Gensomaden Saiyuki
| Company type | Anime television series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Animation, Entertainment |
| Founded | April 4, 2000 |
| Founder | Studio Pierrot |
| Headquarters | Tokyo , Japan |
Area served | Japan, North America, Australasia |
Key people | Hayato Date (Director), Katsuyuki Sumisawa (Writer), Motoi Sakuraba (Composer) |
| Products | Anime television series, soundtrack albums, DVDs, Blu-ray releases |
| Parent | Studio Pierrot |
| Website | www |
Gensomaden Saiyuki is a Japanese anime television adaptation derived from Kazuya Minekura's manga series Saiyuki. The narrative unfolds in Shangri-La, a utopian realm where humans and youkai live in harmony. However, this peace is shattered by the emergence of "Minus Waves," a fusion of scientific experimentation and sorcery intended to revive the malevolent deity Gyumao. As the youkai succumb to their violent instincts once more, the goddess Kanzeon entrusts Buddhist monk Genjo Sanzo with a critical mission. Accompanied by Son Goku, Sha Gojyo, and Cho Hakkai, he travels to Tenjiku (India) to break the curse and thwart Gyumao’s resurrection.
This series was developed by Studio Pierrot, with direction by Hayato Date, scriptwriting by Katsuyuki Sumisawa, and a musical score composed by Motoi Sakuraba. Gensomaden Saiyuki represents the first installment in the Saiyuki anime franchise. It was succeeded by the direct sequel movie Saiyuki: Requiem released in August 2001, followed by the television continuation Saiyuki Reload which aired from October 2003 through March 2004.
The original broadcast of this 50-episode series took place on TV Tokyo between April 4, 2000, and March 27, 2001. In North America, ADV Films held the license from 2001 until 2009, while Enoki Films managed U.S. distribution rights under the title Saiyuki: Paradise Raiders. In October 2009, distribution rights for Australasia were acquired by Madman Entertainment, which streamed episodes daily through January 2010. Subsequently, AEsir Holdings obtained licensing for North America and issued comprehensive DVD collections in 2013 and 2015, as well as a Blu-ray release in 2019.
Regarding its soundtrack, the anime features two opening songs: "For Real" performed by Hidenori Tokuyama for episodes 1 through 26, followed by "Still Time," also by Tokuyama, for episodes 27 to 50. The closing themes include "Tightrope" by Charcoal Filter and "Alone" sung by Mikuni Shimokawa.
Voice cast and characters
| Character | Japanese | English |
|---|---|---|
| Genjo Sanzo | Toshihiko Seki Yuko Kobayashi (Kouryuu, Young Genjo Sanzo) Masako Kobayashi (Kouryuu) |
David Matranga Kevin Corn (Kouryuu, Young Genjo Sanzo) |
| Son Goku | Sōichirō Hoshi | Greg Ayres |
| Sha Gojyo | Hiroaki Hirata Kayu Suzuki (young; Episodes 36, 47) |
Illich Guardiola |
| Cho Hakkai | Akira Ishida | Braden Hunt Nyl Stewart (young; episode 37) |
| Hakuryu | Kaoru Morota | Kelli Cousins |
| Kougaiji | Takeshi Kusao | Vic Mignogna (Episodes 5–18) Mike MacRae (Episodes 21–50) |
| Dokugakuji | Dai Matsumoto | Jason Miesse |
| Yaone | Yūko Minaguchi | Shelley Calene-Black |
| Lirin | Kaoru Morota | Hilary Haag |
| Ni Jianyi | Hōchū Ōtsuka | Tommy Drake |
| Gyokumen Koushu | Shinobu Satou | Kaytha Coker |
| Prince Nataku | Kaho Kōda | Tony Oller |
| Homura | Toshiyuki Morikawa | Jason Douglas |
| Zenon | Jin Horikawa | John Swasey |
| Linchei | Ai Orikasa | Christopher Riley |
| Shoryu | Akiko Kimura | Ty Mayberry (episode 33) |
| Instructor Wang | Ben Pronsky | Atsushi Ii (episode 23) |
| Koumyou Sanzo | Ken Narita | Chris Patton |
| Kanzeon Bosatsu | Ikue Otani | Karen Coffer Shawn Taylor (episodes 7, 20–21) |
| Jade Emperor | Bakuto (episodes 1–44) | Andy McAvin |
| Jiroushin | Takao Ishii | Todd Waite |
| Shien | Hiroshi Yanaka | Spike Spencer |
| Fake Sanzo | Takuma Suzuki (episodes 10 and 32) | Alex Stutler |
| Fake Goku | Chō (episodes 10 and 32) | Chris Patton |
| Fake Gojyo | Eiji Yanagisawa (episodes 10 and 32) | Jason Douglas |
| Fake Hakkai | Takehiro Murozono (episodes 10 and 32) | John Swasey (episode 31) Mike Vance (episode 32) |
| Gojun | Kazuhiro Yamaji | Jason Konopisos |
| Kenren | Hiroaki Hirata | Illich Guardiola |
| Konzen Douji | Toshihiko Seki | David Matranga |
| Tenpou | Akira Ishida | Braden Hunt |
| Rin Rei | Nobutoshi Canna | Monica Rial |
| Shuuei | Shigeru Ushiyama | Jay Hickman |
| Boy | Maki Mizuno (episodes 20,22) | Sam Foster (episode 22) |
Episode list
{{Episode list ... [Episodes proceed in a similarly condensed format up to episode 50] ... }}
Japanese
| Broadcast region | TV station | Airing period | Broadcast time | Series title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kanto region | TV Tokyo | April 4, 2000 - March 27, 2001 | Tuesdays 18:30 - 19:00 | TV Tokyo series |
| Hokkaido | TV Hokkaido | |||
| Aichi Prefecture | TV Aichi | |||
| Osaka Prefecture | TV Osaka | |||
| Okayama and Kagawa Prefectures | TV Setouchi | |||
| Fukuoka Prefecture | TVQ Kyushu Broadcasting | |||
| Nationwide | BS Japan | December 6, 2000 - November 23, 2001 | Wednesdays 18:55 - 19:25 | TV Tokyo series BS broadcast |
| Mie Prefecture | Mie Television | October 2000 - 2001 | Mondays 17:00 - 17:30 | Independent Station |
| Shiga Prefecture | Biwako Broadcasting | June 29, 2000 - 2001 | Thursdays 19:00 - 19:30 | |
| Miyagi | Tohoku Broadcasting | July 7, 2001 - ? | Saturdays 17:30 - 18:00 | TBS Series |
| Fukushima Prefecture | TV You Fukushima | November 2000 - 2001 | Tuesdays 0:50 - 1:20 (Monday midnight) | |
| Shizuoka Prefecture | Shizuoka Broadcasting | July 29, 2000 – 2001 | Saturdays 2:05-2:35 (Friday midnight) | |
| Nationwide | AT-X | October 29, 2002 - May 2, 2003 | Tuesdays 11:00 - 12:00 (with repeats) |
CS broadcast |
| Kids Station |
Reception
Gensomaden Saiyuki was honored with the Animage Anime Grand Prix Award in the year 2000, while its protagonist Genjo Sanzo received the Best Male Character accolade. In January of 2001, it secured second place on Animage's ranking of the top one hundred most significant anime. By May of the following year, it had achieved fourth place in the readers' Top Picks for Best of 2001. Additionally, Newtype magazine placed the series ninth among leading anime titles in August of 2001 and ranked Genjo Sanzo sixth among male characters.
Research published in October 2004 identified Saiyuki as particularly favored by young women across Japan. According to TV Asahi polls, the series ranked #96 in a nationwide Top 100 Anime survey conducted in September 2005, climbing to #24 by October 2006 and maintaining a position at #27 in a major poll held in 2007. In August of 2020, Goo Ranking positioned it eighth among the most popular anime premieres over the past twenty years. By March of 2022, Comic Book Resources listed it ninth among the best anime adaptations derived from novels.
Critical response
Sage Ashford from Comic Book Resources remarked that even after twenty years, Gensomaden Saiyuki retains a fresh perspective by offering a unique reinterpretation of Journey to the West. Enoch Lau at THEM Anime Reviews awarded the show three out of five stars, describing it as a modestly budgeted yet enjoyable blend of mythology and religious themes. TheOtaku.com rated it highly at 9.5 out of 10, commending the English dubbing and voice performances while emphasizing its moral narratives and emotional resonance; however, some filler episodes were noted as drawbacks. Manga News recognized some early imperfections but valued the inclusion of the Gaiden arc.
Bamboo Dong of Anime News Network (ANN) found the exploits of the Sanzo Group and their contemporary take on traditional Chinese mythology engaging, praising Kazuya Minkura's inventive storytelling. Zac Bertschy from ANN offered mixed critiques but lauded the animation quality, cinematic sequences, and action scenes, likening its rising acclaim to that of Rurouni Kenshin. Conversely, Darius Washington from Anime Jump criticized the English dub and described the series as "utterly pedestrian."
Reviewers Layla Lawlor and Barb Lien-Cooper at Sequential Tart considered Saiyuki Volume 1: The Journey Begins to be above average. Lien-Cooper assigned Volume 6 an eight out of ten rating, appreciating its compelling storylines, character complexity, and allegorical messages encouraging positive decisions. Sheena McNeil also praised the initial volume for its distinctive art style and innovative animation techniques while highlighting its novel portrayal of human-demon relationships and multifaceted characters with troubled histories. Her commendations extended to later volumes for their artistic merit and narrative strength.
Sandra Dozier from DVD Verdict drew parallels between Saiyuki and a sophisticated version of Dragon Ball Z, describing Volume 8 as entertaining with well-executed pacing and outstanding fight choreography. She valued Volume 9 for its exploration of characters’ childhood experiences and emotional depth. For Volume 10, Dozier admired the polished animation and advanced combat scenes but found it somewhat challenging to connect emotionally with the central characters.
External links
- Articles with short description
- Saiyuki (manga)
- Anime episode lists
- Anime television series debuts in 2000
- Fantasy genre anime and manga
- Adventure genre anime and manga
- Yōkai themes in anime and manga
- Chinese mythology influences in anime and manga
- Religious elements in fantasy fiction
- Original programming by TV Tokyo
- Anime licensed by Madman Entertainment
- Studio Pierrot productions
- ADV Films titles
- Adaptations of Journey to the West
- Television adaptations of Journey to the West
- Anime and manga set within India
- Indian mythology represented in popular culture
- Madman Entertainment anime