Saiyuki (最遊記) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kazuya Minekura.It was originally serialized in Enix's magazine Monthly GFantasy between February 1997 and November 2001, with its chapters collected in nine volumes.It was later republished by Ichijinsha, who released nine volumes with new covers from October 2002 to June 2003, and a five-volume edition which was released from April to August 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 the revival of Gyumao, an evil god.
The manga was licensed for an English release by Tokyopop, which published nine volumes between March and July, 2005.The most recent publication in North America is by Kodansha, the series receiving a hardcover release with a new translation between February 2020 and January 2021.
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
Togenkyo (Shangri-La) is a land of peace and harmony, earned after generations of war between humans and yokai. At the beginning of Saiyuki, it is revealed that someone is trying to bring back the yokai god Gyumao, which is generating waves of evil energy that flow throughout the land. As a side effect, this inflicts a dark curse on the previously peaceful yokai, causing aggressive, murderous urges that drive them to massacre humans.
The Buddhist Trinity urgently dispatch 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 a high-ranking priest, is entrusted with the mission of going to the west of Togenkyo in order to stop the resurrection of Gyumao.He is accompanied by three yokai: 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 friendly but hiding a heavy past. Those three seem to be the only yokai who aren't affected by the dark curse.
Along the way they encounter many adversaries as the dark curse continue to spread. Sanzo, Goku, Gojyo, and Hakkai meet Shunrei, whose lover was a yokai, during a short stopover in a village. We also discover that Gojyo is looking for his half-brother, Jien, who disappeared shortly after saving his life. Later, while Sanzo and his gang are resting in a bar, they are attacked by Yaone, a herbalist who works for Kogaiji, the son of Gyumao. From here on out, Kogaiji will continue to pursue them himself, along with his assassins.
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, he is Shuei, a specialist in incantations that Sanzo knew during his childhood, now possessed by an evil incantatory seal. When he confronts Sanzo's gang with the intention of killing Goku, Hakkai, and Gojyo for being yokai, he instead accidentally lands an almost fatal blow on Sanzo. When he sees this, Goku goes berserk and his diadem (a power limiter which restricts his yokai strength) breaks. With his full power released, Goku becomes violent and begins to destroy everything in his path. Eventually the group manage to calm him with the help of the goddess Kanzeon Bosatsu, who restores his diadem.
At Hojo Castle, a yokai named Lady Gyokumen is revealed as being one of the main coordinators of Gyumao's return. Furious at the delays at killing Sanzo and his traveling group, she demands further measures be taken; Ririn, Kogaiji's half-sister, decides to join the effort alone.
As Sanzo, Gojyo, Hakkai and Goku continue their pilgrimage west, they encounter a fortune teller named Chin Yi-So. He is revealed to be a yokai who has the ability to summon shikigami. Chin Yi-So has a fierce hatred towards Hakkai, whom he calls by his old first name, Cho Gono. During a flashback sequence, it is revealed that Hakkai had murdered his entire village, and scores of yokai, after his sister was given as a sacrifice to a yokai lord named Hyakugan Maoh. The son of the lord, Chin Yisou, used his blood to transform Hakkai into a yokai before turning himself into a shikigami, reborn as the Chin Yi-So we see in present day. After fleeing Hyakugan Maoh's castle, Hakkai lay in the forest outside waiting to die. This is when Gojyo finds him after a night of drinking, saving his life and encouraging him to find a new purpose. Hakkai eventually agrees and renames himself to try and leave his past behind.
The two later met Sanzo and Goku when the Buddhist Trinity sent them out to find Cho Gono; seeing as Cho Gono has already taken on the new name of Hakkai, Sanzo deems the criminal already dead, and instead befriends Hakkai and Gojyo as they journey together.
In the present, Chin Yi-So forces Hakkai to confront his past and finally reveal it in full to the group. While Hakkai is convinced this will mean the other three will abandon him, instead they reaffirm that someone's past is their own, and they continue traveling together after defeating Chin Yi-So. It is also revealed that Gojyo's brother, Jien, is working for Kogaiji as one of his assassins.
During their journey, Sanzo and his gang infiltrate the lair of a desert yokai 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 poison, and the desert lair begins to collapse after the battle. Fortunately, the Sanzo gang is saved at the last minute by Kogaiji. He challenges Goku to a duel in order to recover the sacred sutra.
Shortly after this ordeal, the gang rests in a neighboring town. While out in the local market, Gojyo saves a boy from a group of thugs. Soon after, Goku and Hakkai are imprisoned in a pocket dimension contained in the jar of another yokai, Kinkaku, splitting the party as they face off against the yokai and his twin, Ginkaku. While there, the party learn of a new, darker adversary who calls himself "God". During their clashes, God manages to steal a sutra from them, leaving the group in pursuit to take it back once they escaped his domain.
Media
Manga
The manga Saiyuki consists of five series whose release depends on the author's health. Kazuya Minekura, first published a one-shot of Saiyuki in Square Enix's manga magazine Monthly GFantasy in August 1996; it began its regular serialization in the same magazine six months later on February 18, 1997, in March issue. The series finished its final installment in the December 2001 issue of Monthly GFantasy, published in November 2001. Enix collected its chapters in nine volumes, released from October 1997 to March 2002.[14][15]
In January 2004, Tokyopop licensed the series for an English language release in North America,[16][17] and published the nine volumes between March 2, 2004, and July 12, 2005.[18][19] In Australasia, Madman Entertainment released all nine volumes from October 3, 2007, to October 9, 2008.[20][21] In July 2019, Kodansha USA announced that they have licensed the manga in North America, republished the newly translated main series in North America in 400-page, hardcover volumes between February 18, 2020, and January 19, 2021, in digital and in print from February 25, 2020, to January 5, 2021.[22][23][24][25][26]
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;[27] in Italy by Dynit;[28][29] in Germany by Carlsen Verlag; and Tong Li Publishing licensed the Chinese translation, which it published from February 12 to July 22, 2011.[30][31][32] 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.[33]
The author changed her publisher from Enix to Ichijinsha and the company republished the nine volumes with new covers from October 2002 to June 2003.[34][35] Ichijinsha republished the series in five volumes from April 30 to August 25, 2015.[36][37]
Sequels
In March 2002, Ichijinsha's manga magazine Monthly Comic Zero Sum began serializing a sequel to the Saiyuki series titled Saiyuki Reload, finishing in June 2009 with ten volumes.[38][39] Tokyopop published Saiyuki Reload in North America in nine volumes from 2005 to 2009,[40][41][42] Madman Entertainment then published the series in nine volumes from 2009 to 2010 in Australasia.[43][44]
Sequels
In March 2002, Ichijinsha's manga magazine Monthly Comic Zero Sum began serializing a sequel to the Saiyuki series titled Saiyuki Reload, finishing in June 2009 with ten volumes.[38][39] Tokyopop published Saiyuki Reload in North America in nine volumes from 2005 to 2009,[40][41][42] Madman Entertainment then published the series in nine volumes from 2009 to 2010 in Australasia.[43][44]
Prequels
Saiyuki Gaiden began serialization in Square Enix's manga magazine Monthly GFantasy in May 1999,[9] and ran in the magazine until February 2003 issue.Due to the change of manga publisher, it continued serialization in Ichijinsha's magazine Monthly Comic Zero Sum[34] from November 2003 issue, and ended in May 2009 with four volumes.[63]
Saiyuki Ibun was published from September 2009 and was serialized in Ichijinsha's manga magazine Comic Zero Sum WARD.[64][39] In November 2012, it resumed after a 28-month break,[65] and a single volume was released the following April
Anime
The anime adaptation of Saiyuki consists of five series, three of which Studio Pierrot produced, an anime film adaptation and three original video animations (OVAs).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.[69] 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.[70]
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.[71]
Stage musicals
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.[99] Saiyuki Kagekiden: Go to the West DVD was released on January 25, 2009.[100] 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.[101][102] 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.[103]
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.[125][126][127] 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).[128][129][130]
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.[125][126][127] 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).[128][129][130]
A CD box set called "Saiyuki" Premium Collection that includes 19 audio drama series from 1999 to 2012 was released by
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.[137][138] The second and third volumes were published on April 1, 2000, and February 1, 2001, respectively.[139][140][141][142] Ichijinsha Zero-sum Novels republished the three volumes in a new edition on July 1, 2005.[143][144]
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.[151][152][153] Backgammon-Remix was published by Ichijinsha on March 1, 2001.[154] A series called Salty-Dog which is being released by Ichijinsha since January, it mainly includes Saiyuki RELOAD BLAST, Saiyuki Gaiden, and Saiyuki Ibun.[155][156] And ten books of Minekura's "Salty Dog" art series have been published so far, The tenth book was published on July 31, 2019.[157]
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.[159][160] The original painting of "Saiyuki 25th Exhibition" commemorating the 25th anniversary of the serialization, started on May 12, 2023.[161]
Reception
Sales and popularity
The Saiyuki franchise has become a mainstay of manga and anime culture, and its entries have continually garnered critical praise.[165] In 1999, the manga won the third spot in the list of most popular serial works;[166] and was ranked second for the most popular long comic in "Puff".[167][168] During the third quarter of 2003, Saiyuki ranked at the top of ICv2's Top 50 Manga Properties.[169] In January 2004, Saiyuki was in the list of most anticipated manga series of Tokyopop.[170] In March 2004, the manga was in the top 10 of Shōjo manga's series on the ICv2 website.[171]
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.[172] In January 2005, Saiyuki Vol. 6 ranked at the top of ICv2's top-10 best-selling manga,[173] and Saiyuki Volume 8 was ranked eighth in the top 10 best-selling manga of Tokyopop in June 2005.[174] During its premiere as a television series, the first six volumes of Saiyuki manga had sold over 3.2 million copies.[175] In December 2012, Saiyuki manga ranked fifth on AnimeClick.it website's poll of top 30 "The best 90s Shōnen" with 8,813 votes.[176] As of July 2017, the manga franchise had sold 25 million copies in circulation worldwide.[177]
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.[2] 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.[178] 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.[179]
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.[2] 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.[178] 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.[179]
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.
The final series titled Saiyuki Reload Blast, started serialization in Ichijinsha's manga magazine Monthly Comic Zero Sum since December 2009.After a hiatus that began in September 2010,[45][46][47][48][49] the manga resumed in March 2012,[50] The first volume was released in July of the same year,[51] In July 2013, publication of Saiyuki Reload Blast slowed due to Minekura's health.[52] Ichijinsha published the second volume in July 2014.[53] In April 2016, publication again paused.[54] Initially, the third volume was planned to be released in August 2017[55] but was postponed until October that year, when it was published alongside a special edition.[56] The series went on hiatus in October 2017 and resumed 18 months later.[57][58] In January 2021, Ritsuhiro Mikami released a one-shot for the series.[59]
Prequels
Saiyuki Gaiden began serialization in Square Enix's manga magazine Monthly GFantasy in May 1999,[9] and ran in the magazine until February 2003 issue.Due to the change of manga publisher, it continued serialization in Ichijinsha's magazine Monthly Comic Zero Sum[34] from November 2003 issue, and ended in May 2009 with four volumes.[63]
Saiyuki Ibun was published from September 2009 and was serialized in Ichijinsha's manga magazine Comic Zero Sum WARD.[64][39] In November 2012, it resumed after a 28-month break,[65] and a single volume was released the following April[66][67] before going on an indefinite hiatus.[68]
The final series titled Saiyuki Reload Blast, started serialization in Ichijinsha's manga magazine Monthly Comic Zero Sum since December 2009.After a hiatus that began in September 2010,[45][46][47][48][49] the manga resumed in March 2012,[50] The first volume was released in July of the same year,[51] In July 2013, publication of Saiyuki Reload Blast slowed due to Minekura's health.[52] Ichijinsha published the second volume in July 2014.[53] In April 2016, publication again paused.[54] Initially, the third volume was planned to be released in August 2017[55] but was postponed until October that year, when it was published alongside a special edition.[56] The series went on hiatus in October 2017 and resumed 18 months later.[57][58] In January 2021, Ritsuhiro Mikami released a one-shot for the series.[59]
Saiyuki Reload was adapted into a 25-episode animated television series that aired from October 2, 2003, to March 25, 2004.[72] 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.[73]
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.[74] In April 2007, Studio Pierrot released Saiyuki Reload: Burial, a new OVA series that adapts the "Burial" arc of the Saiyuki Reload manga.[75]
In November 2009, it was announced an OVA titled Saiyuki Gaiden had been green-lit.[76] 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.[77][78] 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.[79]
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.[80][81][82] It ran for 12 episodes.[83]Crunchyroll licensed the series and Funimation released it on home video as part of the two companies' partnership.[84]Muse Communication licensed the series in South and Southeast Asia; it was aired on Animax Asia and later released on its YouTube channel.[85][86]
In January 2021, Liden Films announced a new anime series titled Saiyuki Reload: Zeroin, which was directed by Misato Takada, and scripted 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.[87] It aired from January 6 to March 31, 2022, on AT-X and other networks.[88][89]Granrodeo performed the opening theme "Kamino Hotokemo," while Shugo Nakamura performed the ending theme "Ruten."[90]Sentai Filmworks licensed the series outside Asia.[91] In South and Southeast Asia, Muse Communication licensed the anime.[92][93][94]
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.[95]
Saiyuki Reload Sanzo's Song collection was released on October 24, 2007, and was published and distributed by Frontier Works.[96]Frontier Works released Saiyuki Complete Vocal Song collection on August 27, 2014.[97]
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.[104][105]
In 2015, the stage musical Saiyuki Kagekiden: Burial ran from September 17 to 23, 2015; the story takes place in the Burial Arc.[106][107] The musical Saiyuki Kagekiden: Reload ran from September 17 to 23, 2015.[108][106] 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".[109]
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.[110] 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.[111] In January 2017, a memorial talk by the cast of Sanzo and his group was held at Saiyuki FESTA.[112] 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.[113][114] The story is based on the Saiyuki Ibun manga and 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, played. Saiyuki Kagekiden: Darkness ran at the Hulic Hall in Tokyo from June 6 to 14, 2019;[115][116] and Saiyuki Kagekiden: Oasis ran from February 2 to 9, 2020.Both musicals were directed and written by Kaori Miura.[117][118]
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".[119][120][121]
In April 2022, it was announced Saiyuki Kagekiden would return in 2023 with a new stage musical titles Saiyuki Kagekiden: Gaiden.[122][123] In March 2023, it was announced the musical "Gaiden" would be staged that fall and the main cast was also announced.[124]
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.[131][132]
The first character CD of the "Saiyuki" series was released on September 27, October 30, November 27 and December 27, 2013, respectively.[133] It includes an interview with the voice actors.[134][135][136]
The first character CD of the "Saiyuki" series was released on September 27, October 30, November 27 and December 27, 2013, respectively.[133] It includes an interview with the voice actors.[134][135][136]
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.[159][160] The original painting of "Saiyuki 25th Exhibition" commemorating the 25th anniversary of the serialization, started on May 12, 2023.[161]
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.[180] 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.[181] 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.[182] 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.[183][184] Later volumes were given an above-average score,[185][186][187][188][189][190] 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."[191]
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."[192] 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".[193] Michelle Smith of Soliloquy in Blue reviewed the first three volumes, gave the a B grade, and praised the art and story progression.[194] 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.[195] salzmann praised Later volumes and describes the story with a mixture of ancient exoticism and familiar modernity.[196][197][198] Manga Xanadu gave a 5-out-of-5 score, praising the manga and describing its story as sad and emotional, and fun and enjoyable.[199]
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.[200]
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.[181] 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.[182] 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.[183][184] Later volumes were given an above-average score,[185][186][187][188][189][190] 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."[191]
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."[192] 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".[193] Michelle Smith of Soliloquy in Blue reviewed the first three volumes, gave the a B grade, and praised the art and story progression.[194] 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.[195] salzmann praised Later volumes and describes the story with a mixture of ancient exoticism and familiar modernity.[196][197][198] Manga Xanadu gave a 5-out-of-5 score, praising the manga and describing its story as sad and emotional, and fun and enjoyable.[199]
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.[200]
