Customer Reviews

Saiyuki: Complete Seasons 1 & 2

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Saiyuki is one of my favorite anime series, but I was disappointed in this collection for one reason -- none of the extras from the earlier release have been included. This is particularly unfortunate for the Cultural Notes which add a lot to the viewer's understanding of the legend that the series is based on. The collection does include all of the 50 episodes in a box that won't take up much room on your shelf and for a very reasonable price. But I would have been willing to pay a little more and have the extras included also.

OK, this is the first anime series I ever purchased, so I am a bit biased. Only after seeing other series - and a few episodes of Saiyuki Reload, do I think my bias is not entirely misplaced. Rumor has it that women are the biggest fans, so I guess, I'm guilty. I understand why women like the program. The plot is pretty simple: 4 somewhat flawed, handsome young men with attitude trying to save the world. And the whole concept of the "bad guys" being sympathetic is something I agree with and rarely see. The characters are interesting.

I've read some other reviews that say Sensomaden Saiyuki does not have enough character development. I would somewhat disagree. My flippant answer would be to say, "It's a lightweight action, comedy series, how much do you need?" Then I would ask, "Did you not listen to the Merciful Goddess who points out continually that no matter how many times these souls are reincarnated, they do not change? They continually live their lives as they choose." Here's a hint though, there are some small changes in "Reload". Spend these 50 episodes enjoying the journey and look at the subtleties in the relationships between characters.

Visually the first two or three episodes are a little rough, but things smooth out before you get to the second disc.

Since it was my first series, I am guilty of watching them over and over. I find I can take them seriously or view them as fluff. It has inspired an interest to read "Journey to the West", which I think should be a compliment.

Seasons 1 and 2 were Dubbed in English by ADV Films. While the translation may not be perfect, the voice casting was excellent. I happened to have purchased Saiyuki Reload Vocal Album V.2 that aside from the music has two scenes from the series. I could identify the characters speaking Japanese simply because I knew the ADV English versions so well. The voice tonal qualities are so close. I never noticed it when I just watched the shows in Japanese with subtitles.

I look forward to the continuing journey in Japanese with Reload and Gunlock. I am not as sure I like the English dub as well. Only time will tell.

I do also recommend Gensomaden Saiyuki: Requiem if you cannot get enough. It's a nice expanded episode with the last of the ADV production. The English cast interviews were a nice surprise.

Having watched a few episodes of this series we became intrigued. I purchased from a seller associated through Amazon here, but got the product brand new, unopened for less than half the price. Shipping was prompt.

The quality of the DVDs seem very good. Sound a picture are excellent. The thin packaging is a boone! However, it has only 3 language settings and every one displays subtitles! We attempted to change the settings on multiple DVDs and still could not rid ourselves of the subtitles which is incredibly distracting and ruins the enjoyment of watching the show.

If you've seen the series on t.v.(Channel G4 on Cox Digital) you know most of the series is around the four characters Genjo Sanzo(A powerful spiritual priest with a nasty disposition and sarcastic mentality), Cho Hakkai(The most level-headed of the quartet who was once human but became a demon after killing the demon who raped his fiancee and his minions), Sha Gojyo(A half human/demon who is a great ladies charmer, drinker, and gambler but has a sad lonely past because his mother couldn't except his mixed heritage and hated him), and finally Son Goku(A demon whose appetite for food holds no limits he was imprisoned for an unknown crime an was freed by Genjo Sanzo). The short story plot is for some unknown reason the harmony between demons and humans has been shattered and now the demons are attacking humans everywhere as such the spiritual leaders order Sanzo and his friends to find the reason why this is happening and try an restore the harmony between demons and humans. The animation isn't bad as it's pretty clear and sharp but like some reviewers have said it's somewhat annoying when you see the fight scenes. What I mean is when you see them battle there is no actual movement to much but still cut-scenes like if Goku throws a punch it shows as Goku with his character drawn with his fist raised and the next scene his enemy on the his back on the ground but no other actual animation movements. So again don't expect to see any movement in the fight scenes to much but just still shots and the action sounds of the battle instead. Still if you don't mind that to much the rest of the series is still pretty good with a lot of other characters that you come to like through the series as well. The audio was great though I liked who they got to play the quartet for the dubbed version as well as the main villains as well and as always the Japanese voice actors did a superb job as well. So if you like your fighting animes with a touch of humor and drama this series might be a good pick for your collection...

Wow talk about never getting bored. Saiyaki is one of those animes IMO you like from the first few minutes of it. It's so colorful and with an COOOL story to match. Saiyuki is also for adults. So make sure the young kids don't walk in the room while watching it.
Back to the story one word AWESOME! Sometimes when I'm watching a TV show I get bored and I watch the clock, I can honestly say that didn't happen watching this Anime! Everytime a esp ended I just watched the next one wanting to see what would happen next!
Oh and the music is so catchy! My favorite is the second season opening theme song. The series is Very Funny and Action Packed! =) And BRAVO to the Dubbed cast ADV did a GREAT job with this one! Everybody matched their character perfectly! This is what anime is all about! ^_^

I laughed my ass off. I know it's not a comedy but all the guys try to act supercool, cursing and smoking. Not a kid DVD. I thought it had some homosexual undertones. But I live in America where guys are not supposed to express emotion, so I'm a bit warped.
These guys with cool fighting powers band together to face the ultimate evil. Sigh. I also laughed because the boobs on every single girl were drawn the same. Even the little girl.
you might like it if your sense of humor is warped like mine. At the end you are ready to say good-bye to them all and never see this video again. Very misogynistic.

Saiyuki is one of the best anime's i have ran into in a while, its funny and entertaining. i am extremely disappointed in the fact that they arent making em any more but ill take what i can get.

i bought this cause i saw it on tv and found out how alike me and my friends are to them!!!!!!!!!! its scary how alike we are and i say to everyone to watch this show.

This is a awesome anime its full of interesting characters.As well as interesting plots to every episode.I enjoy the "sanzo group" because they all have there own personal demons o face in a way.

No extras so it's to much money for this. i want the extras.Ok I got this series long before it even came out to the US, but waited to make a review till I got the english version to. I loved the japanese version with the english subs. You often have to give it to the japanese voice actors, they can also do a outstanding job on showing the true emotions of the characters. I love this series so much. 4 hot bad a** guys are suppose to save the world and try to stay alive doing so day by day when demons attack. One is the priest and the other 3 are half breed demons. Kwel something worth watching that is funny, action pack and sometimes they show feelings. This series was so funny in english and japanese, but I normally watch in english bein that I can only understand that kind of language.DUH.
1). english version was a 6 out of 10.
I didn't like Hakkai's voice in english it should of been more gentle. the guy sounded to deep and it just didn't work for me, but everyone else was ok, but Sanzo did cuss alot more than in the japanese version. I really didn't feel for the english which was really weird dudes 7 chicks.

2) japanese with subtitles was 9 out of 10.
I loved the japanese version better really. The actors in the japanese version just moved me and drawed me in to everything they said. But they had subs for the english version subs and the japanese version subs. Awesome i thought them putting the real version that was made with the remake version subs was a good idea.

Good job ADV films. Everynow and then you guys can do a good job, but mostly not always and you guys always leave out the extras in the thin packs, like yet again this and even the anime series Getbackers which is pretty good but also recommend it mostly to girls really. It's got alot of hotty bad boy guys again in that series, but it was a good series.

All in all this series is something to watch but if you are a type of person who does both english and japanese languages please do the english first cause you probably get upset too, when you find out your sweet, nice guy with a smile, that his the perfect sweet gentle voice changes in a some what smart a** jerk that has a deeper sound and doesn't have that right feel for the character. Anyways GREAT ANIME and the MUSIC IS AWESOME for the first and second season I thought. I got the entire collections of cds which are hard to find now and rare cds. Check out my other reviews I also write about manga and you might see a cd in there every now and then. Ok later
I really laughed on this series and alot of action. the guys are awesome.