Fushigi Yûgi / Mysterious Play Anime Series
(English subtitled / dubbed version)
Released by Pioneer, USA
info and image from Pioneer Animation

As you all know, Pioneer is responsible releasing Fushigi Yûgi (the anime) in the United States. Volume 1 was released on Nov 24 1998 with four episodes on the tape and the schedule seems to be one tape approximately every month with three episodes per tape from Volume 2 onwards.

Fushigi Yûgi is rated PG-13 and contains scenes and adult themes which are unsuitable for young children.

Each volume number links to Pioneer Animation's pages which contain details about the episodes in that volume, as well as, information about the price and ordering information.

Fushigi Yûgi Manga Series: English translated version
Published by Viz Communications, USA
image from America Extra

Viz releases Fushigi Yûgi in a monthly translated manga compilation entitled "Animerica Extra" along with several other series. One chapter is translated per month, which consists of about 30-35 pages, on average. The cost of the entire volume is $4.95 US or $7.50 Canadian and is available at the majority of comic stores in North America. If your local store doesn't carry it, they can easily order it in, or you can order directly from Viz. Viz will also mail order internationally, which is good for people outside of North America.

It's a nice anthology, as not only do you get larger sized pictures of your favourite seishi, but the anthology also has other good series, like X/1999 and monthly manga 'shorts,' which change with each edition. Plus, it's only about a dollar or two more than a single issue of a regular Viz comic.

One thing to note is that Viz has, like most translations of manga, reversed the reading order of the pages, so if you're used to the Japanese manga, you'll have to flip back. They've also translated Watase Yuu's side notes, which is an added bonus.

Their last issue, which came out in May '99, brings us to Chapter 8 (Miaka's evil reflection in the mirror on the way to Taiitsukun's mountain). That issue also features a beautiful Fushigi Yûgi manga picture on the front cover (cover alternates between the different series in the volume monthly).

Incidentally, there is a total of 151 chapters in 18 volumes of the original Japanese manga.

Fushigi Yuugi Gaiden
Published by Shogakukan, Japan

The newest releases from Japan are the novels, called Fushigi Yuugi Gaiden. "Gaiden" is a Japanese word which roughly translates to 'other legends' or 'traditional biography' (Tasuki no Miko's translation). Nevermind what it means... basically, each novel tells the story of at least one of the shichiseishi in the few years just before the Fushigi Yuugi storyline. That has been the trend so far, at least.

Each novel consists of about 210 pages, or which 10-15 pages are illustrations drawn by Watase Yuu and the rest consist of Japanese text. The stories are planned by Watase Yuu but the actual writing is done by Nishizaki Megumi.

So far, four novels have already been released. The titles link to the novels' respective pages on Shogakukan, which you will need a Japanese-capable browser to read the text.

Fushigi Yuugi Gaiden 1 --Genrou Den--
Published 1997/3/1 Shogakukan, ISBN4-09-420773-2
Genrou Den tells the story of Genrou, a 15-year-old bandit of Mount Reikaku who'd rather stay where he is than be Suzaku shichiseishi Tasuki.

Fushigi Yuugi Gaiden 2 --Shouryuu Den--
Published 1998/9/1 Shogakukan, ISBN4-09-420774-0
Shouryuu Den is about Ri Houjun, a guilt-ridden monk destined to be the Suzaku shichiseishi known as Chichiri.

Fushigi Yuugi Gaiden 3 --Yukiyasha Den--
Published 1999/2/8 Shogakukan, ISBN4-09-420775-9
How did Nuriko end up disguised as a woman in the imperial court of Konan? Yukiyasha Den is about Chou Ryuuen...or rather, Chou Kourin.

Fushigi Yuugi Gaiden 4 --Ryuusei Den--
Published 1999/4/23 Shogakukan, ISBN4-09-420776-7
Having lost their parents in the midst of a war, a pair of twin brothers must find a way to survive, for they are Seiryuu shichiseishi Amiboshi and Suboshi.

To obtain a copy of these novels, the best thing to do is order from a Japanese bookstore, such as Kinokuniya, if there is one near where you live. Otherwise, beg someone who does live near one to order it for you. All you need to do is provide the name of the publisher, "Shogakukan", the title of the book and the ISBN given above.

However, bear in mind that the novels are written in Japanese and neither English nor Chinese translations are likely to be published for a very long time.