Saiyuki (manga)

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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 Flag of Japan TV Tokyo
Flag of United States Anime Network
Flag of Philippines GMA 7 (March 06, 2006)
Original run 4 April 2000 – 27 March 2001
No. of episodes 50

Saiyūki, also known as Gensōmaden Saiyūki (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 (Xīyóu 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

Saiyūki is the story of four reluctant - and irreverent - anti-heroes: the monk Genjyo Sanzo (or "Genjyo"), the monkey-youkai Son Goku, the half-yōukai Sha Gojyo, and the man-turned youkai 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, a youkai) and a mad scientist, Dr. Ni Jenyi (a human), continue their attempts to restore the long-dead king. These experiements, a forbidden mixture of science and magic, spawn the "Minus Wave", infecting all youkai in Shangri-La with madness, shattering the fragile peace that once existed between human and youkai. As the violence escalates, it's up to these four misfits to save the world. Eventually.

[edit] Main Characters

The Sanzō-Ikkou ("Sanzo party")

Image:Sanzo_00.JPG

Genjyo Sanzo
(玄奘 三蔵 法師)
Birthdate: November 29
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 141 lbs
Age: 23
Blood Type: A

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

He is generally called Sanzo by his traveling companions, although his full title is "The 31st of China, Genjyo Sanzō." A brutal, worldly man, he doesn't fit the stereotypical image of the passive, or pacifist, cleric. Disregarding basic Buddhist principles, he smokes like a chimney, drinks like a fish, gambles, swears like a sailor, and generally follows his own path. Sanzō 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 moralistic and quick to defend the weak. His primary weapon is a 5-shot Smith and Wesson revolver which he wields as an expert marksman and is rarely without in combat. A secondary "weapon" is the holy sutra he carries on his shoulders, the Maten 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 Braden Hunt (English, first series only).

Cho Hakkai, formerly known as Cho Gonou. Though originally human, Hakkai became a youkai (and had his name changed) after he slaughtered the youkai of the Hyakugenmaoh tribe (According to Japanese legend, a human can become a youkai after bathing in the blood of a thousand youkai) for the kidnap and rape of his beloved twin sister/lover, Kanan. In the Saiyuki anime, however, Kanan is not the twin sister of Cho Hakkai, but instead his lover only. He is polite and soft-spoken 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, which in his case can also be used to heal injuries. He wears a monocle over his (artificial) right eye, the remnant of a self-inflicted injury sustained shortly after his dealings with Hyakugenmoah's tribe. His youkai limiter takes the form of ear bands on his left ear.

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 youkai, half human, Gojyo belongs to both worlds and to neither. His blood-red hair and eyes betray his status as a halfblood, and he's often labeled taboo and unclean in general society. Part kappa (a water demon) and wholly a ladies' 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 named a shakujo, although it is really a Chinese yuèyáchǎn, a double-headed staff with one blade shaped like a crescent moon (yuèyá) and the other a shovel (chǎn).

Image:Goku_00.JPG

Son Goku
(孫 悟空)
Birthdate: April 5
Height: 5'4"
Weight: 112 lbs
Age: Physically 18, real age indeterminate
Blood Type: O

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

Though often referred to as a youkai, and rarely as a god, Gokū 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, Gokū has always been a study in contradiction. He was born from rock of primordial chaos, and is nearly indestructible. His youkai form, known as Seiten Taisei (or "Great Sage, Equal to Heaven"), is revealed when his golden diadem is removed or broken. While in his youkai form, Goku is perhaps the most formidable of the party, but also completely lacks reason, self-control, and the ability to discern friend from foe. 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/manga 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, Gokū loves to fight and is nearly undefeated in combat. His primary weapon is a long staff, called Ru Yi Bang, (nyoi-bōu) in Japanese, which can be shortened or lengthened at will or turned into a three sectional staff (nyoi-sansetsukon).

[edit] Secondary Characters

  • Kougaiji: Based on Gyumaoh's Son, Hong Hai Er, (meaning "Red Child") the Bull Prince.
  • Lirin: Kougaiji's half-sister and Gyokumen Koushou's daughter.
  • Dokugakuji: Gojyo's full-yōkai half-brother, formerly known as Sha Jien.
  • Yaone: Alchemist to the Prince and Lirin's 'babysitter'.
  • Gyokumen Koushou: Gyumaoh's concubine.
  • Dr Ni Jianyi: Wild card, mystery man, pervert, mad scientist, and Gyokumen Koushou's human lover.
  • Kanzeon Bosatsu: The Buddhist bodhisattva Guan Yin herself. Portrayed as a hermaphrodite, she helps guide the Sanzo-ikkou.
  • War Prince Nataku: Nataku is based on the Taoist deity Nezha. He is considered a heretical being with taboo origins.

[edit] From Classic Novel to Anime

Saiyūki is the Japanese name for Journey to the West, or Xīyóu Jì (西遊記 "Record of the Journey to the West") 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 Sanzō-Ikkō bears only a superficial similarity to the original four in the Chinese novel, the most notable differences are their names. For example:

  • Genjō-Sanzō (玄奘三蔵) is Xuánzàng (玄奘) or Táng-Sānzàng (Tang's three scriptures).
  • Son Gokū is Sūn Wùkōng (孫 悟空), or the Monkey King.
  • Cho Hakkai is Zhū Bājiè (豬 八戒), a pig monster.
  • Sha Gojyō is Shā Wùjìng (沙 悟淨), a water demon, classified as a kappa in some translations.
  • Gyūmaōh is Niumowáng (牛魔王) Ox King

[edit] Series Information

[edit] Anime

The original anime series is produced in North America by ADV Films and comprises 50 episodes. The sequels Saiyūki Reload and Saiyūki 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 noticeably in the second and third installments.

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

[edit] Manga

The Saiyūki manga is comprised of three separate series:

  • Saiyuki, 9 volumes, complete.
  • Saiyūki Reload, currently at 7 volumes, still running in the monthly Japanese manga magazine Zero Sum.
  • Saiyūki 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 Saiyūki series.

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

[edit] Media Information

[edit] Opening Themes:

Gensōmaden Saiyūki
"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

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

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

[edit] Ending Themes:

Gensōmaden Saiyūki
"Tightrope"
by CHARCOAL FILTER

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

Saiyūki 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

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

Gensōmaden Saiyūki: Requiem
"Tightrope" by Tetsu 69 of L'Arc~en~Ciel

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Saiyuki (manga)
v • d • e
Series
Saiyuki · Saiyuki Gaiden · Saiyuki Reload · Saiyuki Gunlock
Characters
Sanzo Party: Genjo Sanzo/Koumyou Sanzo · Son Goku · Sha Gojyo · Cho Hakkai · Hakuryu
Kougaiji's Group: Kougaiji · Lirin · Dokugakuji · Yaone
Gyumaoh's Revival Group: Gyokumen Koushou · Dr. Ni Jianyi/Ukoku Sanzo
Others: War Prince Nataku · Gyumaoh · Kanan ·
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