Hotohori
Hotohori (星宿 ?) is the fourth Emperor of Kōnan, Emperor Cai Pi (彩賁帝 ,Saihitei?) known for being beautiful and narcissistic. He is eighteen years old and was born in Eiyou (Rong-Yang), the capital city of the Konan Empire. As one of the Celestial Warriors of Suzaku, he is able to summon a sword; as such he is a powerful swordsman and has been additionally trained in martial arts since childhood. His true name is Seishuku Shu (朱 星宿 ,Shu Seishuku?) based on the star Brightance (星).
Hotohori first hears of the Priestess of Suzaku at a young age and came to believe that the priestess would be 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 Houki, who 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 is actually a warm, peace-loving and gentle person. Known to be 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 Yūgi Eikoden, Hotohori is revived as a young boy named Shu Eian who visits a local cemetery often. During the assembly of the Suzaku Celestial Warriors, he is the last one to return, despite Nuriko's threat to kill him with his sword when he doesn't come out.
Nuriko
Nuriko (柳宿 ?) first appears disguised as "Kōrin" in Emperor Hotohori's harem, which Hotohori never goes to except to welcome new maidens. "Kōrin" 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 and is later granted a pair of bracelets that transform into strength-increasing armbands by Taiitsukun. He is 18 years old. His true name is Ryuuen Chou (迢 柳娟 ,Chō Ryūen?), based on the star Willow (柳).
While easily jealous, quick to anger, and possessing a tendency to be calculating, 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. 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 from 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 Yūgi Eikoden, Nuriko is revived as a young girl whose name was Ko Reishun at a local marketplace. 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
Chichiri (井宿 ?) is a wandering monk who has trained for several years with Taiitsukun, the creator. He is 24 years old and was born in a village along 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?), born under the star Well (井).
Chichiri is the oldest and wisest of all of the Suzaku warriors and thus 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 be 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 (omitted in the English dub).
When he first appears, Chichiri constantly wears a smile on his face, though he later explains his face is actually 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. Unbeknownst to Chichiri, 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, he and Tasuki are the only Suzaku Celestial Warriors still alive in "The Universe of the Four Gods".
Tasuki
Tasuki (翼宿 ?) is the former leader of 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 by Taitsukun. 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 ("Phantom Wolf") because of his wolf-like appearance.
A young age, Tasuki found his calling as a bandit when Hakurō, the chief bandit of Mout 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[2]. 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.
Tasuki is straightforward, simple minded, and quick to pick a fight, but also holds a strong sense of honour. Though he appears utterly blunt, vulgar, and loud, he is sentimental and easily emotional. He is a frequent source of comic relief in the series and 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.
As the youngest and only son in a family with strong females and a weak father, Tasuki claims to hate women. However, he demonstrates outstanding loyalty to Miaka and would die to protect her. His feelings toward her are apparently brotherly, but it is eventually revealed that he loves her. He acts on these feelings only once, when under a spell, but unwilling to betray his friends and aware of his behaviour, he attempts to kill himself, saved only when the spell is broken.
At the end of the series, he and Chichiri are the only living Suzaku Celestial Warriors remaining in "The Universe of the Four Gods".
Mitsukake
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 is utterly devoted 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 Yūgi Eikoden, he is revived as a young boy who is not convinced that he is Mitsukake and stays to protect a young girl who is also named Shōka.
Chiriko
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 flute 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 is actually derivative of 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 to his death.
In Fushigi Yūgi Eikoden, Chiriko is revived as a child of a politician. He is the only character to remember who he is, but has to fully revive quickly or will be reborn as a normal boy.
Seiryū
Yui Hongo
Yui Hongo (本郷 唯 ,Hongō Yui?) is the Priestess of Seiryū (Seiryū no Miko). An intelligent and mature girl, she is a ninth grade student and Miaka Yūki's best friend. A passionate person at heart, she tends to see the world in black and white terms and is easily infuriated with perceived betrayal. Yui is confident and bold with everything she does, but longs for someone to take care of her. It is revealed in the manga that Yui cut her hair to avoid all the attention she was getting from boys.
Yui is initially transported to "The Universe of Four Gods" with Miaka, but almost immediately returns to the real world and becomes the one who reads the book in order for events in the world to progress. However, she becomes trapped in the book while trying to help Miaka return to the real world. Yui is subsequently caught and knocked unconscious by bandits. When she regains consciousness, she believes she has been raped and, distraught, attempts to kill herself. Nakago rescues her and convinces her that Miaka is responsible for Yui's misfortunes, leaving Yui unaware that Nakago had saved her before the incident involving the bandits and that she had not been raped at all. He manipulates Yui into becoming the Priestess of Seiryū, convincing her that it will allow Yui to take revenge on Miaka. She eagerly agrees, swearing to fight Miaka and to take away her lover, Tamahome, whom Yui has become attracted to.
After succeeding in summoning Seiryū, Yui uses her first wish to seal away Suzaku's powers, preventing the god from being summoned and the Celestial Warriors from using their powers. Her second wish is to take Miaka and herself back to their world, hoping to separate Miaka and Tamahome, but Tamahome also arrives in their world with them. Upon learning that Nakago had been using her all along, she has a change of heart and redeems herself by using her third and last wish to disable the seal on Suzaku, allowing Miaka to summon it, but she is absorbed by Seiryū afterwards. After summoning Suzaku, Miaka used her first wish to rescue Yui, and they became friends again.
After the events of the "Universe of the Four Gods", Yui enters a long-term relationship with Tetsuya Kajiwara, a friend of Keisuke Yūki, who fell in love with her while following her journey when reading the book.
Nakago
Nakago (心宿 ?), considered to be the leader of the Seiryū warriors, is the main antagonist of Fushigi Yūgi. His true name is Ayuru Gi (魏 アユル ,Gi Ayuru?), born under the star Heart (心). Nakago is both merciless and charismatic; he eliminates those whose usefulness to him is exhausted and skillfully manipulates others into doing as he wishes. Nakago's powers as a Celestial Warrior is shown to be stronger than any of the Suzaku and Seiryū warriors, having the ability to manipulate chi, enabling himself to become psychokinetic, fire energy blasts, and set up force fields. In battle, Nakago also utilizes a whip and sword.
Nakago is Kutō's highest ranking general, commanding two thirds of Kutō's army. The last of the Hin Tribe—a people destroyed at the orders of the Emperor of Kutō—Nakago was captured after seeing his mother being raped by Kutō soldiers, triggered his powers and killed the soldiers and his own mother. With the surviving soldiers recognizing him as a Celestial Warrior, Nakago is brought to the Emperor where his natural beauty results in his being sexually abused by the Emperor. As he mastered complete control over his abilities, he eventually became a seemingly loyal soldier of Kutō, with the Emperor unaware that Nakago has been planning to betray him all his life. Once he finds Yui, he manipulates her by letting her believe she was raped so that he can become the person she depends on. He uses her to gain the power of Seiryū, originally intending to take over the world. After learning about the real world that Yui and Miaka come from, he changes his goals to take over it, desiring above all to be a God who controls everything. He uses his powers to go to the real world, where he tries to take over the world. Realizing her mistake, Yui frees Suzaku and Miaka uses her wishes to seal Seiryū, returning Nakago to normal. He is killed by Tamahome.
Yu Watase notes on several occasions in the chapter notes, as well in the second installment of the omake "The Tale of the Forbidden Women's Hot Spring" from the series 1 OVA (as stated by Nakago himself), that Nakago is her favourite character.
Amiboshi
Amiboshi (亢宿 ?) is a Seiryū Celestial Warrior. He is the elder twin brother of Suboshi and was born in Tenryō, San'un Province in Kutō Empire. The true name is Kōtoku Bu (武 亢德 ,Bu Koutoku?), born under the star Neck (亢). As a Celestial Warrior, Amiboshi is capable of emitting chi through his mouth and channel it through a flute to control the will of others. A skilled flute player, Amiboshi holds the instrument to the left when using his powers, but to the right when he is simply playing the flute. He works as a spy.
Tranquil and reserved, Amiboshi can be single-minded and merciless. Before Miaka arrives in The Universe of Four Gods, he was a kind young man who was determined to judiciously protect his younger brother. Amiboshi first appears while impersonating Chiriko at the orders of Nakago. When discovered, he falls into a river and is believed to be dead. Found by an old couple, Amiboshi pretends that he has amnesia and the couple adopt him as a son, calling him Kaika. He saves Miaka while she is searching for the Shinzahō, but he pretends that he does not recognize her. As the story progresses, he gradually becomes conflicted between aiding the Celestial Warriors of Suzaku and those of Seiryū.
To save his life, Suboshi gives Amiboshi the forgetfulness potion instead after Amiboshi nearly dies. Losing his memory forever, Amiboshi is protected from sharing the same fate as the rest of the Seiryū warriors and becomes the only surviving member the Celestial Warriors of Seiryū. When Suboshi dies by his own weapon in Miaka's world, after following Tamahome, Amiboshi claimed that he felt like a part of him had disappeared.
Suboshi
Suboshi (角宿 ?) is a Seiryū Celestial Warrior and the younger twin brother of Amiboshi. The true name is Shunkaku Bu (武 俊角 ,Bu Shunkaku?), born under the star Horn (角). As a Celestial Warrior, he is able to use a secret weapon known as the Ryūseisui, a double meteor bell, and control it with his will alone. He and his brother are also able to communicate with one another by writing messages on their bodies.
In terms of temperament, Suboshi is fierce, impulsive, and stubborn to a fault, unwilling to listen to reason once he becomes determined to do something. He and his brother are extremely close as a result of losing their parents at a young age and having a tough childhood. Suboshi is particularly devoted to his brother and will not hesitate to kill if it means protecting Amiboshi, even killing fellow Seiryū warrior Tomo without a second thought for this reason alone.
Suboshi falls in love with Yui Hongo, who is the first person aside from his brother to show him any tenderness, when she comforts him after the apparent death of Amiboshi. As a result, he develops a strong hatred for Miaka for supposedly abandoning Yui and jealousy towards Tamahome, whom Yui loves. Believing Tamahome to be responsible for Amiboshi's death, Suboshi murders Tamahome's family for revenge.
Though he is eventually reunited with Amiboshi, Suboshi chooses to administer a potion of forgetfulness to save Amiboshi, who is near death. With his memories completely lost, Amiboshi is saved by his brother from sharing the same fate as the Seiryū warriors. Suboshi later arrives in the real world trying to kill Miaka and Tamahome, but is killed by his own weapon, vanishing shortly afterwards.
Soi
Soi (房宿 ?) is a Seiryū Celestial Warrior. She was rescued by Nakago when she was a child and is his most devoted follower. The true name is Kaen Haku (白 花婉 ,Haku Kaen?), born under the star Room (房), . As a Celestial Warrior, Soi possesses Feng Shui related powers allowing her to control lightning, induce electromagnetic fields, but is also skilled in Fhangzang and chi raising techniques. She is 19 years old and was born in Gen, a province near the Kutō border.
Because her family was so poor, Soi was sold when she was still a child to a brothel and grew up there. When she was twelve, Nakago rescued her and she fell in love with him. While aware that her love was unrequited and he was only using her to recover and heighten his chi, Soi nevertheless continues to serve him faithfully and to the full extent of her abilities.
Soi normally appears as a formidable armoured fighter who speaks like a man, concealing a kind heart and feminine nature. Despite being enemies with Suzaku, she actually shows sympathy towards Miaka Yūki, particularly out of jealousy towards Yui, and Tamahome. Like Tomo, she has no desire to harm Miaka, but will do anything for the sake of Nakago.
She is killed by Tasuki in a battle between Kōnan and Kutō in an attempt to save Nakago; she puts herself between Nakago and Tasuki's sword. Nakago then carries her dead body until he passes from the world of the book into the Real World. She is seen again by Nakago in "paradise," alongside his mother when he dies.
Tomo
Tomo (智 ?) is an illusionist and performer among the Celestial Warriors of Seiryū, known also as Aono Tomo (青野智 ,Blue Field Tomo?). The true name is Ragun (羅軍 ,Ragun?), born under the star Root (氐).Having faced hardship since childhood, Tomo is sadistic and cruel, possessing a contorted mentality and severe attitude toward others. It is said he was taken in by dancers when he was young, exposing him to the world of Chinese opera, and is the reason behind his exotic appearance.
Tomo stands as one of Nakago's most trusted allies as Nakago freely discusses his plans with Tomo. Though Tomo loves Nakago, Nakago regards him only as another member of the Seiryū Celestial Warriors. Like Soi, he has little desire to harm Miaka, but is willing to do anything for Nakago's sake, and has difficulty getting along with Soi and stays away from her, though they can work efficiently together when necessary.
Tomo's abilities as a Celestial Warrior allow him to hypnotize opponents and create illusions involve various senses, additionally being able to put himself into the illusion as a sort of actor to help things along. Employing a clam shell called Shin (蜃), Tomo is able to see his illusions as the unfold and also trap a person's body and mind within it in order to extract their memories. The extracted memories can be used to create a scenario for the victim or be replayed at a later time. A short story in the Genbu Kaiden tankōbon release describes how Tomo received Shin from a young woman.
When he attempts to trap Miaka in an illusory world, he is thwarted by Amiboshi. After trying to kill Amiboshi, Tomo is killed by Suboshi, who appeared to rescue his brother.
Ashitare
Ashitare (尾宿 ?), born under the star Tail (尾), is a werewolf from Hokkan whom Nakago found in a circus tent; until then, Ashitare apparently was a circus side-show. Because of his werewolf nature, Ashitare was shunned and unwelcome wherever he went. Hardened and angry, he developed a hatred of humans and would devour human flesh after killing them. Because of Ashitare's brute strength, he is seemingly unstoppable.
When Soi fails to kill Miaka and the Suzaku warriors, Nakago sends Ashitare to obtain the Shinzaho of the Priestess of Genbu (Takiko Okuda). He kills Nuriko during the fight to acquire the Shinzaho, but his neck is broken and he is left in a transformative near death experience. Though Nuriko has killed Ashitare's human side, Ashitare's beast half takes over his body and successfully steals the Shinzaho and delivers it to Nakago. With his usefulness to Nakago exhausted, Nakago kills Ashitare.
Miboshi
Miboshi (箕宿 ?), born under the star Winnowing Basket (箕), is the last of the Seiryū Celestial Warriors to appear. While he looks like a young boy, he is actually much older than the other Seiryū warriors. As a Celestial Warrior, he is capable of possessing others as well as summoning and controlling demons. He employs a Tibetan prayer wheel with sutras inscribed on it to summon monsters and perform sorcery. He is known also as Mimadō.
Miboshi possesses Chiriko's body and attempts to use him against the Suzaku warriors. Chiriko is able to overcome the possession and regain control of his body long enough to stab himself, killing both himself and Miboshi.
