Book Recommendation: Saiyuki, by Kazuya Minekura
Saiyuki is a bit of an older recommendation, first published over twenty years ago and with a somewhat confusing litany of sequels, but this manga is one of my all-time favorite stories. Based off the classic tale Journey to the West, Saiyuki follows four young men as they journey west to India to stop a tyrant from trying to merge magic and science, a bastardization that is driving the demons in the vaguely contemporary world to madness.
This story lives and dies by its characters. Our four main characters are all distinct, with tortured pasts and intense personal drives to go west, aside from the primary plot.
The de-facto leader of the gang is Genjyo Sanzo, a gun-toting, chain-smoking, Buddhist priest on a mission to collect sacred texts stolen by demons. He’s codified as aromantic asexual, with on-screen references to having no interest in romance or sex.
Son Goku is a near-ageless demon who was imprisoned for 500 years and, since his recent release, is driven by unending hunger and optimism. Sanzo saved him from his prison, and Goku won’t ever let him forget his gratitude.
Cho Hakkai, also a demon, is the most charasmatic member of the group who has a deep well of patience for his chaotic friends and quite possibly the most tragic backstory of the entire group. He also has a tiny dragon named Jeep that turns into, funnily enough, an actual Jeep.
Rounding out the gang is Sha Gojyo, a half-human, half-demon with a smart mouth, high libido, and a need to find his place in a world where he’s too demonic for humans and has too much humanity for the demons.
Saiyuki is the epitome of the journey being more important than the destination. There are several follow ups to the original story that eventually conclude the main plot, but it will take a long time to get there. The real satisfaction from reading this manga comes from seeing our four heroes start out as bickering misfits and slowly turn into a team of talented young men who trust in each other and, more importantly, in themselves.
The manga and follow ups did have several hiatuses due to health issues Kazuya Minekura experienced in the early 2000s. During that time, she published some smaller comics relating to Saiyuki, and following her recovery returned to working on the primary manga’s follow ups.
Saiyuki is recommended to anyone who enjoys:
Magic, demons, and gods living in the modern world
Road-trip stories
When the journey supersedes the destination
Morally-gray characters
Empathetic antagonists
Serious angst
Quick Facts:
Author (Mangaka): Kazuya Minekura
Publish Date: 1999 (first volume), 2020 (compilation of original volumes)
Publisher: Kodansha Comics (2020 version)
Sequels: Saiyuki Reload (2002), Saiyuki Gaiden (completed 2009)
Representation: Characters with PTSD, East Asian religious/spiritual-inspired world, Implied aromantic asexual character
Sexual Content: Partial nudity and references to sex
Content Warnings: Child imprisonment, death, graphic violence and gore, partial nudity, potential homophobia and transphobia, sexual assault, torture
Official Synopsis:
Note: Synopsis is for the four-volume compilation of the original Saiyuki manga
One Man, Three Yokai, and a Dragon on a Road Trip to Hell! The boys are back, in 400-page hardcovers that are as pretty and badass as they are. This hit adventure, which blends mythology from around the world into a classic adventure story, has been out of print for years, and this collector's edition is a fitting celebration of its return!
Genjyo is a Buddhist priest in the city of Shangri-La, which is being ravaged by yokai spirits that have fallen out of balance with the natural order. His superiors send him on a journey far to the west to discover why this is happening and how to stop it. His companions are three yokai with human souls. But this is no day trip -- the four will encounter many discoveries and horrors on the way, and on the road, Genjyo will wonder... can he really trust his supernatural companions?