SuhailiGensomaden Saiyuki anime review
December 5th 2009 10:12
Gensomaden Saiyuki is the anime adapted from the manga by Minekura Kazuya. The anime consists 50 episodes altogether. You can read Saiyuki Gunlock review here.
Genres: action, adventure, comedy, supernatural
Themes: bishounen
Age rating: Teenagers (May contain bloody violence, bad language, nudity)
Synopsis: Many years ago, humans and demons lived in harmony. But that unity ended when demons started attacking humans and plotted a mission to unleash Gyumao - an evil demon imprisoned for thousands of years. Now, Genjo Sanzo, a rogue priest, must team up with three demons - Sha Gojyo, Son Goku, and Cho Hakkai - and embark on a perilous journey to the west to stop these demons from resurrecting Gyumao and restore the balance between humans and demons on Earth.
Source: Anime News Network
Comment:
This is the anime that really got me so hooked with Saiyuki series in the first place. Okay, as usual let's start with the storyline first.
If you have read Saiyuki manga, you know that Saiyuki has a lot of things that is not suitable for general viewing. I haven't read Saiyuki manga for so long but I do remember that some of the contents for the anime has been modified to suit general viewing. Even though some of the things have been modified, it doesn't really affect the whole plot. If you're so worried that the modification will affect the whole plot, rest assured because you will never know that some of the things have been modified.
I don't know what is actually missing in later Saiyuki installment (Saiyuki Reload and Saiyuki Gunlock) but I just felt that the first season of Saiyuki series, Gensomaden Saiyuki is still the best. The storyline portrayed in the first season is fairly easy to understand and the objective of the story is very straightforward. The character introduction for Gojyou and Hakkai can be a bit hard to understand because they just appeared almost at the end of the episode 1. But still, you will understand about them more in the later episode. As for other characters' introduction, it is done nicely without destroying the whole plot.
This is what makes this anime different than its later counterpart is how those youkai died. For me, it's really boring to see the youkai died normally like how human died because their dead bodies are just.....scattered. But in Gensomaden Saiyuki, the youkai would perish (imagine their bodies would decompose like glass breaks) into thin air. I know it's a small thing but believe me, not having this kind of element is totally weird. I have watched Gensomaden Saiyuki so I expect that the other Saiyuki series would follow suit but apparently no. This element really does makes Gensomaden Saiyuki becomes more interesting rather than the typical normal battle.
Obviously, I would recommend you to watch this anime instead of the anime's later counterpart. This is because Gensomaden Saiyuki is nicely made so the quality is way better than Saiyuki Reload and Saiyuki Gunlock. It's really sad to see that great anime like this degraded in terms of quality. I know it's an old anime but give this anime a try.
Credit to Anime Otaku's for the screencaps.
Gensomaden Saiyuki Episode 1 Part 1
Gensomaden Saiyuki Episode 1 Part 2
Gensomaden Saiyuki Episode 1 Part 3
If you're interested to buy this anime, you can buy the complete set with English subtitles here:
Genres: action, adventure, comedy, supernatural
Themes: bishounen
Age rating: Teenagers (May contain bloody violence, bad language, nudity)
Synopsis: Many years ago, humans and demons lived in harmony. But that unity ended when demons started attacking humans and plotted a mission to unleash Gyumao - an evil demon imprisoned for thousands of years. Now, Genjo Sanzo, a rogue priest, must team up with three demons - Sha Gojyo, Son Goku, and Cho Hakkai - and embark on a perilous journey to the west to stop these demons from resurrecting Gyumao and restore the balance between humans and demons on Earth.
Source: Anime News Network
Comment:
This is the anime that really got me so hooked with Saiyuki series in the first place. Okay, as usual let's start with the storyline first.
Goku got cosy with Sanzou
If you have read Saiyuki manga, you know that Saiyuki has a lot of things that is not suitable for general viewing. I haven't read Saiyuki manga for so long but I do remember that some of the contents for the anime has been modified to suit general viewing. Even though some of the things have been modified, it doesn't really affect the whole plot. If you're so worried that the modification will affect the whole plot, rest assured because you will never know that some of the things have been modified.
Goujyou the horny womaniser
I don't know what is actually missing in later Saiyuki installment (Saiyuki Reload and Saiyuki Gunlock) but I just felt that the first season of Saiyuki series, Gensomaden Saiyuki is still the best. The storyline portrayed in the first season is fairly easy to understand and the objective of the story is very straightforward. The character introduction for Gojyou and Hakkai can be a bit hard to understand because they just appeared almost at the end of the episode 1. But still, you will understand about them more in the later episode. As for other characters' introduction, it is done nicely without destroying the whole plot.
Yup, that's Gojyou and Hakkai
This is what makes this anime different than its later counterpart is how those youkai died. For me, it's really boring to see the youkai died normally like how human died because their dead bodies are just.....scattered. But in Gensomaden Saiyuki, the youkai would perish (imagine their bodies would decompose like glass breaks) into thin air. I know it's a small thing but believe me, not having this kind of element is totally weird. I have watched Gensomaden Saiyuki so I expect that the other Saiyuki series would follow suit but apparently no. This element really does makes Gensomaden Saiyuki becomes more interesting rather than the typical normal battle.
Goku in action
Obviously, I would recommend you to watch this anime instead of the anime's later counterpart. This is because Gensomaden Saiyuki is nicely made so the quality is way better than Saiyuki Reload and Saiyuki Gunlock. It's really sad to see that great anime like this degraded in terms of quality. I know it's an old anime but give this anime a try.
Credit to Anime Otaku's for the screencaps.
Gensomaden Saiyuki Episode 1 Part 1
Gensomaden Saiyuki Episode 1 Part 2
Gensomaden Saiyuki Episode 1 Part 3
If you're interested to buy this anime, you can buy the complete set with English subtitles here:
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