Saiyuki (manga)

Saiyuki
File:Cover of the seventh tankōbon volume.jpg Cover of the seventh tankōbon volume, featuring Genjo Sanzo (center), Son Goku (bottom), Sha Gojyo (right) and Cho Hakkai (left)
最遊記 (Saiyūki)
Genre	Adventure Fantasy
Manga
Written by	Kazuya Minekura
Published by	Enix (before 2002) Ichijinsha (after 2002)
English publisher	AUS Madman Entertainment NA Tokyopop (formerly) Kodansha USA (current)
Demographic	Shōnen
Magazine	Monthly GFantasy
Original run	1997 – 2002
Volumes	9
Further information Original video animation Saiyuki Premium Directed by Takashi Sogabe Written by Reiko Yoshida Music by Yuriko Nakamura Studio Tokyo Kids Released April 23, 1999 – February 29, 2000 Episodes 2 Light novel Written by Misagi Hijiri Illustrated by Kazuya Minekura Published by Enix (before 2002) Ichijinsha (after 2002) Demographic female Original run April 1, 1999 – February 1, 2001 Volumes 3
Sequels
Saiyuki Reload (2002–09) Saiyuki Reload Blast (2009– )
Prequels
Saiyuki Gaiden (1999–09) Saiyuki Ibun (2009– )
Anime television series
Gensomaden Saiyuki (2000–2001)
Anime film
Saiyuki: Requiem (2001)
Other
List of Saiyuki light novels List of Saiyuki video games Saiyuki musicals

Saiyuki (Japanese: 最遊記, Hepburn: Saiyūki) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kazuya Minekura. It was originally serialized in Square Enix's shōnen manga magazine Monthly GFantasy with the chapters collected into nine tankōbon volumes from October 1997 to July 2002; and later republished by Ichijinsha, released the nine volumes with new covers from October 2002 to June 2003; and published a new edition in 2015. The story, which is loosely based on the 16th-century Chinese novel Journey to the West, follows a monk named Genjo Sanzo who receives a mission to travel to the west with a group of three yokai (demons) to stop anyone reviving the evil god Gyumao.

The manga has been licensed by Tokyopop for English publication in North America. From February 2020, to January 2021, Kodansha republished the newly translated main series in North America in 400-page, hardcover volumes.

Minekura's manga includes two sequels titled Saiyuki Reload and Saiyuki Reload Blast, as well as two prequels titled Saiyuki Gaiden and Saiyuki Ibun. The series has spawned a media franchise that includes five anime series. Pierrot produced a 50-episode anime television series titled Gensomaden Saiyuki that aired from April 2000 to March 2001, and won the twenty-third annual Animage Anime Grand Prix prize for best anime. The same studio developed an anime film adaptation and two anime sequel series titled Saiyuki Reload and Saiyuki Reload Gunlock, which were broadcast together in Japan from October 2003 to September 2004. Two other animes were produced; Platinum Vision made Saiyuki Reload Blast in 2017 and Liden Films made Saiyuki Reload: Zeroin, in 2022. Three original video animations (OVAs), ten stage musicals, a light novel adaptation, numerous video games, drama CDs, and artbooks have also been made.

As of July 2017, the Saiyuki franchise has sold 25 million copies in circulation worldwide, making it one of the best-selling manga series of all time; it has become a mainstay of manga/anime culture, and its entries have continually garnered critical praise and accolades.

Plot

See also: List of Saiyuki characters

Togenkyo (Shangri-La) is a peaceful world, a land where after terrible battles between humans and yokais (demons), peace and harmony reigned for 500 years. But now, today, someone is trying to bring the demon king Gyumao back to life... and this generates waves of evil energy which flow throughout the territory, driving the youkai crazy and awakening within them dark instincts that drive them to massacre humans. The Buddhist Trinity then urgently dispatches one of the five Sanzo, the sacred guardians of the five creative sutras of the world. Genjo Sanzo, the complete opposite of the image expected of such a high-ranking bronze, is entrusted with the mission of going to the west of Togenkyo in order to stop the resurrection of evil god named Gyumao. For this he will be accompanied by his faithful companion Son Goku, a 15-year-old child who looks like a little monkey and spends his time eating, Sha Gojyo, a great flirt and drinker before the eternal, and Cho Hakkai, always smiling and friendly but hiding a heavy past, the only ones who have not been affected a priori by this curse which affects the yokais. Along the way they will encounter many adversaries and face just as many journeys. Meanwhile, the black waves continue to spread... Sanzo, Goku, Gojyo and Hakkai during a short stopover in a village meet the beautiful Shunrei whose lover was a yokai. This forbidden romance came to a tragic end when the young yokai transformed into a monster. We also discover that Gojyo is looking for his half-brother, Jien, who disappeared after committing a crime to save him. Shortly after, while Sanzo and his gang are taking a well-deserved rest in a restaurant-bar, they are attacked by Yaone, the herbalist from Kogaiji, the son of the terrible bull demon Gyumao, who intervenes to save her. Four heroes are impressed by his power and charisma.

A little further down the road, they discover a mountain of yokai corpses. It seems that the person responsible for this carnage is a monk nicknamed “the savior”. But in truth, the monk Rikudo, with his mutilated face and body covered with incantatory seals, is none other than Shuei, a specialist in incantations that Sanzo knew during his childhood... Sanzo's former friend turns out to be possessed by an evil incantatory seal. While he confronts Sanzo's gang with the intention of killing the gang's youkais, that is to say Goku, Hakkai and Gojyo, he pierces Sanzo with his Buddhist stick while the latter had interposed himself between Rikudo and Goku to save the boy. The minutes pass, interminable, and only the sound of falling rain resonates. When he sees his dying friend, Goku goes berserk and his yokai power controller breaks. His former power then released, Goku becomes violent and begins to destroy everything in his path. Meanwhile, at Hojo Castle, Lady Gyokumen, Gyumao's mistress who is trying by all means to resurrect him, is getting impatient: she wants the death of Sanzo and his gang. Ririn, Kogaiji's half-sister, decides to take on the challenge alone, but that's without counting on a new and mysterious enemy who seems to have a score to settle with Hakkai. As Genjyo Sanzo, Sha Gojyo, Cho Hakkai and Son Goku continue their pilgrimage west, they encounter a mysterious fortune teller, Chin Yi-So. This one is in fact a youkai who has the ability to summon Shikigami (creature summoned by such and such to serve him) and will not deprive himself of it to attack our friends. However, the youkai has a fierce hatred towards Cho Hakkai, whom he calls by his old first name, Cho Gono. To defeat him, he will have to face his most terrifying ghosts. Flashback to the meeting of the four outlaws on a mission to save the world! On a full moon night, Sha Gojyo finds a half-dead man in the middle of the path... And while the Buddhist Trinity sends Genjo Sanzo on the trail of a human who has become a youkai, Sanzo, accompanied by Goku, sets out on the trace of Cho Gono... The tortuous thread of destiny inexorably guides the four friends... Cho Gono committed a terrible crime in the name of revenge. Tortured by remorse, he seeks the answer to his questions. During their journey, Sanzo and his gang infiltrate the lair of a desert youkai believed to have stolen one of the sutras of the opening of Heaven and Earth. But during their fight, Sanzo collapses, struck down by the yokai's deadly fish.

Sanzo, poisoned by the venom of a yokai, oscillates between life and death. The sandcastle in which our four heroes were imprisoned begins to collapse in a shattering tumult. Fortunately, the Sanzo gang is saved at the last minute by Kogaiji. But he challenges Goku to a duel in order to recover the sacred sutra. Goku hesitates but his emotions, his desire not to lose a loved one, push him to make a terrible decision: he takes off his golden crown himself! But after Goku defeats Kogaiji, while Gojyo and Hakkai are really struggling to stop Goku's murderous madness, a gunshot rings out, Shortly after this terrible ordeal, the gang rested in a neighboring town. While out doing some shopping, Gojyo saves a little boy who is being mistreated by a group of thugs. Without knowing that his act will cause a new drama... Impossible but yet terribly real: Goku and Hakkai have fallen, defeated! Prisoners of the dimension contained in the jar of the young demon Kinkaku, they will have to demonstrate tenacity against the dark entities who hunt there, and in particular Kinkaku's own twin, Ginkaku. For their part, Sanzo and Gojyo will both have to learn to team up to help their friends, even if it means supporting each other for an indefinite period... Faced with the sad fate reserved for the twins Kinkaku and Ginkaku, Gojyo loses his cool and sets out alone in the footsteps of the one who calls himself "God". Whoever he may be, he is undoubtedly the most formidable adversary the gang has encountered so far, and our heroes already find themselves trapped in his hands, in a deadly game where the rules mean nothing. and where the disproportionate power of the enemy leaves no chance... The unthinkable has happened: defeated, injured and humiliated, the members of Sanzo's gang leave the domain of "God". The defeat rekindles tensions within the fine team, and it seems that this time their tenacity is undermined... The Sanzo Party are determined to take back the sutra stolen by God and take revenge for the humiliation he inflicted on them.

Media

Manga

See also: List of Saiyuki volumes

File:Main visual for "Saiyuki Original Art Exhibition ~Serialization 20th Anniversary.jpg

Art commemorating Saiyuki's 20th anniversary by Kazuya Minekura

The manga Saiyuki consists of five series whose release depends on the author's health. The original nine-volume series was serialized in the manga magazine Monthly G-Fantasy with the chapters collected into nine tankōbon volumes from October 1997 to July 2002. The author subsequently left Enix for Ichijinsha's Shōjo magazine Comic Zero Sum WARD and the company republished the nine volumes with new covers from October 2002 to June 2003; and published a new edition in 2015.

Tokyopop licensed the English translation, which it published between March 2, 2004, and July 12, 2005. In Australasia, Madman Entertainment released all nine volumes from October 3, 2007, to October 9, 2008. The series is licensed in France by Génération Comics (today Panini Comics), which published the nine volumes from April 2004 to December 2005; in Spain by Mangaline Ediciones; in Italy by Dynit; in Germany by Carlsen Verlag; and Tong Li Publishing licensed the Chinese translation, which it published from February 12 to July 22, 2011. In January 2023, on the occasion of Saiyuki's 25th anniversary, a new design book box edition was published in Taiwan by Tong Li Publishing. From February 20, 2020, to January 23, 2021, Kodansha republished the newly translated main series in North America in 400-page, hardcover volumes.

A prequel titled Saiyuki Gaiden was serialized in Enix's Monthly GFantasy magazine in 1999, although it continued serialization in Ichijinsha's magazine Comic Zero Sum WARD from 2002. Saiyuki Gaiden spans four volumes that ended in 2009. A special edition titled "Saiyuki Gaiden memorial" was released on July 16, 2009. In September 2012, a new, one-shot story titled "Saiyuki Gaiden Heavenly Ants" was released.

In 2002, the josei manga magazine Monthly Comic Zero Sum began serializing a sequel to the Saiyuki series titled Saiyuki Reload, finishing in 2009 with ten volumes. Tokyopop published Saiyuki Reload in North America in nine volumes from 2005 to 2009. Madman Entertainment then published the series in nine volumes from 2009 to 2010.

The fourth series, Saiyuki Ibun that serves as a prequel was published from September 2009 and was serialized in Monthly Comic Zero Sum. In November 2012, it resumed after a 28-month break, and a single volume was released the following April before going on an indefinite hiatus. In January 2021, Ritsuhiro Mikami released a one-shot for the series.

The fifth and final series titled Saiyuki Reload Blast, started serialization in Ichijinsha's josei manga magazine Monthly Comic Zero Sum since December 2009. After a hiatus that began in September 2010, the manga resumed in March 2012, with the first volume being released in July later that year.

On July 27, 2013, publication of Saiyuki Reload Blast slowed due to Minekura's health. Ichijinsha published the second volume in July 2014. In April 2016, publication again paused. Initially, the third volume was planned to be released in August 2017 but was postponed until October that year, when it was published alongside a special edition. The series went on hiatus in October 2017 and resumed 18 months later.

Anime

See also: List of Saiyuki episodes

File:Cover of the first "Gensomaden Saiyuki" Complete DVD-BOX.jpg

Cover art of the first "Gensomaden Saiyuki" Complete DVD-Box

The anime adaptation of Saiyuki consists of five series, three of which Studio Pierrot produced. The series are titled Fantasy and Magic Legend (50 episodes), Most Travels Reload (25 episodes), and Most Travels Reload Gunlock (26 episodes). Studio Pierrot also produced OVAs Most Travels (two episodes), Most Travels Burial -burial- (two episodes), and Most Travels Biography (three episodes). In addition, a theatrical version called Fantasy and Magic, the Most Travel Notes Requiem's Requiem for the Losers was released.

Saiyuki was first animated in a two-episode OVA series that was produced by Tokyo Kids and premiered on April 23, 1999. The second OVA episode was released on February 29, 2000, and was followed by the premier of the 50-episode anime television series Gensomaden Saiyuki, which Studio Pierrot produced. The series aired on TV Tokyo from April 4, 2000, to March 27, 2001. Enoki Films holds the US license to Gensomaden Saiyuki under the title Saiyuki: Paradise Raiders.

Saiyuki proved sufficiently popular for the production of a theatrical motion picture titled Saiyuki: Requiem, which was released in Japan on August 18, 2001. It was produced by Studio Pierrot, directed by Hayato Date, and written by Katsuyuki Sumisawa. ADV films licensed an English version of Saiyuki: Requiem in 2004.

Saiyuki Reload was adapted into a 25-episode animated television series that aired from October 2, 2003, to March 25, 2004. A 26-episode sequel titled Saiyuki Reload Gunlock aired from April 1, 2004, to September 23, 2004. ADV Films licensed Gensomaden Saiyuki and the movie. The other two series are licensed by Geneon in North America.

In February 2006, Geneon and Tokyopop agreed to cross-promote several properties. Tokyopop's translation of Saiyuki GunLock was advertised on Geneon's DVD releases for the same series, and vice versa. In April 2007, Studio Pierrot released Saiyuki Reload: Burial, a new OVA series that adapts the "Burial" arc of the Saiyuki Reload manga.

In November 2009, it was announced an OVA titled Saiyuki Gaiden had been green-lit. The OVA is based on the eponymous manga series Kazuya Minekura wrote and illustrated, and it is a prequel to the manga series Saiyuki, which ended in Ichijinsha's Monthly Comic Zero-Sum magazine in 2009. Saiyuki Gaiden was licensed from Sentai Filmworks and premiered by Anpro Studio from March to November 2011, and a special edition titled Saiyuki Gaiden: Kouga no Shou was released on Apr 26, 2013.

An anime television series adaptation of the Saiyuki Reload Blast manga series aired from July 5 to September 20, 2017, on Tokyo MX, TV Aichi, BS11, and Sun TV. It ran for 12 episodes. Crunchyroll licensed the series and Funimation released it on home video as part of the two companies' partnership. Muse Communication licensed the series in South and Southeast Asia; it was aired on Animax Asia and later released on its YouTube channel.

In January 2021, Liden Films announced a new anime series titled Saiyuki Reload: Zeroin, which was directed by Misato Takada, and scrpted by Michiko Yokote and Aya Matsui. Noriko Ogura designed the characters and served as chief animation director, and Yūsuke Shirato composed the music. The main cast members reprised their roles. It aired from January 6 to March 31, 2022, on AT-X and other networks. Granrodeo performed the opening theme "Kamino Hotokemo," while Shugo Nakamura performed the ending theme "Ruten." Sentai Filmworks licensed the series outside Asia. In South and Southeast Asia, Muse Communication licensed the anime.

HIDIVE streams the English dub of Saiyuki Reload: Zeroin', which premiered on February 24, 2022, in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Latin America, Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Scandinavian countries, and the Netherlands. The show premiered on January 6 on AT-X, Tokyo MX, and BS11. Sentai Filmworks licensed the anime, and HIDIVE streamed the series as it aired in Japan. The four main cast members of the previous Saiyuki, Saiyuki Reload, Saiyuki Gunlock, and Saiyuki Reload Blast television anime reprised their roles.

Saiyuki Reload Sanzo's Song collection was released on October 24, 2007, and was published and distributed by Frontier Works. Frontier Works released Saiyuki Complete Vocal Song collection on August 27, 2014.

Stage musicals

File:"Saiyuki Opera Den-Reload-".jpg

Saiyuki Kagekiden key visual featuring Hiroki Suzuki (Genjo Sanzo), Taizoh Shiina (Son Goku), Taiyo Ayukawa (Sha Gojyo), Yuki Fujiwara (Cho Hakkai)

Saiyuki has been adapted into several stage musicals, beginning with its first show Saiyuki Kagekiden: Go to the West, which was performed at Tennozu Galaxy Theater in Tokyo from September 13th to 21st, 2008, and has continued for more than ten years. Saiyuki Kagekiden: Go to the West DVD was released on January 25, 2009. The story takes place three years before the journey of Sanzo and his group to the West and the Rikudo arc. Since Saiyuki Kagekiden: Go to the West in 2008, the musical Saiyuki Kagekiden has been performed in ten works.

The musical Saiyuki Kagekiden: Dead or Alive ran in 2009. Saiyuki Kagekiden, Go to the West and Dead or Alive, had the same cast and a man playing the role of Kanzeon Bosatsu.

A limited-edition DVD reissue of the 2009 stage plays Go to the West and Dead or Alive was announced for May 10, 2017, coinciding with the 20th Anniversary of the manga series.

In 2014, the third musical staging of Saiyuki Kagekiden was performed for the first time in about five years since the previous work titled Saiyuki Kagekiden: God Child, from May 2 to 7, 2014. The story is based on Saiyuki: Kinkaku Ginkaku Hen and Saiyuki's Kami-sama arc from Saiyuki Volumes 6 to 9.

In 2015, the stage musical Saiyuki Kagekiden: Burial ran from September 17 to 23, 2015; the story takes place in the Burial Arc. The musical Saiyuki Kagekiden: Reload ran from September 17 to 23, 2015. By July 2015, in the event of Saiyuki Kagekiden, cast members Included Hiroki Suzuki and others, who sang the theme song "Go to the West" from Saiyuki Kagekiden: Burial in the background of the DVD video based on Kazuya Minekura's "Saiyuki".

Saiyuki Kagekiden the Movie: Bullets starring Hiroki Suzuki was screened at Saiyuki FESTA 2017 from January 7 to 8, and was released on DVD and CD on June 28, 2017. The film is based on a short story featuring the cast of Saiyuki Kagekiden, and was produced to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Kazuya Minekura's manga Saiyuki. In January 2017, a memorial talk by the cast of Sanzo and his group was held at Saiyuki FESTA. The 2014–2015 stage cast were also involved in a compilation of eight original short stories that were dramatized for a film release; it was shown in three screenings, two of which included cast appearances, at the SaiyukiFESTA 2017 event at Makuhari Messe International Convention Centre on 8 January, commemorating 20 years of publication of the manga. A behind-the-scenes documentary titled Saiyuki Kagekiden: Over the Bullets for the event includes cast insights on their experiences with the show; it was broadcast on Tokyo MX1 and online via mcas on December 25, 2016.

IN September 2018, Saiyuki Kagekiden: Ibun Stage Reveals Cast ran from September 4 to 9 in Tokyo Dome City's Theatre G-Rosso. Ibun is directed and written by Kaori Miura. The story is based on Saiyuki Ibun manga takes place 400 years before the events of the main story at Taisōji, a priest training temple known as the greatest in Shangri-La.

IN January 2019 two more stage musicals based on Saiyuki, titled Saiyuki Kagekiden: Darkness and Saiyuki Kagekiden: Oasis. Saiyuki Kagekiden: Darkness ran at the Hulic Hall in Tokyo from June 6 to 14, 2019; and Saiyuki Kagekiden: Oasis ran from February 2 to 9, 2020. Both musicals were directed and written by Kaori Miura.

In February 2021, Saiyuki Kagekiden: Sunrise, which follows "Darkness" and "Oasis", which will be the final chapter of the Hazel Arc, play ran from February 11 to 14, 2021, at Cool Japan Park Osaka WW Hall; and from February 18 to 24 at "Shinagawa Prince Hotell Stellar Ballo".

In April 2022, it was announced Saiyuki Kagekiden would return in 2023 with a new stage musical titles Saiyuki Kagekiden: Gaiden. In March 2023, it was announced the musical "Gaiden" would be staged that fall and the main cast was also announced.

	Year 2008 -Go to the West-	Year 2009 -Dead or Alive-	Year 2014 -God Child-	Year 2015 -Burial-	Year 2015 -Reload-	Year 2018 -Ibun-	Year 2019 -Darkness-	Year 2020 -Oasis-	Year 2021 -Sunrise-	Year 2023 -Gaiden-
Genjo Sanzo	Hiroki Suzuki						-	Hiroki Suzuki
Son Goku	Shiina Taizo
Sha Gojyo	Atsushi Maruyama		Taiyo Ayukawa					Yuki Hirai
Cho Hakkai	Ryuji Sainei		Yuki Fujiwara			Saine Ryuji	Yuki Fujiwara
Kougaiji	Ryunosuke Onoda		-	-	Ryunosuke Onoda	-	-	-
Dokugakuji	Ryo Ueno		-	-	Ryo Hatakeyama	-	-	-
Ken'yuu Ukoku Sanzo	Mitsuru Karahashi						-	Mitsuru Karahashi
Koumyou Sanzo	-	-	-	Shun Mikami			-	Shun Mikami
Hazel Grouse	-	-	-	-	-	Kohei Hozuki
Gato	-	-	-	-	-	Yoshihiko Narimatsu

Other media

Drama CDs

A large number of Saiyuki drama CDs have been released. Frontier Works has released three drama CDs of the anime series Saiyuki Reload Blast on September 27, November 29, and December 20, 2017, respectively. The drama CDs includes original stories of all three episodes, and the comments of the actors Toshihiko Seki (Genjo Sanzo), Sōichirō Hoshi (Son Goku), Hiroaki Hirata (Sha Gojyo), and Akira Ishida (Cho Hakkai).

A CD box set called "Saiyuki" Premium Collection that includes 19 audio drama series from 1999 to 2012 was released by Frontier Works on June 26, 2019.

The first character CD of the "Saiyuki" series was released on September 27, October 30, November 27 and December 27, 2013, respectively. It includes an interview with the voice actors.

Light novels

The first official novel of Saiyuki was written by Misagi Hijiri, illustrated by Kazuya Minekura, and published by G-Fantasy / Square Enix. The first volume was released on April 1, 1999. The second and third volumes were published on April 1, 2000, and February 1, 2001, respectively. Ichijinsha Zero-sum Novels republished the three volumes in a new edition on July 1, 2005. Novel version of Saiyuki: Requiem film was published by G-Fantasy / Square Enix on October 1, 2001. Saiyuki Omnibus, an omnibus edition novel anthology consisting of five short stories written by five authors, was released July 22, 2010, by Ichijinsha. Saiyuki Korotengi was written by Yukiko Uozumi and published a day earlier on April 25, 2011 by Ichijinsha.

Kazuya Minekura wrote an extra 39-page novel called Saiyuki Crossroaders, which was published by Zerosum Online Book.

Artbooks

A large number of Saiyuki artbooks have been released. Backgammon Collection was published by Square Enix on September 1, 1998, March 1, 2000 and March 1, 2001 respectively. Backgammon-Remix was published by Ichijinsha on March 1, 2001. A series called Salty-Dog which is being released by Ichijinsha since January, it mainly includes Saiyuki RELOAD BLAST, Saiyuki Gaiden, and Saiyuki Ibun. And ten books of Minekura's "Salty Dog" art series have been published so far, The tenth book was published on July 31, 2019. A digital artbook called Soul-Pepper was released on January 30, 2015 by Ichijinsha..

25th anniversary

On October 27, 2022, it was announced Saiyuki manga would travel to three cities for a 25th Anniversary Exhibition, which began in Osaka at Namba Marui from December 30, 2022 to January 15, 2023; followed by Yurakucho Marui in Tokyo from May 12 to May 28; and Hakata Marui in Fukuoka from August 11 to September 3. Additional events in other regions were also planned. The original painting of "Saiyuki 25th Exhibition" commemorating the 25th anniversary of the serialization, started on May 12, 2023.

Reception

Sales and popularity

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Saiyuki cosplay has been popular in Japan.

The Saiyuki franchise has become a mainstay of manga and anime culture, and its entries have continually garnered critical praise. Gensomaden Saiyuki won Animage magazine's Anime Grand Prix Award in 2000 and Genjo Sanzo won the best male character category. On January 17, 2001, Gensomaden Saiyuki was ranked second on Animage's list of 100 most-important anime ever published. In May 2002, Gensomaden Saiyuki was ranked fourth as chosen by Animage's reader's poll of Top 20 Picks Best of 2001, and in August 2001, the series was ranked ninth in Newtype website's poll of top 10 Anime, and Genjo Sanzo was sixth in the top ten male characters.

In October 2004, it was reported research has shown in recent years, Saiyuki anime has become extremely popular among Japanese young women. In September 2005, Japanese television network TV Asahi broadcast a popularity poll based on a nationwide survey in which Saiyuki was placed 96th of the channel's Top 100 Anime. In 2007, a large-scale survey by TV Asahi voted Gensomaden Saiyuki as the 27th-most-appreciated anime in Japan. In August 2020, Japan's biggest ranking site Goo Ranking published its list for the most popular anime that debuted in the last 20 years. Among these titles, Gensomaden Saiyuki was ranked eighth.

The manga won the third spot on the list of most popular serial works in 1999; During the third quarter of 2003, Saiyuki ranked at the top of ICv2's Top 50 Manga Properties. In March 2004, Saiyuki was in the top 10 of Shōjo manga's series on the ICv2 website. Saiyuki manga was top Manga Publisher of the Year in the "ICV2 2004 manga awards", and came a very close second for the 2004 award. In January 2005, Saiyuki Vol. 6 ranked at the top of ICv2's top-10 best-selling manga, and Saiyuki Volume 8 was ranked eighth in the top 10 best-selling manga of Tokyopop on June 2005. During its premiere as a television series, the first six volumes of Saiyuki manga had sold over 3.2 million copies. In December 2012, Saiyuki manga ranked fifth on AnimeClick's website's poll of top 30 "The best 90s Shōnen" with 8,813 votes. In 2004, at the 26th Anime Grand Prix Awards, Saiyuki Reload was the fourth-most-popular anime title, and Genjo Sanzo was ranked the seventh-best Male Character.

In 2005, at the 27th Anime Grand Prix Award, Saiyuki Reload Gunlock was ranked the seventeenth-best anime title. Saiyuki Gaiden and Saiyuki Reload manga remained in the top 10 weekly Japanese ranking chart whenever a manga volume debuted. Saiyuki Gaiden manga volumes were frequently ranked the top manga like the Saiyuki Reload manga. In 2006 ' PUFF (also known as Manga Oscars) listed Saiyuki Reload was listed by many fans as one of the definite study guides for those who appreciate manga, as number 10 on its list of long story mangas.

The series Saiyuki Reload Blast was ranked third among the top 20 anime during mid 2017 among Japanese fans. The series was among the top-three most-acclaimed anime of July 2017. In the third quarter of 2017, the series was ranked fifth on Goo Ranking website's poll of top-20 favorite late-night anime of mid 2017. Saiyuki Reload: Zeroin series ranked 18th on Filmarks's website's poll of top 20 "must see anime of winter 2022".

As of July 2017, the manga franchise had sold 25 million copies in circulation worldwide.

Critical response

Manga

The manga has received critical praise and accolades. In his review of volume one eduardo m. chavez of Anime on DVD said that he found the story to be enjoyable with having a moving plot, and overall a good twist on the fantasy genre with a popular story mixed in. He describes its characters as a special combination of science and magic and superior to other versions of the novel Journey to the West, which combines the series with good humor and entertaining action. Thinks that the four members of Sanzo's team are stereotypical guys and described them as those who fall victim to their own vices and become a great team of unlikely heroes - youkai saving humans. In the second volume he criticized Minkura's art called it erratically, The interaction shown in the characters of Sanzo and Hakkai with other secondary characters is considered an interesting technique. Modern concepts with an old story with a very dark, funny and surprising mood. as of volume three, Minkura's art received mixed reviews, Chavez gave a very good grade to Story content described the relationship between Sanzo and Goku as unique, similar to a parasite and its host on the surface, but very deep and cherished by both. the writer were impressed with Goku's character, describing it as touching and almost inspiring, and called Sanzo's character rather poignant.

Jeanne of Aestheticism.com praised Minekura's Saiyuki, described the manga art as energetic and the story as a daring reconstructionist vision of the novel that references it in clever and refreshing ways; she also said it is fast and interesting, entertaining, and its pages are littered with anachronisms. Maria Lin of Animefringe.com praised Saiyuki's plot that filled with action-packed stories which contains violent themes and is very serious on occasion and humor to prevent from being heavy. she consider the manga as a Shōjo, which is regularly filled with extra material. NiDNiM of Manga News gave an above-average score to the first volume of the series; the author praised the manga art and called it pleasing. NiDNiM also gave a 17-out-of-20 score to the second and third volumes, and called the manga very entertaining and surprising, and described the pages as beautiful and accurate. Later volumes were given an above-average score, as of final volume, the reviewer describes Kazuya Minkura's special attention to the charisma and psychology of her characters as commendable and stated: "Saiyuki may be a quest, at its core, but it acts more as a motor for humor and development. atypical charisms. Against the backdrop of a mythological story, not very innovative, the author indeed plays a lot on flashbacks, which give depth to the characters while bringing the essential dramatic side, and the experience accumulated by our heroes."

Spartans of Manga Sanctuary rated the manga 9 out of 10; they described the drawings as magnificent, stating: "The fights are very dynamic and with a lot of humor. Saiyuki is a very pleasant series to read and follow." Fellow Manga Sanctuary reviewer Chris936 gave it a 7-out-of-10 grade, praised Minekura's graphic style, and described the characters as "an excellent look in addition to having an interesting character" and called the manga "a pretty good, very pleasant to read and above all full of humor". Michelle Smith of Soliloquy in Blue reviewed the first three volumes, gave the a B grade, and praised the art and story progression. Irene salzmann of Splash Comics praised the first volume of the manga, and described the characters as charming and lovable with a wealth of dark secrets, and the story as exciting, humorous, sometimes deep and full of ambiguities. salzmann praised Later volumes and describes the story with a mixture of ancient exoticism and familiar modernity. Manga Xanadu gave a 5-out-of-5 score, praising the manga and describing its story as sad and emotional, and fun and enjoyable.

Sarah of Anime UK News praised the first volume of Resurrected Edition of the manga graded Saiyuki 8 out of 10 described manga as landmark, the story is full of raw and convincing energy. Glimpses of the tragic backstories of each protagonist described "attractive" for readers. In the character of Sanzo, she finds an irresistible charm and described the deep sense of camaraderie between the heroes convincingly and truly affecting.

External links

• Official Studio Pierrot Gensomaden Saiyuki website Archived April 16, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
• Official Studio Pierrot Gensomaden Saiyuki: Requiem For the One Not Chosen website Archived March 30, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
• Official Studio Pierrot Saiyuki Reload website
• Saiyuki Reload Gunlock website
• Official TV Tokyo Gensomaden Saiyuki website
• Saiyuki (manga) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
• Official/ "Saiyuki" CD official website
• "World is Mine -mine- website
• "Saiyuki RELOAD BLAST website
• "Saiyuki Reload: Zeroin website
• OVA "Saiyuki Gaiden" official website
• "Minekura.net website