THE MANGA
written & illustrated by: kazuya minekura
published by: square enix (1997–2002)
ichijinsha (2002–present)
SAIYUKI
february 18, 1997 – november 2001
SAIYUKI RELOAD
march 28, 2002 – june 27, 2009
SAIYUKI RELOAD BLAST
december 28, 2009 – present
SAIYUKI GAIDEN
may 1999 – may 16, 2009
SAIYUKI IBUN
september 16, 2009 – may 16, 2013 (on hiatus)
THE ANIME
GENSOUMADEN SAIYUKI
original airdate: april 4, 2000 – march 27, 2001studio: pierrot
directed by: hayato date
episodes: 50
SAIYUKI RELOAD
original airdate: october 2, 2003 – march 2, 2004studio: pierrot
directed by: tetsuya endo
episodes: 25
SAIYUKI RELOAD GUNLOCK
original airdate: april 1, 2004 – september 23, 2004studio: pierrot
directed by: tetsuya endo
episodes: 26
SAIYUKI RELOAD ZEROIN
original airdate: january 6, 2022 – march 31, 2022studio: liden films
directed by: misato takada
episodes: 13
SAIYUKI RELOAD BLAST
original airdate: july 5, 2017 – september 20, 2017studio: platinum vision
directed by: hideaki nakano
episodes: 12
THE MOVIE
SAIYUKI: REQUIEM
release date: august 18, 2001runtime: 95 min.
directed by: hayato date & yuji moriyama
studio: pierrot
the saiyuki series holds a very special place in my heart! i've been keeping up with it off and on since 2002, when i was 8 years old. i don't remember how we got onto it, but we pirated a lot of anime back in the day, and my mom and i watched all of gensoumaden and reload together. just recently, my wife and i watched the entire series and it was so fun! when i was a kid, my favorite character was hakkai, but as an adult, it's 100% sanzo. it's been so cool watching the development of these characters, the story, and the art over more than twenty years. ♥
if you like adventure, hot boys, deep emotional bonds coupled with complete emotional constipation, demons, weird magic, hot boys, tragic back stories, and/or road trips, this story is for you!