Saiyuuki Gaiden

I highly recommend Saiyuki Gaiden. Story wise the Gaiden arc is amazing and definitely my favorite Saiyuki story. It's by far my favorite prequel and one of the best i've seen. It has a brilliantly touching plot that leaves me crying every time, and the character relationships are heart breaking and beautifully depicted. The Gaiden left a strong impact on me, its the type of story that you keep thinking about hours, even days after you've seen it.

The anime however, is not as good as the manga but still a great watch. The Gaiden arc actually starts in Saiyuki episode 40 and 41. So you ... should watch those two episodes before watching these OVAs. Other than that it is not necessary to watch Saiyuki or any of the sequels before this, though I suggest you do because the whole series is great :) Saiyuki Burial is next in chronological order.

I have not come to give an analytical review. No, that is not why I’m here. This left me sobbing, I’ve genuinely never been such an emotional wreck before. The story is definitely my favorite in the Saiyuki world, the characters are incredibly well-done. Definitely more bloody than most of the series in general, though given the entire arc as a whole, what did you expect?

Given that this was an OVA, the pacing is fast and can be somewhat chaotic if you’re not totally concentrated. Personally, I would recommend watching at least episodes 40 and 41 from the original series. Though if you really want ... to be a sobbing puddle on the floor, the whole series. Long story short, I need emotional help now.

Overall rating: 9