Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Saiyuki universe #2

Saiyuki, Vol. 2

Rate this book
Relates the adventures of Genjyo Sanzo and his team of Yokai warriors as they journey west trying to stop a mystical plague.

204 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2002

3 people are currently reading
246 people want to read

About the author

Kazuya Minekura

212 books190 followers
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.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
834 (51%)
4 stars
474 (29%)
3 stars
255 (15%)
2 stars
46 (2%)
1 star
15 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
Profile Image for Kit.
38 reviews
September 18, 2015
I pulled out my dusty collection of Saiyuki, and vol 1 had felt kind of dry but vol 2 finally reminded me why I enjoyed the series when I was younger. You finally delve into character backgrounds and why the characters do what they do and why they are the way they are, and because of that you start to care about them more and their successes and their failures.

The artwork is still top-notch.
Profile Image for Kelly.
168 reviews19 followers
November 12, 2025
This volume had a better flow (for me) than the first one - mostly because they didn't need to keep reintroducing the characters and their mission at the start of every chapter.

This story delves into Gojyo's past. He has red hair and red eyes which marks him as a half-youkai. He is a taboo child who shouldn't exist (demon father human mother). His father's actual wife (a demon) tried to kill him many times when he was a child. His half brother Jien stepped in and saved him and killed his mother in the process, then Jien left.

It also introduces the antagonists. The main antagonist is Gyokum Koushu who is trying to resurrect the demon (whose name I can't remember). She made a deal with Kougaiji (son of the demon) that she would also resurrect his mother as well, so Kougaiji and his team follow her orders. She orders them to kill team Sanzo (Sanzo, Goku, Goyjo and Hakkai).
Kougaiji
Lirin (half sister of Kougaiji and daughter of the demon and Gyokumen Koushu)
Yaone (healer / alchemist who appears to be in love with Kougaiji)
Dokugakuji (Kougaiji's bodyguard of sorts)

Yaone makes the first attempt on Team Sanzo's life by poisoning them. She ends up getting saved by them when men in the same bar hit on her. She starts to fight Team Sanzo as well, but they easily outmatch her. Kougaiji turns up to save her.

The next arc also begins in this volume. It begins with a flashback to Sanzo's past in the Buddhist temple where he grew up. He was the favoured pupil of the previous Sanzo. Genjyo Sanzo is friendly with only his master and another monk named Shuei. He gives his beads to Shuei. Its the last time they interact before 'the morning from Hell'.
There is a monk killing Youkai and he introduces himself as Rikudo. He declares that he will kill all youkai and he intents to include Gojyo, Hakkai and Goku in that.
Sanzo figures out Shuei and Rikudo are the same person. Their reunion is about as bad as it could be. Rikudo revels that after Sanzo left the demons who killed his master came back and killed everyone else at the temple. Rikudo cast a forbidden spell on himself that allows him to kill all youkai, but he must do it or else he'll die. It feeds his lifeforce.
Hakkai and Goku try to convince Sanzo not to kill Rikudo as he was once his friend. Goku gets in the way of Sanzo's bullet. Rikudo chooses that moment to attack Goku and Sanzo gets in the way and is mortally wounded.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Luana.
1,674 reviews59 followers
April 4, 2020
Questo secondo volume ci permette di dare uno sguardo ad alcuni degli eventi che hanno segnato il passato dei nostri protagonisti. Gojyo, in quanto figlio di un rapporto proibito tra un demone e la sua amante umana (da questo deriva il colore molto particolare dei suoi occhi e dei suoi capelli), ha dovuto convivere con il disprezzo della madre adottiva: a salvarlo sarà il fratellastro che, per proteggerlo, finirà appunto per uccidere la madre. Visto che i due non si sono più rivisti da allora, Gojyo è alla sua ricerca.
Hakkai, invece, ha assistito impotente al suicidio della moglie Kanan, rimasta incinta dopo essere stata violentata da un demone - ricordo scatenato dal tentativo di suicidio di Yaone, uno dei demoni al servizio del principe Kogaiji. Principe di cui i nostri quattro disadattati faranno finalmente la conoscenza e che non sembra sostenere con molto entusiasmo gli esperimenti per riportare in vita il padre.
E poi c'è Sanzo: in questo volume ritroverà una sua vecchia conoscenza degli anni passati al monastero, un monaco guerriero trasformatosi a sua volta in un mostro per ammazzare i demoni. Qui vediamo almeno in parte cosa accadde la notte in cui i demoni uccisero il maestro di Sanzo e rubarono il sutra del cielo sacro, il sospetto di alcuni monaci, convinti che il vero colpevole fosse Sanzo stesso, la sua scelta di lasciare il tempio di nascosto con l'altro sutra - scelta che porterà alla morte di molti monaci, quando i demoni tornarono per recuperare anche il sutra del cielo demoniaco. Rikudo, ormai completamente ossessionato dalla sua missione, vuole eliminare i mezzi demoni del gruppo, ma, incredibilmente, Sanzo deciderà di fare da scudo a Goku, rimanendo così gravemente ferito.

Mi piace molto in cui l'autrice sappia dosare momenti spassosi e altri più drammatici, divertimento e azione. Nessuno dei nostri protagonisti è completamente bianco o nero, tutti hanno diverse sfumature, non sono dei mostri di bontà, eppure non si abbandonano mai alla cieca violenza. E tutti hanno un passato complicato con cui dovranno fare i conti presto o tardi. Bene, ora vado a leggere il terzo volume per vedere che me sarà del povero Sanzo.
Profile Image for ~Cyanide Latte~.
1,824 reviews90 followers
February 16, 2020
Definitely enjoyed this volume a fair bit more than the previous one. There are still a lot of moments that just feel like early-manga-set-up to bigger aspects of the plot, and I have to say that I don't appreciate these Tokyopop volumes cutting off panels sometimes in their printing, but I feel as though this is a volume where we focus a lot more on getting emotionally hard-hitting points of the backstories for our characters. At least, we do for Genjyo Sanzo, Sha Gojyo and Cho Hakkai. (Son Goku gets pretty relegated to the background until he's needed in a fight, I've noticed thus far.)

Not only that, but we get some tender moments of "humanization", in a way, for some of the youkai that are opposing Sanzo's traveling party. That was also a point of the writing that I really enjoyed.

I suppose I don't have much more to add here at the moment, but I'm certainly looking forward to eventually hunting down the next couple of volumes. The art style is starting to grow on me, the characters are definitely growing on me, and I love the complexity of all the characters involved (not just our bickering band of protagonists.)
Profile Image for Emmett.
77 reviews
May 16, 2018
2.5/3 stars

I am enjoying this series, but it does have its problems. Mostly that it was published in 2004, and it's now 2018, and a lot has changed socially since then. I know that the way the women are treated in this series stems partly from the historical fantasy element of the story (since history doesn't enjoy being pleasant to women) but the mild homophobic comments that the series makes confuse me more. I don't know if the 'jokes' made are due to it being 2004, or if it again is an influence of the historical side. I've read further reviews that also mention transphobic comments made later.
So, I will probably continue this series but am wary of the comments it has already made.
There isn't a series out there without its unique set of issues; you can enjoy a series as long as you understand and acknowledge its problems.
Depending on what the content of the future comments entails, I might stop reading this series.
Profile Image for Stacy.
688 reviews2 followers
December 18, 2018
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.
Profile Image for Brooke Goodwin.
Author 6 books18 followers
October 15, 2022
The backstories begin to unfold! I loved the pacing of backstory info in the anime and the manga is doing it perfectly too! We finally start seeing the some of the hardships the main characters (Sanzo, Goku, Hakkai, and Gojyo) faced in their childhoods and how that’s affected them.

Once again, the premise and culture influence of Saiyuki are so fascinating! I feel like I’ve learned a few things about Buddhism from watching/reading this series. And the addition of magic and science really works!

I loved the buildup of emotions with each MC and the other characters they meet. One thing I particularly enjoy is how each 1-2 chapters focus on a mini story that still ties into the main plot. This way, the Sanzo Party are still the MCs and we get plenty of interesting side characters.

Lastly, I will continue to praise the dynamics and character development of Saiyuki until the day I die because they are GLORIOUS!
Profile Image for Illy.
709 reviews9 followers
July 2, 2018
I ADORE this series. I have never found anything like. I have watched all of the anime, read the series over multiple times, and lots of fanfiction. I can’t suggest this more. It is cute yet not lighthearted. The characters are great and I love them all so much (I ship Goku and Sanzo forever). If you like m/m then you will like this as the characters have plenty of “interesting” moments. If you simply like an adventure then you will like this. If you like retellings then you will like this. Overall, it’s really good and you need to pick it up.
Profile Image for Dev.
2,462 reviews187 followers
May 21, 2018
Second verse, same as the first. I guess we ARE getting more hints of the main characters' backstories [although honestly I have my issues with those as well] and a glimpse of some of the big villains for the series, but overall I'm still just plodding along like 'this is okay but I wish it was better'. This series is so frustrating.
61 reviews1 follower
August 29, 2022
I AM NOW AM OFFICIALLY A SAIYUKI FAN, I LOVE SAIYUKI. When I have money I will buy all the manga I love it so much. Also Gojyo lookin kinda fine lately lmao
Profile Image for Alexis.
2,468 reviews
October 21, 2023
I never thought I would say this, but I'm actually okay with less plot and more backstory.
Profile Image for MissAnnThrope.
561 reviews3 followers
March 7, 2013
07 March 2013

Gah! Holy freakin' cliffhanger!


Saiyuki, Volume 2 follows the boys as they continue their journey to the West, slicing and dicing yôkai along the way. This volume is action-packed, but more than anything, it is filled with sharp humor and chivalrous moments that make you kind of fall in love with this crazy group.

This second volume gives a brief look into the tragic pasts of our favorite fabulous foursome. Goku's story is missing from the bunch, so I hope we will get to learn more about his past in the next volume. Their horrific histories makes you understand why they do so much good with their amazing talents.

It was really sweet to see the gang act so gallantly, but Gojyo in particular because he is usually such a horny little bastard. My favorite scene is of them playing the game in the restaurant. This scene is riddled with hilarious moments.



The intense cliffhanger is making me kick myself for not having the next volume. It is going to be pure torture waiting to get a hold of the third volume. I can't wait to find out what happens next. I also am really hoping to get to know Kougaiji better in the next few books. I love when a character falls within the shades of gray between good and evil. I'm curious to see where he falls on that scale.

Seriously, this series is too much fun. The short story at the end was like the dessert after a satisfying meal.

Profile Image for Francine.
1,186 reviews30 followers
September 4, 2022
Oh boy what a cliffhanger.

I'm just constantly falling deeper in love with these boys. Some of their dark broody pasts are explored in this volume, so we now know everyone's original sins except for Goku's (hilariously, even though he's on the cover). There are some prime dokidoki moments in this volume, I swoon.

The translation is a lil distracting sometimes, especially in reference to topics of gender/sexuality. I wonder if the original text was so openly homophobic (although I wouldn't be surprised, since older manga generally aren't known for their sensitivity regarding this topic).
I did laugh when Goku said "homo sausage?" like what does that even MEAN.

One other thing that bothered me this volume was Yaone's damsel-in-distress personality. She's so hung up on being a good servant to Kougaiji that she even attempts S to repent for not being able to kill the Sanzo party. I hated that. The women in this manga are written so poorly.
(To be fair, the men are just eye candy, they don't have much more going on either. But at least the men get better traumas!)
Profile Image for Jody Mena.
449 reviews8 followers
August 16, 2016
What a cliffhanger! I actually shrieked in shock when I turned the page and saw Sanzo impaled on Rikudo's staff. Great blood spatter though! It was great getting to know a little more about Sanzo, Gojyo and Hakkai and their troubled pasts. I wonder if Goku's past will be opened up later in the series, and how it will be treated; the legend of the monkey king is one of the most popular legends in China, so it would be interesting to see how the manga-ka spins Goku's tale into this retelling of the old legend. I enjoyed the scene when the demons insulted Gojyo for being a half-youkai, and Sanzo, Goku and Hakkai came to his defense, it was really touching! Once again in this volume, they chemistry between the four main characters is really endearing. I think I'll go start on the next volume right now - I have to find out what becomes of Sanzo!
2,047 reviews20 followers
March 2, 2014
I had a huge grin on my face from start to finish with this. Totally stunning artwork and a wonderful story that moves at a cracking pace.

Our heroes meet a girl in love with a yokai that has run off and painfully awaits his return. Next we have Hakkai vs. Yaone as Kou's team try and wipe out or heroes. In the last story Sanzo gets a blast from the past as a priest he once new has gone crazy and is wiping out yokai indiscriminantly.

You will need volume 3 on hand as this one ends on one heck of a cliff hanger.

Love the parallelling between Kou's team and our 4 leads and also like the subtle working in of flashbacks. Here we get insights into Sanzo, Gojyo and even Hakkai's dark pasts. Loads of humour, l;arger than life characters and plenty of adventure. Recommended.
Profile Image for Sarah.
892 reviews
September 10, 2011
Another painfully by-the-numbers volume of Saiyuki, although if I could I'd give it a 3.5 instead of a 3 - but it doesn't do enough to enter four star territory. We have our obligatory human/yokai love story, and then a rather silly subplot featuring one of Kougaiji's subordinates working undercover to get close to Sanzo and the gang - as a waitress. Ayup. The second half of the book, however, shows much promise with the blast from Sanzo's past and the rather bloody cliffhanger of an ending. Add to that the glimpses into Hakkai and Gojyo's back story and we have the showings of an improvement in quality hopefully soon. Hey, the story might suck right now, but at least the boys are pretty?
Profile Image for dandelion.
289 reviews15 followers
June 30, 2017
I haven't read this series since high school and they were my absolute favorite. They could do no wrong in my eyes. But now that I'm a much more critical reader, the sexism, homophobia (and future transphobia that I can remember) definitely kills the vibe on a certain level. Also, how I didn't see a lot of the story as corny and trope-y is beyond me. This stuff was my life's blood though so that's why you probably aren't going to see me rate any volume below 3-stars unless the writing gets too unbearable.
Profile Image for Emily G.
562 reviews12 followers
November 24, 2012
The Sanzo party continue westwards to stop the resurrection of the great demon Gyumaoh that is creating the minus wave affecting the youkai.

On the way we find out more about Gojyo's, Sanzo's and Hakkai's back stories that sheds more light on why they are the loveable messed up puppies they are!

A word of warning, this volume ends on a huge cliffhanger so buy volumes 2 and 3 together would be my tip ;-)!
Profile Image for Sparrow.
2,287 reviews40 followers
January 17, 2016
The only thing really electrifying about this volume was the cliffhanger. I am still pleased with the easy flow of the episodes, the (mostly) realistic character development, and the plot advancement. But this volume didn't have quite the kick that the first volume did. I think perhaps because it was slightly overdramatic with dips into 3/4 of the characters' overly dramatic pasts. Too much for one manga haha.
Profile Image for Alexis.
1,217 reviews17 followers
September 8, 2017
Inizio la rilettura di tutti i volumi del manga.
Questo numero mi piace, la caduta nel fiume è una delle scene più divertenti in assoluto, poi trovo carina Yaone, anche se a molti sembrerà un po' scemotta. La scena in cui lei vuole far esplodere la locanda XD
E poi ovviamente il gioco del "chi dormirà nel letto che sembra dire: questo è un posto speciale"?XD Insomma, un numero veramente divertente.
Profile Image for Miss Ryoko.
2,700 reviews172 followers
January 12, 2019
I LOVE the little end story of why Hakkai was the only one sleeping on a bed earlier on. Hilarious! Which is why I love this series so much, its serious and hilarious all at the same time. And the boys are sexy of course ;-) Not to mention the beautiful artwork! Minekura-sama is really truly very talented!














Profile Image for Nura.
1,056 reviews30 followers
November 28, 2012
whooa... sedih banget saat setiap orang merasakan penderitaan si Shunrei. *ngelongok persediaan tisu yang menipis*
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.