FUSHIGI YUGI

Fushigi Yugi (meaning "the mysterious novel") is the manga comic by Japanese author Yu Wattase that was first published in 1992 by Shogakukan magazine. It arrived in Italy in 2001 published by Planet Manga. Thanks to the ever-increasing success of this series which is part of the shojo fantasy genre, in 1995 the anime was produced by Studio Pierrot for a total of 52 episodes lasting 25 minutes.

The story has as its protagonist Miaka, a 15-year-old girl struggling with two very difficult exams, in order to access the Jonan high school, the most prestigious in Tokyo. One day, while studying in the library, together with her beautiful and intelligent friend Yui, she comes across an old Chinese book, with a mysterious and fascinating look called Shijintenchisho, the book of the 4 deities.

The book that tells of a legendary priestess has a strange epigraph, which says that anyone who continued to read it would have been transported to that reality. The two curious girls, in contravention of that order, turn the page and suddenly find themselves catapulted into ancient China. They understand immediately, that in this era things are not going so well, as they are immediately attacked by two shady individuals, but luckily a young man named Tamahome arrives, who manages to save them. Soon after, Miaka returns to her world, but continues to think about her extraordinary adventure and that mysterious boy, so much so that she decides to write everything down in her secret diary.

Miaka's mother finds and reads the diary, but severely reproaches her daughter for living in fantasies and not fully engaging with her studies, therefore after a very heated quarrel, Miaka leaves the house to take refuge in the library and continue to "immerse" inside the magic book. Also this time Miaka is again attacked by slave traders, but Tamahome arrives once again and saves her. The girl begs the young man to be able to stay by her side and Tamahome (who loves money), jokingly accepts as long as she manages to steal the jewels from the emperor, who is passing just at that moment with his escort: a feat practically impossible! Miaka takes those words seriously and storms the carriage. The two young men are immediately stopped and locked up in prison, despite Tamahome's attempt to stop the impulsive Miaka.

Once locked up, the two manage to escape, but they must separate and Miaka is joined by the guards. She will be saved by the intervention of a very handsome boy who is actually Emperor Hotohori, who recognizes in Miaka the incarnation of the legendary priestess of the god Suzaku, the protector of his kingdom. Hotohori instructs Miaka with a very important task: she will have to find the 7 celestial warriors in order to invoke the god Suaku, to be able to express his great wish. Both Tamahome and the emperor himself are part of the order of celestial warriors, therefore, he will have to look for only 5. Meanwhile in the real world, inside the library, someone has found the book open, therefore he has closed it and put it back in its place and with it also Miaka, who has thus remained a prisoner of that reality.

Miaka just has to accept that task, actually very willingly, as she will be joined by Tamahome, with whom she is madly in love. The point of reference for his research will be the ancient book Shijintenchisho, which will help to give clues for the identification of the warriors. It is written that one of the celestial warriors has extraordinary strength, therefore they challenge many imperial soldiers to a duel, to see who has this characteristic.The 3rd celestial warrior will reveal himself not as a soldier, but as a boy of extraordinary strength, who saves Miaka and Tamahome, lifting up the ruins of a building, which were about to overwhelm them. The boy is called Nuriko and immediately shows a great friendship for Tamahome and a clear dislike for Miaka, to the point that he tries in every way to get rid of her, this because the girl enjoys the esteem (and secret love) of the emperor Hotohori. Miaka, feeling hurt, binds even more to Tamahome to the point of declaring all her love to him, but unfortunately the young man confesses that he has no feelings for her and only defends her to carry out the emperor's order. At these words Miaka faints from sorrow and in the unconsciousness of sleep calls her mother and brother. Meanwhile, Miaka's mother and her brother are desperate for his disappearance, so they ask Yui for help.

The young student feels strange sensations, feeling the same things that Miaka feels, but she still can't imagine where she is. The emperor seeing the pain of the girl decides to make her return to his world, therefore together with Tamahome and Nuriko, they go to the temple of Taiitsukun, on Mount Daikyoku. During the journey Miaka looking at herself in the mirror, she will be kidnapped by her own opposite image, the evil one who takes possession of her body and fights against the 3 celestial warriors. These can't hurt Miaka, locked in the mirror. Miaka gets rid of her evil image, getting injured and going out of the mirror, but risks dying and this pain moves to Yui, who in the real world perceives that grave danger. Thanks to the care of the 3 warriors, the girl is saved and finds herself in the home of Taiitukun, who makes her return to the real world, exchanging her with Yui, as they are tied by the same garment: the school jacket, through which they felt the same emotions.

Now it is Yui who is catapulted to the era of ancient China where she will discover that she is the priestess of the god Seiryu, enemy of the god Suzaku. Yui's character will radically change, becoming evil and cruel towards Miaka, as she too is in love with Tamahome and will become a follower of the cynical general Nakago of the kingdom of Kutoo. At this point the story becomes very interesting, as we will see a succession of scene hits and clashes, where different characters will appear, all very well characterized among which we remember: the quarrelsome Tasuki, the nice Chichiri, the nature lover Mitsukake and the intelligent Chiriko.