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Revision as of 04:53, 15 August 2008

Saiyuki
GenreAdventure, Fantasy
Manga
Written byKazuya Minekura
Published byJapan Enix
MagazineJapan G-Fantasy
DemographicShōnen
Original run1997 – 2002
Volumes9
Anime
Directed byTakashi Sogabe
StudioTokyo Kids
ReleasedApril 23, 1999
August 27, 1999
Anime
Directed byHayato Date
StudioStudio Pierrot
Released 4 April 2000 – 27 March 2001
Anime
Gensomaden Saiyuki: Requiem
Directed byHayato Date
StudioStudio Pierrot
ReleasedAugust 18, 2001
Anime
Gensomaden Saiyuki: Kibou no zaika[1]
StudioStudio Pierrot
Released2002
Anime
Saiyuki Reload Gunlock
Directed byTetsuya Endo
StudioStudio Pierrot
Released 2004-04-01 – 2004-09-23

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. 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), a manga sequel adapted into an anime, and Saiyuki Reload Gunlock (最遊記RELOAD GUNLOCK), an anime sequel. Saiyuki Gaiden is a manga prequel which had a few chapters adapted into the original anime.

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.

Characters

Main article: List of Saiyuki characters

Concept and creation

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.

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:

  • Genjyo Sanzo (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

Media

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 9 volumes and still running in the monthly Japanese shōjo manga magazine Monthly Comic Zero Sum.
  • Saiyuki Gaiden, currently at 3 volumes and 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 - Genjyo 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.

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.

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
Saiyuki Reload Gunlock
Don't look back again performed by WAG

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
Saiyuki Reload Gunlock
Mitsumeteitai by flow-war
Shiro no Jumon by doa

Video Games

File:Saiyukireloadgunlock jpps2boxboxart 160w-1-.jpg
PS2 game cover

Released in Japan on August 5, 2004 by Bandai, this fighting game features a total of eight playable characters including Sanzo, Goku, Gojyo and Hakkai as well as Kougaiji, Chin Iisou, Kamisama, and Hazel. Playable game modes include traditional single and multi-player modes, as well as Practice Mode, Watch Mode, and a story-akin Dramatic Mode.

References

  1. ^ a b Gensomaden Saiyuki: Kibou no zaika (OAV) ({{{type}}}) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia

Template:SaiyukiManga

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