Saiyuki

[dangermousie]

Doctor Who's episode "Dalek" was the best one yet, and I have a separate post about it coming up, but for now, I want to post about something else. I've just started watching Saiyuki, so decided to have a little intro post about it. After all, I'll be talking about it for a week or so. And by 'little post' I mean one the size of a short novel.



Saiyuki involves fighting, fantasy, really cool and complicated characters, humor, a kick-ass intro song and bizarre credits. It's also really really good. The plot of Saiyuki centers around Genzo Sanzo, a high ranking Buddhist renegade priest (crumpeteer is right on the money when she describes him as Saito off his midol). In the realm of the story, humans and demons have coexisted for aeons, but lately demons have been unable to control their nature and have been attacking humans, and thus chaos threatens. This situation is a side effect of someone in India conducting experiments to re-awake a very powerful demon who's been sealed away. Sanzo is charged to travel to India and put an end to it. He is also commanded to travel with three demons: Goku (a boy who Sanzo has sort of adopted. He rescued him from horrible imprisonment in his cranky fashion and now does take care of him), Gojyo (a womanizing half-demon gambler) and Hakkai (who is well-spoken, extremely polite and mild-mannered).


Why do I like this anime? A lot of reasons, but the main one is the characters. Take Kougaji, the leader of the opposing forces. He is the bad guy but he is a good person. There is a reason why his retainers are so dedicated to him. He is kinda Aoshi-ish. He is in an untenable situation, as he is working for the horrid bitch who is planning all of this. Of course, the bitch happens to be his father's mistress, as he is the sealed demon's son. And why does Kougaji do this? He wants to free his mother, who is likewise imprisoned. Talk about FUBAR. But while taciturn (but being made to feel your powerlessness day after day would make anyone unhappy), with issues up the wazoo, and of course on the side of the bad guys, he is honorable, and honest, and extremely good to his retainers. No wonder Yaone, the woman he rescued from being murdered (in his own reserved fashion) is willing to die for him. And when she tries to kill herself after she failed a mission (where he commanded her to not take any risks and on which he didn't want her to go in the first place), he prevents her. He shows up to save her, and he blows up at her because he doesn't want to lose her.

I don't usually like bad guys. But I do him. And of course, he is forthright and honorable and a it boyish and the real villain is the mistress of his father (talk about evil and stone cold). The attitude of Kougaji seems to be "yeah, we are your enemies and we will REALLY fight you next time, but meanwhile, how about some tea and scones?" Sanzo and Gojyo even comment on this. Actually, I take it back. He isn't the bad guy. I think your bad guy status gets revokes when you declare a truce with your enemies to beat a big beastie, rescue strange women from being raped and eaten, protect your retainers to the best of your ability, and have an adoring younger half-sister who you are kinda embarassed by.

Also, if you want an OTP for this show, they are bound to be it, as the rest of the characters don't seem tohave anyone. I don't even want to check the amount of slash for this show, what with three hot guys travelling together.

My favorite character so far is Hakkai, the quiet, mild-mannered one. I am so predictable. I am a sucker for uber nice guys who have amazing levels of angst and can fight really well. I am very curious about his backstory. We saw him flip when Yaone tried to kill herself and he flashbacked to a woman telling him she was sorry but she was pregnant with someone's spawn and she was going to kill herself. And he really lost it. Did someone rape the woman he loved? (Don't spoil me). The guy has got to be majorly FUBAR, and not just because of his reaction when the fortune-teller tells him that he hides behind his pleasant manner but he has the eyes of a sinner. No one gets to be that pleasant without some prior terrifying cutting loose, not when his pleasantness is combined with this deadly fighting. And there is something about his having a horrible stomach wound. I really wonder. He has this incredible sweetness to him that I love. He even apologizes and is polite when he fights. But he is horribly affected by the fortune teller's words and by his cards saying 'sinner.' There must have been something truly awful in his past.

And then there is Sanzo, who is giving Hakkai a run for his money as my favorite character. Hakkai and Sanzo are the grown-ups of the group (Gojyo is a grown up but he is very boyish). He is arrogant, and sharp-tongued, and doesn't suffer fulls at all. He argues with the divine messengers and slaps the Merciful Goddess herself. Sanzo tries to stay detached and uncaring about others because of his own traumatic past (he is an orphan found by the previous Sanzo who adopted him and took care of him, but then got murdered). And yet he fights for good, he takes in Goku and takes really good care of him in his ascerbic way. I think he stays detached as a way to stay sane. The interesting thing is, when he muses about not wanting to care about anyone, it's not the typical "because I don't want to be hurt as I've been hurt before," it's because he doesn't want to hurt them, because if he cares for them and dies, it would hurt them, as he knows the pain of being left behind. Of course, that doesn't work. Goku for one, loves him (see how literally berserk he goes when Sanzo is wounded). He can't help but care and he has a soft spot no matter how hard he hides it and how small it is. See how Kougaji's little sister just pesters him and he buys her a meat bun (as they hilariously seat and watch the fighr between his ward and her brother). Heck, she ends up sitting on his shoulders and he grumps but doesn't dislodge her. And the way he attempts to control Goku is hilarious (he doesn' buy him the meat bun because the boy needs dsicipline).

It's an odd thing to say about the toughest character of the show, but there is a certain brittle fragility to Sanzo. I think Hakkai gets it (and Sanzo is at his most normal with Hakkai. See his telling Hokkai that if he wants to leave and go get revenge (on who? don't spoil though), he should do so. He knows the backstory and he is as close to treating him as equal as he gets). Sanzo's goal is to recover the scroll stolen from his master. He is an irreligious monk who had felt no calling and only became one because his master annointed him. His loyalty was to the dead man. And I do love his thinking about the real thing is to have somewhere to return to.

Gojyo is also, of course, more than his womanizing happy-go-lucky mask. He grew up in an abusive family, as in 'born of a mistress of his father and the wife hated him and tried to kill him and abused him and yet he sort of thought it was OK because she was the only mother he knew.' Yeah. And his brother is Kogouji's retainer.

And Goku? He is a cool kid, ruled by his stomach. He is also the most powerful of the bunch. And I do wonder what his backstory is.

My favorite ep so far is either the very angsty and unusually colored one where Sanzo has to kill a long-time friend and we learn a lot about what makes him tick, or the hilarious one where Sanzo and co get thrown in jail because impersonators are doing a better job as a pious priest etc (and Sanzo is happy because being in jail means he doesn't have to lecture. And when all is straightened out at the end, and villaage folk try to thank him, he tells them he fought for himself and when they tell him that at least it must have taken hard work to learn all that, he tells them he hates hard work more than anything).

The thing I like the most is that all of them are tremendously damaged but they don't whine and moan, they deal and act.

Oh, and I like Hakkai's 'car', with a yin/yang spare tire.



Sanzo:



Hakkai:



Gojyo:



Goku:



More Sanzo:







Kougaji (hey, weird pic but the only one I could find):



The group:





Hakkai:



What is it with the random fashion shots of the characters who don't ever wear that? Hey, it's pretty so I am not too sorry:



Gojyo and Hakkai being all modelly:



What have they been smoking?



I love this one:



I have tons more, but I guess I'll just have to make a separate Saiyuki picspam post later in the week.

Comments

[fivil.livejournal.com]

I actually just watched an episode of this (the first one) at my friend's house. She's very into it but we were amused by something else so we didn't really pay attention. I understood most of it but I wasn't all "omg must see more!" so we only watched that one episode.

Overall I liked it but not enough to want to get into it, I guess. Lack of enthusiasm for anime, sigh. I think it's mostly the fandoms of the animes I've watched that have turned me off most anime in general.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I think this show's first ep is very rocky: it throws you so into the middle of things, for a moment I thought I put the wrong DVD in. But it grows on you, and by ep 4 I was hooked.

the fandoms of the animes I've watched that have turned me off most anime in general.

I am a happy happy camper, because I haven't joined (nor do I want to) anime fandom. I just watch whatever appeals with Husband and post on lj, but that's the extent of it.

[fivil.livejournal.com]

Like someone once wisely spoke, "If you like something, you won't like its fans."

In my excuse, I love fic and fandom is where you find fic so I had to go through fandom to find fic. :)

[crumpeteer.livejournal.com]

One of the funny things about Kougaiji is that he's a better man than any of the guys in the Sanzo group. Kou's just being manipulated, he KNOWS he's being manipulated and he's not happy about that. He's awkward at showing his feelings, though he'd do anything for his sister and he really cares a great deal about Yaone and Dokugaiji. There's really nothing cruel at all to Kou. Sanzo can be more hateful than Kou is. And Kou's group is, as a whole, really nice people. They don't want to hurt Sanzo's group, just like Goku starts to look forward to seeing Kou and Gojyo and Dokugaiji prove that they still have a brotherly bond. One of the coolest moments in Reload is when Kou and Sanzo (who are the "bookends" between the two groups) react the exact same way to a monster and end up jointly using the Maiten Scriptures and Kou's demon beast at the same time. It's just fun to see these two guys who are from opposite sides proving what good leaders they are.

If you're already to the part with the fortune teller, you're about to get into a Hakkai arc. Hakkai is Kenshin x 10. If someone has a reason to be screwed up it's Hakkai. And is he ever screwed up. The thing is, Sanzo GETS that. As nasty and pragmatic as he is, Sanzo understands how Hakkai ticks, which is why later on he trusts him with his life, something that you never see Sanzo do.

And Sanzo you're right. It's not so much Sanzo not caring about people as it is him not wanting people to care about him. He cared about the Kamia Sanzo like a father and he knows how much it hurts to lose someone you love. Of course it's too late in Sanzo's case, since Goku cares about him in just the same way. Sanzo is afraid of hurting and being hurt, evidenced by the fact that he hates people touching him. To do what he does and not go crazy, he can't let himself feel. When he WAS more emotionally open (and nicer) he was literally losing his mind. So he got hard and nasty and pragmatic. But you can't kill who you really are, since under it all Sanzo is still a bullied orphan who lost the one person he let himself love. That's probably why he connected to Goku so much. Goku still has the innocence that Sanzo lost a long long time ago.

Goku's back story is the longest, most complicated and most involved. And he doesn't remember any of it. Which is good, because if he did, he'd lose his mind.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

It's all your fault, you know. All this anime I watch. I only picked this one up because Kou/Yaone were on your 'do it already' list. And now I love it. You are responsible for my addiction. :P

. Kou's just being manipulated, he KNOWS he's being manipulated and he's not happy about that

You can tell he is feeling helpless and frustrated. And in some ways, he is so much younger than Sanzo or Hakkai or even Gojyo. And hey, the boy is fighting to free his mother. Even Bollywood would approve.

There is something very boyish about him. I love the bit where the Sanzo group impostors literally bump into Kou and his group and they say they are the holy Sanzo blah blah and Kou just goes something to the effect of "oh really, is it even worth the bother?" and I ROFL.

Hakkai is Kenshin x 10. If someone has a reason to be screwed up it's Hakkai. And is he ever screwed up.

Wow. I can't wait. Yeah, anyone this nice, who nontheless does what he does for a living has got to have an issue or a hundred. He is always pleasant, and the fact that he can maintain this in such a life, really indicates that either it's a facade and a coping mechanism, or that he's seen so much worse that this is OK by comparison.

As nasty and pragmatic as he is, Sanzo understands how Hakkai ticks, which is why later on he trusts him with his life

I do get the sense that Sanzo is a lot more comfortable with Hakkai than he is with the younger, noisier members of the group. They are sort of the parents with the rowdy kids in the backseat. Maybe because Hakkai is so quiet.

him not wanting people to care about him.

I find this really interesting. It's a bizarre form of caring, in and of itself.

But you can't kill who you really are, since under it all Sanzo is still a bullied orphan who lost the one person he let himself love.

I think that his arrogance is left over from his childhood, where it was a reaction to the bullying and the lack of parentage and all that.

I am thinking of buying Reload, even though I am only 10 eps in, because I don't want to have to wait for eps like I did with FMP.

[crumpeteer.livejournal.com]

Kou/Yaone were on your 'do it already' list

They're on that no so much because they're an emphasized OTP as because I really think Kou needs someone to care about him for a change.

It's all your fault, you know. All this anime I watch.

Hey, I now have someone to talk about it with, so I'm not apologizing. ;) And being the character analysis lover that I am, you can see why I love it so much.

And in some ways, he is so much younger than Sanzo or Hakkai or even Gojyo.

He is, which is saying something because Sanzo and Hakkai really aren't that old (23 and 21). There's still an innocence to Kou that Sanzo and Hakkai and Gojyo don't have any longer. Kou's also different because he cares more freely than the other guys can. Kou's damaged, but not quite as damaged as the Sanzo group is.

I love the bit where the Sanzo group impostors literally bump into Kou and his group and they say they are the holy Sanzo blah blah and Kou just goes something to the effect of "oh really, is it even worth the bother?"

There's also the times where he has to go after his sister where he's literally facepalming by the end of it. That's one of the things I love about Saiyuki, since all the characters seem to catch implausibility of what's going on around them (in Reload Gunlock Sanzo's group starts commenting about how long it's taking to get to India).

He is always pleasant, and the fact that he can maintain this in such a life, really indicates that either it's a facade and a coping mechanism

Hakkai's personality is also the way it is because I think he's a little insane too. He's cracked so much that something just isn't quite right there any longer, as evidenced when he tries to gouge his eye out. Hakkai is two steps to the right of being a raving homicidal maniac. His grip on it is very tenative in some ways, which is why Sanzo basically is of the mindset that he WILL kill him if he does anything stupid (Sanzo's said the same thing about Goku too only it was because Sanzo promised Goku that if he ever went off the deep end and no one could get him back that Sanzo would be the one to kill him).

I do get the sense that Sanzo is a lot more comfortable with Hakkai than he is with the younger, noisier members of the group.

With Hakkai you see Sanzo actually sort of relax and have normal conversations. Sanzo's temper rarely flares at Hakkai and he generally talks to him with a level of respect he doesn't have towards the others. (This show is basically Saito, Kenshin, Sano and Yahiko trapped in a car for a long time).

I think that his arrogance is left over from his childhood

I think it's partially that and partially that he just doesn't care what anyone thinks about him any more or maybe that part is a result of using it as a coping mechanism. It's also a good way to keep people at arm's length.

Reload is actually better than the first season since the Himura story line gets bogged down and starts taking itself WAY to seriously. Reload regains its sense of humor and finds the angst/humor balance again.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

This show is basically Saito, Kenshin, Sano and Yahiko trapped in a car for a long time

You have a knack for descriptions, you know that?

The funny thing is, as diverse and bristly as the group is, they really work well together. And I love the scene where they are entertained by a village and the villagers ask Sanzo what he wants to which Sanzo starts to reply he wants nothing and Goku and Gojyo cover his mouth in unison and Goku says "Priest Sanzo would love meat" and Gojyo says "and pretyt women to wait on him" and Hakkai looks on, amused, and adds "and some sake." Heeeee.

I do wonder what precisely Hakkai has in his past? Seeing that 'sin' tile affected him so strongly he was literally brought to his knees. Trust me to pick the angstiest one as a favorite.

There's also the times where he has to go after his sister where he's literally facepalming by the end of it.

I saw this, and it was hilarious.

It's also a good way to keep people at arm's length.

The funny thing is, it doesn't work and a lot of it is put on. I love how he keeps complaining about people not realizing that Kou and his group are enemies and what on earth is Goku doing bonding with Kou and then Gojyo goes "and what is this on your shoulders?" and you see that Lirin has perched there. And hey, he certainly offers to buy her a meat pie. For all his grumbling, he is good with kids.

Kou's damaged, but not quite as damaged as the Sanzo group is.

Yes. Which is kinda worrisome, because Kou's life has not been a picnic in the least.

He is certainly the first bad guy I've liked.

[crumpeteer.livejournal.com]

Seeing that 'sin' tile affected him so strongly he was literally brought to his knees.

The funny thing with Hakkai is that he blames himself for something he had no control over initially. And his actions after the first tragedy really are understandable, if baaaaaaaad. He's dangerous and he knows it. He always tells Goku to clear out when he takes his power controllers off and goes into his demon form. I think the problem is that when Hakkai loses it, he LOSES it. It's like the Battousai on speed. Goku is actually scared of Hakkai when he finally sees him without the power controllers. When you're scaring Goku, there's some sort of issue there.

For all his grumbling, he is good with kids.

And if you notice, Sanzo is generally all smoke and no fire. The other guys aren't intimidated by his fuming and harping and paper fan whacking. Lirin sees right through it immediately and even though he spends most of the time snarling at her, he's obviously her favorite and while he's irritated, he lets her sit on his head with relatively little comment (he takes his annoyance out on Gojyo later when Gojyo comments that Sanzo has a girlfriend).

Even Bollywood would approve.

Well, Kou does have a penchant for wearing vests without shirts under them. His wardrobe gets better in Reload where he gets a white fitted long vest and pants that is a little Arabian Nights meets the Matrix.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I think the problem is that when Hakkai loses it, he LOSES it. It's like the Battousai on speed

Haven't gotten to that point yet. Can't wait. I seem to like the characters who have the very nice/very deadly when out of control duality (Kenshin, Vash, Sousuke, and now Hakkai all have that in common. Even Tamahome has that).

When you're scaring Goku, there's some sort of issue there.

Yes. The only time I've seen Goku flip so far is when he thought Sanzo was killed. And that was truly frightening.

It's like the Battousai on speed.

*salivates in anticipation*

The other guys aren't intimidated by his fuming and harping and paper fan whacking.

It's the action versus words. He rescues Goku from his imprisonment, even if his words are 'you are keeping me from sleeping.' He says he couldn't care less about the monks not taking in his companions and says they are his servants, but the result is, as such they are taken in and cared for. Sanzo is, however much he hates it, a good guy. But yeah, I can see him having a drink of Saito and bitching about being surrounded by idiots.

he lets her sit on his head with relatively little comment

Yeah. And it's super-powerful Sanzo, when all is said and done. He could get rid of her in ten seconds flat. If he didn't have to have the life he does (looking for scriptures, killing demons), he'd probably be a lot more relaxed and normal.

Well, Kou does have a penchant for wearing vests without shirts under them.

Gojyo and Kou both have very Bollywoodish wardrobes. And then there is Yaone...

[crumpeteer.livejournal.com]

The only time I've seen Goku flip so far is when he thought Sanzo was killed. And that was truly frightening.

He does it again later on when Sanzo gets poisoned and he very nearly kills Kou. Goku without the crown power controller isn't someone you want to be around.

And part of Sanzo's issue is that he knows he's killing people who under any other circumstance he'd be coexisting with. It's not like the demons were always evil. He's travelling with a demon and a half demon (and whatever the heck Goku is). He meets demons that haven't completely lost it yet. Like it or not, he's tenative friends with Kou and Co. Sanzo knows what he's doing, which is why he was going nuts until he just shut down. There's also the added problem with Sanzo that he's pretty. Not only did people not take him seriously when he was growing up, but he was mocked not only for his heredity and the fact that he was the Kamia's pet, but because of his looks too. That comes up in the manga a couple of times since he started demon hunting when he was really young and was nearly molested several times (the manga adds quite a few things that the anime doesn't, some of them distinctly disturbing).

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

There's also the added problem with Sanzo that he's pretty

Yeah, there was that scene in the flashback with that monk who later was consumed by a talisman, where he told Sanzo that he thought he looked beautiful (or something to that effect) and the image is of Sanzo and peonies and I went 'is he hitting on him????" That was pretty odd.

I do think Sanzo is very asexual. It doesn't have much to do with the monkish thing (I don't know if Monks have any restrictions, but seeing that the guy drinks, smokes, curses and eats meat, I doubt prohibitions would affect him), but doing it would require physical contact, intimacy, lostt of control and even *gasp* vulnerability, and all of these are anathema to Sanzo (at least in part because if he let himself care a bit, he wouldn't be able to put a stopper on it and then back to the slippery slope of a nervous breakdown because of the kind of life he leads).

And part of Sanzo's issue is that he knows he's killing people who under any other circumstance he'd be coexisting with.

Exactly. After all, these demons just lived perfectly fine with humans until the imbalance, and when they lost control it was against their volition and not their fault (as that story of that girl who was engaged to a demon who ran away demonstrates). So Sanzo knows that even though they are coming after him now, they are ultimately innocents triggered by something not in their control. And he has no choice but to kill them, but what does it make him? He is no Vash, true, but that would drive most people nuts.

He does it again later on when Sanzo gets poisoned and he very nearly kills Kou

Sanzo is his one weak spot, probably because he sees him as a father. After all, amazing fighting powers or not, he is still a kid, and Sanzo's rescued him and cared for him...

[crumpeteer.livejournal.com]

When they're describing him people generally do call him "pretty" in the series and "eyes that can see through your soul". There's always the quality that people know Sanzo is special somehow. And he is, it's just he's been broken down and twisted around so many times that he's turned the specialness into something different. There's never a doubt that Sanzo has incredible spiritual powers. His prayers move heaven. He's not a believer though. He's special, just warped now.

And Sanzo's asexuality is why I don't even find slash believable with him. Obviously it's heavily prevalent in this fandom, but I can't believe it for Sanzo simply because he IS so shut down to ever being vulnerable. His position in his religion would never stop him since he drinks, smokes, curses, gambles, eats meat and refused to shave his head (why Lirin refers to him as "baldy Sanzo" since he obviously is just the opposite). Sanzo is never going to have a partner of any kind because it's just physically impossible for him to put his emotions out there like that any more. He would have struggled even if he didn't have the life he does now. The fact that he's now a demon hunter just sealed the deal.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

He's not a believer though.

He can't be. Even if it wasn't for his issues, he is not a believer because of the simple fact that for him, no belief is involved. He's seen the divine messengers. He's talked with the Mercifl Goddess. You couldn't call me a believer in traffic signals. I've seen them, they are everyday, I know they work, they are part of life and they have no mystique.

He's special, just warped now.

That's actually deeply sad. Ah well, there's always the next reincarnation.

Sanzo is never going to have a partner of any kind because it's just physically impossible for him to put his emotions out there like that any more.

The closest he comes to putting his emotions out there is with Goku as he is guardian-like to him, and it's nowhere near the level or context that would be required for a relationship, or even sex, because those require very different involvements and commitments. Barring some huge change or upheaval or therapy, I just can't see him getting involved. I think that's the difference between him and Saito. They are similar outwardly, but Saito is satisfied and at peace. He has no doubts but that is not because he is supressing himself so as not to go crazy.

[crumpeteer.livejournal.com]

they are part of life and they have no mystique.

Considering his first incarnation was as a god, that makes perfect sense. Why believe in something you used to be one of? (that picture of the guy covered in blood with the long hair is actually Sanzo's first incarnation, who was a god and nephew to the Merciful Goddess, not Sanzo). It also explains why he's distinctly unimpressed by the divine messengers or even the Merciful Goddess. Even if he can't remember it, the guy he was previously was related to her so some of that still carries over.

Ah well, there's always the next reincarnation.

Funny you say that since he's already on #2 in this series.

but Saito is satisfied and at peace

And there is the difference. Sanzo may have come to accept what he is and he may be able to deal with it in a way, but you can't say he's happy by any means. Saito's happy. The fact that he has a good job and a marriage that seems to work proves that.

[redrogue9.livejournal.com]

I started watching Saiyuki sometime last month, but I got side tracked by Kiddy Grade. Where I'm at in the anime, I feel that Hakkai too, is the most likeable. I now want to start over again since I've probably forgot where I left off.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yes! I am not alone in liking the nice angsty guys. But yes, it's very good.

[aliterati.livejournal.com]

Wow, pretty. Especially love that first pic at the top.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Btw, loved the artwork you posted.

This might be something you might like, because this fandom is BOUND to be slash-rife.

[aliterati.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the art style and the fashion kinda reminds me of this other show, 'Weis Kreuz,' which practically redefined omgslashiness.

Thank you muchly on the artwork. ^^