Hotohori, although beautiful and surrounded by his countrymen and followers, is lonely and has always grown up lonely. As a little boy, he heard the legend of Suzaku No Miko and dreamed about the day she would come. He hoped she would cure his loneliness and would love him for who he was and not for his status of Emperor.

When Miaka arrived, although she became very fond of Hotohori, she and Hotohori both realized that Miaka didn't *love* Hotohori. Because of that, Hotohori accepted thhe fact that Tamahome was the one for Miaka. Yet we must not feel bad for Hotohori. In the end, everything works out for the best. Hotohori marries the beautiful empress Houki and they have a child together, Boushin. Also, in both the anime and manga, all the seishi are reincarnated and in a beautiful picture, we see a young Hotohori and a young Nuriko meeting up. Nuriko is finally a girl! ;) Perhaps maybe now those two can end up together? Everything happens for a reason in life and the fact that Hotohori marries Houki (his TRUE match) and has a son is proof of this.

Hotohori is always a best friend to Miaka. Miaka *IS* a cure for his loneliness and at his death bed, Hotohori says how happy he is to have met all the Suzaku seishi and Miaka. For a while, he was part of a REAL family, had real friends. Tamahome was like a brother to him. To see proof, you should read the episode synopsis at: MT STORY SYNOPSIS. The familial relationship between all the seishi is emphasized throughot the series, but fans tend to forget these things with time and the number of episodes.

Tasuki

Tasuki and Miaka are like brother and sister. He even says Miaka is like a little sister to him in the manga, after the evil influence he was under caused him to behave unacceptably towards Miaka. He feels genuine sickness at the thought of having mauled Miaka. Their affection and friendship to eachother is pure and good and does not evolve around romance. This is how it was in the manga, but in the anime....those STUPID animators screwed everything up!

In the anime, they take the evil influence Tasuki is under and make him have REAL feelings for Miaka. They include scenes where Tasuki starts to fall in love with Miaka that were never part of the real series to begin with. All of this happens in the anime OAVS. This is butchery of the beautiful love story and an injustice to Tasuki. He would NEVER fall in love with Miaka, ever! The manga and 52 episodes are proof of this. It is how Watase Yuu - the creator of Fushigi Yuugi - intended it to be. Once again, the animators messed up big time. I have an intense dislike for animators who mess up the story line - look what they did to Mamoru/Darien of Sailor Moon!He was originally the most sweetest most tender man on earth and then animators took him and animatyed him into a pompous jerk whose only power came from a rose. *roll eyes* To learn the truth about Mamoru/Darien/Tuxedo Mask, visit the site: Earth Solider: Chiba Mamoru.

Mitsukake

Mitsukake and Miaka don't have that much of a relationship to speak of, other than Seishi to Miko. But Miaka does help him when faced with the pain of Shoka (his one true love), and her death.

Chichiri

Chichiri is Miaka's source of wisdom, and advice. Chichiri is there to warn Miaka to be careful of her actions, lest they adversely affect innocent people. They have a close brotherly/sisterly type of relationship.

Nuriko

When Nuriko and Miaka first meet, they're at eachother's throats, but soon that develops into a nice girly relationship where they gossip and talk happily. But after Nuriko decides to go straight, he realizes he loves Miaka as more than just a friend, instead, he is IN love with her. But, he knows his and Miaka's relationship is not to be. He knows Tamahome and Miaka belong together and is thus, content to just love Miaka and keep it at that.

He, Tasuki, Tamahome, and Miaka are the best of friends, sharing with eachother, confiding in eachother. Nuriko and Tamahome have THE closest relationship. Tamahome is the one Nuriko confided in about going straight, Nuriko even died in Tamahome's arms and Tamahome was hysterical with grief as was Tasuki. Family always comes through for eachother. The truth of REAL friendship is putting aside your own happiness for another's. Nuriko and Hotohori will always be my fave seishi (after Tamahome) because they sacrificed their own wishes to win miaka's love for Miaka's and Tamahome's own happiness. That is what real love and being real friends is about!

--Nishi