History Main / MonkeyKingLite

* ''WesternAnimation/XiaolinShowdown'' has the Monkey Staff Shen-Gong-Wu, which transforms the user into a [[HalfHumanHybrid half-human, half-monkey hybrid]]. It's most often used by Jack Spicer; despite his association with monkeys being [[ButtMonkey a different trope]], he is actually at his most dangerous using this Shen-Gong-Wu, the Monkey Staff being considered his SignatureWeapon.

* ''Starzinger'' (called ''Spaceketeers'' in the west) had Jan Kugo (Jesse Dart) as one member of the heroic quartet. Brash and hotheaded, was initially punished for his arrogance (though by being demoted to menial tasks rather than imprisoned), and fought with a powerful staff that could change, shoot lasers, and separate into halves. He also wore a circlet that could constrict should his charge, Princess Aurora, need to discipline him. In addition, his other companions - Sir Djorgo/Arimos and Don Hakka/Porkos - were clear standins for Sha Wujing and Zha Bajie, while Aurora was an obvious Tang Sanzang. (The westernized version based their names on ''Literature/TheThreeMusketeers'' instead.)

** Son Goku is anime's most famous example since he was originally created as being loosely based on Sun Wukong. His name is the Japanese reading of Wukong (as he basically stole his name and ran with it ever since), he had a monkey tail, fought with a staff that could extend endlessly (same Asian name as the original staff), could turn into a monstrous monkey when he looked at the full moon, and traveled on a golden cloud called the Nimbus (again, same Asian name as the original flying cloud). After ''Anime/DragonBallZ'', this becomes downplayed as he takes on more StockShonenHero characteristics, [[TropeCodifier most that he invented]]. He does keep some of his Sun Wukong's traits like becoming an actual god, his monstrous strength, his ability to [[PowerCopying copy techniques]] that he sees, his mischievous personality, and he still has the Nimbus around for his family to use. He of course, also codified the BigEater trait that as mentioned before, was originally supposed to be Zhu Bajie's.

* Avatar Aang from ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender''. He is a young, rambunctious boy that wields a staff, rides a flying apparatus (Sun Wukong riding a cloud, Aang riding Appa) with divine powers (as one would expect from the Avatar). Both end up entrapped for many years (Sun Wukong having been trapped beneath a mountain by the Buddha, Aang within a glacier) and would later join a group of people on a journey that would strengthen them spiritually and enrich the world around them (Sun Wukong learning the tenants of Buddhism on their search for the sacred texts, Aang learning the other bending arts to defeat Fire Lord Ozai and restoring balance).

* ''VideoGame/GunfireReborn'''s first DLC expansion introduced Xing Zhe, a monkey demon hunter designed after Wukong who can produce clones from strands of his hair that strike with a staff when summoned. The item pickups for his secondary skill are themselves minature versions of Wukong's golden headband, although they're actually bracelets in Xing Zhe's case.

* Ku Fei from ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'' is a GenderFlipped version of Sun Wukong. She is a Chinese warrior who wields a TelescopingStaff, which in-story is a replica of the one used by Sun Wukong himself. Reinforcing the Sun Wukong inspiration is that Ku Fei also works as a bodyguard, much like how Sun Wukong served as the protector of Xuanzang and the other members of his group. Also can be noted is that she has blonde hair, which while her design is based on Kaolla Su from Manga/LoveHina (also [[Creator/KenAkamatsu made by the same author]] as Negima), it can also lend itself to being like the Monkey King given that many portrayals have featured him with blonde or reddish hair.

* Many Creator/RumikoTakahashi protagonists have traits in common with Sun Wukong but the closest example is the eponymous Manga/{{Inuyasha}}, a demon half-breed with a shape-changing weapon who must protect (the reincarnation of) a priestess, Kagome, who in turn has the power to control/punish him with prayer beads using the command "Sit!". At the beginning of their journey, Inuyasha had been trapped in a tree for many years until Kagome frees him.

* Many Creator/RumikoTakahashi protagonists have traits in common with Sun Wukong but the closest example is the eponymous Manga/{{Inuyasha}}, a demon half-breed with a shape-changing weapon who must protect (the reincarnation of) a priestess, Kagome, who in turn has the power to control/punish him with prayer beads using the command "Sit!".

* [[https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FxEnDKMWwAERRZR?format=jpg&name=small An international Chinese poster]] for ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManAcrossTheSpiderVerse]] making a homage to classic Chinese art associates the protagonist Miles Morales with Sun Wukong, depicting him holding a battle staff while among the clouds.

* ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'': Oboro Shirokumo, classmate of Present Mic and Eraser Head, had the power to manipulate clouds (his family name even means "white cloud"), fought with a staff, and his hero costume was 'incredibly' reminiscent of Sun Wukong's. [[spoiler:Unfortunately, he is killed by villains and his body is taken by All For One, which is then used to create Kurogiri. Even his death is very reminiscent of Wukong's, being crushed under a pile of rubble much like how Wukong was crushed under a mountain.]] The only thing he lacks is a monkey motif, since he has more of an association with clouds due to his abilities.

* ''Starzinger'' (called ''Spaceketeers'' in the west) had Jan Kugo (Jesse Dart) as one member of the heroic quartet. Brash and hotheaded, was initially punished for his arrogance (though by being demoted to menial tasks rather than imprisoned), and fought with a powerful staff that could change, shoot lasers, and separate into halves. He also wore a circlet that could constrict should his charge, Princess Aurora, need to discipline him. In addition, his other companions - Sir Djorgo/Arimos and Don Hakka/Porkos - were clear standins for Sha Wujing and Zha Ba1jie, while Aurora was an obvious Tang Sanzang. (The westernized version based their names on ''Literature/TheThreeMusketeers'' instead.)

* ''VideoGame/AsurasWrath'': Asura is an incredibly powerful immortal that dedicates himself to RageAgainstTheHeavens and the gods that rule over it with an iron fist. He emerges from beneath a mountain (just as Sun Wukong was born from a stone on a mountain) and actively faces off against Chakravartan (which is essentially an evil Buddha) after toppling the Seven Deities and their armies. And let's not forget [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PbHSaCBji4 this infamous little scene]].

* ''WesternAnimation/MonkieKid'' focuses on MK, an arrogant and hotheaded young man who is able to wield Sun Wukong's staff and gets a monkey themed mech. [[LegacyCharacter He's even trained by the Monkey King himself]].

* ''Webcomic/KillSixBillionDemons'': Despite lacking a monkey animal motif, [[GodOfEvil Pree Aesma]] is a TricksterGod who used two different TelsecopingStaffs, flies (though she has no cloud, but a feather cloak that allows her to ride the winds), uses her hair (and pieces of her clothes) as material for her SelfDuplication capacity and can [[HulkingOut use a fierce destroyer form]]. She also went on a quest to [[RageAgainstTheHeavens prove herself more worthy of praise than several more collected deities after having her pride wounded]].

** A Monkey King-style MonsterOfTheWeek will occasionally appear in the series. Two such series with them are ''Series/JukenSentaiGekiranger'' and ''Series/KaitouSentaiLupinrangerVSKeisatsuSentaiPatranger''.

* ''WesternAnimation/MonkieKid'' focuses on MK, an arrogant and hotheaded young man who is able to wield Sun Wukong's staff and gets a monkey themed mech. [[LegacyCharacter He's even trained by the Sun Wukong himself]].

* ''WesternAnimation/MonkieKid'' focuses on MK, an arrogant and hotheaded young man who is able to wield Sun Wukong's staff and gets a monkey themed mech.

** [[https://digimon.fandom.com/wiki/Gokuwmon Gokuwmon]] is a Beast Man-type Digimon based on Sun Wukong. In addition to Gokuwmon's ape-like appearance, the Digimon Reference Book states that he is on a journey throughout the Digital world [[BloodKnight seeking strong opponents to fight]], is restricted by the Kinkoji golden ring headhand on his head, and also uses a magical staff as his WeaponOfChoice. To take the influences of Journey to the West even further, he is also accompanied by Digimon named [[https://digimon.fandom.com/wiki/Sanzomon Sanzomon]] who is a gender flipped version of Sanzo.