OVA 1--Explained

This is my attempt at explaining the unexplainable. Any suggestions on how to make my explanation more comprehensible are welcome.

It's evil, it's horrible, it's stupid, it's incomprehensible…yes, it's…OVA 1!!!! AAAAAA!!!! RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!
Seriously, though, OVA 1 isn't QUITE that bad. Well…sort of. The art work is really nice, but the plot…uh…leaves a lot to be desired. Basically, what the plot of OVA 1 does is pretend that the very ending of the last episode of Fushigi Yuugi never happened. OVA 1 takes you back to the point at which the series ended…but in a MUCH more confusing way. Bleh.
Now…to begin to explain the plot so that it actually might make a little sense. Where to begin? At the beginning is normally the best place. We'll work our way from there.

Setting the Stage
Ok, the beginning…Tamahome (let it be noted: This is TAMAHOME, not Taka. So…he still has all of his Seishi memories), Miaka, Keisuke and Tetsuya (who is now with Yui) are going to go visit the graveyard where the former Genbuu no Miko and Byakko no Miko are buried, to pay their respects. Yui is notably NOT along. It's implied by Miaka that she's been sick, and has just started getting better. They arrive at the graveyard, visit the Byakko no Miko's grave…then decide to go pay their respects to the Genbuu no Miko. At the grave of the Genbuu no Miko, Tamahome hears a mysterious voice crying for help. It is…*gasp* the spirit of the former Genbuu no Miko! She says that someone is trying to erase her…then whisks Tamahome back off into the realm of the book. Miaka is heartbroken, blah blah blah, they take her home…following me so far?

I'm going to go ahead and move a bit fast now that the setting is down. The important thing to remember is that I'm glossing over details…because details will just make everything even more confusing. So…Here go the salient points (not necessarily in the proper order).

The Genbuu no Miko Thing…And The Villain of the Show
The reason that the Genbuu no Miko is being erased is that because a new Genbuu no Miko is being made…much too soon, as well. I guess the new one is taking over the old one's place in the book. Who's the new Genbuu no Miko, you ask? It's…YUI! Yes…somehow, she's being made into the Genbuu no Miko…and that's in addition to being the Seiryuu no Miko. 'How is this possible?' You wonder. Well, remember how Nakago came to the real world during the series? Yui still had his earing, was wearing it, in fact. Now, Nakago doesn't get her…but something else uses that bridge to the real world to get to Yui, bring her into the book world, and make her the Genbuu no Miko.
Now, who is it that's messing with Yui? Remember, also in the series, that one episode where Nakago takes Yui into the shrine of Seiryuu, and tells her that he is getting help from someone OTHER than Taiitsu-kun…someone evil. This evil person type thing is called Tenkou. Tenkou is making Yui into the new Genbuu no Miko, in order to use her to take over the world, or something to that effect. You know. Normal villain stuff.

Meanwhile, Back in Reality
Where was I? Yes, Miaka is heartbroken. Keisuke and Tetsuya go in a frantic search to find the book again…only to discover that it has been supposedly burned in a fire in the library. The boys, too, are upset. Yui is upset as well. Then…

The Stuff Hits the Fan
Yui is in her room. Her eyes are glowing green. The book is in front of her…and she's sucked in. But before we go any further with that…

What the Heck's Been Happening to Poor Tama?
This is the part that people hate, because it's EXTREMELY confusing. I actually got it on the first try…but because I knew a few facts beforehand. The first, most important fact: Tomo's spirit is back, and it's possessing a host. So…don't take reality for granted. So…

THE FIRST ILLUSION: Tamahome wakes up out in the desert. He makes it in to the palace of Konan, where he's haled as a hero, since he tells everyone that he's Tamahome (which, if this were real, would be true). He is greeted by Hotohori's great grandson and finds out that all the other Seishi…the ones that survived, that is…have died of old age. He is taken to the temple of Suzaku, where they are commemorated…and tries to take a step inside. He's thrown back by a barrier…which proves that he's NOT a Suzaku Seishi (remember, that's not true. This is an illusion.) The child emporer has him whipped and thrown out. He wanders away, upset and out of sorts…He travels to Taiitsu-kun's mountain, which to him, appears to be only barren rock. While he's wandering around, screaming for Taiitsu-kun, a girl shows up, and calls him Nakago. She takes him back to a house, still calling him Nakago, which he finds VERY confusing, and downright upsetting. Then he looks in a mirror…and sees Nakago's seishi symbol glowing on his forehead. Ouch. To get him to eat, she offers to let him kill her if it'll make him feel better...so there's a major guilt trip there. She feeds him and gives him sake, which she drinks first to prove that it's not drugged...then later tries to seduce him.

THE SECOND ILLUSION: You find out that the woman is, in fact, Tomo. Scary.

THE THIRD ILLUSION: The house Tamahome is in is attacked…by the Mt Leikaku bandits, led by Kouji. Aroo? If this is in the future, when the Suzaku seishi are dead, how the heck can the bandits be there? They aren't. They're just illusions, in order to disorient Tamahome further. Tamahome tries to defend himself…and begins shooting people right and left with blue chi. When the dust settles, the only one left is Kouji…and he's not in too good of shape. Tamahome tries to explain to him…tell Kouji that it's all a misunderstanding, and that he's not Nakago. Then, Kouji says the real killer…"Blonde hair and blue eyes...that was Tamahome!" and blows himself up with a homemade bomb. Tamahome is shielded once more with the blue chi. And he's totally disoriented, upset, and heartbroken.

The Crux of the Matter
Tamahome is so upset that he goes on a drinking binge...and the chick (remember, Tomo in disguise) gives him sake laced with kodoku.

So, What's Been Happening in the Real, Non-illusiory Book World?
Not too much, really. Chichiri and Tasuki, the only Seishi left alive and in the book world, are wandering around. Chichiri feels Tamahome's presence (use the force, Chichiri!) and they go in search of him. You find out that Amiboshi, too, is still alive. He's living a nice farm life as Kaika. Suboshi's spirit comes to Amiboshi, and Amiboshi/Suboshi leave the farm.

And Now the Stuff REALLY Hits the Fan
Chichiri and Tasuki meet up with Amiboshi/Suboshi. Then, Yui appears, her eyes glowing green. With her are two (very young) Genbuu Seishi. Nakago shows up and informs Tomo that SOMEONE (namely Tomo) is distrubing his sleep.
At this point, in the real world, Miaka is sucked into the book.
The Genbuu Seishi try to attack Nakago, but Chichiri stops them by knocking them out. Nakago then destroys the earing, freeing Yui from Tenkou's thrall. At this point, Taiitsu-kun shows up, and Tomo goes running back to Tenkou, to warn him. For his trouble, Tenkou kills Tomo all over again...and then heads off to where the seishi are gathering.
Nakago tells Taiitsu-kun that he won't help them defeat Tenkou. Tenkou shows up and grabs Yui, and Nakago runs off to wherever he came from.
Suddenly, the dead Suzaku Seishi begin showing up. Why? Because the Seishi are inexorably drawn to their Miko. On cue, Miaka shows up, and she's PISSED.
Nyan Nyan makes an appearence, protect Tamahome and Miaka so that Mitsukake can try to defeat the effects of the Kodoku. Internally, Tamahome gets hysterical...and finally realizes that he is in fact Tamahome, and not Nakago, breaking the Kodoku's control on him. Tamahome is back and ready to kick some ass!
Amiboshi/Suboshi leap into action, grabbing Yui fram Tenkou, but seemingly getting mortally wounded at that time. (I hear a theory that they were healed by Mitsukake, which I like.)
Yui hears the voice of the former Genbuu no Miko, telling her to summon Genbuu...

The Gods Get Into the Act
Yui summons Genbuu, and makes her three wishes:
1) The four gods seal Tenkou.
2) The Former Genbuu no Miko is restored.
and 3) The book is sealed. Forever.
Taiitsu-kun says that Tamahome can't go back. Miaka gets hysterical, then she and Tamahome embrace for the "last time". Tamahome takes off his ring and gives it to Miaka...and Yui and Miaka are whisked away. While they are in the place between worlds, they let go of the ring, telling it to go back to where it belongs.

And in the End?
The next day, Miaka and Yui go to school. (You can tell that Miaka is depressed.) Yui suggests that they skip class...and they go to a cafe.
In the credits, you see a scene...Tamahome's memories of being Tamahome are removed and put into little globes. This allows him to be reborn on earth.
As the OVA closes, you see Yui and Miaka sitting at a table. Tamahome, now Taka (since he doesn't have his seishi memories) tucks his wedding ring (which is on a chain) into his shirt, and goes to serve them their drinks...

That's IT?
Yep, you got it. It took three incomprehensible episodes to get us back to where we left off. Bleh. But don't worry. OVA 2 is cool, and wholly understandable.