What do you think?
Rate this book
Saiyuki universe #5
Saiyuki, Vol. 5
Book by Kazuya Minekura
208 pages, Paperback
First published October 27, 1999
144 people want to read
About the author
Kazuya Minekura
212 books190 followersKazuya 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.
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
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
August 13, 2018
I'm pretty sure I should just do like a standard bullet point review of this series to copy and paste into each volume lol
• love the main characters and group dynamics [in this case the background of how they met]
• there are either no female characters or a few but they're just there as love interests / sex objects
• a semi-offensive trans stereotype appears! but I don't know how to judge the situation because 1. I'm cis and 2. this was written like 20 years ago
• why do I always get sucked into bad stories with interesting characters
• something about how it's interesting that shoujo manga's inherent sexism can't even be tempered by having a female writer
• seriously why do great concepts always have the shittiest execution
•???
•no profit
• love the main characters and group dynamics [in this case the background of how they met]
• there are either no female characters or a few but they're just there as love interests / sex objects
• a semi-offensive trans stereotype appears! but I don't know how to judge the situation because 1. I'm cis and 2. this was written like 20 years ago
• why do I always get sucked into bad stories with interesting characters
• something about how it's interesting that shoujo manga's inherent sexism can't even be tempered by having a female writer
• seriously why do great concepts always have the shittiest execution
•
•
August 28, 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.
November 16, 2025
Chapters 24-28 which make up just over half of this volume are a flashback to when Gojyo and Hakkai first met, and then when Sanzo and Goku first meet Gojyo and then later Hakkai.
Gojyo and Hakkai first meet in the aftermath of Hakkai's murder spree from the previous story. He's half dead, so Gojyo takes him back to his place and nurses him back to health.
Sanzo and Goku have been tasked with tracking down Hakkai and bringing him back to the temple - with the suggestion that Hakkai will be face justice and be killed for what he had done.
Sanzo tracks Gojyo down and confronts him looking for Hakkia. They fight. Gojyo tells Hakkai to run, but Goku stops him. Hakki pulls a gun on Goku and manages to run away - he still has something that he needs to do.
Gojyo, Sanzo and Goku decide to track Hakkai down as a team. They come upon a battle between Hakkai and another youkai. The youkai is the brother of one of the thousand that Hakkai killed. He brings his brother's eyes floating in liquid. Hakkia rips out one of his own eyes and tries to say that they are even, he goes to rip out the other one, but Goku stops him.
Sanzo convinces Hakkai to want to live rather than throwing his life away. Hakkai kills the youkai that attacked him.
Sanzo and Goku take Hakkai to the temple. He goes willingly to face whatever punishment they have in store. Gojyo is lead to believe that Hakkai has been put to death. He moves back to where he was before, and cuts his hair short. He's different now both physically and emotionally. While shopping he runs into Hakkai, who wasn't killed, but given a new name.
The story then moves onto the next arc for the remaining chapters (and then into the next volume).
Ni Jianyi (the mad scientist working for Gyokumen stirs up trouble with Kougaiji and Dokugakuji. Making them question science and nature as they know it, claiming he knows things that they don't.
Team Sanzo go into the desert looking for a youkai lair. It is said that a Sanzo went there previously and never came back, so our Sanzo wants to investigate.
They get sucked into an underground castle by quicksand. Poor Jeep tries to save Hakkai, but it doesn't work so Jeep is left alone in the desert.
Sanzo is separated from the others who are locked away in a dungeon. The scorpion youkai has paralyzed Sanzo and is going to eat him to gain immortality. Sanzo goads the youkai, its hurts him and this causes the poison paralyzing him to wear off. Sanzo shoots and injures the youkai and the same time that the others break out of the dungeon and find him.
Sanzo goes to retrieve his stolen sutra and the youkai stabs him with fatal poison nails.
Kougaiji and Dokugakuji find Jeep in the desert. They have been tasked by Gyokumen to retrieve the sutras as part of reawakening Kougaiji's father.
Gojyo and Hakkai first meet in the aftermath of Hakkai's murder spree from the previous story. He's half dead, so Gojyo takes him back to his place and nurses him back to health.
Sanzo and Goku have been tasked with tracking down Hakkai and bringing him back to the temple - with the suggestion that Hakkai will be face justice and be killed for what he had done.
Sanzo tracks Gojyo down and confronts him looking for Hakkia. They fight. Gojyo tells Hakkai to run, but Goku stops him. Hakki pulls a gun on Goku and manages to run away - he still has something that he needs to do.
Gojyo, Sanzo and Goku decide to track Hakkai down as a team. They come upon a battle between Hakkai and another youkai. The youkai is the brother of one of the thousand that Hakkai killed. He brings his brother's eyes floating in liquid. Hakkia rips out one of his own eyes and tries to say that they are even, he goes to rip out the other one, but Goku stops him.
Sanzo convinces Hakkai to want to live rather than throwing his life away. Hakkai kills the youkai that attacked him.
Sanzo and Goku take Hakkai to the temple. He goes willingly to face whatever punishment they have in store. Gojyo is lead to believe that Hakkai has been put to death. He moves back to where he was before, and cuts his hair short. He's different now both physically and emotionally. While shopping he runs into Hakkai, who wasn't killed, but given a new name.
The story then moves onto the next arc for the remaining chapters (and then into the next volume).
Ni Jianyi (the mad scientist working for Gyokumen stirs up trouble with Kougaiji and Dokugakuji. Making them question science and nature as they know it, claiming he knows things that they don't.
Team Sanzo go into the desert looking for a youkai lair. It is said that a Sanzo went there previously and never came back, so our Sanzo wants to investigate.
They get sucked into an underground castle by quicksand. Poor Jeep tries to save Hakkai, but it doesn't work so Jeep is left alone in the desert.
Sanzo is separated from the others who are locked away in a dungeon. The scorpion youkai has paralyzed Sanzo and is going to eat him to gain immortality. Sanzo goads the youkai, its hurts him and this causes the poison paralyzing him to wear off. Sanzo shoots and injures the youkai and the same time that the others break out of the dungeon and find him.
Sanzo goes to retrieve his stolen sutra and the youkai stabs him with fatal poison nails.
Kougaiji and Dokugakuji find Jeep in the desert. They have been tasked by Gyokumen to retrieve the sutras as part of reawakening Kougaiji's father.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 9, 2020
4,5
"Ho sentito dire che per te il rosso è il colore della penitenza. Penitenza decisa da chi? Dio? Dio non salva nessuno, ricordalo. Tu sei l'unico in grado di salvare te stesso. Sei libero di morire. È una buona via di fuga. Nel caso tu morissi, le cose rimarrebbero immutate. Se invece tu decidessi di vivere, qualcosa potrebbe cambiare."
La prima parte del volume ci porta a fare un altro salto nel passato, mostrandoci il primo incontro tra i nostri quattro protagonisti: Gojyo che aiuta un morente Hakkai, Sanzo, accompagnato da Goku, mandato a recuperare il criminale che ha fatto strage di demoni e che è diventato a sua volta un demone. Quattro personaggi segnati da diverse esperienze traumatiche, in apparenza molto diversi tra loro, ma che finiscono per capirsi perfettamente: nessuno si permette di giudicare le azioni di Hakkai, nessuno offre vuote parole di conforto. Tutti e quattro hanno amato qualcuno e hanno sofferto terribilmente nel momento in cui questa persona gli è stata strappata via. Da lì arriva il mantra di Sanzo: vivere solo per se stessi, senza diventare schiavi di altri, sempre padroni del proprio destino, delle proprie emozioni e della propria vita. Starà ad Hakkai (e anche a Gojyo) scegliere se prendere la strada più difficile o se farsi schiacciare dal peso del passato.
Nella seconda parte continua il viaggio verso ovest e i nostri disadattati fanno un altro bell'incontro ravvicinato del terzo tipo nel deserto: il demone verrà eliminato, ma Sanzo rimane gravemente ferito. E sulle loro tracce ci sono il principe Kogaiji & co.
"Ho sentito dire che per te il rosso è il colore della penitenza. Penitenza decisa da chi? Dio? Dio non salva nessuno, ricordalo. Tu sei l'unico in grado di salvare te stesso. Sei libero di morire. È una buona via di fuga. Nel caso tu morissi, le cose rimarrebbero immutate. Se invece tu decidessi di vivere, qualcosa potrebbe cambiare."
La prima parte del volume ci porta a fare un altro salto nel passato, mostrandoci il primo incontro tra i nostri quattro protagonisti: Gojyo che aiuta un morente Hakkai, Sanzo, accompagnato da Goku, mandato a recuperare il criminale che ha fatto strage di demoni e che è diventato a sua volta un demone. Quattro personaggi segnati da diverse esperienze traumatiche, in apparenza molto diversi tra loro, ma che finiscono per capirsi perfettamente: nessuno si permette di giudicare le azioni di Hakkai, nessuno offre vuote parole di conforto. Tutti e quattro hanno amato qualcuno e hanno sofferto terribilmente nel momento in cui questa persona gli è stata strappata via. Da lì arriva il mantra di Sanzo: vivere solo per se stessi, senza diventare schiavi di altri, sempre padroni del proprio destino, delle proprie emozioni e della propria vita. Starà ad Hakkai (e anche a Gojyo) scegliere se prendere la strada più difficile o se farsi schiacciare dal peso del passato.
Nella seconda parte continua il viaggio verso ovest e i nostri disadattati fanno un altro bell'incontro ravvicinato del terzo tipo nel deserto: il demone verrà eliminato, ma Sanzo rimane gravemente ferito. E sulle loro tracce ci sono il principe Kogaiji & co.
December 20, 2022
I love how the Sanzo party meets - a few years prior to the start of the story, not pre-reincarnation(?). It’s gritty and raw, complete with drama, strong-willed characters mingling with each other for the first time, and how each of their core values fits in with the group. This volume/flashback is one of my favorite parts of the series.
Also, I noticed that Yaone’s casual outfit is much less revealing, which I kind of like better than the scantily-clad one she wears in the anime and rest of the volumes. While she doesn’t come across as a woman who flaunts her curves, I think the less-revealing one fits her personality better. One point for the manga.
And, as with the other volumes I’ve read so far, the art style still blows my mind. I mean, the anime is spot on with the manga’s style, which makes me love the whole series even more!
Sanzo, Goku, Gojyo, and Hakkai are one of my favorite groups, period! Saiyuki as a series is so blunt and has a twisted but realistic way of looking at the world that’s equally as fascinating no matter how many times I read the manga or watch the anime!
Also, I noticed that Yaone’s casual outfit is much less revealing, which I kind of like better than the scantily-clad one she wears in the anime and rest of the volumes. While she doesn’t come across as a woman who flaunts her curves, I think the less-revealing one fits her personality better. One point for the manga.
And, as with the other volumes I’ve read so far, the art style still blows my mind. I mean, the anime is spot on with the manga’s style, which makes me love the whole series even more!
Sanzo, Goku, Gojyo, and Hakkai are one of my favorite groups, period! Saiyuki as a series is so blunt and has a twisted but realistic way of looking at the world that’s equally as fascinating no matter how many times I read the manga or watch the anime!
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.
My copies of this manga are all beat up, but I know I'll read them again. Everytime, it's a treat.
October 8, 2021
Cinque stelle sono troppo poche!♥
"Ho sentito dire che per te il rosso è il colore della penitenza.
Penitenza decisa da chi?
Dio?
Dio non salva nessuno, ricordalo.
Tu sei l'unico in grado di salvare te stesso!
Sei libero di morire. È una buona via di fuga.
Nel caso tu morissi, le cose rimarrebbero immutate.
Se invece...tu decidessi di vivere...qualcosa potrebbe cambiare."
"Ho sentito dire che per te il rosso è il colore della penitenza.
Penitenza decisa da chi?
Dio?
Dio non salva nessuno, ricordalo.
Tu sei l'unico in grado di salvare te stesso!
Sei libero di morire. È una buona via di fuga.
Nel caso tu morissi, le cose rimarrebbero immutate.
Se invece...tu decidessi di vivere...qualcosa potrebbe cambiare."
December 22, 2019
One of my favourite volumes. Oh the drama and angst!
August 9, 2020
This is the story of the Monkey King.
December 27, 2022
Saiyuki is just one of those series that goes so in depth with character background that you get all the flavor and come back wanting seconds.
April 9, 2023
My 4 slay boys are still slaying
October 21, 2023
Fun fact: this series was my intro to the trans/intersex world.
March 13, 2024
Strong body, strong spirit, strong mind
May 23, 2013
23 May 2013
Saiyuki, Volume 5 tells the tale of how Cho Gonou's unfortunate past spurred the meeting and bonding of the motley group we know and love, Sanzo Ikkou. The transformation of Cho Gonou into Cho Hakkai is one of the best backstories in this series thus far. It is filled with heartache, yet fills you with hope.
The characterization is this series is wonderful. Each volume brings more history and depth to all the lovable characters. The endless loyalty and camaraderie the guys have for each other will make you wish you had a yôkai brethren of your own.
Saiyuki, Volume 5 tells the tale of how Cho Gonou's unfortunate past spurred the meeting and bonding of the motley group we know and love, Sanzo Ikkou. The transformation of Cho Gonou into Cho Hakkai is one of the best backstories in this series thus far. It is filled with heartache, yet fills you with hope.
The characterization is this series is wonderful. Each volume brings more history and depth to all the lovable characters. The endless loyalty and camaraderie the guys have for each other will make you wish you had a yôkai brethren of your own.
September 11, 2014
I keep gushing about how much I love this manga, years and years after I read the series for the first time, and I think this volume is probably my favorite. Ms. Minekura finally gives us a look at how the Sanzo ikkou became the group of heroes we know and love. We see how Hakkai and Gojyo met, how Hakkai became who he is, and more interaction between Sanzo and Goku.
I think this is where Ms. Minekura's storytelling shines. She is simply a genius artist and writer. In most manga I read, I'm either strongly drawn to the writing or to the art. In a very few, wonderful cases, I'm a huge fan of both, and I cherish those manga. Here, I believe Minekura strikes a perfect balance between telling a huge, epic story in a memorable way along with showing it without either getting in the way of the storytelling. She might show a character smoking a cigarette during a huge exposition scene, or she may draw a graphic fight with one striking line of dialogue, but neither overwhelms the other. The story is told powerfully, both graphically and verbally.
The art continues to evolve in these chapters, but the characters have become more distinct and settled in to what readers know as their "usual" styles. The art is beautiful yet strange when it needs to be, and overall quite striking. One of the things I love about Ms. Minekura's writing is the quick wit and how each bit of dialogue is completely in character for who is speaking. I'd also forgotten just how hilarious her one-liners are, but I spent a lot of time laughing before and after she broke my heart during the Be There chapters. This is one of the best volumes of manga I've ever read.
I think this is where Ms. Minekura's storytelling shines. She is simply a genius artist and writer. In most manga I read, I'm either strongly drawn to the writing or to the art. In a very few, wonderful cases, I'm a huge fan of both, and I cherish those manga. Here, I believe Minekura strikes a perfect balance between telling a huge, epic story in a memorable way along with showing it without either getting in the way of the storytelling. She might show a character smoking a cigarette during a huge exposition scene, or she may draw a graphic fight with one striking line of dialogue, but neither overwhelms the other. The story is told powerfully, both graphically and verbally.
The art continues to evolve in these chapters, but the characters have become more distinct and settled in to what readers know as their "usual" styles. The art is beautiful yet strange when it needs to be, and overall quite striking. One of the things I love about Ms. Minekura's writing is the quick wit and how each bit of dialogue is completely in character for who is speaking. I'd also forgotten just how hilarious her one-liners are, but I spent a lot of time laughing before and after she broke my heart during the Be There chapters. This is one of the best volumes of manga I've ever read.
October 5, 2011
What a shame, that it would slide back into 3-star territory so soon after a very good fourth volume. But the entire arc of how Sanzo's group got together seems to lack . . . something, I can't put my finger on it. And once again, female characters are evil or unable to help themselves or change their own destiny, so that they either die or stand meekly to the side while the men take charge yet again. Let's not get started on the new minor villain introduced in the last chapter, allegedly a guy in drag, who Sanzo has no problem addressing with the f-word and insulting in a way that made me incredibly uncomfortable. Although I might have to chalk that one up to the translation, which seems like it is trying its damndest to make everyone sound more hardcore than they are. But considering Saiyuki's terrible track record for LGBTQQI characters, and add to that the cheap jokes about how -not gay- they are because being gay would just be the worse wouldn't it?, then I'm not so sure that Minekura's completely off the hook for the more offensive bits of dialogue in this volume.
Casual aside: Is this when Minekura started her Gaiden series? The flashback story arc seems like a good jumping point to run a series parallel to the main one that explores more of the series' history, but I don't know for sure.
Casual aside: Is this when Minekura started her Gaiden series? The flashback story arc seems like a good jumping point to run a series parallel to the main one that explores more of the series' history, but I don't know for sure.
August 16, 2016
Great book! I love the way this story is set up, so that all the missing pieces sort of fall into place at random. The back story of how the four members of the Sanzo party met was an interesting interlude. I think the profusion of flashbacks throughout the books is what makes this story work. Otherwise, the main tale could stand in danger of becoming monotonous. This way, it's never dull! It's great learning more about the characters and their relationships. Hakkai has been such a surprise, he's always so amiable and pleasant, who knew he was so dark? I never imagined he'd be the incestuous sort, and I had to cringe when he tore his own eye out; cute but a little unbalanced, he's a wonderfully complex character! Gojyo too, he's a lot more angsty than he lets on. Even Goku's character developed a little in this volume, when he kicked Sanzo in the shin to stop him torturing the scorpion youkai. Sanzo is still my favorite character, he never stops getting deeper, even as he remains almost predictably the same, but his place at the top of my list is more and more threatened, as I just love all the characters in this manga. ♥
September 16, 2022
4 April 2017: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Minekura-sensei is really good at this whole "character psychology" thing: the guys' personalities complement each other really well. We already know why Goku needs Sanzo (we've basically known that since day one), but in this volume we catch a glimpse of what Sanzo would be like without Goku. It's a small detail, it's not even really what the story is about at that point, but I love the thought that's been put into these characters' co-dependency.
16 September 2022: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
I really liked the story of how the boys met. I was fully ready to give this volume five stars, until Sanzo made a transphobic remark (during the desert arc) that was just incredibly cruel. I would not recommend this volume to trans people because the remark comes outta nowhere and can trigger intense body disphoria.
Minekura-sensei is really good at this whole "character psychology" thing: the guys' personalities complement each other really well. We already know why Goku needs Sanzo (we've basically known that since day one), but in this volume we catch a glimpse of what Sanzo would be like without Goku. It's a small detail, it's not even really what the story is about at that point, but I love the thought that's been put into these characters' co-dependency.
16 September 2022: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
I really liked the story of how the boys met. I was fully ready to give this volume five stars, until Sanzo made a transphobic remark (during the desert arc) that was just incredibly cruel. I would not recommend this volume to trans people because the remark comes outta nowhere and can trigger intense body disphoria.
November 28, 2012
flashback saat kelompok Sanzo baru ketemu. aaw... so sweet... goku ketemu genzo. gojyo ketemu hakkai. genzo memburu hakkai. gojyo ngumpetin hakkai. my favorite scene from this volume is when sanzo calmly lit his cigarette and said, "Life from the start is just a useless struggle from bad stuff until death," as his reaction to Gojyo's new haircut. how cynical can he be? but I can't help falling for such a guy.
ps. the way Minekura-sensei ending every volume got me really excited and stay up late to read than doing my homework.
ps. the way Minekura-sensei ending every volume got me really excited and stay up late to read than doing my homework.
March 19, 2013
This volume is mostly taken up with a flashback story of how our heroes met. We also have a youkai in the desert who thinks eating Sanzo will give her immortality - Sanzo and co walk into her trap because they are after the sutra from the last Sanzo she killed.
I love the flashback stories, loads of angst and character development. As always stunning artwork and a cracking pace. Manga at its finest.
I love the flashback stories, loads of angst and character development. As always stunning artwork and a cracking pace. Manga at its finest.
May 18, 2016
This volume disappointed me. I understood the group's origin, but only because I've seen the anime. A lot of the finer parts of the conversations and moral building were lost on me. They were just confusing. The second story with the youkai was interesting. I would have preferred to see more of that and can't wait to see it continued in the next volume. Finally, I can't say I followed the OVA at all...? What was that?
May 1, 2019
Ah...the rest of Hakkai's backstory... though I wonder how it is he pulled out his right eye and as an artificial one but he wears a monocle on that eye? Haha... if he had glasses before, he should need to wear the monocle on his left eye...since that's his actual eye. But... I won't argue. He's a stud. Hee hee



So cute!

Hoooooot




So cute!

Hoooooot

December 30, 2012
Here we find out the backstory of not only how Hakkai and Gojyo were brought together, but how Sanzo and Goku found them too.
The other story deals with a youkai spider woman who believes eating Sanzo priests gives her immortality. Sanzo goes after her to find another scripture but may have bitten off more than he can chew... We will find out in the next volume!
The other story deals with a youkai spider woman who believes eating Sanzo priests gives her immortality. Sanzo goes after her to find another scripture but may have bitten off more than he can chew... We will find out in the next volume!
Read
April 8, 2009Considering I can't read Japanese, I bought this when I was in Japan more for the artwork than anything else. To be fair, I knew the storyline very well, having seen the manga, and thus knew what was happening.
January 28, 2015
The volume about the time Gojyo found Hakkai! The only bad thing is that the German translation misses a few key points (most notably the "this is the only time I will take a man to my bed" point). But the story itself is as fantastic as usual.
December 15, 2017
Se il capitolo " be there" ha avuto tutto il successo che la stessa Minekura afferma ad inizio volume, un motivo c'è. E' sicuramente un capitolo bellissimo, pieno di emozioni e rimango sempre impressionata da come i personaggi si sono trovati e le storie si sono incrociate.
September 25, 2015
I remember feeling indifferent to Sanzo's character when I read the series when I was younger. This time I have a better appreciation for his backstory and his motivations, and his odd affection for Son Goku.
September 29, 2010
Loved it! ^ _ ^
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews