Saiyuki

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Saiyuki
An artbook image of the four main characters. From left to right: Genjo Sanzo, Cho Hakkai, Son Goku (with Hakuryu/Jeep) and Sha Gojyo.
幻想魔伝最遊記
(Gensōmaden Saiyuki)
Genre Adventure, Action, Comedy, Historical Fiction, Drama
TV anime
Directed by Hayato Date
Studio Studio Pierrot
Network Japan TV Tokyo
Philippines GMA 7 (March 06, 2006)
Original run 4 April 2000 – 27 March 2001
No. of episodes 50

Saiyuki, also known as Gensomaden Saiyuki (幻想魔伝最遊記) in Japan, a popular manga series created by Kazuya Minekura loosely based on the famous Chinese novel Journey to the West (Xī Yóu Jì). Though adapted into an anime by Studio Pierrot, the storyline is not yet complete. For brevity, this article describes the first fifty episodes of the english-adapted anime as distributed by ADV Films. General information on the each manga and anime title in this series is listed in closing.

Contents

[edit] Plot

Saiyuki is the story of four reluctant - and irreverant - heroes: the monk Genjyo Sanzo (or "Genjo"), the monkey deity Son Goku, the half-demon Sha Gojyo (sometimes, "Gojou"), and the demon Cho Hakkai, dispatched by the Sanbutsushin to India to stop the possible resurrection of the Bull Demon King, Gyumaoh. Along the way they are beset by (inept) assassins, bad weather, and their tragic personal pasts. Meanwhile, the villains, two unlikely confidants, Gyokumen Koushou (Gyumaoh's concubine) and mad scientist, Dr. Ni Jainyi, continue their attempts to restore the long-dead king. Due to these experiements, a forbidden mixture of science and holy magic spawns the Minus Wave, infecting all the demons in Shangri-La with maddness, shattering the fragile peace that once existed between human and demon. As the violence escalates, it's up to these four misfits to save the world. Eventually.

[edit] Main Characters

The "Sanzo Ikkou" (Sanzo Party)

Image:Sanzo_00.JPG

Genjo Sanzo
玄奘三蔵法師
Birthdate: November 29
Height: 5 "9
Weight: 141 lbs
Age: 23
Blood Type: A

Voiced by: Toshihiko Seki (Japanese), and David Matranga (English, first series only).

Generally called "Sanzo" by his traveling companions, though his full title is "The 31st of China, Genjo Sanzo." A brutal, worldly man, he doesn't fit the stereotypical image of the passive, or pacifist, cleric. Disregarding basic buddhist principles, he smokes, drinks, swears profusely, and generally follows his own path. Sanzo is a cold, rational thinker and somewhat aloof. Arrogant and short tempered, he nonetheless prefers to remain above the melee unless the situation is desperate. He is strongly opinionated, and despite his terse demeanor, highly moralstic and quick to defend the weak. His primary weapon is a Smith and Wesson revolver which he wields as an expert marksman, and is rarely without it in combat. A secondary "weapon" is the holy sutra he carries on his shoulders, the Meitan Sutra(scripture of darkness). Last but not least, he's often quick to whip out his harisen (paper fan) and whack his way through the occasional interparty conflict.

Image:Hakkai_00.JPG

Cho Hakkai
豬八戒
Birthdate: September 21
Height: 5 "11
Weight: 153 lbs
Age: 22
Blood Type: AB

Voiced by: Akira Ishida (Japanese), and Bradon Hunt (English, first series only).

Cho Hakkai, formerly known as Cho Gonou. Though originally human, Hakkai became a demon (and changed his name) after he slaughtered a thousand demons of the Hyakugenmaoh tribe for the kidnap and rape of his beloved sister/wife, Kanan. (According to Japanese legend, a human can become a demon, or youkai, after bathing in the blood of a thousand demons). He is polite and softspoken with a deceptively innocent demeanor. He is often the straight man of the group, known for his dry observations and aphorisms in the heat of combat. Hakkai's primary weapon is his Ki, a type of metaphysical energy. He wears a monocle over his right eye, the remnant of a self-inflicted injury sustanined shortly after his dealings with Hyakugenmoah's tribe.

Image:Gojyo00.JPG

Sha Gojyo
沙悟凈
Birthdate: November 9
Height: 6'
Weight: 165 lbs
Age: 22
Blood Type: B

Voiced by: Hiroaki Hirata (Japanese), and Illich Guardiola (English, first series only)

Half demon, half human, Gojyo belongs to both worlds and to neither. His red hair and eyes betray his status as a halfblood, and he's often labled taboo and unclean in general society. Part kappa (a water demon) and wholly a ladie's man, he can be friendly and easy-going until someone or something offends his innate sense of justice. As he was an abused child, he's quick to defend and fight for lost or wayward children, often without concern for his own wellbeing. He smokes and drinks almost as much as Sanzo, fights constantly with Goku, and never passes up a chance to woo the ladies. His primary weapon is the shakujou, a long, double-bladed staff not unlike a trident.

Image:Goku_00.JPG

Son Goku
孫悟空
Birthdate: April 5
Height: 5' 4"
Weight: 112 lbs
Age: 18
Blood Type: O

Voiced by: Soichiro Hoshi (Japanese), and Greg Ayres (English, first series only).

Though often referred to as a demon, and rarely so as a God, Goku is really neither. From his illustrious roots in the Classic novel, Journey to the West, by Wu Cheng'en, to his downsized, but nonetheless unforgettable characterization in Minekura's Saiyuki, Goku has always been a study in contradiction. He was born from of rock of primordial chaos, and is nearly indestructile. His "demon" form, known as Seitan Tensei (or "Great Sage Equal to Heaven"), is revealed when his golden diadem is removed or broken. In homage to his origin as the Monkey King, he is at turns child-like and ingenious, often at the same time. He is also apparently immortal: in this anime series he is imprisoned for 500 years without food or water, and somehow survives. Perhaps this is why he often complains of being hungry. Aside from his well-known appetite, Goku loves to fight and is nearly undefeated in combat. His primary weapon is a long staff, called "nyoibo" in Japanese, which can be shortened or lenghtened depending on his whim.

[edit] Secondary Characters

From "Gensoumaden Saiyuki"

After the Gensoumaden arc, the series continues in Saiyuki Reload, with the appearance of new characters:

  • Hazel Grosse: A western priest with a mysterious power to make the dead come to life by pouring the souls of Youkai into them. Has a grudge against all Youkai.
  • Gato: Hazel's travel companion. He's a muscular un-dead that has sworn to protect Hazel at all costs.

[edit] From Classic Novel to Anime

Saiyūki is the Japanese name for Journey to the West, or Xī Yóu Jì (西遊記) in Chinese. While Saiyūki is normally written "西遊記",
or "Journey to the West", Kazuya Minekura writes the title as "最遊記", or "Journey to the Extreme". This is her pun, as both are pronounced "saiyūki." This popular Chinese novel has inspired several Japanese works, including:

Minekura's Sanzo Ikkou bears only a superficial similarity to the original four in the Chinese novel, the most notable differences are their names. For example:

  • Genjyo Sanzo (玄奘三蔵) is Xuan Zang, (玄奘) or Tang San Zan (Tang's three scriptures).
  • Son Gokū is Sūn Wùkōng (孫悟空), or the Monkey King
  • Cho Hakkai is Zhu Bajie (豬八戒), a pig monster
  • Sha Gojyo is Sha Wujing (沙悟淨), a water demon, classified as a kappa in some translations
  • Gyū Maō is Niu Mowang (牛魔王) Ox King

[edit] Themes: Boy's Love

Sometimes referred to as Shounen Ai in the United States and elsewhere, though it's known as Boy's Love in Japan, Saiyuki, among other anime with all male leads, contains elements of Boys Love, or stories that typically focus on the emotional interaction/interdependence of young attractive men, or bishounen. Not to be confused with the more sexually explicit genre, Yaoi, Boy's Love nonetheless suggests that such relationships could develop between the characters given the impetus.

Minekura's series are noted for their complex male characters and the relationships they form. While many of her works feature Boy's Love overtones, Saiyuki is primarily an action series - Boy's Love content is mostly subtextual. However, the series was extremely popular among doujinshi circles; though it reached its peak in 2001, it still inspires doujinshi creators, and is popular fodder for yaoi adapatations in fan circles. The Boy's Love content is tame compared to Patalliro Saiyuki; another anime/manga parody of Zaiyuji and one of the few Boy's Love series by a male mangaka.

[edit] Series Information

Anime:

The original anime series is produced in North America by ADV Films and comprises 50 episodes. The sequels Saiyuki Reload and Saiyuki Reload Gunlock are licensed by Geneon in North America, and average about 26 episodes per series. Due to the change in licensing, the english voice cast is not consistent throughout all three series, and the characterization and general feel of the series may change noticably in the second and third installments.

Enoki Films holds the U.S. license to Saiyuki under the title Saiyuki: Paradise Raiders, yet ADV chose not to use this subtitle. There has also been a movie (Saiyuki: Requiem) adapted into english that is also licensed by ADV. It is rumored that a new OAV is planned by Studio Pierrot, which will cover the Burial arc of the Saiyuki Reload manga.


Manga:

The Saiyuki manga is comprised of three separate series:

  • Saiyuki, 9 volumes, complete.
  • Saiyuki Reload, currently at 7 volumes, still running in the monthly Japanese manga magazine Zero Sum.
  • Saiyuki Gaiden, currently at 2 volumes, is currently being published in the quarterly Japanese manga magazine

Zero Sum WARD. This series takes place in heaven 500 years before the first Saiyuki series.

The Saiyuki and Saiyuki Reload manga are published in English in North America by TOKYOPOP, and in Singapore, Saiyuki Reload is published in English and Chinese by Chuang Yi.

[edit] Media Information

[edit] Opening Themes:

Gensomaden Saiyuki
"For Real"
Lyrics/Composition: Kurosawa Ken-ichi
Sung by: Hidenori Tokuyama

"Still Time"
Lyrics/Composition: Kurosawa Ken'ichi
Arrangement: Tooyama Yuu
Sung by: Hidenori Tokuyama

Saiyuki Reload
"Wild Rock"
Lyrics: Haze
Perfomed by: BUZZLIP

Saiyuki Reload Gunlock
"Don't Look Back Again"
Performed by: WAG

[edit] Ending Themes:

Gensomaden Saiyuki
"Tightrope"
by CHARCOAL FILTER

"Alone"
Lyrics: Sumiyo Mutsumi
Composition/Arrangement: ab:fly
Sung by: Shimokawa Mikuni

Saiyuki Reload
"ID" by flow-war
"Fukisusabu Kaze no Naka de"
(吹きすさぶ風の中で)
(English Translation: "Inside the Raging Wind") by WAG

Saiyuki Reload Gunlock
"Mitsumeteitai" by flow-war
"Shiro No Jumon" by Doa

Gensomaden Saiyuki: Requiem
"Tightrope" (requiem version)


[edit] See Also

Journey to the West
Monkey (TV series)
Saiyuki: Journey West

[edit] External links

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