Saiyuki Reload, Volume 4

Saiyuki universe #13

by Kazuya Minekura, Athena Nibley (Translator), Alethea Nibley (Translator)

Sanzo, Goku, Gojyo, and Hakkai, a band of four handsome young adventurers, travel the land to fight the demonic youkai, almost human-looking beings with pointy ears and bat wings.

Genres: Manga, Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Comics, Action, Josei, Demons

192 pages, Paperback

First published June 13, 2006

About the author

Kazuya Minekura (峰倉かずや Minekura Kazuya, born March 23, 1975) is a Japanese manga artist most known for the Saiyuki series. Her other manga series include Wild Adapter, Shiritsu Araiso Koto Gakko Seitokai Shikkobu (Araiso Private School Student Council Executive Committee), and Stigma. Stigma is notable for being a full-color work, unusual as manga is generally drawn in black and white.

She had an illness that affected her writing from 2004–2007, which caused her to have a hysterectomy. On 28 September 2010, she went on Hiatus to undergo surgery for ameloblastoma on the right half of her upper jawbone. On 31 December 2010, she reported her surgery was successful after removing the tumor on her right upper jawbone and is currently resting and being fitted with artificial prosthetics to reconstruct the area where her bones were removed.

Reviews

[Illy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh the parallelism. Arcs like this make me just appreciate this story even more.

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A warning: I am biased. This has been my favourite manga series for over a decade and I'm on my sixth (or so) reread. This is as good as I remember. Minekura has given us distinct characters, and even when the speech balloons aren't tied directly to anyone in the panel, you know exactly who is expressing which thought. The art is amazing, and sometimes I'll just stare at scenes trying to soak more in. And the drama/angst jumps in to contrast the humour so suddenly that I will need to stop reading just to process how much I love the moments/characters/everything. Or the humour bumps aside the drama, which is a delightful way to break the tension. In all, that's basically the theme of the whole story. Nothing matters so much you can't joke about it. Though at the same time, everything absolutely matters. Sweet and sour, baby.

My copies of this manga are all beat up, but I know I'll read them again. Everytime, it's a treat.

[wulvz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was a bit more disjointed than the last 3 because they randomly back tracked to a bunch of different backstories before getting back to the present (without any clear indication or reason for switching between). I still love saiyuki, a favorite manga of mine forever. The brotherhood between the boys, how the mangaka is never shy from fully unpacking and displaying trauma and it’s residing effects on the mind and body, and of course the beautiful art style/character designs. Love any backstory on goku and Sanzo so I was happy with this nonetheless. Still want more hakkai tho. Saiyuki reload has so many reanimating villains it’s starting to feel like a schtick which isn’t my vibe, however I appreciate that youkai aren’t the only threats in the sequel. Bishop Hazel and Gat are clean as hell characters, excited to see what they bring to the table.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Minekura makes it much more clear who Ukoku's present persona is, by juxtaposing a scene from his past with a panel or two with him in the present. So I suppose, in the long run, I didn't have to look it up.

This manga's image of "western spirituality" as expressed in Hazel is peculiar, and might verge on offense if it weren't entirely made up and nothing like any actual practice that I know of. It's obvious he's the gang's next major foe. So far the arc featuring him feels like a side quest, but maybe he'll be connected to Sanzo's team, or their past, in a way that isn't obvious yet.

A minor thing: whoever wrote the summary blurbs for this Tokyopop translation keeps lampshading the story. Not a fan.

[Brooke Goodwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

So the entire Hazel arc isn’t my favorite, but I did enjoy the Burial arc! Wasn’t expecting that to be in this volume or the last. I love the beginnings of Sanzo & Goku and Hakkai & Gojyo’s relationships! And it’s awesome how the age gap or situation between Sanzo and Goku doesn’t feel weird, at least not to me. It’s like caretaker and child or mentor and student, which I really appreciate. Plus, I can tell so much goes into this series from the art to the storyline and all the extra stories and images. I have so much respect for Kazuya Minekura and his team!

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked the Burial arc. I plan to re-read it when I finish the series. I am anxious to read Even a Worm. I have heard so much about.

[Mosley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A new baddie is rolling into town.

[Alexis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm just not crazy for Hazel.

[Omar Villafane · Rating 5 out of 5]

These boys have morals 💪🏼 and they’re cool af

[Miss Ryoko · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG Hazel!!! Okay, I both LOVE and DESPISE Hazel so much! Haha! Love hate relationship to the max! But I love love love Gat!! But all throughout my re-read of Reload (now, on my third time through) I was getting excited for Hazel to show up. I couldn't remember which volume he showed up in so I got really excited when I saw a colored photo of him and Gat at the beginning of this volume.

Besides Hazel's introduction, this volume continues with some more past stories of both Sanzo and Goku and then later with Gojyo and Hakkai. There were SO many panels of Goku and Hakkai I wanted to post...but I chose some of my favorites out of them. So enjoy them!

One of the colored photos in the beginning:


OMG so cute!!!


I can't get over how incredible adorable this is!!!


Daaaaaaww!!! Heartbreaking!


God this is so hot!!


I love this look!


FAINT!!! So, so, SO hot!!!


Muscle man! I adore him!


Also, it should be known, I literally glared at the page at the end of Kanan naked with Hakkai's clothes draped over her. The rage I felt... haha!!

I just can't get enough of this series (hence the reason I'm on my third read through of Reload!)

[Jody Mena · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series! Most of this book was flashbacks, but they were really great flashbacks, very touching and illuminating, so it was still very enjoyable, even thought he story didn't advance very far. This Lord Bishop, the Jewish cowboy from across the ocean, seems like bad news to me. I assume it alludes to Judaism, though there are other religions and metaphysical paths that use the six pointed star, (which is said to be able summon and command demons - sounds a lot like this Bishop guy!) I gotta say, I hope he turns out to be just misunderstood, he's an interesting character, and if he refuses to play nice, we all know what Sanzo and friends will do to him! I still can't get enough of those guys, they are all so endearing in their own twisted, degenerate, maniacal way! Such a great story, I hope that it advances more in the next book, I love the side stories, but I really want to know what's going to happen with Gyumaoh and the sutras!

[Emily G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars for a rare glimpse of affection from Sanzo towards Goku, who tells Goku he could never leave an idiot like him, aww!

In this volume, the back stories continue with Sanzo and Goku mentioned above, and also Hakkai and Gojyo, who are living together. They do make a sweet couple :-)!

We then meet Hazel, a bishop who can collect youkai souls and use them to resurrect dead humans. The problem is that the humans then develop the overwhelming need to kill youkais, which includes Goku, Hakkai and Gojyo...

[Leila Anani · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very disjointed volume that's largely filler. We have several flashback episodes in the first half - The second half is taken up with the 'even the worm' arc - Resurrectionist Hazel Grosse and his silent zombie servant Gat case trouble bringing dead humans back to life but with Youkai souls.

Wonderful artwork as ever but not quite as energetic as previous volumes and this one feels a bit all over the place.

[Oyceter · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://oyceter.livejournal.com/444760...

[keereads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read

[Ruben Monteiro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn't care much about the past this time. And happy about being back.