Many years ago, humans and demons lived in harmony. But that unity ended when demons started attacking humans and plotted a mission to unleash Gyumao—an evil demon imprisoned for thousands of years. Now, Genjo Sanzo, a rogue priest, must team up with three demons—Sha Gojyo, Son Goku, and Cho Hakkai—and embark on a perilous journey to the west to stop these demons from resurrecting Gyumao and restore the balance between humans and demons on Earth.
(Source: ANN)
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Comentários
Ranivus
::QUICK REVIEW:: Story: 5 (another "Journey to the West" spinoff) Art: 6 (Pretty above standard fare for its time) Sound: 7 (English voice acting was impressive don't miss it) Character: 8 (first male team that didn't make me feel gay) Enjoyment: 9 (Main characters made this show great) Overall: 35/50 = 7.0 (Didn't mean to make the score look like that) ::FULL REVIEW:: Ever since Dragon Ball, there have been a large influx of anime basing themselves on the "Journey to the West" epic piece. It's storyline is perfect for an anime iteration, but then again, any idea can become an anime. Well what I'm getting at is that this is anotheriteration based on that epic. And in my opinion, this is the best iteration of that tale that I have seen so far.
It's not historically accurate at all. If anything, it follows the story extremely loosely. I mean the names are partially the same and their personalities match (i.e. monkey, priest, etc) but thats about it. Their opposition are literally monsters and their goal is to reach the west. They use guns and have a dragon that transforms into a jeep. So you can't take this seriously. But there is one thing that this show has and the other anime does not: attitude. The four travelers, Gojyo, Sanzo, Hakkai, and Goku, are all badass and their chemistry between each other are hilariously cool.
Now I enjoyed the English dub of this show simply because the banter between the four was actually more believable in a realistic friendship sort of way. When they make fun of each other it sounds like something I would say to my friends. No matter how much they sound like they hate each other guts and despise each other but when it comes down to it, they will follow each other to the ends of the earth. That is something that is often attempted in anime but rarely executed very well.
All the adventures they encounter are your typical random shonen encounters that they have to overcome. I would have cared less if their teamwork wasn't so awesome and macho even under stressful conditions. No matter what they faced, they still managed to accomplish it in a virile manner.
Overall this show, like many others like it, can not be fully appreciated unless you're ready to accept the fact that its story is very very vague. Secondly, I highly recommend the English dub since they sound much more badass than the Japanese dub and really made this show from okay to pretty darn good.
Chelle
Saiyuki is one of those animes that just grabs you from the very first episode, and won't let you go, even though, it is an episodic anime. Most of the storylines only take 1 to 2 episodes to tell, as you follow these 4 travelers, sent by the gods, to prevent the reawakening of an old, extremely dangerous demon. My only complaint about this anime would be the animation. There are a lot of "still shots" used during the battle scenes, but you can overlook that. The animation is also not as clean as I would like to be, but I think, maybe,it was intended that way, to go along with the story.
The characters are PERFECT. They don't get any better than this. Sanzo, the 'renegade priest' who swears, smokes, drinks, weilds a banishing gun, and has a tongue sharp as a razor. Goku, the lovable little monkey king, who is always hungry, and whiny, but kicks butt during the battles. Hakkai, the soft-spoken, sympathetic demon, with a heart of gold, and a tragic past. Finally, my personal favorite, Gojyo, the drinking, gambling, swearing, skirt-chasing pervert of a water sprite, who just makes you laugh out loud almost everytime he opens his mouth.
All of the characters have a tragic past (with Hakkai's probably being the worst), that is revisited from time to time to help you understand why they are the way the are.
The music in this anime is great, especially the OP songs. I would actually buy the OST if I could find it.
Even though the goal of the entire series is to prevent the resurrection of the old demon, and the entire series works towards that goal, this is basically an episodic anime. Enjoy!! ^_^
yoohoodelilah
What is there to say? For one, Saiyuki has quickly crawled to the very top of my "favorite anime" list, and I don't believe it will be leaving anytime soon. Story: Based on an old Chinese story, the story of Saiyuki is addicting and entertaining. The simple idea of four total opposites finding a way to travel together on a journey to "save the world" is kind of hilarious. Now, the story itself isn't quite as interesting as the comedy or the characters, but with an "evil" group trailing the Saiyuki boys, a few crazy demons here and there, and a huge secret from the paston their backs, it does keep you interested to the very end.
Art: The art style for Saiyuki is done in a way that it preserves the original manga style. While at times the drawings appear a little weird (and maybe disproportionate), the overall style is amazing. Each character design is different from the next. I like the art style. It's unique and in a way, beautiful.
Sound: The music for Saiyuki is catchy. Each background song is nice and fits almost perfectly with the mood. The openings and closings are addicting to listen to. As for the voice acting, nothing better can compare (for both Japanese and English). The Japanese version is as good as any Japanese version made, with the talents of Souchirou Hoshi and Akira Ashida (along with many more). The English dub, however, goes almost above and beyond. With Greg Ayres as Son Goku (and in his first major role), Vic Mignogna as Kougaiji, and David Matranga as Genjo Sanzo, the dub itself rocks! Considering it was translated a few years back, the acting beats that of most of the newly translated dubs of the current years (such as Bleach, Death Note, etc.). To finish, the sound for the series is perfect.
Character: The characters for Saiyuki are amazing. With Son Goku (the monkey king), a fiery boy with a knack for being loud and a love for meat buns. . . With Cho Hakkai, the calm and laid-back man with a tragic past. . . With Genjo Sanzo, a priest with no care for following the rules and a cigarette always in hand. . . With Sha Gojyo, a perverted half-demon with a love for smoking, drinking, and woman. Each of the four main characters are unique in their own way. Even the bad guys are interesting (with the Kougaiji group being just as cool as the Saiyuki boys)!!! All in all, the characters are definitely a part of what makes the series addicting.
Enjoyment: Oh, where to start? From the action-packed adventure to the slap-stick comedy that continues throughout the entire series, the enjoyment is absolutely outstanding. The interactions between characters, the awesome voice talents, and the beautiful art style. . . All add up to a great watch that makes you want to finish all 50 episodes as soon as you can.
Overall: The series is amazing, something to watch over and over without growing bored. I might be giving it a little too much credit, but then again, I personally think Saiyuki is one of the best. Hopefully others (such as those who might possibly read this review) will enjoy it as much as myself.
angelsreview
Well, I have to say that this is one of my favorite shows even if it does have some flaws. We open with one of the most epic narrations by Sanzo and then get into the bad ass additude as he attacks Goku. The why the show introduces the characters is actually one of the reasons why I really like this show. We see each character in their ‘element’ so to speak and not all at once. It also doesn’t give us a whole lot of narration about these characters because they don’t really need it this early in the show. We get small tastesof the personalities, then bring them all together. I do wish that they had a little more information on how the group did meet earlier in the series then they do though. The series seems to believe that we have all seen the manga and since I have not, it makes me feel a bit out of the loop. It is a double edged sword because for me, I want to know more but for others, it can throw them off.
We see that Sanzo is not like many monks around the temple, but we never really see his past until later in the series though we do get a one second glimse of someone who died in front of him as a child. It seems that the only person he really listens to is the goddess but when he is hanging around the other characters, I can sort of understand.
Goku is actually rather annoying in the first part, acting like a little child and yet the little things he does make him seem even more like a monkey then a little boy. He is rather innocent, and As the series goes on, he grows more and more. He is the only one that we get a little piece of the past right up front but they don’t explain much more then a 5 minute clip.
Gojyo is pretty much a womanizer and gambler. He seems to always start fighting with Goku as though they are brothers and its fun to watch seeing as how I have a brother myself and we used to fight a lot. Although he is like that, he actually has a good heart he shows every once in a while. He doesn’t really show it to the others but there are some places where this good heart shows.
Hakkai is rather sweet at least when it comes to children and always willing to help others even if they aren’t rather nice at first. He is more level headed then any of the other characters. Although he is level headed, he tends to get scary in certent situations. He shows a rather masicistic side in a way.
The goddess is rather odd, sometimes sounding really wise and sometimes she sounds like she just wants to have a little fun with the characters. She actually really interesting
I love the fact that this show not only makes us feel for the main characters, but for some of the enemies as well. Not all of them are bad for bad sake. Now sadly, I really wish they did have a bad ass girl in their group. Without the girl, the group makes me think of yoai like a lot of other people I know. There are a lot of interesting groupings that I like and I’m sorry I’m getting into my fan girl love again.
Sadly, there is no ending to this really. It seems to go in arks like Pokemon or Inuyasha but doesn’t get to the ending of the story. There are times where is does become boring because they keep walking and riding with some of the same old jokes that they normally do where Goku fights with Gojyo and Sanzo threatens to kill them. Fighting scenes do get bad once in a while but yet are still interesting in some places.
I really wonder some of the choices that they do for the artwork like the very first part when Sanzo is saying the only one he can trust is himself, why do they show him naked when he does this? Now, there are many times that the characters have long limbs or long necks and it changes once in a while but because of how the story is, I was able to over look it for the most part. The tiny waists though and sometimes broken eyes area bothers me a bit.
The music is pretty bad ass. The first opening is highly addictive to listen to and actually fits the series rather good. I’m not so sure about the ending song though, it’s alright but not something I would listen over and over again. I skipped it most of the time. Sadly, some of the voices aren’t that great or the prononciations are bad but at least the main cast is pretty decent so I don’t have much problem with them. This is not the show for little kids as they don’t hold back on the language. It works for the personalities but it’s a lot.
Chikkii
Minekura Kazuya is an absolutely phenomenal storyteller. I mean don’t get me wrong, I love lots of mangas of all genres and whatnot but Minekura’s story is definitely a one of a kind gem. The main cast of this series, the Sanzo Ikkou a.k.a the Sanzo Party are made up of four emotionally-charged personalities. Sanzo, the stubborn and quick-to-shoot Buddhist priest, Goku, the ravenous but extremely adorable Seiten Taisei, Gojyo, the flirt who walks and talks like a casanova but wonderfully clicks into a comedic duo with Goku and last but not least, Hakkai who is a sweet but simultaneously a scary man with patiencelike no other. Spinning a story from the legendary classic tale of the Journey to the West, Minekura’s characters carry dark emotional baggage that she cleverly weaves into their comedic adventures. Now, this is mostly from the manga but in terms of the anime series, Saiyuki has one of the best original sound tracks. From openings to background music, Minekura’s world becomes even more depth-ridden and vast. The melancholic music which graces the background of the Ikkou’s tragic moments gives the anime an absolutely heart-wrenching undertone but also brings amazing authenticity to Minekura’s story. Even with all the ups and downs the anime has suffered and successfully plowed through, Saiyuki remains an absolute favorite of mine. If you haven’t heard of Minekura Kazuya or her manga, I would most definitely recommend it.
Bishounen_Hunter
How would you know if Saiyuki is right for you? Simple; Do you like bishounen [pretty boys]? Action anime shows with a heavy bishounen cast but very few females, like Weiss Kreuz or Gundam Wing? Mild homo-eroticism and sensitive male EMO-angst-ishness? What I just said my seem like I'm making fun of the show...but I'm not, I'm quite serious. This series has a lot of it, but I'm not necessarily saying it's a bad thing. What I'm saying is that if you have issues with these traits in this or any type of program then Saiyuki is definitely NOT FOR YOU! Because all you're gonnasay is that the show is so “gay” and blah blah blah and not really appreciate it for anything else! Now, I on the other hand, LOVED IT! I wouldn't be the “Bishounen Hunter” if I didn't, hee-hee!
~Art
Released in Y2K [Year 2000, for those of you who might have been too young to remember the now funny year 2000 “Y2K” Panic], this anime is definitely showing it's age. Because even if it was released in 2000 it was created with 90's technology and style....and probably with a smaller 90's budget to boot. And it so very much shows! There are some rare moments when there is some smooth transitioning and CGI being used, but they're used very sparingly, like for the flashier boy-band looking opening credits [which was nice, but it was a waste of resources if they aren't going to apply that kind of “GLAM' throughout the series, right? Since this would most definitely be considered a fighting-series, it's a little disappointing to see these sub-par fight scenes, this show cuts a lot of corners for the fight scenes: reused/recycled scenes and poses, excessive still imagery with people frozen in one pose and a blurred background...or NO background just a monochrome color. It's all just very cheap cheap cheap cheap cheap on the fight scenes. The overall art style is very nice I do like the lines, shading and coloring but it's pretty obvious all the focus were on the characters.
~Sound
Um wow, what can I really say? I watched this show in English dub and it left me stunned! And there is no qualifier to the word “stunned” you could take that to mean in a good thing or a bad thing.....I mean I was just fucking stunned!!! I mean was anyone else surprised by the frequency of the foul words pouring out of everyone's mouth? I mean, at one point people were calling each other “faggot” and such................like, REALLY??? Are we REALLY gonna go there? Like do we really have to throw words like that word around in order to reinforce the masculine image? And the sad part is I know fully well why they did it, it wasn't the creator's doing [that's for sure] and not the voice actors' fault either [they're just doing their job], no this is something that the American distributors felt they needed to do to “butch up” the male images so American male viewers wouldn't detect the underlying softness of the male characters [typical pre-Y2K mentality] and watch and enjoy the show [of course it didn't work, and many American males still thought the show was horrendously gay], But thanks to [post Y2K phenomenons like] the bishounen craze, the appearance of the metro-sexual, yaoi, shounen-ai and of course fan-girls, people are understanding it's OK to present other forms of masculinity in anime [and many other products] and they will STILL SELL!
That being said, I'm still not so impressed by the English voice cast it's 50/50. Goku sounds like he's forever straining to take a dump and Goyjo sound A LOT like Butt-Head from Beavis and Butt-Head [and is it me, or does he really have a slight lisp?]. I like Sanzo's and Hakki's voices, though, those seem very fitting to me.
The music I totally loved, they were very appropriate for a show like this.
~Story
I'll be honest. the story is kind of lacking, and this is probably due to the fact that this anime is based from one of those infinitely running manga series, so the main plot doesn't really go anywhere. The [Homura] arc from the second season when more characters are introduced and the gods come to fight seems pretty interesting...but there's no real momentum to any of these stories till near the end, after watching 40+ episodes. The filler episodes are nice but of course doesn't really contribute to the overall story However my recommendation would probably be to watch this series with the idea that it's supposed to be episodic [it's not really supposed to be, but things move so slowly that you might as well consider it such] because the quality of the shorter stories are done pretty well and entertaining. What I perhaps especially like is that not all of the short stories [filler eps.] are senseless, comedic, happy-go-lucky stories where people are always getting rescued at the end of the episode. Some of them are quite dark and moody that deal with death and loss and other darker subject matter. And I appreciate stuff like that sometimes, because as much as I like comedy, when I choose alternate titles – with characters that look like these do – I want to see a much broader range of experiences and emotions.
~Characters
They are fricken gorgeous! I'm a big big big fan of the way they look! Of course me being a crazed bishounen freak this should go without saying. But actually this goes BEYOND my general bishounen appreciation, I truly love the design of the characters, it's very new and very unique. I have a few wall scrolls and posters just because I love the art, the large calendars are fricken GORGEOUS and totally worth the money, go out and buy them if you can! The art was so good that I had looked up the name of the artist “Kazuya Minekura” He does very beautiful work, and you can totally tell his style a mile away....the ONLY reason I haven't read the manga is because it's ongoing. I hate being dragged along and kept in suspense over things, but once it's done I'll start buying the volumes for my library. And I'm not saying just the guys are good looking, so are the females but at some angles, while the “duck-bill” lip thing seems OK on the guys....when the Merciful Goddess does it [it's not cute]...lol,no it isn't in the least!
With bishounen anime, it's hard to have a favorite; Goku seems to be the anime fave but I like Sanzo's look and personality it seems to be the most consistent, Goyjo looks great with long hair but with short hair not so much and I'm not too crazy about the 90's style pointy eyelash-thing going on there....Hakki is cute and sweet but also on the blander side of things. Kougaji is probably my fave as far as visual presentation goes [I love dark-tanned anime characters generally].
~Verdict
OK so I don't know if Kazuya Minekura is gay or not [just based on the character designs – more than likely, he is] but if he is, then he's kinda like me with respect to presenting alternate views of masculinity. Because if the characters are NOT meant to be gay, they are A GREAT deal more sensitive/compassionate than the standard hetero-male represented in most anime shows.....but if they ARE gay [because there is that underlying gay subtext that everyone seems to be picking up on, lol], then at least they aren't “KIREPAPA” gay. Which is to say they aren't hyper, over-sexualized, slap-sticky, SUPER-fem [which is not a bad thing, per se, but the stereotyping is getting out of hand]. I came across this series because it does appear as a recommendation on quite a few yaoi/shounen-ai sites, that being said this is really only “regular” series with a lot of “slash” potential.
phantom234
The characters are brilliant, but also cliche. The music is awesome, but the voices are awkward. The design is wonderful, but the animation is clunky. Ultimately, this show somehow became one of my favorites. The story is one of the most important parts of an anime, and to be honest, it's a bit lacking. Many individual episodes stand on their own, and sometimes it's hard to discern what is filler and what is driving the plot forward. The ending felt rushed. However, where it fails in tying together a plot, it succeeds in creating characters you want to root for, which is my second point.... The characters arevery interesting puzzles. You think you have it figured out at the beginning - the angry one, the womanizer, the calm guy, and the childish guy. But there's more to it. You see why they are how they are and how their pasts haunt them. And they're likable, too. Of course, Sanzo would be a nightmare in real life, but from the distance of fiction, he's enjoyable to watch.
Overall, it's enjoyable. There's some intangible aspect that brings one back to watch it every time. I can go on and on about the flaws, but when it does something right, it does it right. Take a look at it, decide for yourself. But I can guarantee it, at the very least, won't be a complete waste of time.
Yung_Warrior
I got into this one because I heard it had a similar vibe to Yu Yu Hakusho, another fantasy series revolving around a four man main cast. For the most part, I think Saiyuki does not quite reach the heights of storytelling that series did, but it does distinguish itself in ways both good and bad. Firstly, the plot is mostly episodic in nature, with copious episodes that succeed at establishing characterization and worldbuilding, but otherwise do not move the plot significantly. It is filler, but pretty good filler in my opinion, since it really gets the viewer immersed in the world. This is an old-schooladventure story first and foremost, and the length of the journey is painted in the medium via this long-form storytelling. A certain patience is expected from the viewer as Hakkai's jeep slowly plugs along the desert roads. I think those who enjoy episodic series like Pokemon won't mind this at all, while those with no patience for filler will immediately drop the series, it is a defining factor.
One thing I heartily congratulate this series for is the main characters. They are all very fleshed-out, rounded, and compelling in their own ways, almost archetypically so. You have the womanizing water sprite Sha Gojyo, hot-tempered and vain like any seducer. There's Cho Hakkai, who arguably has the most fucked-up backstory of the lot, but nowadays acts as the driver and mediator of the group. There's the spunky kid tagalong, Son Goku, who is entertainingly whiny and always hungry, but seems to be the best fighter of the group. He also has a limiter device on his forehead which holds back a psychotic dark side that can't distinguish friend from foe, like he's on some Kid Buu shit. Fun times! And then there's my personal favorite, and arguably the main character, Genjo Sanzo. I like both his japanese and english voices (David Matranga has always been cool in my book). Furthermore, he's a huge asshole who spouts off action movie one-liners before putting holes in demons with his revolver, he's simultaneously very cool and very lame. Gotta love it! In general, the character designs are quite good.
The antagonists are hit and miss - the creepy doctor and whatever the name of the main female villain was, they were very one-note and forgettable. The Kougaiji group was alright, they were all rather sympathetic and fine enough characters. But the real badasses were the Prince of War and his two sidekicks, those guys were absolutely sick!
Now, we arrive at the flaws, which are sadly rather striking. It is clear from the beginning that these guys are balling on a budget - the fights are mostly a series of still frames, recycled animation loops, and reaction shots. When demons are killed, they break apart as if they are made of glass. It rather reminded me of when monsters are destroyed in Yugioh. I like old school animation, but a lot of this was probably bad for its time, and it obviously doesn't age well. So if animation is a problem for you, turn back now!
As far as the voice acting goes, I can only speak to the English dub. I thought the main characters were mostly fine, David Matranga as Sanzo and Vic Mignogna as Kougaiji in particular doing a good job. Gojyo's actor came across as wooden a lot, as did most of the one-episode-only villagers and short-lived demons. I will give credit to the scriptwriters for including some swearing, Gojyo even calls someone a bundle of sticks at one point. They certainly wouldn't have the balls to do that nowadays, though considering how effective outrage marketing obviously is, it's a tactic that might get dusted off again at some point. But generally, I would advise sticking to the sub. As a sidenote, I really liked the first opening song as well, it had a classic rock vibe that was very unique in my opinion.
Overall, the show is fine. If nothing else, the main characters are strong, the worldbuilding is good, and there are aesthetically pleasing moments. I'm interested in seeing how the 2017 series fares in comparison to this - I hope that it fixes many of the issues while contributing to the strengths. As is, I wouldn't go into this expecting more than some easily digestible entertainment.
Saraaahh63
Saiyuki was the first anime I had ever watched and it remains the best. I don't think I will ever get over the feeling I have when I hear the opening theme or the piano version of 'For Real'. The characters and their relationships are all so well developed and wonderful, the story is brilliant and the art/music is spot on. You will definitely have a favorite character/character you relate to most, however, you will love and deeply respect all of them. Goku's story and his subsequent relationship with Sanzo will stay with me for a very long time. As this anime is slightly older,there are a few off things about its animation (like the amount of still shots during battle), but its merit is in its story/characters/humor so this doesn't take away from it at all.
I guess the point I want to make about this anime is that it develops extremely meaningful relationships between the characters, its extremely well done and its something I hope everyone has a chance to appreciate. Please take the time to watch it - to me, it is not something to be missed.
mercury1980
I used to watch this anime when I was 12 years old. This anime is basically an adaption on the "Journey to the West" a Chinese novel. I also watched this show on TCS 8 Singapore Channel. However, the characters here are normal unlike compared to the one I watched in Singapore Channel. Now, the music is so engaging even the ending song which says "You must fight against yourself". This is the quote I will never ever forget. In fact, in life we all learn to fight against ourselves, defeat evil. Sanzo is a priest who has 3 followers who are youkais just like inYozakura Quartet. Basically, they wanted to protect the world from harm. The battles are all right. There is not much to say here.
Now, we move onto the characters
Sanzo - calm and collected, badass also.
Gojyo - womanizer, badass attitude, not so annoying as Son Goku
Son Goku - the derivation name of DBZ but this guy eats like him. But he can be quite annoying just like Sun Wukong. He is also a glutton.
Cho Hakkai - my favorite character in this series, he is polite, helpful and kind. He is also smart, calm and collected. He is also badass.
Well, I wouldn't say I enjoy this anime a lot. Cho Hakkai is really my favorite character in this anime. He is actually the character which I can relate to the best.
It was so funny that Son Goku when travelling with them in the hot sun. He always complain "Hot, Hot, I'm dying!" HAHAHA. But to tell you the truth, Son Goku is really so annoying.
If there is no character which I can relate to, then I couldn't enjoy this anime. But overall I would say it was fun while it lasted 7/10.
imdeadnow
There are few anime I have loved as much as I have Saiyuki. The characters are fantastic, the storyline is entertaining, and the filler episodes aren't nearly so painful as in most other anime. The art surely does Kazuya Minekura's original series justice. Although, the anime is old (anything older than 3 years is old by today's standards), so the action scenes are a bit less than interesting (yaaaaay for still shots!), but aside from that, the anime is very well-drawn. The characters are excellent, (and sexy), and it's hard not to fall in love with each and every one of them. (but Sanzo is the best,in my not-so-humble opinion)
Also, this anime is actually one that I WOULD recommend you watch with the English dub. The English voice actors are actually very good (with a few exceptions), ESPECIALLY Doctor Ni.
Plus, the dialogue is actually very good, especially between the four main characters. The English dub adds something to the show for us native-speakers that you can't get from the direct Japanese to English subtitles.
The only grievances I have with this anime are these three things:
1. Some aspects of the characters background and stories have been deleted
2. There isn't as much blood as in the manga. I mean, the demons just disintegrate into particles when they're killed, what's up with that?
3. It ended before it got to the good stuff, and the good stuff got put into the later sequel series that are just painful to watch, so read the manga too.
ZeniInu
There's so many good review already, mine would be extra and might not help much but I can't seem to find anyone have a complete list of story order around the net though, it took me some time, I hope it helped anyone who interested ... Enjoy ... - Saiyuki Watch Order - 0. (1999) Saiyuki Premium | 2 Episodes (Original) 1. (2011) Saiyuki Gaiden | 3 Episodes (Before They Reborn?) 2. (2007) Saiyuki Reload Burial | 3 Episodes (Before They Team) 3. (2000) Gensoumaden Saiyuki | 50 Episodes (After They Team) 4. (2001) Gensoumaden Saiyuki Requiem | Part 1 Movie 5. (2002) Gensoumaden Saiyuki Kibou no Zaika/A Sin of Hope |Requiem Sequel Part 2 Gamerip Movie
6. (2003) Saiyuki Reload | 25 Episodes
7. (2004) Saiyuki Reload GunLock | 26 Episodes
8. (2017) Saiyuki Reload Blast | 12 Episodes
ReyvinHill
I'm very late to the game with this one. I saw a couple episodes of Reload Blast and instantly fell in love with the characters. I was talking about it to a friend who is an intense fan of the original so I went back and started from the beginning, and I'm glad I did. I could have enjoyed Blast without having seen the others but I know now that I will enjoy it so much more having seen what comes before. Watching this twenty years later is pretty hard on the eyes. Animation has come a long way since then. If you can getpast the nostalgia of the turn of the millennium style, it's 100% worth the watch.
What I loved about it:
1. The characters. The main characters, both good guys and bad, completely make this anime. Story, art, sound, ... none of it compares to these guys and how endearing they are. They're funny and sympathetic, complex and tragic, and so badass. There is nothing not to adore about them.
2. The tragic backstories: everyone has one. But each one's somewhat unique and they play heavily into the main arc and many of the fights and singular episodes. It permeates everything are and that's how it should be. But they are also moving past them, not wallowing in them.
3. I will freely admit I loved the male eye candy and there was a lot of it. It wasn't otome levels but so many of the characters are attractive and I love it. Don't judge. Guys like their anime girls in short skirts with big boobs. I like my pretty boys. It makes a great anime, awesome.
What I didn't like about it:
1. It got a little repetitive but only a little. Nothing terrible.
2. Linlin. She's an annoying brat and I could have happily watched her die.
3. There were a few pretty stupid episodes, mostly revolving around effing Linlin. Could have lived without those.
Overall, I highly recommend watching this series if you plan to watch the rest, which I also recommend you do. :)
animefreak0007
Everyone hates a critic, but I am used to haters so it's okay. I am going to be truthful and not lie to you guys just because this is anime. Honestly, this was not the best anime I saw. In fact it's number 8 in my top 10 worst anime I ever watched. Story- Let's start with the story. You have four guys, a priest named Sanzo, and three demons Gojyo, Goku, and Hakkai wo are going to India to stop the resurrecting of Gyumao. I never watched Dragon Ball Z so I am not going to say this show copied the whole story. However itdid copied the traits of Goku in DBZ. I will explain that more in character.
Back to the story. Their journey west is always interrupted by some demons or Gods trying to destroy them for a scroll Sanzo holds. You begin to feel tired of the journey and wonder will they ever make it west. The fact this is a episodic show is more stupid. Episodic shows never have a climax. They show stories in every episode or 2. This would work if the show was like Sponge bob where the goal was not obvious. This show's main goal, conflict if you will is obvious therefore defeats the purpose of being episodic.
Luckliy, there are two more shows so the chance of their journey being finished is higher. I understand that this anime focus is the journey not the goal, but the characters haven't changed since the beginning making the idea fail.
Art- The art is old looking and very PG. If you are looking for gory scenes go find a different anime because this one does not provide one. Even when they kill demons you see no blood. You only see the demons disintegrate with a white background.
Also to attract the male audience the women in this sow are degraded with big breasts.
To attract the female audience the main characters do some questionable things with each other. In the opening themes there are times when the guys look like wuss instead of strong like their personalities.
Lastly the backgrounds will be so plain like black and a character's face. I like seeing new things, but that fails. I guess they were trying to make the viewer use their brain to imagine where the characters were at times. Nice stragedy except most people who watch tv do so so they can use little to no imagination.
Sound-
The sound. The characters unnecessarily cussed all the time. It was annoying especially if it didn't fit the characters. The openings were fairly okay as for the endings idk because i never bothered to listen them. The ost in this anime were typical for this anime genres. However i found a good ost in this anime. It's called open up your mind. I'm listening to it as I write this review.
Character- very typical. You had a womanizing, drinker/smoker(gojyo), pretending not to care character (sanzo), motherly like character (hakkai), and annoying, greedy character (goku). To address Goku in more depth I heard a rumor that he is a huge copy of DBZ Goku. People say Goku eats like the goku in dbz, fights like him, and is a monkey like him. I do not know if this rumor is true, but I hope it is not.
The character's story were okay I guess. Goku was the most predictable. Hakkai was the most cliche one. Sanzo was the most normal one and Gojyo was the most unique.
Enjoyment- I liked the anime, but not that much. If i really loved it like so many others I would have finished this in two days not approx. a week like i did. I procrastinated because it was bad and i knew nothing will change. There was something that got my off guard, but it was only once.
Overall- I will be nice and give it a 6. Don't take my opinion. Check it out for yourself.
Sonkaisin
The story is fantastic, but that and the fun characters were pretty much it for me. I couldn't get over the lack of action in the fights, things were very slow moving, and still shots of things here and there. Just not very exciting. If your looking for a good story its worth the watch, but if you like to have an exciting visual stimulation with your story I would pass.
shadowfireflame
A badass, gun-toting priest (Sanzo) has to team up with two equally badass demons (Hakki and Gojyo) and a really freaking annoying monkey demon (Goku) to prevent the resurrection of a terrible super demon. Here's my breakdown of the characters: I'm in love with Hakki, I like Gojyo, I tolerate Sanzo, and I would strangle Goku if I could. Lots of violence on this boys-only road trip, everybody gets hurt, everybody kills somebody else. Character-building is something this series does really well, and it's much more interesting than the fights.
LavenderKiwi
There are so many words to describe Saiyuki but i will try to keep it as short as possible. Saiyuki grabbed you from the first episode and it dident let go throught the whole series (Plus OVA's) Saiyuki hit you right of the bat with comedy and alot of it every episode there were many amazing comedy scenes that made you run out of air because you were laughing so hard but not only did it have comedy it had amazing fighting scenes and outstanding characters that grew in their ability to know who they are and also grow in power and understanding ofthe world. Saiyuki is at the top of my favorite anime and wont be leaving anytime soon. If you love Action,Comedy,adventure and hot guys than saiyuki is for you 10/10 i would also recommend this anime for anyone who likes YYH because they have the same feel.
Thanks hope you enjoy Saiyuki!!!!
DarkRavie
Saiyuki is the story of Genjo Sanzo a monk that the gods charge to find why the peaceful demons are becoming mad and killing the humans. So with his 3 friends, Cho Hakkai, Son Goku and Sha Gojyo, they head west and have many adventures along the way. My thoughts: I truly loved watching this anime. The animation is very good and there's just something about a gun-totin' monk that just gives a 'je ne sais quoi' to the story. Following Saiyuki is Saiyuki Requiem (the movie), Saiyuki Reload and then Saiyuki Reload: Gunlock. Although sometimes the characters don't seem to like each other, it's my opinionthat they in fact do care for each other like brothers. Their fights are more like siblings getting on each others nerves.
The anime has most everything in it; action, romance in a way, comic relief provided mostly by Gojyo and Goku, as well as their intense moments when fighting. What I like most is that the four trust each other with their lives and are there for one another.
The only thing I didn't like about this anime is that we don't see a true ending. All we see is they keep heading West, but they never reach their true destination. Hopefully sometime in the future they will come out with a 4th season and actually give us a true ending. This anime is one I recommend watching.
This is a review I wrote in 2008, I'm currently looking for any other Saiyuki anime that have been done since.
ggultra2764
Saiyuki is one of those shounen action titles that tries being cool with the attitudes and vices that our main cast of characters give into as Sanzo and his demon comrades journey west from China to halt the efforts of demon forces to resurrect the powerful demon Gyumao. The series is really loose with faithfulness to Journey to the West with the four members of the Sanzo party having their vices to give into with the older members frequently smoking, gambling, womanizing or drinking and Son Goku depicted to almost always be hungry, no different from the character's depiction from Dragon Ball. Also several membersof the demon side assisting in Gyumao's resurrection are more like honorable villains as they don't often cause trouble for Sanzo's party and usually find themselves teaming up to take on a worst enemy threat. The first half mostly features the Sanzo group thwarting whatever "demon of the day" threat opposes them with some exploring tragic pasts that each of the group members have to bear. This half also tosses in some rather subpar attempts at humor compliments of the archetypal personalities of the Sanzo party members clashing with one another and having the occasional filler episode with some bizarre predicaments such as a group of scammers impersonating the members of Sanzo's party.
The second half of the series delves into exploring what the world of heaven is like in Saiyuki when Sanzo's group come at odds with a trio of fallen gods having their own hidden plans with Son Goku's power and the scroll used by Sanzo. These episodes are slightly better as they do introduce the first genuinely serious threat that Sanzo's party has to confront and more light is shed on Son Goku's time while he was in heaven while dealing with prejudice from the other gods for his heretic status, befriending another heretic like himself in the form of Nataku and interacting with gods who are actually past incarnations of the older Sanzo party members. The episodes do have their shortcomings in that they don't explore the final moments of the four while they were still in heaven and that the show still resorts to occasionally slipping in either a "demon of the day" conflict or "comical" filler episode with Sanzo's group.
The visuals to the series are rather lackluster. In spite of the attractive character designs shown with members of Sanzo's group, the Gyumao party and a number of the god characters, lining on character designs were on the rough side and animation was rather lacking at many points since Saiyuki made liberal use of animation shortcuts to limit onscreen movement, this being quite noticeable during action scenes when characters strike battle poses or simple movements in a lazy attempt to depict action. While having a much longer episode run than Saiyuki, Inuyasha was much better looking in the visual department in 2000 with clean details and better implementing its animation shortcuts to create convincingly engaging action scenes.
Overall, I'm mostly indifferent to Saiyuki since it tries being something that I am not too convinced it really is due to the characters and storytelling being mostly cliched in the series, even with the slightly more engaging second half with the trio of gods that Sanzo's party have to deal with. Would only recommend this if you're a diehard fan of shounen action titles.
