Reviews

Minekura Kazuya is an absolutely phenomenal storyteller. I mean don’t get me wrong, I love lots of mangas of all genres and whatnot but Minekura’s story is definitely a one of a kind gem. The main cast of this series, the Sanzo Ikkou a.k.a the Sanzo Party are made up of four emotionally-charged personalities. Sanzo, the stubborn and quick-to-shoot Buddhist priest, Goku, the ravenous but extremely adorable Seiten Taisei, Gojyo, the flirt who walks and talks like a casanova but wonderfully clicks into a comedic duo with Goku and last but not least, Hakkai who is a sweet but simultaneously a scary man with patience like no other. Spinning a story from the legendary classic tale of the Journey to the West, Minekura’s characters carry dark emotional baggage that she cleverly weaves into their comedic adventures. Now, this is mostly from the manga but in terms of the anime series, Saiyuki has one of the best original sound tracks. From openings to background music, Minekura’s world becomes even more depth-ridden and vast. The melancholic music which graces the background of the Ikkou’s tragic moments gives the anime an absolutely heart-wrenching undertone but also brings amazing authenticity to Minekura’s story. Even with all the ups and downs the anime has suffered and successfully plowed through, Saiyuki remains an absolute favorite of mine. If you haven’t heard of Minekura Kazuya or her manga, I would most definitely recommend it.