Saiyuki Reload

Saiyuki Reload (最遊記 Reload) is a Japanese manga series that is a sequel to the series Saiyuki, which Kazuya Minekura wrote and illustrated. Saiyuki Reload began serialization in Ichijinsha's manga magazine Monthly Comic Zero Sum from March 2002 to June 2009, the chapters of which were collected and published in ten volumes.

Saiyuki Reload manga includes a sequel titled Saiyuki Reload Blast. Saiyuki Reload was adapted into two anime television series, Saiyuki Reload and Saiyuki Reload Gunlock, both of which were broadcast in Japan from October 2003 to September 2004. An original video animations (OVA) titled Saiyuki Reload: Burial, which covers the "Burial" arc, was broadcast in 2007. A remake of the anime series Saiyuki Reload Gunlock that was titled Saiyuki Reload: Zeroin, which covers the "Even a Worm" arc, was broadcast between January and March 2022.

Saiyuki Reload has been licensed in North America by Tokyopop, which published nine out the ten volumes from August 2005 to January 2009, leaving one volume short from finishing the series.

Premise

Reception

Zassosha's manga magazine, Puff, ranked the series the tenth-best long-story manga of 2006.[40][41] The manga volumes were frequently ranked in the top manga.[42][43][44] The 10th volume was ranked the 18th-top-selling manga in Japan from November 2 to 8 2009, selling 40,513 copies and a total of 114,605 copies after ranking seventh the previous week and selling 74,092 copies.[45][46]

Critical response

Ash Brown of Manga Bookshelf reviewed the manga's first three volume. He praised the artwork and called it more polished but criticized the story for being simple and lacking character development.[47] Jarred Pine of Anime on DVD praised the first volume's packaging but criticized the story, stating: "Saiyuki Reload so far seems to have lost a lot of its charm and magic, relying much more on posing bishies and their oozing cool guy attitudes rather than crafting interesting stories to tell".[48] Michael Deeley of Manga Life liked the premise and Art styles, liked how the art "switches from a realistic to cartoony style in the moment of action" and described the manga as "a good balance of action and drama" that is "bipolar, an action-comedy, one part and the other part is dark and dour".[2]

Publishers Weekly praised the protagonists, calling them likeable and enjoyable for new readers, stating: "with a winning combination of charming heroes, clever dialogue, great fight scenes and engaging stories, Reload is solid entertainment all the way".[49] Manga News gave an Average score to the first three volumes of the series, stating Sayuki Reload had moved away from the original plan and could not function as smoothly as the first series.[50][51][52] Later volumes were awarded High score and praised.[53][54][55][56]

M. Natali of Bd Gest gave a three-out-of-five score to the third volume, describing the story as more-or-less skillful in setting up and delving into the past of Sanzo's character, and the unusual aspect of the main characters, who have become "bad boys with attitude", which he found to be one of the series' strengths.[60] Nicolas Demay of Planete BD described the series as having "very interesting cuts and selected shots are cinematic" but he criticized volume 6, calling it "a transition volume that isn't really gripping".[61][62]

type	tv series
title	Saiyuki Reload
director	Tetsuya Endo
writer	Tetsuya Endo
music	Daisuke Ikeda
studio	Studio Pierrot
licensee	Crunchyroll
network	TXN (TV Tokyo)
first	October 2, 2003
last	March 2, 2004
episodes	25
episode list	List of Saiyuki episodes#Saiyuki Reload (2003–04)

Premise

Media

Manga

Anime

Reception

Critical response

External links

References