Saturday, September 1, 2007

Saiyuki Characters....

Genjo Sanzo, Cho Hakkai, Son Goku and Sha Gojyo
Plot: Saiyuki is the story of four reluctant - and irreverent - anti-heroes: the monk Genjyo Sanzo (or "Genjyo"), the monkey-youkai Son Goku, the half-youkai Sha Gojyo, and the man turned youkai Cho Hakkai, dispatched by the Sanbutsushin to India to stop the possible resurrection of the Bull-Demon-King, Gyumaoh. Along the way they are beset by (inept) assassins, bad weather, and their tragic personal pasts. Meanwhile, the villains, two unlikely confidants, Gyokumen Koushou (Gyumaoh's concubine, a youkai) and a mad scientist, Dr. Ni Jenyi (a human), continue their attempts to restore the long-dead king. These experiements, a forbidden mixture of science and magic, spawn the "Minus Wave", infecting all youkai in Shangri-La with madness, shattering the fragile peace that once existed between human and youkai. As the violence escalates, it's up to these four misfits to save the world. Eventually.

Characters:
Genjo Sanzo: He is generally called "Sanzo" by his traveling companions, although his full title is "The 31st of China, Genjo Sanzo". A brutal, worldly man, he doesn't fit the stereotypical image of the passive, or pacifist, cleric. Disregarding basic Buddhist principles, he smokes like a chimney, drinks like a fish, gambles, swears like a sailor, and generally follows his own path. Sanzo is a cold, rational thinker and somewhat aloof. Arrogant and short tempered, he nonetheless prefers to remain above the melee unless the situation is desperate. He is strongly opinionated, and despite his terse demeanor, highly moralistic and quick to defend the weak. His primary weapon is a five-shot Smith and Wesson revolver, which he wields as an expert marksman and is rarely without in combat. A secondary "weapon" is the holy sutra he carries on his shoulders, the Maten Sutra ("scripture of darkness"). Last but not least, he's often quick to whip out his harisen (paper fan) and whack his way through the occasional interparty conflict (usually Goku).

Cho Hakkai: Cho Hakkai, formerly known as Cho Gonou. Though originally human, Hakkai became a youkai (and had his name changed) after he slaughtered the youkai of the Hyakugenmaoh tribe (According to Japanese legend, a human can become a youkai after bathing in the blood of a thousand youkai) for the kidnap and rape of his beloved sister and "wife," Kanan. Not much is known about his past, except that he was orphaned at a young age. He is polite and soft-spoken with a deceptively innocent demeanor. He is often the straight and responsible man of the group, known for his dry observations and aphorisms in the heat of combat. Hakkai¡¯s primary weapon is his ki, a type of metaphysical energy, which in his case can also be used to heal injuries. He wears a monocle over his (artificial) right eye, the remnant of a self-inflicted injury sustained shortly after his dealings with Hyakugenmoah's tribe. His youkai limiter takes the form of ear bands on his left ear.

Sha Gojyo: Half youkai, half human, Sha Gojyo belongs to both worlds and to neither. His blood-red hair and eyes express his status as a half-blood, and he's often labeled taboo and unclean in general society. Part kappa (a water demon) and wholly a ladies' man, he can be friendly and easy-going until someone or something offends his innate sense of justice. As he was an abused child, he's quick to defend and fight for lost or wayward children, often without concern for his own well-being. He smokes and drinks almost as much as Sanzo, fights constantly with Goku, and never passes up a chance to woo the ladies. And in the beginning of the story it is explained that Gojyo is looking for someone in particular. His primary weapon is named a shakujo, although it is really a Chinese yu¨¨y¨¢ch¨£n, a double-headed staff with one blade shaped like a crescent moon (yu¨¨y¨¢) and the other a shovel (ch¨£n).

Son Goku: Though often referred to as a youkai, and rarely as a god, Goku is really neither. From his illustrious roots in the Classic novel, Journey to the West by Wu Cheng'en, to his downsized, but nonetheless unforgettable characterization in Minekura's Saiyuki, Goku has always been a study in contradiction. He was born from rock of primordial chaos, and is nearly indestructible. His youkai form, known as Seiten Taisei (or "Great Sage, Equal to Heaven"), is revealed when his golden diadem is removed or broken. While in his youkai form, Goku is perhaps the most formidable of the party, but also completely lacks reason, self-control, and the ability to discern friend from foe. In homage to his origin as the Monkey King, he is at turns child-like and ingenious, often at the same time. He is also apparently immortal. In this anime/manga series he is imprisoned for 500 years without food or water, and somehow survives. Perhaps this is why he often complains of being hungry. Aside from his well-known appetite, Goku likes to fight and is nearly undefeated in combat. His primary weapon is a long staff, called Ru Yi Bang, (nyoi-b¨­u) in Japanese, which can be shortened or lengthened at will or turned into a three sectional staff (nyoi-sansetsukon).

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