Information
The story plot:
Chaos has ravaged Shangri-La. During an attempt by dark forces to revive the Ox King Gyumaoh, the combination of science and youkai magic sent a Minus Wave surging through the land that drove all youkai berserk, thus causing mass violence and upsetting the peaceful balance between the races. Now it's up to four companions-- the youkai, Son Goku, Sha Gojyo, and Cho Hakkai, and the human Priest Genjyo Sanzo-- to travel west and stop the experiment that plagues the world. It's an excelent plan.... save for the fact that the four companions suffer from "teamwork issues."
(
Found in Saiyuki Reload Vol. 2. Copyright to Kazuya Minekura)
The characters:
Genjo Sanzo
A very brutal, worldly preist. He drinks, smokes, gambles and carries a gun which is pushing it even for normal people (let alone Buddhist monks). Hes searching for the stolen Sutra of his mentor and father figure, Priest Koumyou Sanzo, who was killed in Sanzo's youth by a mob of murderous Youkai. Sanzo is egotistical, haughty, and can be very cruel, yet our 23-year-old hero also has calm judgement, unwavering intensity and surprising charisma. His favorite phrases, incidentally, are "Die," and "I'll kill you." His weapons of choice are the magical Maten Sutra, a handgun, and a paper fan for idiots. He's 177 cm tall (approx 5'10") and is often noted for his good looks and drooping purple eyes.
Son Goku
A cheerful little monkey... or an unholy child born from the rocks where the aura of the earth was gathered. As his brain is full of thoughts of food and games, it would seem there's not much room for deep thought. To pay for crimes he commited when he was young, he was imprisoned in the rocks for five hundred years without aging. Because of his optimistic personality, he's become the mascot character of the group; this healthy 18-year-old is made fun of by Gojyo, yelled at by Sanzo, and watched over by Hakkai. He's 162cm tall (approx. 5'4"). His main weapon is the Nyou-Bo, which can also become a sansekkon.
Sha Gojyo
Gojyo is a flirtatious, sly, and (lets face it) flat-out horny rouge. His behavior may seem rough and vulgar st first (and it is), but to the friends who know him, he's the dependable older brother. He's best friends with Hakkai, sparring partners with Goku, and.... strained acquaintances with Sanzo. Although his love for the ladies sometimes leads to problems, he seems to be searching for someone in particular, and it's not necessarily a woman. He doesn't need a power limiter to blend in with humans because of his unusual heritage. His favorite weapon is his shakujou staff that uses a chain to control its blade- a messy peice in battle to be sure. He's 184cm tall (approx. 6'0"), has scarlet hair and eyes, and at 22, smokes like a chimmney with a burning lust for cancer.
Cho Hakkai
A rather perplexing young man. Hakkai is usually quite pleasant and polite and is known for his smile, but he can be so off-putting it's hard to tell when he's serious.... there's a chance he's the straight man, but that's open to debate. His occasionally sharp gaze strongly in contrast with his warm expression- is symbolic of his dark, closed past. As Jeep belongs to him, he often drives when the group is riding. He uses chi (or life spirit) manipulation as his weapon in battle. He, like Gojyo, is 22 years old, but stands at a slightly shorter 181 cm tall (approx. 5'11"). His eyes are deep green and his right is nearly blind. The cuffs he wears on his left ear are his Youkai power limiters, but they can also be appreciated as an ancient Chinese fashion statement.
(
Imformation on the characters is in the first book of Saiyuki. Everything is copyright to Kazuya Minekura.)
I'm not sure on how far into the anime is out on DVD and is subbed, but the manga in America is on volume 7 of Saiyuki: Reload.
There are three manga series that I know of.
The first is Gensoumaden Saiyuki or just regular Saiyuki: 9 books.
The second is Saiyuki Reload: 7 books thus far
The third, and from what I know final is Saiyuki Gunlock: and there are no books here in english that I know of yet ^^
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