History Manga / Saiyuki

''Saiyuki'' is a somewhat large franchise, with three TV series, three [=OVAs=], stage plays, drama [=CDs=], and a movie, along with the six manga everything is based on. [[note]]Just for reference, the titles for the various series that are used throughout this article: Manga: original ''Gensomaden Saiyuki'', sequels ''Saiyuki Reload'' and ''Saiyuki Reload Blast'', prequels ''Saiyuki Gaiden'' and ''Saiyuki Ibun'', and ''Saiyuki Gaiden: Ants of Heaven''. Anime: original series ''Gensomaden Saiyuki'', sequels ''Saiyuki Reload'' and ''Saiyuki Reload Gunlock'', [=OVAs=] ''Gensomaden Saiyuki: Kibou no Zaika'', ''Saiyuki Gaiden'', and ''Saiyuki Burial'', theatrical movie ''Saiyuki Requiem''.[[/note]] One could argue that this series has MultipleDemographicAppeal, with an overwhelmingly {{Bishonen}} cast and multiple opportunities for HoYay within the structure of a [[SerialEscalation serially escalating]] {{Shonen}} action series.

* {{Fanservice}}: For everybody! Lirin, Yaone and several incidental girls are incredibly busty, and the four protagonists are kind enough to remove their shirts on occasion. Especially on [[FetishFuelStationAttendant Hakkai and Goku]].

* FanNickname: "Pippi," after Pippi Longstocking, for the girl the guys live with in the youkai village.
** "Sanzo-ikkou," for Sanzo's group (Sanzo, Goku, Hakkai, Gojyo, & Jeep) and in turn "Kougajiji-ikkou" for his group (Kougaiji, Doku, Yaone, & Lirin). "-ikkou" is used to denote a group, particularly of Buddhist pilgrims. A/k/a the "Kougaiji-tachi" or "Kou-tachi" ("Kou's gang/people/posse").

* TheThreeFacesOfEve: [[GenderInvertedTrope In an unusual male example]], Son Goku is the Child, being youthful looking, cheerful and more than a bit clueless, Cho Hakkai fits the Wife archetype by being intelligent, sensible and even tempered, then we have Sha Gojyo, who happens to be flirty and physical, particularly where women are concerned, making him the Seductress. These examples are basically in terms of personality rather than gender.

* ParentalFavoritism: Gojyo's mother hated him (because he was the product of an adulterous relationship)

''Gensomaden Saiyuki'' (''Saiyuki RELOAD'', ''Saiyuki RELOAD Gunlock'', etc.) is a manga and anime series kinda-sorta inspired by the Chinese classic ''Literature/JourneyToTheWest'' (which is pronounced ''Saiyuki'' in Japan, hence the title) by manga author Kazuya Minekura.

* {{Expy}}: Homura's clothes, appearance, goals and [[spoiler:means of death]] are suspiciously similar to those of [[YuYuHakusho Sensui Shinobu]]. Both series were animated by Studio Pierrot, and Homura is a CanonForeigner who made a brief cameo as a [[CanonImmigrant Canon Tourist]].

* DrivenToSuicide: [[spoiler: Kanan waited until Gonou (Hakkai) arrived to rescue her, told him that she was now pregnant with the demon who kidnapped and raped her, and then killed herself.]]

** Chin Yisou, too. He's in permanent niko-niko mode, and much like [[{{Slayers}} Xellos]], is one of those characters whom you really don't want to [[RedEyesTakeWarning open his eyes]], because it usually means he's about to do something really...uh...bad.

''Gensomaden Saiyuki'' (''Saiyuki RELOAD'', ''Saiyuki RELOAD Gunlock'', etc.) is a manga and anime series kinda-sorta inspired by the Chinese classic ''Literature/JourneyToTheWest'' (which is pronounced ''Saiyuki'' in Japan, hence the title).

* BecauseImJonesy: See ActuallyIAmHim. Happens early on in the ''Reload'' manga and in several filler episodes of the anime.

** And Sanzo is Creator/ToshihikoSeki. We've got [[GundamSEED Kira Yamato, Athrun Zala and Rau Le Creuset]] hanging around like [[WithFriendsLikeThese 'buddies']].

''Gensomaden Saiyuki'' (''Saiyuki RELOAD'', ''Saiyuki RELOAD Gunlock'', etc.) is a manga and anime series kinda-sorta inspired by the Chinese classic ''JourneyToTheWest'' (which is pronounced ''Saiyuki'' in Japan, hence the title).

Not to be confused with [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sayuki Sayuki]] (nee Fiona Graham), the first and only white woman to become a {{geisha}}, or the much earlier 1960 Creator/ToeiAnimation film ''Saiyu-ki'' (released in the US as ''Alakazam The Great'').

Not to be confused with [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sayuki Sayuki]] (nee Fiona Graham), the first and only white woman to become a {{geisha}}.

* DeathByAdaption: Hazel and Zakuro in Reload: Gunlock

* DragonLady: Gyokumen Koushu

* DarkMistress: Gyokumen Koushu

* SureWhyNot: As a joke, Kazuya Minekura once listed on Hakkai's bio (prior to the animated series being made) that he was "voiced by AkiraIshida". The anime production house picked the man himself to do Hakkai.

* FiveManBand: The Sanzo group:
** TheHero: Genjo Sanzo
** TheLancer: Sha Gojyo
** TheSmartGuy: [[TeamPet Hakuryu]]
** TheBigGuy: Son Goku
** TheChick: Cho Hakkai
** Alternately:
*** TheHero: Son Goku
*** TheLancer: Genjo Sanzo
*** TheSmartGuy: Cho Hakkai
*** TheBigGuy: Sha Gojyo
*** TeamPet: Hakuryu

* SoichiroHoshi: Goku's voice.

* BarriorWarrior: Hakkai very quickly developed the ability to generate shields with his chi after realizing that he'd need it for the times somebody needed to be protected from any sort of projectile fire and/or incidental fragments.

* SignificantRename: Gonou was renamed Hakkai to symbolize his new identity as TheAtoner.

''Gensomaden Saiyuki'' (''Saiyuki RELOAD'', ''Saiyuki RELOAD Gunlock'', etc.) is a manga and anime series kinda-sorta inspired by the Chinese classic ''JourneyToTheWest'' (which is ''Saiyuki'' in Japan).

* Technicoloreyes: Hakkai has a gold eye and a green one when he takes off his limiter. (Proving to many fans that his right eye was indeed artificial.)

* CherryBlossoms: A major motif of ''Gaiden''. Heaven is in eternal sakura season, as it's considered the most beautiful time of year. [[spoiler:After Goku goes mad, all of the cherry trees drop their blossoms and it takes many years before buds appear on them again... it's implied to be when the ikkou are reincarnated on Earth.

** The three older members of the Sanzo party all treat Goku like an annoying little brother they need to protect; Gojyo and Goku's big brother/little brother dynamic is particularly obvious. Right down to the teasing, it's very similar to the relationship between Gojyo and his elder brother (sans the insane stepmom). Sanzo and Goku's relationship is particularly [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming heartwarming]], because despite all Sanzo's insults and abuse, he clearly puts a lot of effort into raising Goku semi-responsibly.

** Alternatively Hakkai has similar gold eye and a green one when he takes off his limiter. (Proving to many fans that his right eye was indeed artificial.)

* MyMasterRightOrWrong: Yaone and Doku choose to fight on behalf of their lord Kougaiji even when they don't agree with his methods, most notably when he's BrainwashedAndCrazy. [[PlayingWithATrope Played with]] in that neither Kougaiji nor his retainers are evil; Kougaiji in particular is a NobleDemon, and his servants' loyalty [[spoiler:help [[IKnowYoureInThereSomewhereFight inspire Kougaiji]] to [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming break free from his evil programming]].]]

** Goku in Gaiden. Perhaps the exact opposite of parental abandonment. Especially since even though Konzen, Tenpou, and Kenren died despite promising not to, [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming THEY STILL CAME BACK AND FOUND HIM AGAIN IN THEIR NEXT LIVES.]]
* ParentalFavoritism

* SureWhyNot: Kazuya Minekura once listed this on Hakkai's bio: "Voiced by AkiraIshida". The anime production house picked the man himself to do Hakkai.

* ActuallyIAmHim: The warts-and-all reality of the Sanzo party vs. their widespread reputation as pious monster-slayers leads to a lot of this when they enter a new town for the first time.

* {{Angst}}: Most incarnations of this series are extremely angst heavy. The characters all have tragic back stories and a plethora of psychological problems which are explored in exhaustive detail. Even the "comic relief" character has serious abandonment issues (not surprising given that he spent hundreds of years being chained up and abandoned without food).

** Gojyo [[HalfHumanHybrid somewhat]] qualifies. While Hakkai and Goku can remove their limiters for a power boost, Gojyo doesn't undergo any changes other than a mystical weapon and [[LetsGetDangerous taking things up a notch]]. [[spoiler:At least until they get to Tibet, where the Minus Wave is far stronger. Gojyo begins developing youkai marks and for the first time it's ''Hakkai'' who is worried about his battle partner losing control.]]
** Hakkai was an apparently ordinary human when he carried out the murder spree that transformed him into a youkai: killing all the humans in his village plus a thousand youkai, armed only with what looked like a fruit knife. This was before he could shift forms or use ki attacks. Think for a moment about what he's capable of now. Then crawl under the bed and whimper a little.

* BewareTheNiceOnes: Hakkai is usually the most polite and civil of the group... until he takes off the cuff earrings that serve as his RestrainingBolt. (Even ''Goku'' was frightened after he did that!)
** He's scary even without taking off the power limiter. Who else in the series [[DissonantSerenity smiles as they snap your arm]]?
* BigBad: The SealedEvilInACan Gyumao, as well as seasonal Big Bads Homura, Kami-sama, Hazel, and [[spoiler: Ukoku Sanzo]].
* BigBrotherInstinct: Kougaiji deeply cares about his half-sister Lirin (not [[BrotherSisterIncest that way]]).
** Gojyo's half-brother. Even though the two are sworn enemies, he obviously still cares deeply about his little brother, and feels a great deal of guilt about not being able to protect him from abuse at the hands of his step mother. It's also implied that the main motivation behind the elder brother's sexualised relationship with his biological mother and his subsequent murder of her were both attempts to keep Gojyo safe. Given the complexity of the relationship (and the possibility that Gojyo also had feelings for the woman), there were likely other motivating factors, but he is certainly more broken up over not being able to protect his little brother than the incest thingy.
** Also, his extreme protectiveness over Kougaiji is motivated strongly by his guilt at not being able to keep his biological half-brother safe, and a way to gain redemption for not being able to do so. (He's aware of this, and has commented on how much Kougaiji resembles and reminds him of Gojyo.) His breakdown in the manga (when he thinks he cannot keep Kougaiji safe) reflects this.
** In ''Saiyuki Ibun'', Houmei (who would be known as Koumyou Sanzo) develops this towards the youngest apprentice monk Tenkai.
** The three older members of the Sanzo party all treat Goku like an annoying little brother they need to protect; Gojyo and Goku's big brother/little brother dynamic is particularly obvious. Right down to the teasing, it's very similar to the relationship between Gojyo and his elder brother (sans the insane stepmom). Sanzo and Goku's relationship is particularly heartwarming, because despite all Sanzo's insults and abuse, he clearly puts a lot of effort into raising Goku semi-responsibly.
* BigEater: Goku. Sanzo suggests that this is because he was [[spoiler: locked up for 500 years with no food]].
* {{Bishonen}}

* BrokenBird: The show has lots of male examples. Sanzo, Gojyo and Hakkai are all deeply psychologically scarred, cynical, physically attractive, snarky (except for Hakkai) and hypercompetent at their job ( that is, killing things). A lot of the villains would also count.
* BrainwashedAndCrazy: "Barcode" Kougaiji.
* BrainyBrunette: Hakkai took a correspondence course in lockpicking (it does come in handy) and read weighty books as a kid.

** Dr. Nii Jienyi carries around an ACTUAL bunny rabbit doll (to which he talks embarrassing baby-talk), and wears bunny slippers to boot; he does not seem to feel the need to bathe on a regular basis, and is a walking sexual harassment lawsuit. He's also the only person on Earth capable of using the Tenchi Kaigen sutras to revive Gyuumaoh, had a doctorate by the age of 17, and [[spoiler: is the keeper of the Muten sutra, the second youngest Sanzo ever. He keeps it hidden inside the bunny.]].

** The entire sanzo priesthood is basically an order of Bunny-Ears Preachers. The order's purpose is protecting the sutras above all else and its members are not bound to the usual Buddhist monastic precepts. None of them seem to shave their heads (as would normally be required) and they seem to freely indulge in tobacco and alcohol. Genjyo and Ukoku aren't even necessarily professing Buddhists. Yet one would still be GREATLY ill-advised to challenge any sanzo at Buddhist magic or martial arts if one were not suicidal.

* CanonForeigner: Homura, Zenon and Shien from the ''Gensoumaden'' {{Filler}} arc.
* CastFullOfPrettyBoys: 4 semi-recurring, 100% female characters; 2 sympathetic, all antagonists. [[spoiler: At least until we get to Reload BLAST.]]
* CharacterDevelopment: Most obviously Goku and Konzen.
** All of the four main characters (Sanzo, Goku, Hakkai, and Gojyo) have a lot of this. Goku is coming of age throughout the story, so his development is extremely in-your-face. The other three are adults and as such, their development is shown through flashbacks and interactions that demonstrate they are more than what they first appear. It is most apparent in the manga, whereas the anime adaptations tended to get bogged down by repetitive {{filler}}.
** Hakkai gradually makes a slight peace with his crippling sense of guilt [[SerialKiller over the terrible crimes he's committed]], as well as his grief and depression; Gojyo's relationship with Goku and random stray urchins allow him to reframe his childhood from an adult perspective, which lets him start to make peace with his past and his brother; Sanzo is a moody misanthrope who doesn't publicly display affection or kindness towards anyone, so it's hard to tell how much he's growing as a person, but his relationship with the other three members of his crew (especially Goku) does seem to have mellowed a bit over the years. They're all probably too damaged to heal completely, but over the course of the manga they all become better psychologically adjusted.
* CelestialBureaucracy
* CherryBlossoms: A major motif of ''Gaiden.''

* ColorCodedCharacters: Purple = Sanzo, Yellow/Gold = Goku, Red = Gojyo, Green = Hakkai. These are their [[TechnicolorEyes eye colors]], and in Goku and [[RedHeadedStepchild Gojyo's]] cases, there are important plot points attached. Purple/yellow and red/green are also opposites/complementarity on the color wheel. Weirdly, the ''Reload'' anime used blue as Sanzo's color in the openings and changed Hakkai's eyes to blue or gray.

* ComfortingTheWidow: Dokugakuji ''[[ParentalIncest to his own mother]]'' to keep her from killing her husband's bastard.

* ConvenientEnemyBase: ...they're not there yet.

* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass: Koumyou Sanzo is either this or ObfuscatingStupidity; though he appears to be genuinely ditzy. While we've yet to see him do much, there is the small feat of attaining Sanzo-hood at the youngest age (before Ukoku and Genjyo came along, the latter having inherited it from Koumyou upon his death) and having been so powerful that he was entrusted with two sutras.

* ImprobableAge: Sanzo attained the highest possible rank of a monk at age 13. Justified [[spoiler: as his predecessor was murdered]]. Also, the previous record holder, [[spoiler: Dr. Nii aka Ukoku Sanzou]], achieved a Ph.D ''and'' the same rank at age 17, except he [[spoiler: killed his master instead]].