ssjakira1's Full Review: Fushigi Yugi - The Mysterious Play Special Vol. 2:...
Plot Details: This opinion reveals minor details about the movie's plot.
If you have no idea of what Fushigi Yuugi is at all, then I recommend going back and watching the series. Yes, all 52 episodes of it (hey, that’s nothing compared to other series!). If you don’t, you will have no idea of who the characters are, what they’re talking about, why they’re getting sucked into this book, where all the angst comes from, etc. etc. In short, you’ll be staring at the screen, head cocked to one side going “Huh?” Especially since this starts the continuation of the first OAV. Yeah, confusing ain’t it?
Having said that, there are 3 OAVs: the first (3 episodes) and second (6 episodes) are connected, leaving the third (4 episodes) on its own. This VHS tape is what they decided to call volume 2, though it’s really episodes 1-3 of the second OAV. Making sense yet? I know, it’s kind of weird – I really need to see the Japanese version and get it all lumped together. Makes life so much easier.
Beware, reading ahead will reveal a few spoilers from OAV #1, as these all connect.
1. Enchantment's Quickening – After sealing away Tenkou, Miaka and Yui went home. After sealing away his memories, Tamahome was reborn into Miaka’s world where they’ve met – his name is now Taka and he and Miaka are dating. Happily ever after, right? Wrong. A strange boy named Shigyou obviously knows Taka’s background – but why is he in their world? Keisuke, Tetsuya, and Taka have started a little club focused on ancient research, and now a pretty girl has joined, who believes their story about The Universe of the Four Gods a little too easily. After Miaka and Taka both get notes telling one another to meet each other on the roof, they’re attacked by classmates and end up somewhere else, meeting old friends and once again leaving Yui, Keisuke, and Tetsuya to figure things out.
2. Child of Silence – After escaping the destruction at Mt. Taikyoku, everyone is scattered back to their homes, all except Tasuki, Miaka, Taka, and Chichiri. They decide to start their search for Taka’s Jewels of Memory at Konan Palace. When they go to see Houki, Hotohori’s wife, they are shocked to see the saddest looking Hotohori trying to touch her face, but his hand goes right through her. It turns out that both Houki and Boushin, their son, haven’t spoken at all since Hotohori’s death 2 years ago. Everyone’s got a lot more problems than just that because demons just keep popping up everywhere…
3. Manifestation of Rebirth – Well, they’re back (again). The next day Taka gets attacked while on his way to check on Miaka, Tetsuya goes to Yui’s house to see her, and Keisuke goes to buy some beer. They were right to worry about that Shigyou guy because Miaka is about to meet him. And here we go again into the book… (and since when does Nuriko have another sibling?)
Right after the first episode, just like last time, I have problems with several things. First off, Yui used the power of all four Beast Gods to seal away the book, so just how is anyone able to go back into it? Guess the Beast Gods aren’t that good at granting wishes. I still would like to know how Yui was able to summon anything in the first place. Then there are the Jewels of Memory that Tamahome/Taka had his memories sealed away in to become Taka. The others just start forking them over? I thought Taiitsukun said that he couldn’t have those memories to exist in Miaka’s world, so why is he allowed to have them now? And at the end, we see who the bad guy is, and I’d like to know how he escaped and I’d also like to know that if the book was sealed, how are his lackeys getting out to do his dirty work? It’s just like suddenly all the rules surrounding that book have disappeared and people can come and go as they please and just where did that scroll come from?? And just because Tamahome doesn’t get the jewels and the bad guy does, he’ll disappear? What’s the basis for that?
*snort*
Yeah, so there are a lot of weird places in this already. There are a lot of little things that bug me, but I think the biggest problem happens to be the pacing – things just go chugging right along and you don’t get any time at all to think about what’s happened or why it happened.
On the good side, the second episode, after going, “Whoohoo!!” to Tasuki, later made me want to cry. Haha, no, really, that’s good. It was done so well, I felt so bad for Hotohori and his wife and child. I’ve always really liked Hotohori and I really was hoping that somehow he’d get the chance to come back to life. He looked so sad, it’s a really strong “awwww” inducing moment. The appearance of Nyan-Nyan and seeing her in action was a nice bit of fun too. I was hoping she’d become an interesting part of the team, but then she disappeared after episode 2.
Lastly, after each episode there isn’t a mini-story like last time, but there are still extras – they’re sort of like outtakes, or ridiculous alternate scenes. They’re not as funny as the first three, but they’re enough to make you chuckle a little, or to make you stare at the screen and think, “…What?” and then laugh because it’s weird.
The music, animation, and voices are, as usual, very well done and enjoyable. I really like the opening song "Star" by Akemi Satou, and "Yume kamo Shirenai" by The S.H.E. as the ending theme is pretty jammin’ too. Oh, and guess who I noticed? Steven J. Blum – whoohoo! He happens to be Rokou, which is sad because he’s kind of a chicken. Oh well. Yui’s hair is long, Miaka doesn’t always have her hair in those dumb buns, and I totally love Tasuki, which is why the next volume makes me bonkers (in a good way).
On a final note to parents, no nudity this time, but there are some demons and blood involved, and very mild swearing (not a whole lot at all).
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