Saiyuki RELOAD, the anime incarnation of Kazuya Minekura's manga of the same name, is now airing weekly in Japan. But TV Tokyo and its affiliate stations aren't the only place episodes can be seen, what with pirates making them available for download worldwide on the Internet scant hours after broadcast. With episodes so accessible so soon, there doesn't seem much point in writing about them in detail, as I had planned to do before the series started. But it's hard not to comment after watching...so, here's some random yammering after (and sometimes even during!) each week's broadcast! (Grateful thanks go to Lux for maintaining her tremendous Saiyuki RELOAD screencap gallery, Are We There Yet?--please don't abuse it, folks!)
Late night, rough road, and the Sanzo-ikkou is tired and hungry; a town is supposed to be near, but not near enough. Hakuryuu is exhausted and changes to droopy dragon form. They'll have to walk from here.
They're intercepted by a group of youkai bent on taking Sanzo's kyoumon and life--not necessarily in that order--but are stopped in unlikely fashion when a human couple, Meichin and Kourei, pelt them with manjuu (jam buns). Just getting the things in their mouths disables the youkai, who retreat as fast as they can manage. Goku takes an experimental chomp of one of the manjuu, and passes out! Poison inside? Nope--it's just because they taste so nasty.
Meichin's restaurant provides lodgings for our guys, who will need to wait for Goku to recover. The monkey is bedridden, but since he got only one mouthful, he'll be all right again "in two or three days," Kourei assures them.
As Meichin goes to fix dinner for the guests, Kourei explains that she has a manjuu shop. It had belonged to her parents, but after they were killed by youkai, she has tried to continue the shop herself--but the manjuu she makes taste just awful. Everything else she tries to cook comes out tasting terrible, too; it's just her peculiar talent.
By happy accident, though, Kourei discovered that her manjuu were the perfect defense against youkai: get one down their gullet, and they'll pass out cold. So now her manjuu are in great demand by the townsfolk, as protection in youkai attacks.
Meichin's cooking has no such problems, though, and the visitors chow down. Hakkai notices that Kourei really does seem bothered that her cooking is uneatable, and soon after, he overhears Kourei leave the restaurant after an exchange with Meichin. It's not that she dislikes Meichin, she tells him; she's just not good enough to marry him yet... (Let this be a lesson to you, girls! Sheesh...)
The next day, as Hakkai and Gojyo stroll through town after buying provisions, they see townspeople doing target practice with special manjuu-catapult-o-guns, and children making fun of Kourei's shop for its awful manjuu. Even little birds won't take crumbs from Kourei--they know how nasty the taste is sure to be.
Hakkai sends Gojyo on ahead, and pays Kourei a sympathetic visit. He even winds up serving her tea, rather than the other way around; she apologizes for being so bad at doing it herself. She wishes she could cook better, and Hakkai guesses it's so that she can marry Meichin. He confesses he overheard, and offers to try to help her improve her cooking. Kourei figures she's a lost cause, but Hakkai knows there's hope. After all, she wants to make delicious things for Meichin--and as Hakkai points out, cooking is love.
Hakkai coaches her in food preparation and cooking. She's worried what will happen if he takes a taste of the results, but Hakkai urges her to be confident in herself, takes a mouthful...and regains consciousness some time later in bed, with Gojyo watching over him.
He staggers back with Gojyo's help and tries again to build up Kourei's confidence. (He remembers Kanan serving up a rather scorched dish that he told her was delicious; "Liar," replies Kanan, and they have a laugh.) This time both Hakkai and Gojyo will try the result of her latest efforts--and the result of that sends Kourei charging down to Meichin's restaurant in a panic. Both Gojyo and Hakkai have now been relegated to bed by Kourei's cooking (although Goku has recovered now, with appetite fully intact).
Out of her hearing, Hakkai explains to Meichin that Kourei has been practicing and practicing to improve her cooking, and urges Meichin to give her dishes a try. Hakkai then coaxes Kourei into cooking once more, and she gives it all she's got as Hakkai and Meichin look on. Sanzo even joins them to watch--and notices something about her.
Just as Meichin starts to take a sample taste, a trio of youkai burst in to attack. Hakkai dispatches one, Sanzo the second, but the third takes Kourei captive. He'll take either the kyoumon or the life of the woman--but at Sanzo's urging, Kourei spins and dumps the cauldron of her soup she's holding onto the youkai...(SPOILER! Highlight to read)...and as light flashes from beneath the cauldron, he melts away, leaving nothing but a super-nasty puddle on the floor.
That's all the proof Kourei needs that her cooking is too awful to ever improve--but Meichin is gallantly determined to try it anyway. He shovels down a mouthful despite her shrieked protest--and is surprised to find that it tastes great! She tries some too--and it really is good!
Sanzo reveals that (ANOTHER SPOILER! Highlight to read) her cooking topples youkai not because it tastes so bad, but because that's how her power to defeat youkai is manifested. He's heard that in all of history, only one person would be born with the ability to defeat youkai through cooking. (And most astonishing of all...this is CANON now! *shudder*)
So now that Hakkai has improved her cooking skills so humans will find her cuisine tasty, the Sanzo-ikkou again hits the road--armed with a huge supply of manjuu that keeps the area youkai at bay.
...Allllllll-righty then...
This week's UraSai is called "Ugomeku Shokkaku"--"Twitching Antennae"--which is what Gojyo's hair is up to when he visits a dating service. He sits silhouetted before a screen, viewing projected slides of available young ladies (one is a man, he suspects), available old ladies...and an available baby chicken that's a week old, for those who like their chicks really young...! (Written and storyboarded by Tetsuya Endou, who's getting scarier by the week...)
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11/13: JUST GOTTA HAVE FAITH ...and indeed I did, all week, that the staff wouldn't serve up something as sappy as the preview had appeared! But come the closing minutes of the actual episode, as a puddle of blood spread beneath that kitten's torn body, I felt so guilty about it...
But let's back up before that--back to when this episode, really nicely drawn from the start, opened with the Sanzo-ikkou blowing away another batch of youkai. Nonchalant as our heroes are about it, they're finely attuned to each other in battle (although only Goku could mistake Gojyo's mention of Gyuumaou for gyuudon [beef bowl]...)--but after the fight, the dynamics of that team change from four to three-and-one when a kitten strolls out of the bushes and adopts the group.
Goku adores the gregarious little tri-color, and Hakkai and Gojyo are taken with her, too--but Sanzo is annoyed and allergic. Of course the kitten, with that innate sense that cats possess, decides that the person who likes her least is her special favorite, and a juicily sneezing Sanzo grudgingly allows the others to bring the kitten along.
The group holes up for the night in town, and Sanzo fumes as the others fuss over the kitty. Goku names her "Tama" (a popular Japanese name for a cat; blame Tama the cat in that Methuselah of a manga, Sazae-san), Hakkai prefers "Mi-ke" ("three-color"; am spelling it with a hyphen so no one misreads it as the short version of Michael), and Gojyo declares her "Betty"--and those are the names they each uncompromisingly continue to call her. But despite all their loving attention, the kitten keeps finding her way to Sanzo, who doesn't get much sleep that long, frustrating night.
The next morning, an extra-hotly-drawn Sanzo stays in to read a newspaper that might be the "Tenjiku Times" (check out the real photographs on its pages!); the others head out shopping for provisions after asking him to be sure to feed Tama, be sure to read to Mi-ke to help her understand words, and be sure to play with Betty. Quiet morning becomes quiet afternoon, and Sanzo and the kitten gradually reach an understanding...just in time for a stunningly sudden--and tragically on-target--youkai ambush.
(SPOILER! Highlight to read) Although the kitten appears at first to have been killed in blocking the youkai blades thrown at Sanzo, she's still breathing, and is able to be saved. As the Sanzo-ikkou is leaving the animal hospital with the kitten, though, her real owner appears. Meimei, as the cat turns out to be named, happily returns to her grateful young owner, who has been searching for her.
While the other three say lingering farewells, Sanzo turns and walks away--but it's clear that their understanding remains.
The UraSai installment is "Go West 2," written and storyboarded by series director Tetsuya Endou. As in the first "Go West," a question submitted by a fan is answered; this time it's "Why doesn't the Sanzo-ikkou go to India by train?" Goku doesn't mind train travel, if the stack of empty eki-bento boxes is any sign, but Gojyo and Sanzo can't take the interminable sitting...and the route is far from direct, as Hakkai spots Mt. Fuji!
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11/06: SAVING THE...SOMETHING...FOR LAST Um, Sanzo. Gets a kitten. Next week. Sanzo. He gets this kitten. I'm sorry, I wish I was making this up... So. Sanzo. Gets a round-headed...eejy-weejy...so-gosh-darn-ka-yute...li'l tri-color fuzzbundle...and...uh, hold on... tump-tump-tump-tump-tump-tump *hurrrrrggggkkhh!* *gasp* *blaaaarrrrrggggkkhh!* *koff koff*
tump
Okay. *ahem* Let's try this again.
On this week's episode there was...there was...a trailer for next week's episode! Where Sanzo gets a freakin' kitten! What the hell are they thinking?! And wackiness ensues, and then he lays down with it for a little nappie-poo, and...and...! tump-tump-tump-tump-tump-tump *hurrrrrggggkkhh!*
11/09: SA GOJYO SEZ TWO THUMBS UP! Sa Gojyo here, on my birthday and everything, 'cause something's gotta get said about this episode. It was kinda short, but it was a great episode! I woke up and kicked the monkey's ass, and then we all drove around with music going on, and the whole episode was, like, five minutes long!
Oh yeah, and the "UraSai" is some lame-ass thing you can skip, but check out the preview for next week's story--turns out the priest has a soft spot, right between the ears, for a kitten! Can you believe it?! Heh-heh, you gotta either laugh or...or puke, I guess...Hey, you gonna live, KQ?
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tump
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10/30: YOU'D THINK THAT WAS TABOO... With some thought given to the characters and how they're drawn, backed by some extra-effective music, RELOAD really seems to be finding its stride with another strong episode this week--the start of a two-parter, at that!
The Sanzo-ikkou stop in an agricultural community peopled almost entirely by humans. The exception is the lovely lady youkai those humans not only adore but passionately protect, too: Suika.
The hospitality of Suika and the villagers is second to none, providing the travellers a feast of a meal, a room apiece to sleep in, and an open-ended stay. Sanzo eats grudgingly and carries his suspicions into the night, even though Suika really seems to have no malicious intent--and when the four gather in Sanzo's room before heading to their own, the decision is made to leave in the morning. Goku isn't happy, with all the great food Suika and friends seem glad to serve--but when Hakkai points out that the next town has a shop famous for its meat-buns, Goku looks forward to hitting the road after all.
As they bed down, an ethereal song begins to float through the night. A man bringing Hakkai a pitcher of water--no end to the service here!--explains that Suika sings every night, to help people forget their sad pasts and sleep peacefully.
So begins a superb four-minute interlude, laced with Suika's song, in which Sanzo, Gojyo and Hakkai drift off. Each dreams about the pivotal tragic event of his past...and (SPOILER! Highlight to read)is comforted in the depths of despair by Suika, who ends that past self's suffering by gently putting him to sleep.
An aside here--I had known the flashbacks were coming, but in the first, when Kouryuu is sobbing that he couldn't protect Koumyou and things take that quiet, so-wrong turn, it gave me a chill. That doesn't happen often...but it did last episode (at That Certain Moment between Sanzo and Rampa), and again here. I can't recall experiencing anything like that at all in Gensomaden... Oh, and honorable mention for affecting-scenes-not-mentioned-elsewhere-in-this-synopsis goes to the shot of Sanzo waking up from his dream. "I couldn't protect...what?" he murmurs--and goes back to sleep with a little smile, freed from the memory of Koumyou. *brrr!*
Another aside--I was disappointed that Gojyo's stepmother still didn't get to have the axe that she was using in the manga. Guess that was to keep things consistent with the previous series. But, uh, what's that thing-without-a-point in Jien's hand? (Sa Jien, Secret Master of Yardstick Fu...)
Anyway! Goku's dream differs. Isn't he sad and lonely, locked away in that cave? Nope--he knows Sanzo will come. This seems to be something beyond Suika's experience, and she sulkily decides she doesn't "need" that one.
The next morning, Goku finds that the other three-quarters of the Sanzo-ikkou are strangely quiet and preoccupied. They've forgotten all about that promised famous shop o' meat-buns...and Sanzo's foggy on just what the direction "west" means, too. The group leaves as planned, but a Lirin attack suddenly blocks the road--and just as suddenly puts an end to the Sanzo-ikkou! Dokugakuji and Yaone join her to watch in shock as (SPOILER! Highlight to read)an apathetic Sanzo first throws away his kyoumon, then gives up being a Sanzo, and then abandons Goku! They've forgotten their pasts, the point of their journey, and who that pointy-eared trio in front of them are. What they do remember is that Suika's village was a nice place...a verrry nice place...a verrrrry nice place to stay forever and ever...and back the three go.
Kougaiji's comrades are sympathetic to the devastated Goku, who explains the situation to them as best he can. Yaone has heard there is a certain youkai whose singing can capture the memories of humans. It doesn't take Goku long to regroup, but as the new keeper of the kyoumon is about to march back to try to save his friends, Dokugakuji (short-nailed this episode, thank you) stops him. "Maybe some people can only be happy if they don't remember the past," Dokugaku says hesitantly, and then confesses what he did that long-ago day with Gojyo and his mother. "Maybe it's best that those memories of the past are gone."
"Without memories of the past, how can anyone be their real self?" retorts Goku, and bolts off to the rescue. Dokugakuji has to admit that he's right.
Unfortunately, Suika's vocal abilities manage to stymie Goku. That sends us into next week's conclusion, which includes the arrival of Kougaiji and what sure appears to be Sanzo being confronted by Kouryuu!
And then there's this week's UraSai, "Kamizumou, Episode II" ("Paper Sumo, Episode II"), again scripted and storyboarded by series director Tetsuya Endou. Once again it's a battle between paper sumo-style dolls of Sanzo and Gojyo, and once again it gets decided by unconventional means: the contents of an upended pot of coffee that instantly turn the paper Gojyo into a sodden wad. "Kuroi ame da," declares Sanzo--"It's black rain."
There's got to be a connotation other than the only one I know, which is what fell on Hiroshima after the bomb...
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GO TO RELOAD RICOCHET: Saiyuki RELOAD Episodes #1-4
GO TO RELOAD RICOCHET: Saiyuki RELOAD Episodes #9-12
GO TO RELOAD RICOCHET: Saiyuki RELOAD Episodes #13-16
GO TO RELOAD RICOCHET: Saiyuki RELOAD Episodes #17-19
GO TO RELOAD RICOCHET: Saiyuki RELOAD Episodes #20-22
GO TO RELOAD RICOCHET: Saiyuki RELOAD Episodes #23-25
GO TO RELOAD RICOCHET: Saiyuki RELOAD GUNLOCK Episodes #1-4
GO TO RELOAD RICOCHET: Saiyuki RELOAD GUNLOCK Episodes #5-10
GO TO RELOAD RICOCHET: Saiyuki RELOAD GUNLOCK Episodes #11-13
GO TO RELOAD RICOCHET: Saiyuki RELOAD GUNLOCK Episodes #14-17
GO TO RELOAD RICOCHET: Saiyuki RELOAD GUNLOCK Episodes #18-20
GO TO RELOAD RICOCHET: Saiyuki RELOAD GUNLOCK Episodes #21-23
GO TO RELOAD RICOCHET: Saiyuki RELOAD GUNLOCK Episodes #24-present
GO TO RELOAD RICOCHET: "Saiyuki RELOAD GUNLOCK Episode #1" April Fool's Edition!
BACK TO JOURNEY TO THE REST: A Roadside Revelry in Saiyuki and Its Doujinshi.
This page was created October 23, 2003. Last updated September 9, 2004.
The Nama-Yammer, Yammer, and Yammer-hammering inbetween are copyrighted features of JOURNEY TO THE REST. This page's text and source code are copyright Kagenami Q. DO NOT USE WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION. Saiyuki, Saiyuki Gaiden and Saiyuki RELOAD are copyright Kazuya Minekura/Issaisha; Gensomaden Saiyuki is copyright Kazuya Minekura/Issaisha, Saiyuki Project and TV Tokyo 2000; the Saiyuki RELOAD anime is copyright Kazuya Minekura/Issaisha, TV Tokyo, Dentsu and Pierrot 2003; Saiyuki RELOAD GUNLOCK is copyright Kazuya Minekura/Issaisha, TV Tokyo, Dentsu and Pierrot 2004. All images are copyright their respective artists and creators. No copyright infringement is intended or implied.