dangermousie | Fushigi Yuugi Genbu Kaiden: not your mother's fairy tale

What do you get when you combine:

(1) Takiko: A 1923 Japanese school-girl fond of the naganata (a kind of spear) entering a medieval-China like world entirely inside a book in order to summon seven celestial warriors to save the country. Only the country doesn’t want her. People think she brings bad luck and the ruler of it would rather see her dead in a ditch, literally.

(2) Rimudo: The hunky angsty hero, the first celestial warrior she encounters, who is drop dead gorgeous and the son of the King. Only he is not interested in helping out in the slightest, has a chip on his shoulder the size of a continent, and his father is hunting him to off him for good. Did I mention he can use his special power only when he transforms into a girl?

(3) The chosen celestial warriors. None of whom are enthused to be helping and who in addition to the above mentioned Rimudo/Limdo (I’ve seen it spelled both ways) include such stellar characters as a sorta Golem, a hot-headed but not very effective bounty hunter, and a child serial killer of sorts.

Did I mention that Rimudo has managed to get himself hired by the bad guys. In order to hunt himself? And that when Takiko and Rimudo first met, she thought he was a girl so she stripped naked to hop into bed with him to cool down his fever? Heh.

There are chases, and assassins, and deadly peril. There is a complicated plot, and star-crossed romance and it will all end in tears.

It's part romance, part adventure and wholly cracktastic.

What is it?

It’s Fushigi Yugi: Genbu Kaiden and I just started it and I love it.

And also? The art is bloody gorgeous. Scanlations are widely available and the first five volumes are out in print in the US as well.

The kissing scene: