Saiyuki (manga)

Saiyuki
Cover of the seventh tankōbon volume, featuring Genjo Sanzo (center), Son Goku (bottom), Sha Gojyo (right) and Cho Hakkai (left)
最遊記 (Saiyūki)
Genre	Adventure[1] Fantasy[2]
Manga
Written by	Kazuya Minekura
Published by	Square Enix (1997–2002) Ichijinsha (2002–2015)
English publisher	AUS: Madman Entertainment NA: Tokyopop (formerly) Kodansha USA (current)
Imprint	G Fantasy Comics
Magazine	Monthly GFantasy
Demographic	Shōnen
Original run	February 18, 1997 – November 2001
Volumes	9 (List of volumes)
Further information Original video animation Saiyuki Premium Directed by Takashi Sogabe Written by Reiko Yoshida Music by Yuriko Nakamura Studio Tokyo Kids Released April 23, 1999 – February 29, 2000 Episodes 2 (List of episodes) Light novel Written by Misagi Hijiri Illustrated by Kazuya Minekura Published by Enix (before 2002) Ichijinsha (after 2002) Demographic female Original run April 1, 1999 – February 1, 2001 Volumes 3 (List of volumes)
Sequels
Saiyuki Reload (2002–09) Saiyuki Reload Blast (2009– )
Prequels
Saiyuki Gaiden (1999–09) Saiyuki Ibun (2009– )
Anime television series
Gensomaden Saiyuki (2000–2001)
Anime film
Saiyuki: Requiem (2001)
Other
List of Saiyuki light novels List of Saiyuki video games Saiyuki musicals
Anime and manga portal

Saiyuki (Japanese: 最遊記, Hepburn: Saiyūki) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kazuya Minekura. It was originally serialized in Square Enix's Shōnen magazine Monthly GFantasy between February 1997 and November 2001, with its chapters collected in nine tankōbon volumes; later republished by Ichijinsha, released the nine volumes with new covers from October 2002 to June 2003; and a five-volume bunkoban edition which was released from April to August 2015. The story, which is loosely based on the 16th-century Chinese novel Journey to the West, follows a monk named Genjo Sanzo who receives a mission to travel to the west with a group of three yokai (demons) to stop anyone reviving the evil god Gyumao.

The manga was formerly licensed for English release in North America by Tokyopop, they published the nine volumes between March 2004, and July 2005. From February 2020, to January 2021, Kodansha republished the newly translated main series in North America in 400-page, hardcover volumes.

Minekura's manga includes two sequels titled Saiyuki Reload and Saiyuki Reload Blast, as well as two prequels titled Saiyuki Gaiden and Saiyuki Ibun. The series has spawned a media franchise that includes five anime series. Pierrot produced a 50-episode anime television series titled Gensomaden Saiyuki that aired from April 2000 to March 2001, and won the twenty-third annual Animage Anime Grand Prix prize for best anime. The same studio developed an anime film adaptation and two anime sequel series titled Saiyuki Reload and Saiyuki Reload Gunlock, which were broadcast together in Japan from October 2003 to September 2004. Two other animes were produced; Platinum Vision made Saiyuki Reload Blast in 2017 and Liden Films made Saiyuki Reload: Zeroin, in 2022. Three original video animations (OVAs), ten stage musicals, a light novel adaptation, numerous video games, drama CDs, and artbooks have also been made.

As of July 2017, the Saiyuki franchise has sold 25 million copies in circulation worldwide, making it one of the best-selling manga series of all time; it has become a mainstay of manga/anime culture, and its entries have continually garnered critical praise and accolades.