Now that we’re in Volume 6, you’re really going to have to go back and check out Volume 1 because this series is one you really do need to see from the beginning. All the events are based upon things that have come before and you wouldn’t have any idea where you are, who you’re looking at, and what is going on. Besides, you’re really going to spoil things if you read on, unless you don’t mind.
Before Now: Miaka Yuuki is a 15-year-old schoolgirl who discovers an old book called Universe of the Four Gods after following a mysterious bird. She and her friend Yui are both eventually sucked into it and have become characters in the book, which Miaka’s brother Keisuke is now reading. Miaka has since met the protective Tamahome, near-perfect Emperor Hotohori, cross-dressing Nuriko, fox-like Chichiri, brash Tasuki, and formidable Mitsukake in the land of Konan. All five are chosen protectors of the Priestess of Suzaku; the Suzaku Seven. Yui has since met up with Nakago, a strange foreign general of the land of Kutou, who also happens to be one of the Seiryu Seven – giving Yui the title of Priestess of Seiryu. But is Miaka up to being the Priestess? Does that make her and Yui enemies? How can they get out of this book?
Right, let’s take a look see at the next three episodes that are in this volume. However, since each episode slips right into the next one, the info I give you is going to be pretty basic, seeing as I don’t like dishing out spoilers.
Episode 17: What? The seventh Suzaku warrior? Wow, that was easy. Still, if you pay any attention to the opening credits, you’ll notice a little something…
Episode 18: Yui has freakin’ issues, okay? I guess after what’s happened I can understand…sort of. Okay, no, not really. Geez Tamahome, could you have been any more obvious in your escape plans? What kind of outcome did you expect acting like that?
Episode 19: No, ok, really, the way Yui is acting, I don’t feel sorry for her. But then if I were Miaka I wouldn’t be so passive towards her. Hey, Tamahome, there you are! You look hot in that uniform – OW!
So the music within the show is a little older, some saxophone for tender moments, which is amusing, and then there’s the opening and closing songs. They’re pretty good and can get stuck in your head – I was just humming one of them today. They’re both pretty upbeat and it’s hard for me to say which one I prefer. I like that little music box song they’ve got going on in episode 19 too (which was playing in an earlier episode as well).
Animation still = goodness. As usual, all the voices encountered before are the same and I’m enjoying/accustomed to them. Miaka was pretty good in episode 19 too, getting all frantic like that, props to her. Nakago is definitely not a nice person, but I wonder – does he have the hots for Yui? But she’s too busy being stuck on Tamahome…forget that nonsense. Tasuki is pretty enjoyable, though if he gets really excited his voice jumps up to a higher pitch that doesn’t quite seem to work, but otherwise he’s gained the seal of approval. I almost wonder if it’s the same guy doing Chichiri. As for Mitsukake, I’m getting used to him as well, though there isn’t much to debate. I was right when I said last time that I was familiar with the voice – it made me first think of Jet from Cowboy Bebop, but I knew that wasn’t quite right so I went looking around and was right – Richard Epcar who does Batou of Ghost in the Shell (the original and the newest series), among other things. Kinda interesting because the guy in the picture doesn’t look like he’d have that voice at all.
There are times during the story when things are in the middle of being serious and something comedic happens. I suppose to keep things light, but sometimes it’s a bit awkward and unnecessary. I guess it’s because of the age group this anime sort of aims for, but it can be a bit annoying and sort of ruins the mood. Like Miaka going after food when she’s supposed to be looking for Tamahome, I mean, honestly! But I’ll forgive the part concerning Mitsukake’s cat in episode 19 because that was pretty darn funny. The story is progressing along at a rather steady pace, and has some interesting side stories, which is nice. It gives a little variety and keeps things from being too linear (because that can sometimes be boring).
A brief warning for all you parents out there – I don’t know what you allow your child to see and not see, so I’ll just point out that there is a tiny bit of swearing, violence (including some blood and death), a bit of nudity, some sexual content, and a bit of cross-dressing (though Nuriko isn’t wearing a dress anymore) and mistaken identities (Miaka feels she has to keep making sure a pretty woman is actually a woman). So really, it’s up to you. I’m sure a 15-year-old can handle it (Miaka is 15 and Tamahome 17), but that’s not up to me.
There are 52 episodes on a total of 16 volumes, and things are getting quite interesting. But I’m starting to wonder, if I’m only on episode 16 and there are 36 more to go – what on earth is going to happen because they’re just a point where I can’t think of anything… Either way, I’m glad I’m borrowing these, because I’m too cheap to shell out that much cash. Besides, I’d get the DVD versions anyway just to get my hands on the subtitled version. I like to compare.
Volume 6:
17. Magic Flute
18. Love Trap
19. Shattered Love
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