List of media adaptations of Journey to the West
Journey to the West, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature, was written in the 16th century but remains popular today, and has been adapted many times in modern media, including film, television, stage, and other media.
Paintings
- Japanese artist Tsukioka Yoshitoshi published a series of prints in 1865 titled Tsûzoku saiyûki (A Modern Journey to the West).
Stage plays
- The Monkey Sun (Opičák Sun) – a production adapting several chapters from the novel by the Theatre Esence in Prague, Czechoslovakia in 1984.[1]
Films
- Princess Iron Fan (1941) – a liberal adapted of a short sequence from Journey to the West; the first Chinese animated feature film.
- Havoc in Heaven (1961) – also known as Uproar in Heaven, is a Chinese animated feature film directed by Wan Laiming and produced by all four of the Wan brothers.
- Shaw Brothers Studio film series directed by Ho Meng-hua:
- Monkey Goes West (1966)
- Princess Iron Fan (1966) – adapting two chapters from the novel.[2]
- Cave of the Silken Web (1967)
- The Land of Many Perfumes (1968)
- A Chinese Odyssey (1995) – a comedy film loosely based on the novel, starring Stephen Chow.
- Heavenly Legend (1998) – a film by Tai Seng Entertainment that is partially based on the novel, starring Jimmy Lin and Ashton Chen.
- A Chinese Tall Story (2005) – a comedy film loosely based on the novel, starring Nicholas Tse.
- The Fire Ball (2005) – an animated feature film directed by Wong Tung
- The Adventures of Super Monkey (2007) – a film featuring Shingo Katori as the Monkey King focusing on one adventure with the team fighting the Gold and Silver Horn deamons.
- The Forbidden Kingdom (2008) – a fantasy-adventure martial arts film featuring Jet Li as the Monkey King.[3]
- The Monkey King (2012) – starring Donnie Yen and Chow Yun-fat
- Journey to the West (TBA) – starring Stephen Chow and Zhang Yuqi
Television series
- Saiyūki (Monkey) (1978–1980)- a 1970s Japanese television series based on Journey to the West translated into English by BBC.
- Journey to the West (1986 and 1999) - a two season television series produced by CCTV. Noted for its faithfulness to the original novel, this series is still considered by many as a classic. Liu Xiao Ling Tong played the Monkey King in both seasons.
- Journey to the West (1994) - Nippon TV produced another television series, based on the Journey to the West story, titled New Monkey, it ran for only one season. The series when released was considered a special effects achievement.
- Journey to the West II (1998) - the sequel to the 1996 TVB version of Journey to the West, starring Benny Chan as the Monkey King.
- Saiyūki (2006) - Japan's Fuji Television produced (yet) another television series, based on the Journey to the West story, titled Saiyūki. The lead character of Son Goku (Monkey King) was given to Shingo Katori, a member of the pop group SMAP. This latest remake has been so successful as to break viewing records with one in three Japanese viewers watching each episode of the series.[4] Companies from South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, China, Malaysia and the United Kingdom are trying to secure rights to broadcast this series. In lieu of a second season, Fuji TV and Toho are producing a feature film version, to be released in Japan on July 14, as of 2007[update].
- Wu Cheng'en and Journey to the West (2010) - features the story of Wu Cheng'en, author of Journey to the West, and his inspiration for writing the novel. The main cast from the CCTV version reprised their roles in this series, with Liu Xiao Ling Tong simultaneously playing both Wu Cheng'en and the Monkey King.
- Journey to the West (2010) - directed by Cheng Lidong. The series is called "Zhejiang version", as it was first aired on Zhejiang Satellite TV in China.
Comics, manga and anime
- BBC Beijing Olympics titles: A two-minute long introduction produced in 2008 for the Beijing Olympics by BBC. The animation and music were specially produced by Jamie Hewlett and Damon Albarn.[1]
- Dragon Ball: Started off based on Journey to the West, but later deviated from it. Sun Wukong becomes Son Goku, a humanoid alien with an elongating staff weapon and the ability to change into a giant ape. The object of sutras are replaced by the 7 wish-granting Dragon Balls.
- Saiyūki: manga and anime series inspired by the legend. Follow-up series include Saiyuki Gaiden, Saiyuki Ibun and Saiyuki Reload Blast, continuation of the manga.
- Havoc in Heaven (also known as Uproar in Heaven): Original animation from China, by Shanghai Animation Film Studio.
- Ginseng Fruit(also known as Stealing the Ginseng Fruit): Original animation from China, by Shanghai Animation Film Studio.
- Iyashite Agerun Saiyūki: A 2007 adult anime
- Monkey Typhoon: A manga and anime series based on the Journey to the West saga, following a futuristic steampunk -retelling of the legend.
- Saint: A manhua created by Hong Kong manhua artist Khoo Fuk-lung, based on the Journey to the West but adding many interesting facts.
- Starzinger: An animated science fiction version of the story.
- The Journey West: A series of illustrated ebooks available for the Kindle and Nook that retell Journey to the West using rhyming verses vaguely reminiscent of Dr. Seuss. Book One: The Monkey King was released in 2011.[5]
- The Ape: by Milo Manara and Silverio Pisu. Graphic novel published 1986 by Catalan Communications. Previously serialized in Heavy Metal magazine in 1983. This is a more adult adaptation of 'Journey to the West' with a preface by Renata Pisu. ISBN 978-0874160192
- In Read or Die OVA, one of the I-jin characters, Genjo Sanzo, is loosely based on Son Goku. He has a staff that he can control the length of and he rides a cloud.
Works referencing the novel
- American Born Chinese: An American graphic novel by Gene Yang. Nominated for the National Book Award (2006).
- Doraemon: A special tells the story of Journey To The West casting the Doraemon characters as the characters of the legend.
- Eyeshield 21: Three of the players for the Shinryuji Nagas are referred to as the Saiyuki Trio based upon their appearances and personalities.
- Gag Manga Biyori: The 2005 sketch comedy style anime featured one episode in its first season that portrayed the Journey to the West as a race, casting Sanzou Houshi (Xuanzang), Son Goku (Sun Wukong), and Sa Gojo (Sha Wujing) as three racers.
- InuYasha: The characters meet descendants of three of the main characters of the Journey to the West in one episode and main character, Kagome Higurashi, says a few lines about the whole book and story. Also, several plot elements in InuYasha vaguely resemble Journey to the West such as the quest (the search for jewel shards in place of scrolls), a weapon which changes in shape and size (InuYasha's Tetsusaiga), and InuYasha's necklace, which allows Kagome to punish him at will, which is probably based on Sun Wukong's headband.
- Kaleido Star: The cast performs Saiyuki on stage a few times in the beginning of the second half of the series.
- Love Hina: The characters put on a play based on the story in anime episode 16 and manga chapter 37.
- Naruto: Temari, a character from Naruto, is based on Princess Iron Fan from the legend. Enma is a summoned monkey who bears resemblance to Sun Wukong. He has the ability to transform into a staff similar to the rúyì-jīngū-bàng, which can alter its size at will. Kinkaku and Ginkaku appear as enemy ninja wielding the power of the Nine-Tailed Fox. One of the Tailed Beasts a giant ape, is named Son Goku and wears Sun Wukongs headdress.
- Paprika (2006 film) references the classic Chinese fable when the main character, Paprika, transforms into something resembling the Monkey King, with a staff, tiger-skin clothing, and riding a cloud.
- Princess Iron Fan (1941): First Chinese animated feature, based on the Iron Fan episode.
- Ranma 1/2: Pastiches of the characters appear throughout the manga and movies.
- Read or Die (OVA): One of the villains is a clone of Xuanzang, who seems to have the powers of Sun Wukong and Xuanzang.
- Read or Dream: In the manga, Anita gets hit on the forehead with a baseball and is knocked out. She has a dream based on the Wizard of Oz, but one of the other characters notes that he is in the wrong story because he is the Monkey King.
- Sakura Wars: The Imperial Flower Troupe Performs the play of Journey to the West.
- Shinzo: An anime loosely based on Journey to the West.
- Sir Harold and the Monkey King (1992): Harold Shea and Reed Chalmers visit the setting of Journey to the West in this short story.
- Dark Heavens and Journey to Wudang series: a fantasy novel series by Kylie Chan
Games
- China Gate: A 1988 arcade game by Technos Japan Corp., based on the original story and characters. The Japanese version is titled Saiyu Gōma Roku (西遊降魔録?, "Conquering Devil Journeys to the West")[6]
- Fuun Gokuu Ninden: An action game for PlayStation. The characters of the game are based on the characters of Journey to the West.[7]
- Journey to the West: An unlicensed Famicom game by Taiwanese developer TXC Corp, 1994.[8]
- League of Legends: An action real time strategy video game developed and published by Riot Games for Microsoft Windows. A playable character in the game is a direct reference to the Monkey King.
- The Monkey King: The Legend Begins: A side scrolling shooting game on the Nintendo Wii made in 2007 by UFO Interactive Games Inc. The player will play as either Wu Kung or a girl named Mei Mei.
- Oriental Legend: Arcade action game by IGS in 1997, based on the novel. This game was only released in China and Korea.
- Saiyūki World: A Japan-exclusive NES game by Jaleco.
- SonSon: A video game and character of the same name created by Capcom whose title character is a caricature of Sūn Wùkōng. The granddaughter of SonSon (also named SonSon) appears in Marvel vs. Capcom 2.
- SonSon 2: Japan-exclusive sequel to SonSon.
- S.Y.K. Shinsetsu Saiyūki: an otome game developed by Otomate
- Whomp 'Em (known in Japan as Saiyūki World II): Sequel to Saiyūki World. An NES game whose Japanese version is based on the story (the American version features a Native American boy instead of Wukong).
References
- ^ Opičák Sun, Web site of production with photos (in Czech).
- ^ Love HK Film Reference
- ^ The Forbidden Kingdom at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ Lewis, Leo (2006-02-15). "Broadcasters in a spin as Monkey swings back to TV". Times Online. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,25689-2040820,00.html. Retrieved 2008-10-18.
- ^ The Journey West, Book One: The Monkey King, Amazon Bookstore.
- ^ China Gate, Coin-Op Express.
- ^ Fuun Gokuu Ninden (The God of Monkey), Extreme-Gamers.
- ^ Journey to the West, Unlicensed NES Guide.