Saiyuki, Vol. 1

Saiyuki universe #1

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

It was a time of chaos, when Heaven and Earth were as one, and humans and demons - the youkai - lived together in peace. The foundations of civilization and religion were raised and reinforced in this land of Togenkyo, the paradise known as Shangri-la.

But now, a great evil threatens harmony in this great land. Far to the West, in India, someone is attempting to resurrect the youkai lord Gyumaoh by mixing human science with youkai magic. This forbidden practice has created a Minus Wave of negative energy that is spreading across Shangri-la, poisoning the souls of the youkai and turning them into mindless monsters. The only hope lies in four legendary heroes: Genjyo Sanzo, a high priest with low morals; Son Goku, the hungry and mischievous Monkey King, just released from 500 years imprisonment; Sha Gojyo, a water sprite with an addiction for good smokes and bad women; Cho Hakkai, the legendary demon slayer, and his transforming dragon Hakuryu. To save Shangri-la, these unlikely companions, united by fate, must travel together ... INTO THE WEST!

Having been assigned by the human elders the mission of stopping a mystical plague that has afflicted the Youkai with madness, Genjyo Sanzo assembles his team of Youkai warriors, desperately hoping that the disease will not affect them. He sets up qualifying tests that will help him determine the loyalty and worth of Cho Hakkai, Son Goku and Sha Gojyo. The team then journeys west to rid the land of madness.

Genres: Manga, Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Comics, Adventure, Action, Fiction

190 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

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

[Lois Bujold · Rating 5 out of 5]

Earlier in my acquaintance with this long-running series, I likely wouldn't have given it 5 stars, but it keeps growing on me.

I first encountered the original anime of Saiyuki back in the early 00s when I'd just started my Netflix DVD subscription, as one of the first anime I ever ordered up with my new access to the medium. It was deeply confusing, because I hadn't internalized any of the viewing protocols and was weaker on the general cultural, as well as genre, background. These have both righted themselves by immersion since, and the recent rewatch and first read was much more accessible.

Possibly the most gonzo version of the circa 1600 Chinese classic Journey to the West I have yet encountered, the pilgrim monk and his supernatural helpers are here re-envisioned as a sort of bishonen boy band on the Worst. Roadtrip. Ever. Even the silent 5th member of the party, the dragon prince that turns into a white horse, here turns into a jeep. (With hilarious consequences for the character interaction.)

The world-building is utter crack, which is a fairly pointless complaint in light of the original. ( https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... ) You just have to give up and roll with it. Or roll off, I suppose. Which would be a shame. Because at odd unexpected points it briefly turns brilliant.

The anime is not a bad introduction, but it shares the common problem of muddying the through-line of the plot, such as it is, with filler episodes and transpositions. It is also notably bowdlerized, not without cause: language tamed, blood and guts (you are warned) strewn across the printed page replaced with yokai enemies exploding into tidy bursts of dust like Buffy's vampires, not one but two mentions of backstory incest erased, and so on.

Trying to find a complete run of the manga is a challenge, since it is long out of print in the US. My library's run of the series was very incomplete; unsurprising, considering how many of the used copies I've bought on-line are library culls, the fools. When I have the whole stack assembled (vol. 3 is still AWOL), I am finally going to read it all in order and see what a difference it makes.

The backstory (two backstories, technically, since the series also visits earlier incarnations of our cast, thank you Asian mythologies) is also dismembered into several sub-series, some made into anime and some not, some of which have never seen translation into English, drat it, so finding it all seems an impossible Easter egg hunt. I would think the recent continuation of the main series, Saiyuki Reload Blast (our boys finally make it as far as Tibet) which is presently available on Amazon Video and DVD, would prod someone into at least making the earlier stuff re-available as e-manga, which does not seem to require as large a projected audience as paper to be economically viable. I would buy it in a heartbeat for my tablet, but can't, drattit. God knows what a tangle the old rights are in by now, which could be another hold up.

Anyway, the closer look has inspired, as the young people say, many thinky thoughts, all of which would sound like raving to anyone unfamiliar with their subject. (This is typical of anime and manga, which is why their fans have to hang out with each other.) The weird infantilizing of the trickster Monkey King into an amnesiac boy and then teen allowing a deep examination of the parental role, and thus the 500-year-prison cave as a symbolic womb; how ensemble characters require each other to create themselves; why angry people can be so funny in fiction but so not in real life; the male versus the female gaze, film at 11 (or on YouTube, it turns out); and, of course, the horrible wonderfulness of the character of Genjo Sanzo: swearing, chain-smoking, gun-toting, drinking, (but, apparently, celibate), angsty but never emo (he would shoot you if you suggested it) pissed-off beautiful blond magical priest given a mission from god; the boundless will to carry it out internally generated. I could watch him all day.

Added remark: if you watch the anime, go for the original Japanese with subtitles. The American voice actor for dubbing Sanzo has a flat, thin voice, and the others aren't much better. (Except for Gyojo's, perhaps, where the style is a closer match to the breezy character.) The Japanese Sanzo manages a rich, lower voice that can resonate, on occasion, with enough gravitas that you could really believe reciting sutras could work magic.

Ta, L.

Later still: Have finally managed to acquire or read all of the extant manga in order, and yes, it does earn its 5 stars from me as it builds. The anime TV series is even more of an appalling mess than I originally thought, apart from the separate anime of the so-called "Burial Arc" from Reload, which follows the manga practically panel by panel, and which is quite fine, but I don't think would work as a stand-alone. If you are interested, go for the manga.

Damn does this deserve an e-manga reprint in English translation. Crunchyroll, anybody...

L.

[Mir]

This isn't a review just a note for myself that I've tried this book (I think more than once!) and shouldn't order it again.

[Baco · Rating 5 out of 5]

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This manga has... absolutely everything I have ever wanted in published fiction. Awesome characters, gorgeous art, complex relationships, ACTION AND VIOLENCE, backstory galore, craploads of slash subtext, irreverent humour -- Saiyuki does it all, and does it all perfectly.

I didn't really get hooked until volumes 3 and 4, but oh, oh how I got hooked. I love this series and the art and these characters so much.

[Beatrice Penco Sechi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rilettura di una serie culto che tengo gelosamente da parte da ben 23 anni (😱), e che ho sempre amato particolarmente per la sua filosofia.

[Jody Mena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great! Of course I've heard the famous story of the Journey to the West, and seen it retold in a number of ways, but never quite like this! I love the dynamic amongst the characters, and how they retain their roles from the legend, while also taking on more modern characteristics. I also don't mind a bit that they're all very pretty boys, and I'm a sucker for anti-heros. There's something undeniably appealing about a bad-boy monk who drinks, smokes, gambles and shoots people, roaming the desert in a jeep with a trio of temperamental youkai bickering in the back seat. The fact that these characters can be anti-heros and remain roughly within the confines of the legend makes this a really unique and successful take on the old story. This retelling seems to be full of anachronisms, and make this seem more like a futuristic epic than an ancient legend, proving that the Journey to the West is a truly timeless saga. That aside, the action was great, the wonderful chemistry between the characters made for a lot of comedy, and there were even a few moral lessons sprinkled throughout the book. A really exciting read, I can't wait to get the next one!

[N Sabet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my all times favorites. I first saw Saiyuki anime and then went to the manga and ever since that first time reading it, I have been a fan. Kazuya Minekura has done a really good job portraying each character and also the sense of mystery about each character's past and how the past has made them what they are today and is the reason for their current lives' relationships makes the story more interesting.

To Kazuya Minekura sensei: You are one of my favorite artists ever. Your art and story inspired me to go in search of my dreams (which have a lot to do with traveling and being strong in face of adversaries). Love you sensei (^_^)

[Earl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hate the fact that it didn't finish where it originally left off. I guess I have to find time to read Saiyuki Reload Volume 1

[Dev · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have such a love-hate relationship with Saiyuki in general, although so far I've actually only watched the first 25ish episodes of the original anime series and nothing else. The thing is that I absolutely ADORE the four main characters and I love the idea of the plot [with the whole Journey to the West retelling and all], but in practice I'm always just like ...meh. Someone save me from mediocre series with amazing protagonists.

Anyway, the ratings might go up as I get more into it. I thought reading the manga might help me pay attention more because the reason I stopped watching the show was they introduced like 20 new villains and I couldn't keep them all straight. Also I hated how they basically just go from town to town saving ~damsels in distress~ from demons and also occasionally fighting female villains who like ALWAYS have their tits out. On the bright side, the author/artist here actually has tits of her own so you get those SUPER RARE anime titties that actually OBEY THE LAWS OF GRAVITY. Incredible. Oh the struggles of being a woman who is trying to enjoy shounen anime/manga.

[Illy · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Suvi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rereading the series of my heart. Still loving it so much. And it only gets better...

[Miss Ryoko · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had watched the entire Saiyuki anime before reading the mangas. The anime is incredible, and the manga is way beyond incredible. Minekura-sama is a beautiful artist and a great story teller. The pictures are so detailed. Her drawing get even better as the series goes on. She is amazing and deserves a multitude of awards for being so awesome! I love her so much!

The characters look soooo little in this volume!! Awww, so cute! Then they turn into full blown sexiness. Minekura-sama, you are my hero!


Update (June 3rd, 2012)
Haha, Sanzo seems so nice in the beginning of this volume... yet we all know he's a pistol packing, monkey beatin', no money bum (bonus points if you know where I stole - but tweaked - that line from) so it made me giggle a bit. He's too much of a badass to be so nice XD

I love this series - no matter how many times I re-read it (currently, as of this date, that was my 6th time reading volume 1) or how many times I watch the anime, I just love it!

Memorable quotes:
Sanzo after punching the spider lady: Payback from earlier. Interest's a bitch.

Monk: Forgive our rudeness.
Hakkai: Please, don't worry about it. A little purity is good for them.
Sanzo: You saying I'm corrupt?

So little!

[Joy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Re-read 8/9/08. The art in this is worse than I remembered--thank goodness it improves as the series goes on--but it's interesting to see how early Minekura begins giving readers hints about the character's backstories. Still a fairly solid introduction to the premise, though.

[Luana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bonzo corrotto, stupida scimmia, pervertito di un Kappa. E Hakkai (a quanto pare nessuno ha ancora pensato a un soprannome molto edificante per lui). Ovvero il gruppetto di disadattati guidati dal venerabile Sanzo, a cui le divinità hanno affidato un compito molto importante: porre fine agli esperimenti per la resurrezione del demone Gyumao, sigillato diversi secoli prima dal principe dio della guerra perché aveva rifiutato la convivenza con gli esseri umani - esperimenti che fondono chimica e arti demoniache, e che hanno conseguenze terribili, mandando in pezzi la pace che sembrava regnare nel Togenkyo, territorio in cui umani e demoni sono sempre riusciti a coesistere. Infatti, le vibrazioni negative generate da questi esperimenti provocano una furia incontrollata nei demoni, cosa che si traduce in massacri e stragi di umani. La cosa interessante è che i compagni di viaggio di Sanzo saranno proprio tre mezzi demoni, la cui componente umana li rende immuni alle vibrazioni negative.
E così questi quattro disperati iniziano il loro viaggio verso ovest, verso il castello di Hoto. Il venerabile Sanzo, possessore del sutra del cielo demoniaco che gli permette di dividere le tenebre, ha una visione tutta personale della via del Buddha, visto che adora bere, fumare, giocare d'azzardo ed è decisamente un tipo poco gentile (vedasi le ripetute minacce di morte nei confronti dei compagni): nel corso della missione, si metterà anche sulle tracce del sutra del suo maestro, scomparso la notte in cui quest'ultimo fu ucciso dai demoni. Goku sembra vivere per mangiare, dormire e malmenare in demoni: le sue origini sono molto particolari, così come il suo rapporto con Sanzo (che passa la maggior parte del tempo a minacciarlo di morte, ma che per lui rappresenta forse la persona più importante). Gojyo, dal canto suo, adora fumare, bere e divertirsi con le belle fanciulle, ma è ancora segnato da certi eventi della sua infanzia. E poi c'è quel santo di Hakkai, in apparenza l'elemento più equilibrato del gruppo: lui e Goku indossano dei dispositivi per il controllo del potere maligno, che gli permettono di tenere sotto controllo la loro parte demoniaca. Quattro tizi dal passato molto traumatico a cui è stato chiesto di salvare il mondo....sempre ammesso che non si ammazzino prima tra di loro.
Sul loro cammino incontrano subito diversi demoni mandati dal misterioso principe Kogaiji, figlio di Gyumao, che decide di scendere in campo fin da subito per liberarsi di Sanzo & co.

Saiyuki fa parte di quella lista infinita di anime che avevo iniziato a seguire su Mtv e di cui non avevo mai visto la conclusione (che non credo esista visto che il manga è ancora in corso, ma non importa): già all'epoca avevo amato quel quartetto di spostati, così come Kogaiji e il suo gruppo. Quindi mi pare giusto imbarcarsi di nuovo nel viaggio verso ovest e vedere come procede l'avventura.

[~Cyanide Latte~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've got to be honest with you all, there are some odd levels of motivation behind why I have decided to start reading this series. At least one friend in high school started collecting the manga, and I remember being not-interested-at-all in it, to the point of near-aggressive disinterest. Why, I'm not sure.

Since getting older and taking more of an interest in the original epic Journey to the West and various adaptations or spins on the story, finding out Saiyuki is a fairly popular spin on Journey had me on the fence about whether or not to give it a try. I would very much love to (and fully intend to,) in the future, do an analytical reading of Journey alongside its adaptations to compare and contrast the parallels between them all. Doing so would very much entail giving Saiyuki a chance, and when my cousin-in-law excitedly recommend I give the series a chance, I resolved to work on hunting down these now-out-of-print Tokyopop English volumes.

As far as first impressions go, I read the foreword, where the notation is made that Saiyuki is spelled with the characters that would make the translated name read as "Journey to the Extreme", and I find this to be a fairly appropriate sort of foreshadowing to the graphic and violent nature of the manga. There's a lot of blood/gore, nudity and violence outright in this first volume, and given the somewhat dire situation at stake, dire measures are called for from our quartet of protagonists. While my knowledge of the original epic is very basic to the point of being lazy ClifNotes, the story itself in the manga definitely follows the structure of Journey to the West thus far, and the characters are interesting twists on their Journey counterparts [from what I know of them.]

For anyone else unfamiliar with Saiyuki who might be considering trying it, scarcity aside, be aware that I'm not exaggerating when I say that there is blood and gore galore, and if you are particularly sensitive to that and to violence, you should probably approach this title with caution. If you like a misfit band of bickering adventurers [who need to learn how to work together as a unit to save the world] on a road trip with a lot of demon-battling, then I do think this is worth giving a shot. Still not entirely sure how this series was so popular back in the day [though the foreword mentions a lot of its popularity with female readers was due to the "bishounen" designs of the protags,] at least not here in the States, but hopefully I will get a better grasp on that the further I go into the series. This isn't a bad start and I wasn't disappointed with it; I'm just sincerely hoping that I'll keep enjoying it as I go along.

[Brooke Goodwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew this one was getting 5 stars from me before I started reading it. Why? Because Saiyuki is my top favorite anime AND the art style is the same! Like exactly the same, and that makes me so happy!

Saiyuki has such an interesting storyline, which is one of the reasons I wanted to check it out! A Buddhist priest (Sanzo) travels with 3 demons (Goku, Gojyo, and Hakkai) to investigate why demons, who had previously co-existed with humans, started going crazy and killing them. BUT it’s the dynamic between this group of characters, as well as their personalities that has me HOOKED! Sanzo is a priest but he carries a gun (a banishing gun to be exact), smokes, drinks, swears, and occasionally hits his companions with a paper fan. Gojyo’s a player basically who also smokes and gambles. Goku can be whiny because he’s always hungry, but he’s got a heart of gold! And Hakkai is the mother hen of the group - who you also don’t want to make angry - though he’s always so polite and considerate! The chemistry between them all is absolutely entertaining!

The mix of religion, magic, and science is something I don’t think you see much - especially not when it came out in the early 2000s (technically late 90s I think). Each character has a backstory that gets explored, though even side characters get a little bit of the spotlight too.

I think Saiyuki is an absolute GEM and I’m so utterly stocked to get through the other 4 volumes I currently have! (And get my hands on the rest someday!)

[Fenko · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review covers Saiyuki volumes 1-9.

One of the things this manga series does well is characterisation. The main characters are a gun toting priest, a hungry monkey, a kind man who killed many for vengeance, and a playboy who grew up in an abusive household. Now it might be important to mention that the latter three are also youkai (demons/supernaturals) who are the only few not losing their mind like all other youkai in the world who are turning the lands of Shangri-la from heaven into hell. To understand and potentially resolve this mystery, the group starts their journey.

"Saiyuki" is a word play on the famous epic Journey to the West, instead meaning something along the lines of Journey to the Max. It's a weird mix of modern (the magical horse becomes a magical jeep, many characters smoke and wear jeans, and we already mentioned guns).

It could have been awesome. If only the characters had shown some development over the course of time, I would have loved this series. However, as it is even the main characters' antagonists (not enemies, for they are too much alike, just on different sides of the conflict) can't save the story for me. Volumes 1-9 feel like monster-of-the-week episodes with only a few touching moments. And we're no closer to understanding why the baddies would cause such misery for the world.

(There's a sequel 'Saiyuki Reload', which I still have unread, so I'm hoping for some more depth there. ;))

[Kenia Kenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Saiyuki per me, tutta la serie eh, è la bibbia dei manga nonostante sia uno shounen, cioè per ragazzi ma hey è scritto dalla grandiosa kazuya minekura che è una donna lol. AMO OGNUNO DEI PERSONAGGI visceralmente e Sanzo è un mio fedele alterego XDDD Io e mio fratello sembriamo Sanzo e Goku XD Le storie di ognuno sono così belle che per forza ti lasciano qualcosa, io poi sono per le storie-limite, come il caso di boy's next door no? Poi vi dirò ci sono cose che solo questo manga mi ha insegnato e chi lo ha detto che i manga non sono letteratura? Saiyuki è la prova che non è vero visto anche che tra l'altro si rifà ad un opera letteraria classica cinese e forse addirittura ad un personaggio davvero esistito (Sanzo).

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first volume and therefore the introduction of the main characters and storyline.
Because of this, the start of the chapters repeat who everyone is and the fact that they are on a journey to the West to find out why the youkai have all turned evil. It does get repetitive, but because the chapters would have originally come out weekly, it makes sense.

I watched the anime years ago and I loved it - so I thought it was time to delve into the manga (which is apparently still ongoing).

I love the banter between the characters, especially Goyjo and Goku

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Before I get started, I want to preface this by saying that it's a review for the series rather than this particular volume, and, as such, may contain slight spoilers. Nothing that you don't learn fairly quickly, though.

Nominally based on the Chinese novel Journey to the West , and ostensibly set in seventh century China, this magnificent jumble of a series bridges the lines between typical action manga and anarchist head-scratcher.

The best elements include the strong philosophical current of self-reliance that manifests in several ways, tempered with the idea of teamwork when absolutely required; the theme of personal choice: you do what you do because you choose to, not because anyone or anything forces you; the complex interactions of various characters—the downright civil fights with the main group of antagonists contrasts nicely with the vicious squabbling amongst the protagonists, for example; and the textures of motivation and perspective that are still unfolding.

While I like it intensely, I downgrade to three stars for a handful of reasons. 1) It's an action manga; better than many, but still prone to splash pages of confusing B&W line art with untranslated sound effects that imply something is happening, but it's really hard to follow what that something may be. 2) Since it's published in traditional comic book style, i.e. one issue a month, the story can be a bit jerky as previous events are recapped or time jumps are made. 3) This is more of a personal taste issue, but I don't really care for the "bonus" chapters that feature the characters in completely different contexts and serve only to show off new costumes.

Saiyuki follows the journey of Genjyo Sanzo and his three companions (and Hakuuryu, a pet dragon that transforms into a Jeep—remember that "ostensibly" thing): Son Goku, Sha Gojyo, and Cho Hakkai. They're travelling under the orders of Kanzeon to recover the stolen sutras traditionally guarded by Sanzo priests that are being used in the resurrection of the Ox-King Gyomao, an ancient youkai. The mingling of magic and science in the resurrection effort has resulted in the Minus Wave, a negative energy that's had the effect of driving all youkai insane.

Confused yet? Just wait, it gets worse.

Sanzo was the youngest priest to be granted the title—immediately before his master, and adoptive father, was murdered before his eyes, with him powerless to stop anything. He's grown into a chain-smoking, hard-drinking young man with a quick trigger finger and absolutely no patience for fools and those who refuse to help themselves. At some point in the years between his master's death and the current plot, he found and rescued Goku from his prison in the mountains—just so he could tell the boy to shut up, as Goku's voice had been ringing in his head with constant complaints of "I'm hungry" and "I'm cold" and "I'm lonely."

Goku, for his part, is the Seiten Taisei of legend, a being neither youkai nor deity, and more powerful than almost all of either stripe. He doesn't remember what he did to deserve being locked away for five hundred years, but he's intensely loyal to Sanzo for having freed him, and puts up with any amount of abuse with good humor, some whining, and a virtually bottomless stomach. Most of the time, he's affable, cooperative, and playful, but if he loses his power limiter for any reason he'll go on an bloodthirsty rampage against everyone in his path, friend or foe.

Gojyo has little on his mind beyond his next drink, smoke, or pretty woman, which is a pretty effective front for his share of traumatic past. Born from an affair between his youkai father and human mother, his hair and eyes are a distinctive blood red: a constant reminder to the mother who raised him of his father's infidelity. When she graduates from abuse to attempted murder, Gojyo's older brother kills their mother in order to save him, then takes off in his guilt, leaving young Gojyo to fend for himself.

Hakkai is, at first glance, the most normal of the bunch. He's a quiet, unassuming, well-mannered gentleman, and the only unarmed one in the lot. He's also a man who gained youkai powers by slaughtering a thousand of them with his bare hands after his fiancée was kidnapped. Gojyo found him dying in the road after the fact and nursed him back to health, and the two have been inseparable ever since. The two met Sanzo and Goku when Sanzo was given the task of tracking down the mass murderer.

The unlikely quartet battle their way westward through maddened youkai, murderous humans, assassins sent to stop them, and a variety of traps set by an old enemy, with hints dropped of their previous lives and the occasional epic game of Mahjong for good measure. Yeah, it's that kind of mix.

[Paula Greenfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a graphic novel version of Journey to the West or in this case Journey to the Max or Extreme. This retelling of Journey to the West is a modern and extreme version. It pits our 4 heroes against variety of demons and others wanting to stop them from reaching their goal.

[TT · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Tripp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hot bad bois and hot hermaphrodites

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need Sanzo in my life, his quotes are pure gold

[Gavin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mildly interesting fantasy quest. The reincarnations bit was kinda cool, as was the incongruous cyberpunk element in the art. But mildly kinda.

[Nikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Starlight JayJay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't read this since I was in middle school, which is when I bought the first series of mangas. I absolutely love saiyuki and Kazuya Minekura. I still absolutely love this series.

[Lexi Faith Carlson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very funny!!! Enjoyed it

[Shane · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. This was fine. I can see why I liked this series when I was younger but i don’t have the patience for manga I used to.

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting and fun. So far Genjo is my fav

[Valerie · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of my favorite mangas. The main issue that exists in this series is that there are a lot of homophobic comments throughout. But other than that it is a great series.