Perhaps it's because Nuriko is the first to die, or perhaps because, up until this moment, no matter what hardships or dangers Miaka and the Suzaku shichiseishi might stumble into, we as viewers have become accustomed to the fact that they'll always endure somehow, and emerge unhurt and able to entertain us some more.
And I think, despite the obvious downfall of Nuriko being a fictional, animated character, that his death causes a real grief in the loyal viewers who watch it, because it truly feels as if a dear friend has been lost as those heartbreaking closing credits flicker onto the screen. The reactions of the other seishi, naturally, do much to further this feeling: Miaka's initial denial; Tasuki's rage; Mitsukake's silent grief; Chiriko's choking sobs. Whatever else a person can say about Fushigi Yuugi, there are few who can deny the fact that this is an amazingly well-done episode, both in the harshness of its content and the reality of its characters' reactions.
Whatever else can be said about Nuriko, he's certainly not a coward. Despite the fact that it's very probable that he knew he couldn't defeat Ashitare, he didn't run away from his duty as a seishi. He stood his ground, fought his hardest, and died in the pursuit of giving his Miko and his friends a chance at happiness and safety. |
