Saiyuki Complete Collection

No Extras
Saiyuki is one of my favorite anime series, but I was disappointed in this collection for one reason -- none of the extras from the earlier release have been included. This is particularly unfortunate for the Cultural Notes which add a lot to the viewer's understanding of the legend that the series is based on. The collection does include all of the 50 episodes in a box that won't take up much room on your shelf and for a very reasonable price. But I would have been willing to pay a little more and have the extras included also.

Enjoyed the Journey
OK, this is the first anime series I ever purchased, so I am a bit biased. Only after seeing other series - and a few episodes of Saiyuki Reload, do I think my bias is not entirely misplaced. Rumor has it that women are the biggest fans, so I guess, I'm guilty. I understand why women like the program. The plot is pretty simple: 4 somewhat flawed, handsome young men with attitude trying to save the world. And the whole concept of the "bad guys" being sympathetic is something I agree with and rarely see. The characters are interesting.

I've read some other reviews that say Sensomaden Saiyuki does not have enough character development. I would somewhat disagree. My flippant answer would be to say, "It's a lightweight action, comedy series, how much do you need?" Then I would ask, "Did you not listen to the Merciful Goddess who points out continually that no matter how many times these souls are reincarnated, they do not change? They continually live their lives as...

Flawed, but enjoyable
Saiyuki takes place in an alternate version of feudal Japan, where human civilization is struggling to survive in a land plagued by demons and gods, neither of which think too highly of them. A certain faction of demons has made plans to resurrect... Something... I don't know, some kind of mega-demon... and a disgruntled, cynical priest named Genjyo Sanzo has been sent on a journey west in order to stop them. Somehow. I know it's explained in there somewhere, but god help me if I ever needed to remember it.

If I were to describe the plot of this anime to a friend, I'd tell him it was about four bad-ass anti-hero characters travelling across the desert and doing bad-ass things. Because that's really what it is that you get with this anime. The intended plot, if you must know, is an adaptation of a Chinese Folk tale called Journey to the West. There's some back story about collecting scrolls and saving the world, but it's rarely ever referenced in the story. It's...

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