Anime Saiyuki

Hey all, was wonderin if any of you peeps have seen an Anime called Saiyuki! Im possitive that that isnt its full name, but thats what I got out of it. AND I was wonderin how many seasons there were if there IS anyone that has seen it.

 

ive got the first book, and on there it's just saiyuki, but i dont know about the anime.

 

The name for the series as a whole is Saiyuki, but there are different arcs and stories - Gensou Maden Saiyuki (the main storyline), Saiyuki Gaiden (the bit where the story backtracks to a sort of prologue), Saiyuki Reload... etc.

I believe that what's being released in the US at the moment is the first two seasons, totalling 50 episodes. But there's more to follow that. I'm not certain what the total is or will be. :/ I've only seen the first two seasons, and I had to watch my friend's bootlegs to see the second half of those. >.>

 

Gensomaden Saiyuki is the title for the anime in Japan, but when it was brought to the US the title was just Saiyuki. It is, as Dilandau said, 50 episodes long, although nearly the entire second half of the series is filler (never happens in the manga). The only exception being the episodes dealing with the characters' past lives.

Saiyuki RELOAD is the title of the second anime series (and what the title was changed to when Kazuya Minekura changed publishers after volume 9 of Saiyuki was released). It is still going on in manga form in Japan, but I believe the animated series (covering parts of the RELOAD manga but mostly story elements from the second half of the original Saiyuki manga) has come to a close. But then there's Saiyuki RELOAD Gunlock (I believe that's the title). Don't know much about that one.

Good series. The manga is better than the anime. Never ever watch the ADV dub because it is horrible. I think that's about it as far as things go, at least at the moment. ^_^

~Shadrach Anki

 

Is there a book for it? (I'm not shure if thats what you just told me) Cuz I prefer to READ them. So I get everything...b/c dont they make the book before the tv episodes?

 

If by book you mean manga, yes. It's currently being released in English by Tokyopop, I believe, although I think only the first two volumes are out.

And yes, in most series the manga is the basis for the anime - although there are some cases, such as with Neon Genesis Evangelion and Tenkuu no Escaflowne, where the anime came first and and the manga is an adaption of that storyline.

I must agree with Shadowbard about the ADV dub. FAR too many liberties were taken with the script - to the point that it alters personalities, which is a big no-no. If you're gonna watch Saiyuki, stick to subs.

 

I HAVE been watching the anime on "Anime Network" on my grandparents TV...are the villans still the same throughout ALL the series? Sorry..I must sound really stupid right now :sweat2:

 

The villains change as necessary. In the first arc of Gensou Maden Saiyuki, you'll be seeing a lot of Kougaiji & crew, who sadly sort of fade out later to make room for Homura. :/ In the Gaiden bit, it's arguably Litouten who's the major baddie, manipulative jerk that he is.

And of course, there are the usual villain-of-the-day types, mostly youkai who pop up for an episode or two.

 

Which is why you want to read the manga. Sure, there are still the villain switches occasionally (you get villains of the day and all that jazz), but Kougaiji and company don't leave the picture for more than a few chapters, it seems.

I love the manga lots, and I'm glad that Tokyopop is using the best translations I've personally seen out there. There are some changes to make things sound better in English, but for the most part....

~Shadrach Anki

 

Villians of the day.. garg. I hate those. xD

I guess I need to keep an eye out for the Saiyuki books/movies/episodes...So the subtitles are the best i'm gathering. Good good. xD

 

The original Saiyuki manga has 9 volumes. Then Kazuya Minekura switched publishers and Saiyuki RELOAD started. There are currently three volumes of that in Japanese at this point. You also have Saiyuki Gaiden, which covers the past lives of the main four characters. I don't know if there's more than one volume for that, though.

So yes, there is more to the series. Unfortunately, due to the publisher switch the main main plot had to be put a touch on hold (not completely, mind you, but still) so that character reintroductions could take place.

~Shadrach Anki