Fushigi Yuugi

A Parent's Guide to Anime
Rated: PG
Recommended for Mature Audiences

Review by Michelle Mista:

Fushigi Yuugi is the tale about a pair of best friends named Miaka Yuuki and Yui Hongo. On a trip to the National Library in Tokyo, they encounter a book that forever changes their lives by transporting them inside the book, "The Universe of the Four Gods." The story itself plays very much like "The Neverending Story" in that it involves real people becoming characters and living within the book. Fushigi Yuugi is a wonderful story focusing on two very important things: love and friendship. However, this story may not be for younger children. Parents may want to be aware that the story, due to its nature, contains some fight scenes. While they are not overly violent, parents may want to exercise caution. But more so, a very disturbing crime plays a role in the story and parents may not want to expose their children to this. Also, there are a few characters whose gender is... a surprise, but this may not pose that large of a problem. On a lighter note, the story is very comical and presents some great values regarding love and friendship.

Parent's Guide Rating:

yellow (parental guidance advised)

The violence has been toned down quite a bit from the original series -- no one gets killed, at least not in the first three episodes. Slight swearing (the a-word is used the most) and some barely visable rear nudity in the third episode , and some adult situations. I would say this is pg-13 mostly for intense battle scenes, very slight nudity and mild profanity.

Additional review by Michelle Thatcher:

A lot has been said about this series in an earlier review, but I can't agree that this series really fits in the judgement call section. Episodes that have been released as of August '99 certainly do, however, all of this series is scheduled for release, and I feel I must add that later episodes of FY have a *great deal* of *very* explicit sexual content, as well as a *lot* of extremely disturbing violence. None of this has hit American stores yet, but it may be a mistake to get kids hooked on a series this addicting when parents may not, in good conscience, want their children watching later episodes.

Additional review by Felicia Berlanga:

(Reply to the previous comment made on this series.) I must object to saying that Fushigi Yuugi (FY) contained "a *great deal* of *very* explicit sexual content, as well as a *lot* of extremely disturbing violence." There is *nothing* in FY that would be considered "explicit sexual content." Explicit is a word associated with hentai or pronography...FY is neither. Yes, extremely disturbing sexual subjects are handled (rape, namely), but violence is only implied, never shown, and never described. And when it is mentioned, it is treated as a horrible act, not as sexy in any way. Aside from innuendo about sex between characters and some body silhouettes, there is nothing explicitly seen or heard. In FY, implications and inference is everything...not the deed or action itself. As for the violence in the show...it's a fight between a good side and a "bad" side, of course there is going to be fighting. (quotes are used due to the differing motivations of the characters) There are fight scenes throughout the series, mostly of the martial arts or magical kind. Blood is seen generally, but realistically, *not* in high-pressure founts a la Hokuto no Ken. These people are fighting for their lives and the lives of their friends and country, they are going to fight the people opposing them, sometimes fiercely. FY shows the strength gained when supporting friends and standing together, the sometimes miraculous power of love, and that sometimes the "bad guys" are only products of their environment. (This review focuses on the 52 episode TV series. The OVAs, especially 2nd series, do feature 2 instances of "graphic" nudity...particularly female frontal nudity including breasts with slight nipple coloring, and no pubic hair showing.) So, the choice is upto the parent. If your child can handle some adult situations (the innuendo and violence) then they can most likely handle this anime.

Note from the editor:

The classification for this title has changed three times. At this point, we're advising parents to be warned that there are some adult situations dealt with in this series. Pioneer has classified this series as 13-up.