Character of fushigi yuugi
Miaka Yūki[edit]
Voiced by: Kae Araki (Japanese), Bridget Hoffman (English)
Miaka Yūki (夕城 美朱 Yūki Miaka?), the primary protagonist in Fushigi Yûgi, an ordinary 15-year-old junior high schoolstudent, initially decides to become the Priestess of Suzaku (Suzaku no Miko) in order to use one of the wishes she will receive when she summons Suzaku: she plans to enter the high school of her choice and be with her friend Yui.
Miaka falls in love with Tamahome: this motivates Miaka to gather the seven Celestial Warriors of Suzaku and summon the god Suzaku Seikun. Though Miaka's final wish as the Priestess of Suzaku had been for her and Tamahome to remain together forever, she chooses instead to ask Suzaku to save "this world" (Miaka's world after being destroyed by the battle between Seiryuu and Suzaku) and restore it to the way it was. Her warriors are shocked and even comment on how "so completely selfless" it is. Tamahome is then forced to return to his own world because of it. However, when Miaka enters high school, she meets Taka Sukunami who is Tamahome's reincarnation and shows her the wedding ring she gave him. In Fushigi Yugi Eikoden, they are married. She is the victim of Mayo(a younger student)'s jealousy because she is the receiver of Taka's feelings. When she becomes pregnant Mayo enters the book to change the course of the story, causing Miaka to fall unconscious. Knowing that the world in the book is in danger, Miaka sends her unborn daughter into Mayo as a chance to connect with and save that world. When the false Suzaku is summoned, she uses her connection to seal him away and give Taka the strength to defeat him. Soon after, the conflict is resolved and she wakes up in her own world with Taka by her side. She later gives birth to their daughter, whom she names Hikari.
Outgoing and optimistic, Miaka shows herself amiable with friends and strangers, and has a tendency to be guileless and sentimental. She is naïve, but sometimes surprises adults with an insightful comment. Miaka is generous and cares greatly for other people and perceives herself to be a considerate person. She can be unassuming and unsophisticated, but also magnanimous and courageous. Because she creates the impression of a person who always needs help, Miaka has the good fortune of almost always having someone looking after her.
Miaka has a primary weakness: her gluttony. She eats constantly and has an interest in any type of food. She is an avid fan of anime, imitating several characters during the course of the story.[1]
Tamahome[edit]
Voiced by: Hikaru Midorikawa (Japanese), David Hayter (English)
Tamahome (鬼宿?), the first of the seven Celestial Warriors of Suzaku whom Miaka meets, comes into the story when he saves Miaka and Yui from slave-traders. Born in the Hokkan (Bei-Jiang) Village of the Juusou (Shou-Shuang) Prefecture of Konan (Hong-nan) as the eldest son of a large family, he is seventeen years old. His true name is Kishuku Sou (琮 鬼宿 Sō Kishuku?, Cóng Guǐxiù), based on the star Demon (鬼).
Tamahome appears to be the strongest member of the Suzaku warriors. An adept martial artist, proficient unarmed and with weapons, he proves a good street-fighter and can channel his chi into energy-blasts. When emotionally motivated, he is able to use his chi to increase his strength, speed, and reflexes in combat. Tamahome is also experienced in fencing thanks to being trained by Tokaki.
Initially, the story portrays Tamahome as a greedy young man obsessed with money, interested in helping others only if it means getting paid for it later. It is eventually revealed that his interest in accumulating money derives from trying to support his family. He comes across as cheerful, vain, and comic, but is actually shy and emotionally strong. Throughout the series, he demonstrates himself to be a sincere young man who is willing to sacrifice himself for the sake of others and unwilling to back down from enemies. In the 7th volume, his family is massacred by Suboshi.
While he initially rejects Miaka's feelings for him, he comes to reciprocate, realizing all along how deeply his feelings for her had been. They develop a strong romantic relationship to the point where Tamahome is able to sense Miaka whenever she calls for him. Though it is Miaka's wish for them to be together, it is a wish that Suzaku cannot grant; thus, Miaka uses her final wish to restore The Universe of Four Gods and the two are separated when Miaka returns to her own world. However, after Miaka's junior high school graduation, she is introduced to a new classmate of her older brother. Tamahome comes back as Taka Sukunami, showing the ring that symbolizes his marriage to Miaka. In Fushigi Yugi Eikoden, he is married to her and they have a daughter named Hikari.
Taka Sukunami[edit]
Voiced by: Hikaru Midorikawa (Japanese), David Hayter (TV & OVAs), Dave Wittenberg (Eikoden) (English)
Taka Sukunami (宿南 魏 Sukunami Taka?) is the real world reincarnate of Suzaku warrior Tamahome, though his life was brought into existence with him remaining the same age he was in The Universe of Four Gods. His family runs a farm in the countryside. In Fushigi Yugi Eikuden, he is Miaka's husband and the father of her child, Hikari.
Miaka Yūki meets Taka at Café Paradox roughly a month after concluding the summoning of Suzaku. He is introduced to Miaka by her older brother as a classmate of his. As Tamahome's incarnation in the real world, he is very protective of Miaka and loves her deeply, coming to her aid whenever she needs him. Taka has limited memories of being Tamahome as his reincarnation into Miaka's world required those memories to be forgotten. When he meets Miaka he reveals what memories he has retained in his past life, involving being one of seven warriors destined to protect a young girl who would save his world from destruction and that his name in that past life was Tamahome.
Suzaku later appears to inform Miaka of a demon god's plot to destroy the world within the book; as the priestess, Miaka feels obligated to protect her Celestial Warriors and Konan. Additionally, Suzaku reveals that the source of its power had been the strong love between Miaka and Tamahome; because of that love, Suzaku was able to create Taka, a version of Tamahome who could exist in Miaka's world. However, Tenkō, the demon god, realized that Suzaku's powers were weaker in the real world and attempts to usurp the powers of heaven and destroy it. In order to stop Tenkou, Tamahome's memories, embodied as seven stones, needed to be recovered and placed back into Taka to restore Suzaku's powers.
Tenkō manipulates Suzaku's story, convincing Taka that he is only a shadow of Tamahome and that he will disappear if he cannot claim Tamahome's memories as his own. The memories, in the form of different colored jewel spheres, are actually just memories and nothing more. It is revealed that Taka is not a shadow, but is, in fact, Tamahome.[2]
Hotohori[edit]
Voiced by: Takehito Koyasu (Japanese), Kirk Thornton (English)
Hotohori (星宿?), the fourth Emperor of Kōnan, Emperor Cai Pi (彩賁帝 Saihitei?) has a reputation for his beauty and hisnarcissism. Eighteen years old, he was born in Eiyou (Rong-Yang), the capital city of the Konan Empire, on April 2. As one of the Celestial Warriors of Suzaku, he can summon a sword; as such he is a powerful swordsman and has been additionally trained in martial arts since childhood. His birth name is Xing-shu (星宿 Seishuku?, xīngxiù) based on the star Star (星).
Hotohori first hears of the Priestess of Suzaku at a young age and comes to believe that the priestess would become his true love and the one who would love him for himself instead of his title. Upon meeting Miaka, he falls in love with her and becomes willing to do anything for her sake. As such, he becomes a rival to Tamahome for Miaka's affection, but eventually concedes when he realizes that Miaka will only ever love Tamahome. Hotohori eventually marries a woman named Houki, who some believe bears a striking resemblance to Nuriko. He is killed by Nakago during the battle between Konan and Kutō, leaving Houki pregnant with his son Boushin.
Raised with little warmth, Hotohori appears cold, reserved, and harsh, particularly when acting as the Emperor of Konan, but actually shows himself as a warm, peace-loving and gentle person. Known as a responsible ruler and capable of dealing with political affairs, Hotohori often places the well-being of his subjects first and forgets his own needs in the process. However, Hotohori has limited understanding of the world as a result of being raised in a sheltered environment. After meeting Miaka and the other Celestial Warriors of Suzaku, he is gradually able to act as himself and finds true friends.
In Fushigi Yûgi Eikoden, a young boy named Shu Eian, who often visits a local cemetery, emerges as Hotohori's reincarnation (as a commoner, as he had always wished). During the assembly of the Suzaku Celestial Warriors he returns last, despite Nuriko's threat to kill him with his sword when he doesn't come out.
Nuriko[edit]
Voiced by: Chika Sakamoto (Japanese), Mary Elizabeth McGlynn (English)
Nuriko (柳宿?) first appears disguised as "Kang-Lin" (Japanese pronunciation: "Kōrin") in Emperor Hotohori's harem, which Hotohori never visits except to welcome new maidens. "Kang-lin" was in fact Nuriko's younger sister, who died at a young age; he began behaving and dressing like her to keep her memory alive. Born in Eiyō, the capital of Konan, Nuriko possesses superhuman strength; Taiitsukun later grants him a pair of bracelets that transform into strength-increasing armbands. He is 18 years old. His true name is Ryuuen Chou (迢 柳娟 Chō Ryūen?, Tiáo Liǔjuān), based on the star Willow (柳).
While prone to jealousy, quick to anger, and possessing a calculating tendency, Nuriko is very level-headed and compassionate and shows the most concern regarding Miaka and Tamahome's relationship. As a "woman", Nuriko is infatuated with his fellow warrior, Hotohori, but as a man, he also loves Miaka Yūki. While initially jealous of Hotohori's love for Miaka, Nuriko and Miaka become close friends. He is also close friends with Tamahome, despite their frequent bickering and arguing, which usually results with him comically beating up Tamahome. After Nuriko comes to terms with the fact that his cross-dressing resulted from the unyielding pain of losing his sister Kourin, he concludes that he had been trying to live his life as Kourin would have, not as he would have. This revelation allows him to finally allow himself to experience life as a man. He cuts his hair, which once hung down to his waist in a braid, and admits to Tamahome that he loves Miaka as more than a friend. While he maintains his feelings for Hotohori, Nuriko eventually chooses to stop dressing as a woman in order to better protect Miaka. Throughout the rest of the series, even after his death at the hands of Ashitare (one of the Seiryū-seishi), the friendship between Nuriko and Miaka remains strong. Nuriko is the first of the seven Suzaku warriors to die.
In Fushigi Yûgi Eikoden, Nuriko was "reborn" at a local marketplace as a young girl named Ko Reishun. She also steals the magic ball Tasuki has, and breaks it. Despite the young girl's size, she is able to lift a heavy rock much like Nuriko, revealing that she is indeed Nuriko's reincarnation.
Chichiri[edit]
Voiced by: Tomokazu Seki (Japanese), Randy McPherson (English)
Chichiri (井宿?), a wandering monk, has trained for several years with Taiitsukun, the creator. A 24-year-old native of a village on the Shōryū River (near the northern Kōnan-Kutō border), he variously wields a shakujō staff, kasa hat, and kesa mantle to fight and employs various magical techniques taught by Taiitsukun, the first of which was the ability to form a barrier around himself. His true name is Houjun Ri (李 芳准 Ri Hōjun?, Lǐ Fāngzhǔn), born under the star Well (井).
As the oldest and wisest of all of the Suzaku warriors, Chichiri thinks of himself as the older brother who looks after them all. Appearing superficially light-hearted, he can put on super deformed 'chibi' frivolity or suddenly become very serious and grim. While Tamahome and Hotohori are the obvious leaders, Chichiri is the ever-staunch advisor and supporter from behind the scenes, always willing to help when needed. Unconcerned with his own mortality or with earthly desires, he has a Zen master's detached attitude. He habitually ends many sentences with the emphatic phrase "no da", translated as "ya know" in the anime's English version.
When he first appears, Chichiri constantly wears a smile on his face, though he later accounts for his face as a mask with features he can move on reflex in order to make it resemble a natural face. His true face resembles his mask, save that one eye has been scarred by an injury across his forehead. When he was eighteen, Chichiri had been engaged to be married; after his best friend stole a kiss from his fiancée, she called off their betrothal. Chichiri was enraged at the betrayal and the two men began to fight. While they were fighting, a heavy rainstorm caused the Shoryuu River flooded their home village. Most of the inhabitants were drowned, including Chichiri's family and his fiancee. His friend fell into the rushing water and Chichiri attempted to rescue him, but a nearby log smashed into Chichiri's eye and gouged it out, resulting in the scar on his face. Chichiri did not know this but, his friend survived, but resentfully believes that Chichiri had abandoned him to die. When they meet again, this mistaken resentment causes him to resume the old battle, but ends when the story behind the dreadful scar is revealed.
At the end of the series, only he, Tamahome, and Tasuki of all the Suzaku Celestial Warriors remain alive in "The Universe of the Four Gods".
Tasuki[edit]
Voiced by: Nobutoshi Hayashi (Japanese), Daran Norris (English)Tasuki (翼宿?) formerly led the Mount Reikaku bandits.
Extremely quick and agile, he particularly enjoys joking around with Nuriko, Tamahome, and Chichiri. He is 17 years old and was born in the town of Tai-Tou in the Ko prefecture, at the foot of Mount Reikaku. His true name is Shun'u Kou (侯 俊宇 Kō Shun'u?), born under the star Wings (翼). Tasuki's primary weapon is a flame throwing Tessen, an iron fan used for fighting which is eventually upgraded to become a diamond fan that could only be used by Tasuki. The technique he uses is Rekka Shinen (烈火神焔?, lit. "Raging Fire, Sacred Flames"). Additionally, he is skilled in judo, archery, swordsmanship, and is briefly capable of using ofuda. As a Celestial Warrior, he possesses superhuman speed and known as Genrou or Huang-Lang (幻狼|"Phantom Wolf") because of his wolf-like appearance.
At a young age Tasuki found his calling as a bandit when Hakurō, the chief bandit of Mount Reikaku, took him under his wing. He began to improve his martial arts abilities in hopes of living up to and carrying on the role of his mentor.[3] He and fellow bandit Kōji eventually master the use of an iron fan in combat. Tasuki first meets Miaka when he kidnaps her in order to regain his rightful place as the leader of Mount Reikaku's bandits. He eventually joins her in order to help the other Celestial Warriors on their quest, reluctantly leaving Kōji as the leader of the bandits of Mount Reikaku.
Straightforward, simple-minded, and quick to pick a fight, Tasuki also has a strong sense of honor. Though he appears utterly blunt, vulgar, and loud, he is sentimental and easily becomes emotional. He provides a frequent source of comic relief in the series: he enjoys joking around. Tasuki values his friends greatly and will not hesitate to kill those who would try to endanger them or make fun of them in any way. Despite being rough around the edges, Tasuki shares a particularly strong relationship with Chiriko. Tasuki, as the youngest child and only son of a family with five older sisters, an aggressive mother, and timid father, happily accepts the role of an older brother figure to Chiriko, who looks up to him and strives to become a "manly man" like Tasuki. Of all the Suzaku Celestial Warriors, he takes the deaths of his comrades the hardest and openly cries for them. A running joke in the series is that Tasuki is afraid to swim, claiming that it is because he is a "man of the mountains", though on several occasions he is able to instinctively tread water and finds unusual means of compensating for his weakness. He also hates milk, due to the fact that his overly-endowed mother almost smothered him as an infant.
As the youngest and only son in a family with strong females and a weak father, Tasuki claims to hate women. He seems to have special feelings for Miaka.
At the end of the series, he and Chichiri remain the only living Suzaku Celestial Warriors in "The Universe of the Four Gods".
Mitsukake[edit]
Voiced by: Koji Ishii (Japanese), Richard Epcar (English)
Mitsukake (軫宿?) is the healer of Suzaku's warriors. He is soft-spoken and one of the most serious of the Suzaku Celestial Warriors. He is 22 years old and was born in Sōen Village, near Chōkō of northern part of Kōnan. His true name is Juan Myō(妙 寿安 Myou Juan?), born the star Chariot (軫). Mitsukake's fighting abilities are limited to his own strength, but as a Celestial Warrior, he possesses incredible healing powers at the cost of exchanging some of his own life force. He uses this ability frequently to heal minor injuries, but after healing life-threatening injuries, Mitsukake requires an entire day to regenerate his life force. His cat Tama is the unofficial mascot of the Suzaku Celestial Warriors and, after Mitsukake's death, becomes Chichiri's pet.
The son of a country doctor, he put his natural talents to work and often would help his father with his rounds. His father eventually died attempting to save villagers close to a flooding river during the same storm that claimed the lives of Chichiri's loved ones. Mitsukake shows utter devotion to healing; however after the death of Shōka, the daughter of the local nobleman who he was in love with, Mitsukake gave up medicine and dedicated all of his time and energy into finding a miracle herb that could cure any illness. It was during this reclusive stage that Miaka and the others find him, and managed to get him to join them with little persuasion. However, he continues to cherish the memory of the late Shōka.
Despite his expressionless appearance and tendency to remain silent, Mitsukake is a kind-hearted and calm man who seems aloof, but is actually shy and does not know how to be more outgoing. He is especially kind to the weak, elderly, the sickly, and children, as well as animals. During the battle between Konan and Kutō, he is severely wounded by Nakago. Mitsukake subsequently dies exhausting all his energy to save the life of a child who is later revealed to be the reincarnation of his beloved, as well as all the soldiers who had been wounded during the battle.
In Fushigi Yûgi Eikoden, he is revived as a young boy who is not convinced that he is Mitsukake and stays to protect the reincarnated Shōka.
Chiriko[edit]
Voiced by: Tomoko Kawakami (Japanese), Lenore Zann (English)
Chiriko (張宿?) is the youngest and the genius among the seven Celestial Warriors of Suzaku. Born in Jozen in western Kōnan, Chiriko is revealed to be studying for an examination to become a government official during his first appearance. Aside from his incredible intelligence, Chiriko also employs a leaf whistle against his opponents. He is thirteen years old. His true name is Doukon Ou (王 道煇 Ō Dōkon?), born the star Extended Net (張).
Chiriko's intelligence actually derives from his role as a Celestial Warrior and when his character disappears, he becomes a rather average child with limited intelligence. This limitation on his powers alongside being the youngest and physically weakest in the group is a source of frustration for Chiriko. He is particularly sensitive about his height and his peculiar intelligence and strives towards becoming a "man of strength", but is otherwise a quiet and good-natured student. Since a very young age, Chiriko has held a strong interest in research and has amassed a great deal of knowledge through books and study.
Though somewhat unusual, Chiriko develops a strong relationship with Tasuki, who happily accepts the role of an older brother figure to Chiriko and is particularly devastated when Chiriko dies. The youngest Celestial Warrior's death comes when his body is possessed by Seiryū Celestial Warrior Miboshi. After regaining control of his body, Chiriko stabs himself, taking Miboshi with him in death.
In Fushigi Yûgi Eikoden, Chiriko is revived as Gakuren, a child of a politician. Despite being still an infant, he is capable of speech and is the only character to remember who he is in the first place, but has to fully revive quickly or will be reborn as a normal boy.
Voiced by: Kae Araki (Japanese), Bridget Hoffman (English)
Miaka Yūki (夕城 美朱 Yūki Miaka?), the primary protagonist in Fushigi Yûgi, an ordinary 15-year-old junior high schoolstudent, initially decides to become the Priestess of Suzaku (Suzaku no Miko) in order to use one of the wishes she will receive when she summons Suzaku: she plans to enter the high school of her choice and be with her friend Yui.
Miaka falls in love with Tamahome: this motivates Miaka to gather the seven Celestial Warriors of Suzaku and summon the god Suzaku Seikun. Though Miaka's final wish as the Priestess of Suzaku had been for her and Tamahome to remain together forever, she chooses instead to ask Suzaku to save "this world" (Miaka's world after being destroyed by the battle between Seiryuu and Suzaku) and restore it to the way it was. Her warriors are shocked and even comment on how "so completely selfless" it is. Tamahome is then forced to return to his own world because of it. However, when Miaka enters high school, she meets Taka Sukunami who is Tamahome's reincarnation and shows her the wedding ring she gave him. In Fushigi Yugi Eikoden, they are married. She is the victim of Mayo(a younger student)'s jealousy because she is the receiver of Taka's feelings. When she becomes pregnant Mayo enters the book to change the course of the story, causing Miaka to fall unconscious. Knowing that the world in the book is in danger, Miaka sends her unborn daughter into Mayo as a chance to connect with and save that world. When the false Suzaku is summoned, she uses her connection to seal him away and give Taka the strength to defeat him. Soon after, the conflict is resolved and she wakes up in her own world with Taka by her side. She later gives birth to their daughter, whom she names Hikari.
Outgoing and optimistic, Miaka shows herself amiable with friends and strangers, and has a tendency to be guileless and sentimental. She is naïve, but sometimes surprises adults with an insightful comment. Miaka is generous and cares greatly for other people and perceives herself to be a considerate person. She can be unassuming and unsophisticated, but also magnanimous and courageous. Because she creates the impression of a person who always needs help, Miaka has the good fortune of almost always having someone looking after her.
Miaka has a primary weakness: her gluttony. She eats constantly and has an interest in any type of food. She is an avid fan of anime, imitating several characters during the course of the story.[1]
Tamahome[edit]
Voiced by: Hikaru Midorikawa (Japanese), David Hayter (English)
Tamahome (鬼宿?), the first of the seven Celestial Warriors of Suzaku whom Miaka meets, comes into the story when he saves Miaka and Yui from slave-traders. Born in the Hokkan (Bei-Jiang) Village of the Juusou (Shou-Shuang) Prefecture of Konan (Hong-nan) as the eldest son of a large family, he is seventeen years old. His true name is Kishuku Sou (琮 鬼宿 Sō Kishuku?, Cóng Guǐxiù), based on the star Demon (鬼).
Tamahome appears to be the strongest member of the Suzaku warriors. An adept martial artist, proficient unarmed and with weapons, he proves a good street-fighter and can channel his chi into energy-blasts. When emotionally motivated, he is able to use his chi to increase his strength, speed, and reflexes in combat. Tamahome is also experienced in fencing thanks to being trained by Tokaki.
Initially, the story portrays Tamahome as a greedy young man obsessed with money, interested in helping others only if it means getting paid for it later. It is eventually revealed that his interest in accumulating money derives from trying to support his family. He comes across as cheerful, vain, and comic, but is actually shy and emotionally strong. Throughout the series, he demonstrates himself to be a sincere young man who is willing to sacrifice himself for the sake of others and unwilling to back down from enemies. In the 7th volume, his family is massacred by Suboshi.
While he initially rejects Miaka's feelings for him, he comes to reciprocate, realizing all along how deeply his feelings for her had been. They develop a strong romantic relationship to the point where Tamahome is able to sense Miaka whenever she calls for him. Though it is Miaka's wish for them to be together, it is a wish that Suzaku cannot grant; thus, Miaka uses her final wish to restore The Universe of Four Gods and the two are separated when Miaka returns to her own world. However, after Miaka's junior high school graduation, she is introduced to a new classmate of her older brother. Tamahome comes back as Taka Sukunami, showing the ring that symbolizes his marriage to Miaka. In Fushigi Yugi Eikoden, he is married to her and they have a daughter named Hikari.
Taka Sukunami[edit]
Voiced by: Hikaru Midorikawa (Japanese), David Hayter (TV & OVAs), Dave Wittenberg (Eikoden) (English)
Taka Sukunami (宿南 魏 Sukunami Taka?) is the real world reincarnate of Suzaku warrior Tamahome, though his life was brought into existence with him remaining the same age he was in The Universe of Four Gods. His family runs a farm in the countryside. In Fushigi Yugi Eikuden, he is Miaka's husband and the father of her child, Hikari.
Miaka Yūki meets Taka at Café Paradox roughly a month after concluding the summoning of Suzaku. He is introduced to Miaka by her older brother as a classmate of his. As Tamahome's incarnation in the real world, he is very protective of Miaka and loves her deeply, coming to her aid whenever she needs him. Taka has limited memories of being Tamahome as his reincarnation into Miaka's world required those memories to be forgotten. When he meets Miaka he reveals what memories he has retained in his past life, involving being one of seven warriors destined to protect a young girl who would save his world from destruction and that his name in that past life was Tamahome.
Suzaku later appears to inform Miaka of a demon god's plot to destroy the world within the book; as the priestess, Miaka feels obligated to protect her Celestial Warriors and Konan. Additionally, Suzaku reveals that the source of its power had been the strong love between Miaka and Tamahome; because of that love, Suzaku was able to create Taka, a version of Tamahome who could exist in Miaka's world. However, Tenkō, the demon god, realized that Suzaku's powers were weaker in the real world and attempts to usurp the powers of heaven and destroy it. In order to stop Tenkou, Tamahome's memories, embodied as seven stones, needed to be recovered and placed back into Taka to restore Suzaku's powers.
Tenkō manipulates Suzaku's story, convincing Taka that he is only a shadow of Tamahome and that he will disappear if he cannot claim Tamahome's memories as his own. The memories, in the form of different colored jewel spheres, are actually just memories and nothing more. It is revealed that Taka is not a shadow, but is, in fact, Tamahome.[2]
Hotohori[edit]
Voiced by: Takehito Koyasu (Japanese), Kirk Thornton (English)
Hotohori (星宿?), the fourth Emperor of Kōnan, Emperor Cai Pi (彩賁帝 Saihitei?) has a reputation for his beauty and hisnarcissism. Eighteen years old, he was born in Eiyou (Rong-Yang), the capital city of the Konan Empire, on April 2. As one of the Celestial Warriors of Suzaku, he can summon a sword; as such he is a powerful swordsman and has been additionally trained in martial arts since childhood. His birth name is Xing-shu (星宿 Seishuku?, xīngxiù) based on the star Star (星).
Hotohori first hears of the Priestess of Suzaku at a young age and comes to believe that the priestess would become his true love and the one who would love him for himself instead of his title. Upon meeting Miaka, he falls in love with her and becomes willing to do anything for her sake. As such, he becomes a rival to Tamahome for Miaka's affection, but eventually concedes when he realizes that Miaka will only ever love Tamahome. Hotohori eventually marries a woman named Houki, who some believe bears a striking resemblance to Nuriko. He is killed by Nakago during the battle between Konan and Kutō, leaving Houki pregnant with his son Boushin.
Raised with little warmth, Hotohori appears cold, reserved, and harsh, particularly when acting as the Emperor of Konan, but actually shows himself as a warm, peace-loving and gentle person. Known as a responsible ruler and capable of dealing with political affairs, Hotohori often places the well-being of his subjects first and forgets his own needs in the process. However, Hotohori has limited understanding of the world as a result of being raised in a sheltered environment. After meeting Miaka and the other Celestial Warriors of Suzaku, he is gradually able to act as himself and finds true friends.
In Fushigi Yûgi Eikoden, a young boy named Shu Eian, who often visits a local cemetery, emerges as Hotohori's reincarnation (as a commoner, as he had always wished). During the assembly of the Suzaku Celestial Warriors he returns last, despite Nuriko's threat to kill him with his sword when he doesn't come out.
Nuriko[edit]
Voiced by: Chika Sakamoto (Japanese), Mary Elizabeth McGlynn (English)
Nuriko (柳宿?) first appears disguised as "Kang-Lin" (Japanese pronunciation: "Kōrin") in Emperor Hotohori's harem, which Hotohori never visits except to welcome new maidens. "Kang-lin" was in fact Nuriko's younger sister, who died at a young age; he began behaving and dressing like her to keep her memory alive. Born in Eiyō, the capital of Konan, Nuriko possesses superhuman strength; Taiitsukun later grants him a pair of bracelets that transform into strength-increasing armbands. He is 18 years old. His true name is Ryuuen Chou (迢 柳娟 Chō Ryūen?, Tiáo Liǔjuān), based on the star Willow (柳).
While prone to jealousy, quick to anger, and possessing a calculating tendency, Nuriko is very level-headed and compassionate and shows the most concern regarding Miaka and Tamahome's relationship. As a "woman", Nuriko is infatuated with his fellow warrior, Hotohori, but as a man, he also loves Miaka Yūki. While initially jealous of Hotohori's love for Miaka, Nuriko and Miaka become close friends. He is also close friends with Tamahome, despite their frequent bickering and arguing, which usually results with him comically beating up Tamahome. After Nuriko comes to terms with the fact that his cross-dressing resulted from the unyielding pain of losing his sister Kourin, he concludes that he had been trying to live his life as Kourin would have, not as he would have. This revelation allows him to finally allow himself to experience life as a man. He cuts his hair, which once hung down to his waist in a braid, and admits to Tamahome that he loves Miaka as more than a friend. While he maintains his feelings for Hotohori, Nuriko eventually chooses to stop dressing as a woman in order to better protect Miaka. Throughout the rest of the series, even after his death at the hands of Ashitare (one of the Seiryū-seishi), the friendship between Nuriko and Miaka remains strong. Nuriko is the first of the seven Suzaku warriors to die.
In Fushigi Yûgi Eikoden, Nuriko was "reborn" at a local marketplace as a young girl named Ko Reishun. She also steals the magic ball Tasuki has, and breaks it. Despite the young girl's size, she is able to lift a heavy rock much like Nuriko, revealing that she is indeed Nuriko's reincarnation.
Chichiri[edit]
Voiced by: Tomokazu Seki (Japanese), Randy McPherson (English)
Chichiri (井宿?), a wandering monk, has trained for several years with Taiitsukun, the creator. A 24-year-old native of a village on the Shōryū River (near the northern Kōnan-Kutō border), he variously wields a shakujō staff, kasa hat, and kesa mantle to fight and employs various magical techniques taught by Taiitsukun, the first of which was the ability to form a barrier around himself. His true name is Houjun Ri (李 芳准 Ri Hōjun?, Lǐ Fāngzhǔn), born under the star Well (井).
As the oldest and wisest of all of the Suzaku warriors, Chichiri thinks of himself as the older brother who looks after them all. Appearing superficially light-hearted, he can put on super deformed 'chibi' frivolity or suddenly become very serious and grim. While Tamahome and Hotohori are the obvious leaders, Chichiri is the ever-staunch advisor and supporter from behind the scenes, always willing to help when needed. Unconcerned with his own mortality or with earthly desires, he has a Zen master's detached attitude. He habitually ends many sentences with the emphatic phrase "no da", translated as "ya know" in the anime's English version.
When he first appears, Chichiri constantly wears a smile on his face, though he later accounts for his face as a mask with features he can move on reflex in order to make it resemble a natural face. His true face resembles his mask, save that one eye has been scarred by an injury across his forehead. When he was eighteen, Chichiri had been engaged to be married; after his best friend stole a kiss from his fiancée, she called off their betrothal. Chichiri was enraged at the betrayal and the two men began to fight. While they were fighting, a heavy rainstorm caused the Shoryuu River flooded their home village. Most of the inhabitants were drowned, including Chichiri's family and his fiancee. His friend fell into the rushing water and Chichiri attempted to rescue him, but a nearby log smashed into Chichiri's eye and gouged it out, resulting in the scar on his face. Chichiri did not know this but, his friend survived, but resentfully believes that Chichiri had abandoned him to die. When they meet again, this mistaken resentment causes him to resume the old battle, but ends when the story behind the dreadful scar is revealed.
At the end of the series, only he, Tamahome, and Tasuki of all the Suzaku Celestial Warriors remain alive in "The Universe of the Four Gods".
Tasuki[edit]
Voiced by: Nobutoshi Hayashi (Japanese), Daran Norris (English)Tasuki (翼宿?) formerly led the Mount Reikaku bandits.
Extremely quick and agile, he particularly enjoys joking around with Nuriko, Tamahome, and Chichiri. He is 17 years old and was born in the town of Tai-Tou in the Ko prefecture, at the foot of Mount Reikaku. His true name is Shun'u Kou (侯 俊宇 Kō Shun'u?), born under the star Wings (翼). Tasuki's primary weapon is a flame throwing Tessen, an iron fan used for fighting which is eventually upgraded to become a diamond fan that could only be used by Tasuki. The technique he uses is Rekka Shinen (烈火神焔?, lit. "Raging Fire, Sacred Flames"). Additionally, he is skilled in judo, archery, swordsmanship, and is briefly capable of using ofuda. As a Celestial Warrior, he possesses superhuman speed and known as Genrou or Huang-Lang (幻狼|"Phantom Wolf") because of his wolf-like appearance.
At a young age Tasuki found his calling as a bandit when Hakurō, the chief bandit of Mount Reikaku, took him under his wing. He began to improve his martial arts abilities in hopes of living up to and carrying on the role of his mentor.[3] He and fellow bandit Kōji eventually master the use of an iron fan in combat. Tasuki first meets Miaka when he kidnaps her in order to regain his rightful place as the leader of Mount Reikaku's bandits. He eventually joins her in order to help the other Celestial Warriors on their quest, reluctantly leaving Kōji as the leader of the bandits of Mount Reikaku.
Straightforward, simple-minded, and quick to pick a fight, Tasuki also has a strong sense of honor. Though he appears utterly blunt, vulgar, and loud, he is sentimental and easily becomes emotional. He provides a frequent source of comic relief in the series: he enjoys joking around. Tasuki values his friends greatly and will not hesitate to kill those who would try to endanger them or make fun of them in any way. Despite being rough around the edges, Tasuki shares a particularly strong relationship with Chiriko. Tasuki, as the youngest child and only son of a family with five older sisters, an aggressive mother, and timid father, happily accepts the role of an older brother figure to Chiriko, who looks up to him and strives to become a "manly man" like Tasuki. Of all the Suzaku Celestial Warriors, he takes the deaths of his comrades the hardest and openly cries for them. A running joke in the series is that Tasuki is afraid to swim, claiming that it is because he is a "man of the mountains", though on several occasions he is able to instinctively tread water and finds unusual means of compensating for his weakness. He also hates milk, due to the fact that his overly-endowed mother almost smothered him as an infant.
As the youngest and only son in a family with strong females and a weak father, Tasuki claims to hate women. He seems to have special feelings for Miaka.
At the end of the series, he and Chichiri remain the only living Suzaku Celestial Warriors in "The Universe of the Four Gods".
Mitsukake[edit]
Voiced by: Koji Ishii (Japanese), Richard Epcar (English)
Mitsukake (軫宿?) is the healer of Suzaku's warriors. He is soft-spoken and one of the most serious of the Suzaku Celestial Warriors. He is 22 years old and was born in Sōen Village, near Chōkō of northern part of Kōnan. His true name is Juan Myō(妙 寿安 Myou Juan?), born the star Chariot (軫). Mitsukake's fighting abilities are limited to his own strength, but as a Celestial Warrior, he possesses incredible healing powers at the cost of exchanging some of his own life force. He uses this ability frequently to heal minor injuries, but after healing life-threatening injuries, Mitsukake requires an entire day to regenerate his life force. His cat Tama is the unofficial mascot of the Suzaku Celestial Warriors and, after Mitsukake's death, becomes Chichiri's pet.
The son of a country doctor, he put his natural talents to work and often would help his father with his rounds. His father eventually died attempting to save villagers close to a flooding river during the same storm that claimed the lives of Chichiri's loved ones. Mitsukake shows utter devotion to healing; however after the death of Shōka, the daughter of the local nobleman who he was in love with, Mitsukake gave up medicine and dedicated all of his time and energy into finding a miracle herb that could cure any illness. It was during this reclusive stage that Miaka and the others find him, and managed to get him to join them with little persuasion. However, he continues to cherish the memory of the late Shōka.
Despite his expressionless appearance and tendency to remain silent, Mitsukake is a kind-hearted and calm man who seems aloof, but is actually shy and does not know how to be more outgoing. He is especially kind to the weak, elderly, the sickly, and children, as well as animals. During the battle between Konan and Kutō, he is severely wounded by Nakago. Mitsukake subsequently dies exhausting all his energy to save the life of a child who is later revealed to be the reincarnation of his beloved, as well as all the soldiers who had been wounded during the battle.
In Fushigi Yûgi Eikoden, he is revived as a young boy who is not convinced that he is Mitsukake and stays to protect the reincarnated Shōka.
Chiriko[edit]
Voiced by: Tomoko Kawakami (Japanese), Lenore Zann (English)
Chiriko (張宿?) is the youngest and the genius among the seven Celestial Warriors of Suzaku. Born in Jozen in western Kōnan, Chiriko is revealed to be studying for an examination to become a government official during his first appearance. Aside from his incredible intelligence, Chiriko also employs a leaf whistle against his opponents. He is thirteen years old. His true name is Doukon Ou (王 道煇 Ō Dōkon?), born the star Extended Net (張).
Chiriko's intelligence actually derives from his role as a Celestial Warrior and when his character disappears, he becomes a rather average child with limited intelligence. This limitation on his powers alongside being the youngest and physically weakest in the group is a source of frustration for Chiriko. He is particularly sensitive about his height and his peculiar intelligence and strives towards becoming a "man of strength", but is otherwise a quiet and good-natured student. Since a very young age, Chiriko has held a strong interest in research and has amassed a great deal of knowledge through books and study.
Though somewhat unusual, Chiriko develops a strong relationship with Tasuki, who happily accepts the role of an older brother figure to Chiriko and is particularly devastated when Chiriko dies. The youngest Celestial Warrior's death comes when his body is possessed by Seiryū Celestial Warrior Miboshi. After regaining control of his body, Chiriko stabs himself, taking Miboshi with him in death.
In Fushigi Yûgi Eikoden, Chiriko is revived as Gakuren, a child of a politician. Despite being still an infant, he is capable of speech and is the only character to remember who he is in the first place, but has to fully revive quickly or will be reborn as a normal boy.