fushigi yuugi
"Fushigi Yuugi" is Yu Watase-sensei's seventh manga. She first came up with the concept as a senior in high school while looking through some books on mythology. There, she read about the constellation and the four beast Gods. Despite it's early conception, "Fushigi Yuugi" wasn't actually introduced to readers until 1992. This series was not only incredibly breathtaking and popular in Japan, but it delivered Watase-sensei to international fame.
It's the story of fifteen-year-old Miaka Yuuki, an average Japanese junior high school student; she's lazy, airheaded and has an appetite that could feed a small nation. One day, Miaka and her more school-adept best friend Yui go to the national library. While there, they discover an old book written in ancient Chinese called the Universe of the Four Gods. After reading it, they're pulled into a new, strange world where they meet an attractive young man with the symbol for the word "ogre" written on his forehead. Yui's brought back to modern day Japan, but Miaka remains in this new world. Soon, she meets the beautiful emperor Hotohori as well. He explains to her that she must be the legendary Suzaku no Miko (Priestess of Suzaku), a girl from another world fated to save this new world. If she agrees to become the Miko, she will be granted three wishes from the beast God, Suzaku. Now Miaka must venture through Konan, a replica of ancient China, to find the Suzaku Seishi, seven warriors who are destined to protect the Miko. Luckily, she's already found two - the young man with the ogre symbol, named Tamahome, and the lovely ruler Hotohori. Two down, five to go...

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