Plot: Tamahome has been reborn into Miaka’s world, but he has lost all of his memories as Tamahome and knows only his life as Taka. He meets Miaka in the real world and they start dating. Miaka seemingly knows this is Tamahome’s reborn form, but since he has no memories of that time she tries to treat him as Taka.
Trouble starts brewing at Miaka’s school. A new kid named Shigyou, intent on becoming the Student Council president, has recently enrolled. Soon after his arrival, the other kids at school start acting strangely. They corner Taka and Miaka on the roof with plans to kill them both. As one student throws Miaka off the roof, Taka jumps off to grab her. A red light appears, and just as they’re about to hit the ground, they are conveniently transported into the Universe of the Four Gods.
They soon learn that they have to retrieve Taka’s memories as Tamahome or Taka will disappear forever. Tamahome’s memories have been put into seven jewels and scattered and they have to collect all seven to restore Taka’s memories.
Breakdown: Miaka and Taka. That doesn’t sound stupid at all.
This OVA is a continuation of the first OVA, and it is a lot better than the first one. Albeit, and you probably guessed this by now, I had my problems with it.
As the plot states, the OVA is all about getting Taka’s memories of being Tamahome back. Because God knows this makes sense.
Last OVA: Tamahome can’t remain in your world as long as he remembers his life here.
This OVA: Taka can’t stay in existence for much longer unless he retrieves his lost memories.
Make up your mind.
Anyway, they have to retrieve seven jewels containing Tamahome’s memories so he can stay in existence. Evidently, the Suzaku warriors all have the jewels as Chichiri and Tasuki already had theirs, Hotohori’s is found in the palace (In his son, more specifically) and Nuriko’s is in an old crystal ball keepsake from his childhood.
I was actually interested in this for a while because I thought we’d go back through all the pasts of the remaining warriors, Hotohori, Nuriko, Chiriko, Mitsukake and Tamahome or at least get some cool episodes surrounding them. That didn’t happen.
Instead we got a really touching episode around Hotohori and his son, a semi-touching episode about Nuriko and his big brother, and a touching for 15 seconds episode about Chichiri and the best friend he “killed.” The rest is about getting Taka’s memories back and fighting Tenkou.
About halfway through the OVA series, four of Tamahome’s memory jewels get stolen and destroyed. Later Tamahome’s “real” self kindasortaishidunno appears and, oh by the way, he already got Chiriko’s and Mitsukake’s jewels, comes about and—What? Oh yeah, you remember those characters I told you about from the TV series review that always get pushed to the side and ignored? Yeah, well instead of building any stories for them (or building any story whatsoever for Chiriko) when they find their respective memory jewel, Tenkou just blurts out that he already got Chiriko’s and Mitsukake’s memory jewels for ‘Tamahome’.
Oh well, at least Mitsukake got to save Tasuki’s life and Chiriko at least tried to do something. *sigh*
Back to the story, the Tamahome thing is bugging me. In the next to last episode, Tamahome comes back. He seems like the real Tamahome and claims Taka is nothing but a shadow of him. This seems right, I mean, that is why Taka’s disappearing right? This is insanely confusing, because Tenkou and the others act like Tamahome’s possessed or he’s another completely different person just turned evil now because he was jealous of Taka.
From Chichiri’s episode, I’d bank on the latter. His best friend came back to life, but was renamed something different since he was a god now. Senki, I believe? Tamahome’s ‘name’ was Yousui. Chichiri’s friend was still his friend, but he had just turned vengeful and spiteful since Chichiri killed him. Besides, the memory jewels were able to be absorbed into him, he was obsessed with making Miaka his and was broken to shreds over killing her.
If that is true, they just screwed up badly. Tamahome would never get that possessive or jealous over someone who is essentially himself. It only makes sense that Miaka would be attached to someone who is supposedly Tamahome’s reborn self.
And what was up with all of the Suzaku Seven and Keisuke telling Taka not to give up on Miaka? What the hell do you want him to do? He’s A) a shadow, B) going to vanish soon and C) it would just cause Miaka insane levels confusion if both were vying for her heart since they’re both the same person. You’ve known Taka all of a couple weeks, Tamahome was your friend for ages – way to stick by your buddy.
Moving on, hold onto your tempers, because there’s another addition to the Miaka love shape. Tasuki starts showing feelings for her too. Way to ruin his character. It starts by giving her mouth the mouth resuscitation after she almost drowned, but as episodes go by you see him getting more and more jealous of Taka and more caring for Miaka.
After getting doused with Chichiri’s friend’s mystical water to bring out the evil in him, Tasuki knocks out Taka, gets Miaka drunk and tries to rape her. (Fushigi Yuugi: If your name’s Miaka, bring a rape whistle.) And even though he was under a spell, I honestly can’t look at him the same way anymore. He redeemed himself later after regaining control over his actions, but come on. If a rapist is lying somewhere deep inside Tasuki I just don’t know what to think anymore.
Despite all of that, this OVA was very enjoyable, and the ending was very satisfying. Miaka and Tamahom–…Taka’s relationship isn’t nearly as annoying this time around. In fact, sometimes it was rather sweet without being too mushy. I do have to admit, though. Her yelling TAKA! is about 100x more annoying than her yelling TAMAHOME! I never found much of a point in continuing the series, but as long as the ending was good, I have no qualms.
Or I wouldn’t have any qualms if there wasn’t another OVA. I mean, come on. That was as perfect an ending as you can get, why do another OVA?
Oh and, by the way, the next OVA is of the worst anime I’ve ever seen. And…..she’s in it. Dun dun dunnnnnnnnnnnnnnn.
Bonus!: At the end of each episode there’s a segment called “Mysterious Play-ing Around” It is a series of three short segments of the episode it follows, but they’re spoofed in some way. For instance, the first MPA is a spoof of the scene where Taka jumps off the roof to save Miaka. Instead of grabbing her, though, he clings to the railing and claims he’s afraid of heights as Miaka falls and calls him a jerk. Some of these were pretty funny and I LOVED the second one from the last episode, that was hilarious. However, they’re not as funny as the hot springs shorts.
Art and Animation: Better than the TV series and the first OVA. Still not fantastic though.
Music: I have no qualms with it, for once. At least they ditched the idea of making a beat synced outro, though. I guess if I had one issue with all of the ending themes for Fushigi Yuugi it’s that the intro for it is too long. They spend like 30 seconds just staring at each other as something happens with no one talking and music plays, then the credits roll.
Bottom Line: It’s more enjoyable than the previous OVA, but it tarnishes some of the characters. It has a better villain than the TV series, and some episodes are truly touching, but if you’re nitpicky, like me, you may be left feeling a little hollow.
It does make for a better ending to the series than the TV series ending did, though.
Additional Information and Notes: The OVAs (the first two anyway) don’t differentiate in their information from the regular TV series outside of their episode number and year.
Episodes: 6
Year: 1997-98
Recommended Audience: Nudity, attempted rape, some violence, sex scene, but it’s nothing graphic, in fact, if it wasn’t for the dialogue of them “becoming one” in body I never would’ve guessed they were doing it until after I saw them naked in bed together (Covered by a sheet) implications of incest.
15+
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The Anime Madhouse 
I didn’t realize Fushigi Yugi got this wacky and absurd. Dang!
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