| Type: | TV |
| Length: | 50 episodes |
| Genre: | Fantasy, Adventure |
Saiyuki
Summary
Four men, who get a reputation as the "Sanzo Party," are chosen by the gods to head west to stop the recent demon uprisings that have been occurring over the land. This party includes: Sanzo, a monk, who acts like anything but one; Goku, the youngest looking one who can never get enough to eat; Gojyo, a red-haired, womanizing half demon; and Hakkai, the only one who seems to be calm and collected.
With the help of Hakkai's pet dragon who can turn into a jeep, Sanzo and the others head west...
With the help of Hakkai's pet dragon who can turn into a jeep, Sanzo and the others head west...
Review
Saiyuki is a monster of the week show, where nearly every episode has the Sanzo Party fighting a demon. Most episodes start off with Hakkai and the others driving his jeep to the nearest town. Of course, finding a place to stay the night is never a problem if you have an ATM card given to you from the good folks up in heaven. A lot of the episodes have them saving the town, or someone in the town from the clutches of a demon. For the most part, the episodes are your average fair, but I enjoyed a majority of the episodes, and even much of the filler was actually quite good.
Their mission is to stop the resurrection of the demon lord, Gyumaoh. At times I really wondered if the plot was going to go anywhere as it seemed more like an excuse to keep them heading west than anything else. Halfway through the show the plot changes seemingly out of nowhere, but it's for the better. The new characters that are introduced and their goals are far more interesting than the first story arc which simply gets tossed aside.
The lead characters are a lot of fun, their personalities and constant bickering is a riot to watch as they try and stand each other. While none of them would admit it, it's obvious they've formed strong bonds and that they care about one another. The numerous episodes that deal with Sanzo and the other's pasts are well done and make you get more attatched to the characters. Their pasts and how they cope with them are given as much attention as their journey west.
The worst thing about Saiyuki is the animation. I don't have a problem with the animation itself, but the lack of it. There are many scenes of characters posing or where the screen pans accross the setting with as little animation as possible. Another technique that is frequently used has the current scene grayed and faded out in the background with the face of a character in the foreground as he talks. Most attacks use still frames or limited animation and demons don't fall over when they die, they simply disappear. There are some scenes that look good, but for the most part it leaves a lot to be desired.
The two opening themes are well done and I found myself watching them before many of the episodes. The background music sets the mood with some enjoyable pieces as well.
I found myself mostly enjoying the characters and watching them get through the many situations that they encounter on their journey. The further I got into the series the more I enjoyed it. It's a mediocre show, but it does shine on a number of occasions. Overall, I was pretty pleased with Saiyuki; an above average series that is worth checking out.
Their mission is to stop the resurrection of the demon lord, Gyumaoh. At times I really wondered if the plot was going to go anywhere as it seemed more like an excuse to keep them heading west than anything else. Halfway through the show the plot changes seemingly out of nowhere, but it's for the better. The new characters that are introduced and their goals are far more interesting than the first story arc which simply gets tossed aside.
The lead characters are a lot of fun, their personalities and constant bickering is a riot to watch as they try and stand each other. While none of them would admit it, it's obvious they've formed strong bonds and that they care about one another. The numerous episodes that deal with Sanzo and the other's pasts are well done and make you get more attatched to the characters. Their pasts and how they cope with them are given as much attention as their journey west.
The worst thing about Saiyuki is the animation. I don't have a problem with the animation itself, but the lack of it. There are many scenes of characters posing or where the screen pans accross the setting with as little animation as possible. Another technique that is frequently used has the current scene grayed and faded out in the background with the face of a character in the foreground as he talks. Most attacks use still frames or limited animation and demons don't fall over when they die, they simply disappear. There are some scenes that look good, but for the most part it leaves a lot to be desired.
The two opening themes are well done and I found myself watching them before many of the episodes. The background music sets the mood with some enjoyable pieces as well.
I found myself mostly enjoying the characters and watching them get through the many situations that they encounter on their journey. The further I got into the series the more I enjoyed it. It's a mediocre show, but it does shine on a number of occasions. Overall, I was pretty pleased with Saiyuki; an above average series that is worth checking out.
Score:
Written by Marc Frost on
Content 
Some profanity.
Violence
Demons disappear when killed so there isn't too much blood, but the some of the scenes and violence can get intense at times.
Sex
The male leads do have some sensual poses, but they are mostly contained to the opening credits. There is some cleavage from some of the female characters and Gojyo is always talking about having a good time at night with ladies.
Other
There are many scenes of the characters smoking and drinking.