Saiyuki

[Tommy]

Is this a good series? I've only read the first five chapters of the manga, but I just have to know, is the manga the same plotwise, or do the arcs differ?

While on the subject, does Reload (manga) and Reload Gunlock (anime) havet he same plot as well and does the anime stay loyal to the manga or do they differ entirely?

[Kumagoro]

Personally, I hate this series. It's just about four guys who run around and fight demons. There's no plot, no character development, no nothing. I read the original Saiyuki all the way to the end, just to see if the author could magically pull a plot out of their hat and turn the story around in the last volume, but the story leaves off EXACTLY where it first started in the first volume with a bunch of angry kids killing things. I read the first volume of Gunlock and discovered it was also just the same old, same old, so I didn't continue with it. However, if you’re big on action stories you might like it, since it's almost 100% fighting. Just don't expect anything else out of it.

[Puguni]

Personally, I hate this series. It's just about four guys who run around and fight demons. There's no plot, no character development, no nothing.

The plot is there...it's just incredibly slow moving. I mean, I agree...after nine volumes...how can you not seem to get any closer to your goal?

It used to catch my interest though. Anyway, Saiyuki is very violent. Even in the first volume, there is a detailed drawing of the intestines of a guy who got sliced in half. One of the characters is a pervert, there's a Buddhist monk who wields a gun and curses all the time. In fact, they all curse a lot, except for Hakkai.

In retrospect, there are a TON of things that a good Christian would look down upon that I won't go into. ;>_>

I'm not sure about Reload manga, but I've been hearing that the anime Reload is pretty disappointing. Though I did like the omakes at the end. XD

:U I have to say my favorite is Saiyuki Gaiden, a prequel to Saiyuki, because it's not so violent, it's a much lighter tone, and the conflict is more political than physical. I didn't finish it though, but I look forward to it.

[Tommy]

Well, I like it because I guess you oculd say it's an "extreme" version of the tale 'Journey to the West'. I've read the first couple of chapters and I already disagree with a lot of stuff. However, the overall plot is awesome. I plan on reading through normal "Saiyuki" at least.

[kyouki]

I didn't like it too. The plot is slow, the drawing...no comment. It's violent yer, but at least is not 'splatter'.

[Shao Feng-Li]

Saiyuki Gaiden manga has nudity in it...

[CDLviking]

I forced myself to watch the whole thing only through sheer will power. I originally intended to write a review for it, but found I hated it so much that it was impossible for me to be objective. Saiyuki is a waste of time. Doing absolutely anything else is time better spent, even playing solitaire alone on the computer.

[GrubbTheFragger]

Wow I actually liked what I saw of it. Is it really that bad.

[Kumagoro]

Wow I actually liked what I saw of it. Is it really that bad.

I think it would be pretty hard to like it if you aren't a fan of action series.

[Shao Feng-Li]

Would be better to watch Dragon Ball eh? XD

[Puguni]

Saiyuki Gaiden manga has nudity in it...

Ah, I'll have to watch for it then when I get a chance to finish it.

[Tommy]

Wait...are you implying you like nudity? o-o

[Debitt]

More like ":P nyeah, I should be prepared to flip the pages fast", I think.

The anime is incredibly slow moving - they're nowhere closer to India than they were 70 some episodes ago, so unless you're really willing to commit that much, I wouldn't reccommend watching it. Even though the manga has more mature content, I'd stick with that - it has no filler, the chapters don't follow formulas like the anime episodes do, and I found some events to come across as a bit more emotionally impacting than in the anime. And if you ask me, 9 volumes of a manga, plus Reload (thus far I'm enjoying the Reload manga) and Reload Gunlock is much better than 50 episodes of an anime, plus 20 for Reload and who knows how many for Reload Gunlock.

Or, like someone else mentioned, read Saiyuki Gaiden and call it a day. <3 I adore that manga. If you like I can go through my Saiyuki DVDs and tell you where the Gaiden arc starts so you can watch that, too.

[Puguni]

Wait...are you implying you like nudity? o-o

:U No, I meant I'll have to be on the look out for it so I can avoid it when I run into it. Though I'm guessing the nudity she means is that one of the deities runs around with a see through top.

[CDLviking]

double post

[CDLviking]

Would be better to watch Dragon Ball eh? XD

It makes Dragonball look like Shakespear

[Kumagoro]

Are you sure you read the series and just saw the anime?

No, I only read the manga and decided it didn't interest me enough to watch the anime.

Saiyuki is an amazing story, with beautifully detailed pictures, indepth background stories and great action scenes.

Good art isn't enough to sway me into liking a series, and I saw no trace of anything "indepth" in any of the characters' personalities or history. What I did see is a lot of reliance on character archetypes and clichéd storytelling.

[blue elf]

I've only read the first volume of the manga, but I might read more at some point. As for the anime, I have the first four Double Barrel DVD collections. I've enjoyed what I've seen of the anime, but I can see why some people wouldn't care for it. Personally, I think some of the episodes are pretty funny, and I also love some of the voices and characters *cough*Kougaiji*cough*. On the down side, there is a lot of language in the dub, and the animation quality, in my opinion, is....well, it's not top notch animation, but it doesn't make me scream, "Aah! My eyes! It buuuurnss!!" either. ^^; That right is reserved for the anime Reign, and not because of the animation quality. It's just that IMHO the character designs were so hideous that I couldn't stand to look at them.
Sorry, that went a bit off topic. ^^

[Shao Feng-Li]

:U No, I meant I'll have to be on the look out for it so I can avoid it when I run into it. Though I'm guessing the nudity she means is that one of the deities runs around with a see through top.

Yes that. It's like plastic wrap for a top... X(

[RedMage]

I watched several volumes before I couldn't take any more. I got fed up when they they brought the "hero lookalikes" back for a second mind-numbing comic-relief episode (the word "comic" being used loosely) directly after the equally diabolically unfunny installment in which Liren recruits a group of henchmen.

I have to agree with one of the first replies in this thread. The plot is so glacially slow-moving as to be nearly invisible, with the vast majority of episodes taken up by villain-of-the-week stuff and stultifying "comedy" episodes like the ones I mentioned above. The animation is average at best, with a lot of annoying directing choices and absolutely abominably cheap-looking effects. The characters are likable at first and the byplay between them is amusing for a while, but it gets repetitive fast and there's no real development. I think this series' popularity can be largely attributed to fangirls who are in lust with one or more of the main characters.

All of that said...I do consider Hakkai a possibility for my first cosplay. He's the best character in the series, a friend of mine really likes him so it could be funny to see her reaction, and his outfit doesn't look too hard to put together.

[Denimcat]

It's certainly nothing deep, true. I personally found all incarnations of the manga to be pretty good.

However.

The anime is another story. It's ugly, the effects are inexcusable, and it features about two dozen cheesy scene transitions/camera angles/ other crap per episode. Whoever was responsible for all that should just be banned from scen directing ever again. In addition to asethetics, it has a lot of pointless, goofy nonsense crammed into it - really, it would be better if they had made it 26 episodes instead of 51.

Anyway, my advice is, read the manga and skip the anime unless you really like what you see.

P.S: And I do <3 the characters.