Though… there is quite a different approach between the main story (up to volume 13) and the sequel (vol. Romance IS supposed to make a big part of the story. As for the romance, I didn’t quite mind it. Even if it’s a fantasy, I think the best way to describe FY would be as a coming-of-age adventure, because in the first chapter Miaka is a chipper, helpless 15-year-old, but by the last volume, she’s ready to give her life for the world to be saved. My point being, the story is heart-rending and will drain you of all your tears especially in vol. She is saved by Tamahome yada yada she becomes the Priestess of Suzaku who must retrieve the seven Constellations of Suzaku to go home yada yada yada I won’t resume the whole 18 volumes here. A standard example of escapism, right? But it gets dark pretty quick, as she is assaulted by street thugs who show her no mercy. The story starts out simple: a girl studying for her high school entrance exams runs away from home due to the pressure from school and her mom and upon reading a book at the city library, she is transported into the world of the book. For that reason, I will divide this review in four parts: the plot, the characters, the artwork, and my personal thoughts on it.

Okay, so after almost three years, I’ve finally finished reading Fushigi Yugi. If you haven't read this at all, read the spoilers at your own risk! Since this is the final book in this series, this will be the only one for which I will write a full-length review, but the review appleies for all volumes.

In Chuang Yi's English-language versions of Fushigi Yugi (spelled without a macron or circumflex), her name is romanized as 'Yu Watase'. 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 October 2008, Watase began her first shōnen serialization, Arata: The Legend in Weekly Shōnen Sunday.

Because of her frequent use of beautiful male characters in her works, she is widely regarded in circles as a bishōnen manga artist. 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. She received the Shogakukan Manga Award for shōjo for Ceres, Celestial Legend in 1997. She likes all music, except heavy metal and old traditional music. She is known for her works Fushigi Yūgi, Alice 19th, Ceres: The Celestial Legend, Fushigi Yūgi Genbu Kaiden and Absolute Boyfriend.

Fushigi yuugi vizbig