Fan reviews: Saiyuuki

battlegirlai · 13 May 2007

never watched it when it came out but finally made time and watched. and i have to say i haven't enjoyed a show this much in years! wonderful characters, wonderful actors, enjoyable story, amazing jokes, amazing sets and costumes...everything about this show gets big thumbs up from me! yes, it is best if you check your brain at the door because it probably won't survive some of the episodes, but its a comedy! try and cram all of the original legend into 11 episodes the way it was written in the books and it will be nearly incomprehensible. This show was just fun and I wish there were more!

hero too good! · 15 May 2006

too good!must watch!shingo, im a fan ov u now

hero too good! · 15 May 2006

sagojo, u rock!

hero too good! · 5 May 2006

i loved everything!especially sagojo.

hero too good! · 3 May 2006

the last eps touched my heart.i loved eps:4n 9 cuz i most liked gojo(or gosho) and who cares if it's not chinese?it's japan style!n the person that said opy of lord of the rings, even if it is, ur too mean! and the person who said LOSER, ur the total double LOSER!!!!!!!!!i hate ppl that gave a low rank to my SAIUKI.

en6117 · 14 Apr 2006

I'm surprised that some people are bashing it because it doesn't follow the novel completely...I think they've done a great job in re-adapting the entire story and putting humanity back into all the characters. And the SMAP dude was amazing as Goku.

wahyu_ru · 26 Mar 2006

all rite.. the first time i ever watched Journey to the West was the Chinese version which was made in... 1994 i guess (coz i watched the series in 1997/98)?? well, the one which everyone agree is the best Journey to the West. I was a kid, and I really liked it and love the character Son Goku since then.
now i found out the there was going to be the Japanese version of it.. with Katori!!! first thing in my mind: I GOT TO WATCH IT!!
the 1st episode, it was way beyond my expectation... i was like, this is so different compare to the chinese one....
so i did some research again on the Journey of the West. And i found out that there are many different version of it!! the chinese have got their own version, while the Japanese have got their own version too!! And apparantly, the Japanese version's of the monk is a woman, alias a nun!! so for those who think/comment that this saiyuuki is wrong, or the producers didn't do any research.... i think it's YOU are the one that who didn't do any research!!
as for the story... yeah, i was pretty much dissapointed with the action.. i was really expecting the cool action like the chinese version one...
but then, this is a JAPANESE DRAMA series.. you cannot expect a lot of action ass-kicking thing from a japanese drama. i mean, it's juz not... japanese.... :D
this is one drama that's enjoyable to watch for everyone of any age... the TV-rating for this Saiyuuki is really high for the start of the year 2006 (average over 20%!!), and i think they deserve it....

*n' btw... back in 1978-1980, they had 2 season of the first Japanese version of Journey to the West ever.... tho, that one had more actions... n' much, much longer compare to this 3 months series... :D

mysticalgal84 · 15 Mar 2006

Did anyone see eps 9?
I thought the army was a familiar copycat of lord of the rings.

yuki ando · 31 Jan 2006

This is a good show, every cast had shown their best.....
Each story in the drama brought us a meaning and something to think abt.

And is very touching, some minor part.

Like the jokes, very funny.
As for the costume, if I dun mind the wrong dynasty thingy, it's actually very creative.
p.s. like Goku suit best.


Every drama had it's style. Saiyuki is orginated from China, Yes. But this drama is a Japan version. This is a drama, not a documentary. So I dun think everything had to follow by the book....
If u can't take this, tell u something worse, the recent Saiyuki movie by Hong Kong even had UFO + spiderman suit.

Ya esp 9 really is a copycat of LOTR....+ the wedding grownin ESP 10 is so modern.... hmm....

monkeymagic · 17 Jan 2006

I'd just thought I'd come and give this show a bit of Rap.. its soo funny and it's soo much like the Japanese Original... Yes the priest is supposed to be a Boy but this is based from the Japanese original in which the producers chose a girl because a Boy would have changed in appearance too much throughout the filming.. So all in all If ur a fan of the old Japanese ones you'll be a Fan of this one i reckon.. as for the Manga never read it.. dont care nothing compares to the Monkey from my Childhood!

kirin78 · 15 Jan 2006

A wowan is playing the role of Sanzo. One word! LOSER! Whatever the creator or producers were thinking, I don't know. And sad to say but the only viewers which would probably enjoy this show are those who absolutely have no knowledge of the actual Saiyuuki story, never read the fictional manga or are just watching to kill time. I am aware that the producers were not aiming to follow the story or manga's original context but that's what makes this show so bad. The least they could have done is to get the characters and setting straight. But then this is what comes out of a low budget. Anyway don't let this comment kill it for anyone, if you wanna watch a bunch of comedy nonsense this is it for you. However being a Saiyuki fan as I am this drama is one of the crappiest but I'll give them credit for trying.
Oh and the cast is really not that great either to start with.

qtxyz · 14 Jan 2006

Warning: writing by a biased person who 'd watched tons of versions of chinese saiyuuki.

There are many many many flaws in this first episode
1. the monk is wearing a white japanese style monk robe, the staff is also nothing like a chinese staff and what's with the ringing of the staff????????????????????????????/
chinese monks don't have robes of that style.
2. the monk is a woman
The monk is suppose to be man
3. there was a girl wearing green qipao (the theif)
qipao- was only worn during the ming dynasty and later, this story happened waayyyyyyy before the ming dynasty
4. the hairstyles of girls really need work...the stylists and directors should have watch some ancient chinese shows or at least look at the pictures of some chinese hairstyles.
5. the monkey acts way too immature and childish
6. the monkey, pig, and the other dude's clothes are too funny looking....y is the pig wearing a clownlike hat?????
7. the story started out with the four of them together already....for those who has never read the manga or saw the chinese versions of the show, they will be confused.
8. also wen the master/monk saw goku trapped in the mountain, she use a stone to help release goku..
i dunno how the manga and the anime wrote it,but the chinese version is definitely not so, in the chinese version, the master was able to rip off the yellow paper stuck on to the mountain by the gods by the chanting..it has nothing to do with the stone.
9. the show showed that the master knew the pig and the other dude before goku....it is definitely not so.
10. the girl in the beginning of the show as well as the master wore a white clothing along with a white viel........in chinese traditions it has always been red and not white...white is a death color.....
11. the wife and the child of the ox king or something have ox horns like him...
NO they do not. in the original version, she has powers too and uses a fan that has enormous wind power and the child can blow very hot fire from his mouth.


Overall, I have to say good try but they should have done more research. For those of you that has seen chinese version (there are tons) you'll be very disappointed. But if you're seeing it for the first time, it may just appeal to you simply because of the casting and the humor.

8thSin · 20 Dec 2005

This Saiyuuki is not for everyone. Don't expect to see the traditional 'Journey to the West' 'Xi You Ji' or you will be very disappointed. It is a version of Saiyuuki that is very entertaining, and touching at times.

Katori Shingo's performance was excellent! The chemistry was great between Gokuu and other main characters.
The storyline was generally weak, but it makes up for it with funny jokes, cool fight scenes, and many memorable lines.