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A few of the other items Issaisha plans to sell were available briefly in the past, but only by mail: its series of Drama CDs! Among the ZERO-SUM Drama CDs that fans will be able to buy in person are "Saiyuki RELOAD: BURIAL" (which just came out December 3; the new Minekura illustration done for its case's interior is shown at right), "Saiyuki RELOAD: Snow Drop" and "Bus Gamer."
Purchases will be put into Issaisha's new shopping bags, which sport an image by Minekura that was originally black-and-white but has been redone in color for this special occasion.
The thousand-page Winter Comiket catalog, which will include information on all the production companies and vendors participating in the commercial area (and also on the tens of thousands of doujinshi circles who will be in other halls of the huge complex!), goes on sale this Saturday, December 11.
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An enthusiastic crowd greeted Gensomaden Saiyuki: Requiem and the movie's director and writer, Hayato Date and Katsuyuki Sumisawa, at the screening on October 29. Date and Sumisawa shared some inside scoops on the making of both the film and the Gensomaden Saiyuki TV series--Date directed the series and Sumisawa wrote 18 of its episodes--and also answered questions from the audience. (A complete report on the Hayato Date and Katsuyuki Sumisawa Talk Show will be posted soon!)
With Saiyuki RELOAD GUNLOCK having ended, most of Japan's anime monthlies have devoted their pages to other things until the next Saiyuki project kicks into gear...but then there's ANIMEDIA. Its December issue included a Noriko Ootake two-page spread of the Sanzo-ikkou enjoying a Christmas feast (above right), and had director Tetsuya Endou and voice actors Toshihiko Seki, Souichirou Hoshi, Hiroaki Hirata and Akira Ishida choose and respond to their favorite messages sent in by fans, and had a write-in lottery for lucky fans to win in-character Christmas presents from Seki (a silver pendant), Hoshi (a cup and package of Chinese tea), Hirata (a Mahjongg board-shaped ashtray) and Ishida (a kitchen cooking timer), AND, best of all, came with a B2-size color poster of Hakkai and Hakuryuu--the third in its series of Sanzo-ikkou posters by Ootake! (A photo of the poster is in the November 16 entry at Journey To The Rest-Area.)
In the Saiyuki RELOAD calender, seven of Minekura-sensei's color works are served up in oversize style. The ZERO SUM ad at below right shows the calendar's brand-new cover art, surrounded by five of its other six pages (the only page not shown has separate head shots of our four). The calendar's 59.4cm by 42cm size allows striking details to be seen that may not have been as noticable when these works first appeared in past ZERO SUM issues...and if you were wowed by the cover image on SAIYUKI OFFROAD, wait 'til you see it several times larger than ever before!
On November 25, Saiyuki scored a media trifecta with simultaneous audio, video and print releases.
Akira Ishida joins in as Hakkai on the pair of mini-dramas that completes the CD's seven tracks. In the first, a nighttime game of Yamanote-Sen--in which each player in turn must come up with a different word to do with a certain topic, without breaking a clapped rhythm--starts off as Gojyo's idea, but is subtly steered by Hakkai (who in his turn makes the topic "Gojyo's Nicknames") to result in Gojyo not only losing, but having to strip and dance naked, too!
Joining the CD in shops' audio-visual sections was Saiyuki RELOAD GUNLOCK Volume 4, containing episodes 11-14. Being released on both DVD and VHS, the volumes are coming out monthly, and will conclude with Volume 7 next February.
There's no such wait to enjoy the series on paper, though. The 80-page "Saiyuki RELOAD GUNLOCK Official Guide"--complete with a Minekura cover, shown at right--features color screencaps and synopses for all 26 episodes, and also includes the script and storyboards for the final episode, Minekura-sensei's detailed designs for Hazel and Gato, interviews with director Tetsuya Endou and with seiyuu Kouichi Toochika (Hazel) and Rikiya Koyama (Gato), and the transcript of a special get-together with Minekura-sensei and seiyuu Seki, Hoshi, Hirata and Ishida!
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As Minekura-sensei pointed out in her online diary entry today, Movic and Frontier Works' longrunning CD drama series has undergone two name changes. The first four were Saiyuki Drama CDs. For Vols. 5 through 10 in the series, the title became Gensomaden Saiyuki Drama CD. The title reverted to Saiyuki Drama CD starting with Vol. 11.
In the meantime, of course, Issaisha has its series of Saiyuki RELOAD Drama CDs underway, offered by mail-order to ZERO-SUM readers. The second CD in this series, "Burial," is planned to ship in mid-December.
Issaisha doesn't have the market cornered on the Saiyuki RELOAD name, though. Movic and Frontier Works, who brought us the three Gensomaden Saiyuki Image Albums and three Gensomaden Saiyuki Vocal Albums, have produced two Saiyuki RELOAD Image Albums and one Saiyuki RELOAD Vocal Album so far...with Saiyuki RELOAD Vocal Album Vol. 2 set for release on November 25!
Minekura-sensei also mentioned that the upcoming "Saiyuki RELOAD GUNLOCK Official Guide" book--also coming out November 25, and covering all of the GUNLOCK anime series--will not only have a new cover she's done, but also include a feature on her get-together with the Sanzo-ikkou's voice actors (alluded to by Toshihiko Seki at the recent Saiyuki RELOAD GUNLOCK Talk Show)!
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Among the highlights was Seki-san's assurance to fans that GUNLOCK was not the last we'll see of Saiyuki animated; it did well and fan support is strong, so Saiyuki will continue. He noted that fireworks are needed for a good story, and that Minekura-sensei has plenty of fireworks planned for the ongoing original manga, so they're looking forward to the future.
Hoshi-san made passing reference to a movie version and was immediately shushed by the other three--as if it was something hoped for but not yet a done deal--but he later provided the scoop that a future drama CD will center on Hakkai, and said that with next year being the tenth anniversary of Saiyuki's creation, it wouldn't be surprising if something was done to commemorate it. (Click HERE for the full Talk Show report!)
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A question about her own favorite characters was inevitable. For "Bus Gamer," she had an immediate answer: Nakajo. But when asked which among the Sanzo-ikkou was her favorite, she said that she considers them a set. After some deliberation, she added that Gojyo feels the most comfortable to her.
When asked what she listens to while working, she explained that when her assistants are with her, they usually listen to the TV. When she's alone, though, she always has headphones on, listening to music. A favorite is The Back Horn; given the chance to choose a song to be played after her interview, she selected The Back Horn's 2001 single "Sora, Hoshi, Umi No Yoru," which she said she has listened to a lot while working.
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Although no other Saiyuki RELOAD anime projects have officially been announced in Japan yet, earlier this year Pierrot president and founder Yuji Nunokawa let slip to the overseas press that the Sanzo-ikkou might not be gone for long. The June 2004 issue of NEWTYPE USA reported, "With the Naruto theatrical release in the works and a possible second Saiyuki movie bound for the big screen in 2005, Nunokawa hopes to produce more theatrical releases linked to PIERROT's TV series."
The October issue of Monthly Comic ZERO-SUM presented "Saiyuki RELOAD"'s new 19-page installment--including three pages of opening color--titled "Act 17, Even a worm-4." (Except last month's installment was called "Act 17, Even a worm-4," too! Maybe the opening title pages were intended for last month...?)
The color page of Hazel has the following English text: "Then he walked over to the coffin and touched it, and the bearers stopped. 'Young man,' he said, 'get up.' Then the dead boy sat up and began to talk to those around him! And Jesus gave him back to his mother. Great fear swept the crowd, and they praised God, saying, 'A mighty prophet has risen among us,' and 'We have seen the hand of God at work today.'"
The non-Sanzo portion of the Sanzo-ikkou has pressing problems as the resurrected townspeople close in with axes and cleavers to kill them some youkai! Sanzo is ultimately drawn into the dilemma too--with a result that will be familiar if you've seen the latter half of Saiyuki RELOAD GUNLOCK #14.
The issue had an exciting announcement: ZERO-SUM is doing a second "Saiyuki RELOAD" drama CD, this time for the "Burial" arc! Priced at 2500 yen and planned to run about 60 minutes, the CD will feature audio dramatizations of the arc's Sanzo, Goku, and Gojyo & Hakkai chapters by the regular voice cast, plus new cover art by Minekura-sensei! The CD is only available by special order direct from ZERO-SUM's publisher, Issaisha; the ordering deadline is October 20.
Details on the contents of Saiyuki RELOAD GUNLOCK Volume 2, coming out on DVD and VHS on September 24, were also disclosed: It'll have four episodes, #3-6. With Volume 7 priced the same as Volume 2, that may indicate plans for the TV series to run 26 episodes rather than 25.
Finally, Zain Records has announced the September 22 release of "Saiyuki RELOAD/Saiyuki RELOAD GUNLOCK TV Sound Collection," a CD gathering nine BGM tracks ("Sanzo's Theme," "Goku's Theme," "Gojyo's Theme," "Hakkai's Theme," "Kougaiji's Theme," "Battle," "Storm in the Winderness," "Great River" and "Setting Sun") and both series' theme songs except "Shiro No Jumon" (probably because "Shiro No Jumon" will have come out on its own CD just one week before, on September 15).
12/18/2004: DRAMA CD RESCHEDULED The 16th Saiyuki drama CD, covering the first half of the Kami-sama arc, has a new title and release date. Initially called "Be Lacking" and slated for December 22, it's now "Lose" and will come out January 26.
12/10/2004: COMIKET CORRECTION Yesterday in her online diary at NITRO, Minekura-sensei made an important correction to her entry on Issaisha's upcoming Comiket goods: While the "Saiyuki RELOAD: Snow Drop" and "Bus Gamer" Drama CDs will be sold there, she said it looks like "Saiyuki RELOAD: Burial" will not. (She also noted that the theme of KOZERO-SUM Vol. 3 itself is "parallel," and so her six-page Saiyuki RELOAD contribution is an all-chara gag story of that sort.)
12/06/2004: LOTS TO GET AT COMIKET! New Saiyuki RELOAD loot will await fans at the Winter Comic Market, one of the biggest events of the year, December 29-30 at Tokyo Big Sight!
In her online diary at NITRO, Minekura-sensei announced that ZERO-SUM publisher Issaisha's booth in the vast Winter Comiket's commercial area will offer new sale goods that include a Saiyuki RELOAD clear poster set; clear mousepads featuring Minekura creations Saiyuki RELOAD, Saiyuki Gaiden and Hachi No Su; and special manga publication KOZERO-SUM Vol. 3, for which she's drawn a six-page, "parallel"-themed Saiyuki RELOAD gag story.
11/30/2004: AUSPICIOUS AUTUMN Fall has brought a flurry of Saiyuki activity, with the Sanzo-ikkou making popular appearances in a variety of forms--posing on posters and wall calendars, performing on CD and DVD, and even starring at the Tokyo International Film Festival!
'Tis the season for wall calendars, and Saiyuki has two superb ones for 2005!
The Saiyuki RELOAD GUNLOCK calendar features the anime-style art of RELOAD/GUNLOCK character designer Noriko Ootake. About a third of its cover page is shown at left (that's all that could fit on the scanner--sorry, Hakkai and Goku...), with the interior six pages providing a memorable look at each member of the Sanzo-ikkou and then two shots of the group.
"Saiyuki RELOAD Vocal Album Vol. 2"--the 10th Saiyuki CD from the D.N Twins-led musical connections that brought us the three Gensomaden Saiyuki Image Albums, three Gensomaden Saiyuki Vocal Albums, two Saiyuki RELOAD Image Albums and first Saiyuki RELOAD Vocal Album--presents Toshihiko Seki, Souichirou Hoshi, Hiroaki Hirata and Takeshi Kusao singing in character in solos "Cherish" (Hoshi as Goku), "One Day" (Hirata as Gojyo), "Preparation" (Seki as Sanzo) and "Brave Soul" (Kusao as Kougaiji), and Seki, Hoshi and Hirata teaming up for "Destination." In her online diary on NITRO, Minekura-sensei declared "Destination" her new favorite of the Saiyuki RELOAD vocal songs (unseating "Waymarks"), and said she created the opening color piece for next month's ZERO-SUM installment as an image of that song. (Anime@nifty 's promotional section currently has samples of the five songs available, playable with Windows Media Player.)
Hakkai also steers the second mini-drama; the trouble is, he's had to drive for such a long stretch, he can't help falling asleep behind the wheel...making for some terrifying times at top speed for his passengers! Gojyo and Goku both try to take over, and Goku's discovery of mysterious buttons leads to Jeep transformations made all the wilder by imagination!
11/07/2004: HERE COMES KAMI-SAMA! Minekura-sensei's official site NITRO has announced that the next two Saiyuki drama CDs will feature the "Kami-sama" arc! The first of the pair, Saiyuki Drama CD Vol. 16 "Be Lacking," is planned for release in Japan on December 22, with the conclusion to follow in 2005.
10/25/2004: FUTURE BRIGHT WITH "FIREWORKS"! Yesterday, on the final day of the Tokyo International Entertainment Market 2004, fans crammed Pierrot's space to see Toshihiko Seki (Sanzo), Souichirou Hoshi (Goku), Hiroaki Hirata (Gojyo) and Akira Ishida (Hakkai) in the "Saiyuki RELOAD GUNLOCK Talk Show," a two-part get-together that was part playful reminiscence and part State Of Saiyuki address.
10/21/2004: PIERROT TO PRESENT GUNLOCK GATHERINGS! Saiyuki seiyuu Toshihiko Seki (Sanzo), Souichirou Hoshi (Goku), Hiroaki Hirata (Gojyo) and Akira Ishida (Hakkai) will be the featured guests on the "Saiyuki RELOAD GUNLOCK Talk Show," a live event to be presented by Pierrot this Sunday! Part of the festivities at the Tokyo International Entertainment Market 2004 in Makuhari Messe, the Gunlock Talk Show will be held in two parts, the first at noon and second at 1:30. Pierrot, a major presence at the Entertainment Market, plans to offer special Saiyuki goods among the items for sale at its booth.
10/20/2004: FESTIVAL FEATURE! Gensomaden Saiyuki: Requiem has been chosen one of the 14 animated films to be shown in the "Declaration of Anime's New Era" portion of the 2004 Tokyo International Film Festival! Hayato Date, who directed Requiem as well as the Gensomaden Saiyuki TV series and Kibou No Zaika Interactive DVD, will be the featured speaker when Requiem is presented on October 29. The Tokyo International Film Festival will be held October 23-31 at Roppongi Hills' Virgin Toho Cinemas.
10/08/2004: RADIO REVELATIONS! Interviewed on tonight's Radio ZERO-SUM broadcast, alto-toned Kazuya Minekura brought listeners some Saiyuki insights in her first-ever radio appearance. Her favorite arc to date has been the "Burial" chapters--but she was quick to add that in the current "Hazel" arc, what she's planning for the manga is much different from the events in the recently concluded anime version!
10/07/2004: MINEKURA SPEAKS! Today on her official site NITRO, Minekura-sensei noted in her online diary that she'd recorded a several-minute guest segment for Radio ZERO-SUM. A weekly radio show that promotes the monthly manga publication in which "Saiyuki RELOAD" is serialized, Radio ZERO-SUM will feature the Minekura segment in the episode slated for broadcast in Japan tomorrow night, October 8, from 9 to 9:30 on Bunka Housou (AM1134 khz)!
10/03/2004: NITRO RENEWAL! September 25 saw the official re-opening of Kazuya Minekura's own homepage, NITRO! Now at new location http://www.minekura.com (follow the banner at right!), the revamped site includes an image gallery, downloadable wallpaper, information on past and ongoing works (Saiyuki Gaiden is in the list of ongoing works, with the notation that it's "serialized irregularly in Comic ZERO-SUM"--there's hope yet!), the scoop on Minekura-sensei's current workload and related projects (such as the 2005 Saiyuki RELOAD manga art calendar, 2005 Saiyuki RELOAD GUNLOCK anime art calendar, and the 15th Saiyuki drama CD, which will feature the Kinkaku/Ginkaku arc), and her online diary, too. Check it out!
8/31/2004: FALL FINISH FOR GUNLOCK With new show Mai - HiME set to take its timeslot September 30, Saiyuki RELOAD GUNLOCK will conclude next month after what's likely to be a full run of 26 episodes. Finalized details will be published in Japan's anime monthlies that come out September 10. (The fold-out pin-up poster at right is from the September 2004 ANIMAGE that came out August 10, by the way.)
Meanwhile, rolling strongly along in its original manga form, "Saiyuki RELOAD" is set to spawn a fourth volume on September 25. As with past volumes, the book will be distributed by Studio DNA for Issaisha.
This new chapter features Jeep Thrills a'plenty--complete with the answer to that burning question, "What would Jeep do if Hakkai was steering the vehicle blind into sure disaster?"
Also in this ZERO-SUM issue were a six-way interview with the seiyuu of the Sanzo-ikkou and rivals Hazel and Gato (Will the series really end with the six riding off together in the jeep?! ;^) ), and the news that a Saiyuki RELOAD GUNLOCK "online action game" from Getamped will start September 1 at http://saiyuuki.gungho.jp (our four in their game forms are shown below).
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There's just no way she can--but the new September ZERO-SUM shows her strategy to stay on top: Rather than rehash, she's keeping things fresh, taking readers down a path not seen in the anime!
Afterwards, with Hakkai relegated to bed by the tremendously draining effort, the Sanzo-ikkou receives a neighborly visit from Hazel and Gato (who, Goku later realizes, has regained the arm they'd seen a youkai cut off before). Hazel, now the toast of the town, finds Buddhist Sanzo to be quite a curiosity, and explains that he's come to Tougenkyou from a country on a continent to the west, to save humans from being harmed by youkai. He explains that his abilities aren't common where he comes from, just something original to himself--and when asked if he can also put human souls into youkai, he sees no reason to. He and Gato leave cheerfully enough...but outside, when Gato observes that the three with Sanzo don't seem bad, Hazel's disapproval is quick and cold: youkai are youkai.
The issue also included (besides its lead scoop that Yun Kouga's manga Loveless will be animated!) an interview with voice actors Kouichi Toochika (Hazel) and Rikiya Koyama (Gato), more details on the "Saiyuki RELOAD GUNLOCK" game for PlayStation2 that comes out August 5 (Hazel and Gato will be in it!), and news that eight Saiyuki RELOAD shitajiki--six regular boards plus two "secret" ones, all featuring Minekura art--are available in Character Box goods machines in Animate shops now, for 300 yen a try!
Saiyuki RELOAD will soon have another new CD: The preview for next month's ZERO-SUM mentions that ordering information for a second Saiyuki RELOAD drama CD will be available then! (The first one, featuring dramatizations of "3 Years Ago" and "Snow Drop," is planned to ship next month.)
A major announcement in the September 2002 and September 2003 ZERO-SUM issues, but notably absent this year, was the notice of an official live Saiyuki event. "Gensomaden Saiyuki Memorial" was held September 15, 2002, while "Saiyuki RELOAD Revolver Revolution" was held September 14, 2003. (Prior to that, the first event, "Gensomaden Saiyuki Summer Illusion," was August 22, 2000, while 2001 had a pair of events, "Gensomaden Saiyuki Spring Illusion" on April 7 and "Gensomaden Saiyuki Summer Illusion on the Movie" on June 24.)
However, reader Emlyn Moon wrote to say that in the June 2004 issue of NEWTYPE USA, Pierrot is said to be considering a second Saiyuki movie for 2005. (Nothing has been mentioned about this in the Japanese anime monthlies to date or ZERO-SUM--but then again, Pierrot alluded to what turned out to be the Saiyuki RELOAD anime series at last July's Anime Expo in California, a month and a half before it was announced in Japan!) So it could be that the event will happen later this year or early next, as a "So long, GUNLOCK; hello, new movie plans!" celebration.
Interestingly, a specific length for the currently airing Saiyuki RELOAD GUNLOCK series has also not been announced yet. A seven-volume DVD release is planned for GUNLOCK, just as RELOAD had--but while the RELOAD announcement listed which episodes would be on what volumes, that information is missing from the GUNLOCK announcement. The first DVD volume of RELOAD had just the first episode--but the first DVD volume of GUNLOCK, which will come out August 25, will have the first two episodes. Does that mean GUNLOCK will run 26 episodes, instead of 25 like RELOAD? Maybe the details are still being worked out, or the possibility of extending the run (as happened with Gensomaden Saiyuki, first announced as nine volumes and then extended to 17) is being explored...who knows? With October being the next season for new shows to start, things will be finalized soon--but 'til then, it's fun to hope!
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This page was created December 18, 2004. Last updated August 2, 2005.
This page's text and source code are copyright Kagenami Q. DO NOT USE WITHOUT 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.
8/09/2004: FUTURE TUNES According to doa's official website, September 15 will see the CD release of "Shiro No Jumon." The Saiyuki RELOAD GUNLOCK end theme will be joined by two other songs on the GIZA Studio CD single: "Mienai Umi" and a third track yet to be named.
7/30/2004: CATCHING UP The arrival of Hazel and Gato has complicated more than the lives of our heroes. This arc started almost identically in the Saiyuki RELOAD manga and GUNLOCK anime--but with a single anime episode able to gobble up two months of manga territory at a time, how could Minekura-sensei match that pace?
To backtrack to last month's 26-page third installment of "Even a Worm"...A youkai attack brings the Sanzo-ikkou a startling look at Hazel Gurousu and his towering protector, Gato, in action. Hazel is able to (spoiler--highlight to read!) gather the souls of the youkai Gato kills into his pendant, and then direct that energy into dead humans to resurrect them! With Bishop Hazel busy with the dead, every bit of Hakkai's own abilities are needed to heal all the wounded townspeople.
Which brings us to the September issue, with its Minekura cover of Hazel and Sanzo in a striking display of cause and effect. This month's installment is short and a bit tricky to find--its 17 pages were switched in the Table Of Contents with those of Weiss Side B-- but a thrill ride while it lasts! Poor ailing Hakkai is left alone in bed at the inn as the rest go out shopping for provisions. Goku and Gojyo--and Sanzo too, by default--discover the lasting effects of Hazel's work, with resurrected townspeople muttering "Kill youkai!" like a mantra and closing in, nice sharp cleavers in hand...
Meanwhile, sick and disoriented, Hakkai is in a desperate race for his life, hunted by axe-wielding attackers within the inn...!
Another recent release was "Saiyuki RELOAD Vocal Album Vol. 1." Debuting on July 23, this first of two planned Reload vocal CDs is from the same musical connections as the earlier Image Albums and Vocal Albums, and features five songs sung by the voice actors in character: "Waymarks" (Sanzo, Goku, Gojyo), "Wing Area" (Goku solo), "There Is" (Goku and Gojyo duet), "Spirit" (Kougaiji solo), and "Trigger" (Sanzo solo). Two drama tracks round out the CD; the first features silliness in stereo at a matsuri, with Goku slyly getting Sanzo to try a shooting gallery on one side and Hakkai and Gojyo's posturing about their goldfish-catching prowess taking a scary turn on the other. In the second drama track, a bad tooth has convinced Goku that he's going to die--and it also convinces Sanzo that now's the time for the group to eat at a fancy restaurant!
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