Saiyuki (manga)

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Saiyuki
幻想魔伝最遊記
(Gensōmaden Saiyūki)
Genre Adventure, Action, Comedy, Historical Fiction
Manga
Author Kazuya Minekura
Publisher Flag of Japan Enix
Demographic Shōnen
Magazine Flag of Japan G-Fantasy
Original run 1997 – 2002
Volumes 9
OVA
Director Takashi Sogabe
Studio Tokyo Kids
Episodes 2
Released April 23, 1999
August 27, 1999
TV anime
Director Hayato Date
Studio Studio Pierrot
Network Flag of Japan TV Tokyo
Original run 4 April 2000 – 27 March 2001
Episodes 50
Animated film: Gensomaden Saiyuki: Requiem
Director Hayato Date
Studio Studio Pierrot
Licensor ADV Films
Released August 18, 2001
Runtime 95 minutes
OVA: Gensomaden Saiyuki: Kibou no zaika[1]
Studio Studio Pierrot
Episodes 1
Released 2002

Gensomaden Saiyuki (幻想魔伝 最遊記 Gensōmaden Saiyūki?), commonly known as Saiyuki, is a popular manga series created by Kazuya Minekura. The story is loosely based on the famous Chinese novel Journey to the West (Xīyóu Jì). In 1999 the Saiyuki OVA by Tokyo Kids was released. A year later it was adapted into an anime series by Studio Pierrot, which won the Animage Anime Grand Prix prize in 2000. The Gensomaden Saiyuki: Requiem movie appeared in theaters in Japan in 2001. A sequel to this movie is the Gensomaden Saiyuki: Kibou no zaika OVA, which is actually animation taken from an interactive game[1]

There are two sequels to Saiyuki, Saiyuki Reload (最遊記RELOAD?) and Saiyuki Gunlock (最遊記RELOAD GUNLOCK?).

The descriptions and summaries in this article are based on the English-adapted Saiyuki anime as distributed by ADV Films.

Contents

[edit] Plot

Saiyuki is the story of four anti-heroes: the monk Genjyo Sanzo (or just "Sanzo"), the monkey demon Son Goku, the half-demon Sha Gojyo, and the man turned demon Cho Hakkai (formerly known as Cho Gonou). They have been dispatched by the Sanbutsushin (the Three Aspects of Buddha, who relay the orders of heaven) to travel 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 own tragic, personal pasts. Meanwhile, the villains, two unlikely confidants, Gyokumen Koushou (Gyumaoh's concubine, a demon) and a mad scientist, Dr. Ni Jianyi (a human), continue their attempts to restore the long-dead king. These experiments, a forbidden mixture of science and magic, spawn the "Minus Wave", infecting all of the demons in Shangri-La with madness, shattering the fragile peace that once existed between humans and demons.

[edit] Characters

[edit] Main characters: The Sanzo-Ikkou ("Sanzo party")

  • Son Goku (Seiten Taisei or Great Sage Equaling Heaven)

Height: 162 cm
Weight: 51 kg
Age: 500+
Birthdate: April 5
Zodiac: Aries
Blood type: O

Past Life: Kenren Taisho
Height: 184 cm
Weight: 75 kg
Age: 22
Birthdate: November 9
Zodiac: Scorpio
Blood type: B

Past Life: Tenpou Gensui
Former name: Cho Gonou
Height: 181 cm
Weight: 69 kg
Age: 22
Birthdate: September 21
Zodiac: Virgo
Blood type: AB

Past Life: Konzen Douji
Former name: Kouryu ( the river drifter )
Height: 177 cm
Weight: 64 kg
Age: 23
Birthdate: November 29
Zodiac: Sagittarius
Blood type: A

[edit] Secondary Characters

  • Hakuryuu: Hakkai's pet-dragon that can transform into the jeep the Sanzo-party travels in. In the manga, Hakuryuu's name is "Jeep" (Jiipu).
  • Kougaiji: Based on Gyumaoh's Son, Kåfēise Dalu Hai Er (meaning "brown moose child") the Bull Moose Prince, Kougaji is Gyumaoh's son. He reluctantly takes part in Ni Jianyi and Koushou's plan in order to restore his mother Rasetsu-nyo, who was turned to stone by a curse. He has no deep animosity towards the Sanzo party, but makes no effort to hide that he loathes Ni Jianyi and Koushou. He deeply cares for other demons, but has never displayed any ill feelings toward humans. Despite that he's willing to allow thousands to die if it means bringing his mother back. Of everyone he's been around, he's been shown to care for Lirin the most and often attempts to keep her out of battles. He wields power over fire and the ability to summon powerful fiends. He's also a highly skilled hand-to-hand fighter.
  • Lirin: Kougaiji's half-sister and Gyokumen Koushou's daughter. She deeply admires Kougaiji, and overall is like a female Son Goku in personality. Although she likes fighting she's also extremely friendly. Lirin fights using brute strength but isn't very smart. When Kougaiji's group fights Sanzo's group, she's usually seen on Sanzo's shoulders. Sanzo views her as another monkey, like Son Goku.
  • Dokugakuji: Gojyo's full-yōkai half-brother, formerly known as Sha Jien. When he was younger he was very close to his little brother, and attempted to protect him from his emotionally unstable mother by having an incestuous affair with her. She attempted to kill Gojyo anyway, and Jien was forced to kill his mother to keep her from killing Gojyo; after this he left his home and brother, and pledged himself to Kougaiji's service. He's extremely loyal to Kougaiji, though he still seems to love his baby brother. He fights with a sword.
  • Yaone: An apothecary, alchemist, and Lirin's "babysitter". Her first appearance seems to show a relation to Kanon, but it is not mentioned again later in the series. She is deeply devoted to Kougaiji, who saved her from being sacrificed to the Centipede Demon, and has rashly taken on dangerous missions to prove her loyalty to him. However, her primary role in the group is that of healer. She seems to be friendly enemies with Hakkai; she always addresses him with great respect, and on occasions they work together. Hakkai regards her as a fellow-healer and colleague, and seems to have platonic feelings for her.
  • Gyokumen Koushou: Gyumaoh's concubine and the mastermind of the plan to revive him. She's extremely cruel and selfish, and has shown to be willing to sacrifice anything to get what she wants. Has told Kougaiji that she'll only restore his mother to life if he helps her obtain the Five Sacred Scriptures. Despite being Lirin's mother she cares nothing about her own daughter and only sees her and Kougaiji as tools.
  • Dr. Ni Jianyi: A wild card, mystery man, mad scientist, and Koushou's human lover. He owns a plushie bunny that he carries with him as his pet. He was also once a Sanzo priest (known as Ukoku Sanzo) and was considered a heretic due to the fact that he fought and killed his master (Goudai Sanzo) to attain his title instead of inheriting his chakra from the gods. His pupil, a man known simply as "God" (Kami-sama), appears in Reload. Although he's extremely eccentric, he's also intelligent and ruthless. He reasons for aiding in reviving Gyumaoh are a mystery.
  • Kanzeon Bosatsu aka the Merciful Goddess: The Buddhist bodhisattva Guan Yin herself. She is portrayed as a hermaphrodite in the manga, while in the anime it gives no indication of her being anything other than a female. She rarely helps the Sanzo party, usually watching their travels on the way to India from Heaven for her amusement.
  • Nataku only appears in Saiyuki Gaiden and in the anime *War Prince Nataku: Nataku is based on the Taoist deity Nezha. He is a half-mortal war god who won the then-divine Son Goku (Sun Wukong)'s friendship, since they were both branded as "heretical" beings due to their birth. Unfortunately, Nataku falls into a catatonic state (the reasons for this are not disclosed in the anime) and sits in the divine garden of heaven with only the Goddess of Mercy to keep him company, staring blankly ahead for all time. In the series, Nataku is decidedly more somber than Goku and is resigned to being a puppet to the Gods. (He was 'given the honor' of being the War Prince, a role which is later passed onto Homura. The title of "war prince" essentially just means someone is a living weapon to be repeatedly sent into battle.) Furthermore, Nataku goes by a different title, but his background is still very much the same - right down to a Commander father and spear weapon. (However, it is glaringly obvious as the series goes on that the Commander is exploiting his son for fame and recognition from the Gods, reversing the roles that Nataku is to blame for misfortune) Nataku's father however, is then lectured by the past reincarnation of Cho Hakkai (Field Marshal Tenpou) and further mistreatment of his son is then yet to be seen in the series.
  • Homura Toushin Taishi Homura was born between the humans and the warriors of the Upper heavens. Although he succeeded Nataku Taishi who destroyed Gyumaoh-Bull Satan 500 years ago, he is fed up with utter tranquility and lazy life in the Upper Heavens. He had some relationship with Sanzo and his comrades. He calls them by their names from a previous existence. He is eager to get Sanzo's Sutra of Dark Power. His ultimate ambition seemed to be the creation of a perfect world with Son Goku as a tool, but it is shown near the end of Saiyuki Gensomaden, that he was looking to be defeated by somebody who is worthy of him, Son Goku--the "perfect world" was only a place where he could obtain the most honorable and worthy death. His weapon is a long sword possessing tremendous power. He can wipe out a troop of monsters at one swing. He uses the Power of Spirit, better known as Chi, like Cho Hakkai.
  • Zenon comes down with Prince Homura only because he dislikes the evil monsters and spirits. His revolving 'Demon Blaster' destroys dozen of monsters. His right eye is covered by the patch. It is revealed that the eyepatch is his demon limiter, and he goes berserk without it. Zenon agrees to follow Homura for multiple reasons. One being he is sick of his life in the heavens, and is sick of living in general, another is that he wants to find the demon who killed the mother of his son. Years ago, Zenon went freely between earth and heaven (the year was no specified in the anime). He had relations with a woman who became pregnant with his son. The gods found out about this, and Zenon agreed to give up his immortality and live as a human. However, one of his subordinates (who was a demon), was told to bring her to the heavens, he killed her instead. He wields a banishing gun like Sanzo, only his has the form of an assault rifle.
  • Shien comes down with Prince Homura for exciting adventures. He never harms anyone unless he has to defend himself. However, once getting in a battle, he is fierce, slaying the opponent with his twin 'Light Whips.' He previously worked under War Prince Nataku, and wonders what Nataku saw in the human world, after the fight with Gyumaoh, as Nataku told him he wanted to stay longer. A celebration is held every year when he descends to view the scenery Nataku seemed to be most fond of.

[edit] Anachronisms

Although the setting of the story is never made clear, it is fairly consistent with being ancient China and India (like the classic novel in which it is based). However there are many elements that are anachronistic, such as

  • Sanzo's gun
  • Hakuryu's transformation into a Jeep (cars are considered rare in this world)
  • The presence of cigarettes, cigarette lighters (both disposable and refillable), and newspapers
  • Sanzo's glasses and Hakkai's monocle
  • The science used by Dr. Ni Jenyi
  • The Sanzo party's means of travel funding is a credit card issued in the name of the Sanbutsushin (the "three aspects" or Buddhist deities whom Sanzo serves), and even villages which don't give any other evidence of having electricity readily accept the card in payment
 Please help improve this section by expanding it.
Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion.


[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. Their names are the same as the names of the characters in the Chinese novel, but given Japanese pronunciations:

  • Genjō-Sanzō (玄奘三蔵) is Xuánzàng (玄奘) or Táng-Sānzàng (唐三藏, 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. His original name, Cho Gonou is actually Zhū Wùnéng (豬 悟能), the Buddhist name given to Zhu Bajie by Guan Yin when they first met in the original novel.
  • 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 distributed 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 consist of 25 and 26 episodes respectively. 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 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. A new OVA has been released by Studio Pierrot, which covers the "Burial" arc of the Saiyuki Reload manga; it is called Saiyuki Burial.

[edit] Manga

The Saiyuki manga is comprised of three separate series:

  • Saiyuki, 9 volumes, complete. This manga was serialized in the shōnen manga magazine Monthly GFantasy.
  • Saiyuki Reload, currently at 8 volumes, still running in the monthly Japanese shōjo manga magazine Monthly Comic Zero Sum.
  • Saiyuki Gaiden, currently at 3 volumes, is currently being published in the quarterly Japanese shōjo manga magazine Zero Sum WARD. This series takes place in Heaven, 500 years before the first Saiyuki series. The plot is based around the four main characters of Saiyuki in their past lives, and details exactly what it was they did to get thrown out of heaven.
The names of the characters are:
  • Konzen Douji - Genjo Sanzo's former incarnation.
  • Tenpou Gensui - Cho Hakkai's former incarnation.
  • Kenren Taishou - Sha Gojyo's former incarnation.
  • Goku - Son Goku himself, 500 years ago.
  • Gojun - Dragon King of the Western Seas (believed to be Hakuryuu's former incarnation).
  • Nataku Taishi - the War Prince
  • Li Touten - Nataku's father
  • Kanzeon Bosatsu - Konzen's aunt, and the one responsible for bringing Goku to heaven.

[edit] Media Information

[edit] Opening themes

Gensomaden Saiyuki
For Real sung by Hidenori Tokuyama, lyrics/composition by Kurosawa Ken'ichi
Still Time sung by Hidenori Tokuyama, lyrics/composition by Kurosawa Ken'ichi and arrangement by Tooyama Yuu

[edit] Ending themes

Gensomaden Saiyuki
Tightrope by CHARCOAL FILTER
Alone sung by Shimokawa Mikuni, lyrics by Sumiyo Mutsumi and composition/arrangement by ab:fly
Gensomaden Saiyuki Requiem
Tightrope by Tetsu 69 of L'Arc~en~Ciel

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Gensomaden Saiyuki: Kibou no zaika (OAV) (anime) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia

[edit] External links

Saiyuki
v • d • e
Series
Saiyuki · Saiyuki Gaiden · Saiyuki Reload · Saiyuki Gunlock
Movies
Gensomaden Saiyuki: Requiem
Characters
Sanzo Party: Genjo Sanzo/Koumyou Sanzo · Son Goku · Sha Gojyo · Cho Hakkai