Product Details

• Format: Animated, Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English, Japanese
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: Unrated
• Studio: Adv Films
• DVD Release Date: April 29, 2003
• Run Time: 125 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00008G8P8
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #194,163 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

This long-running animated series is based on Minekura Kazuya's popular manga adaptation of the landmark Chinese novel Journey to the West. Little remains of the original story of a monk traveling to India to obtain the Buddhist sutras, attended by three supernatural beings. A secret effort to raise the demon-lord Gyumoah has caused demons to attack humans in Shangri-La. Sanjo Genjo is dispatched to prevent this resurrection. He takes three obstreperous half-demons as servant-companions: tough-talking, chain-smoking Sha Goyjo; Cho Hakkai, whose pet dragon turns into a jeep; and eternally hungry Son Goku. (Dragon Ball is also loosely based on Journey.) The oddball quartet travels from place to place, fighting demons and helping people. The plot includes numerous anachronisms and lots of action, but little coherent storytelling. The extremely limited animation consists primarily of camera moves over still artwork. (Rated 15 and older: violence, profanity, risqué humor, tobacco and alcohol use) --Charles Solomon

Product Description

SAIYUKI VOL 1:JOURNEY BEGINS - DVD Movie

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Extremely limited animation?, June 20, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Saiyuki - Journey Begins (Vol 1) - with Series Box and T-Shirt (DVD)

I suspect that the Amazon review only watched the first episode, which does, in fact, feature still shot fight scenes. The rest of the series is not like that at all. The lack of coherent storyline comment is also erroneous. Saiyuki is made up of several short story arcs and stand-alone episodes, but the basic story is quite clear and easy to pick up on.

I found both the subbed and dubbed versions entertaining; despite violence and the dark tone, this is a funny series. All four main characters have interesting pasts and sharply defined characters, and they soon feel like old friends.

Son Goku shares the same basic characteristics here that he does in the original "Journey to the West", Dragonball, and all the other stories he's appeared in: he's eternally hungry, an excellent fighter, and he has a feral, almost uncontrollable side which could be dangerous to his friends. He's also adorable. Don't be misled into thinking this has anything to do with Dragonball (a series I'm also fond of).

Anyway, there's 5 eps per disc and 50 eps total, plus a gorgeous movie and 2 OVAs, so go ahead and take the plunge! Saiyuki is great fun.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You gotta start somewhere, November 25, 2003

By 

"chiefraz1" (Watervliet, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Saiyuki - Journey Begins (Vol 1) - with Series Box and T-Shirt (DVD)

The Journey to the West has been done in hundreds of differant ways with this being one of the latest versions. Is's nice to see Sanzo being this sexy dude with an attitude, instead of a wimp who breaks down into tears when things go wrong. Actually I like the English dubbing, the voices are just fine to me and by watching both the english and japanese versions of the story, gives one a better appriciation for the differances in culture and how the story is perseved.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Saiyuki!!, May 25, 2003

By 

M. Gordon "rhyein" (Bellefontaine, OH USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Saiyuki - Journey Begins (Vol 1) - with Series Box and T-Shirt (DVD)

I have had a copy of this anime for the longest time and didn't get around to watching it until recently, and it is one of the BEST animes I have EVER seen in a LONG time! The characters are fun and interesting, they make you want to keep watching, just to see what will happen to them, and to learn more about them. There is a nice balance of comedy and drama, and there is an interesting plot along with many other fascinating subplots.

It's based on a Chinese myth, but don't think you need to know chinese folklore just to understand it. It's great and I recommend it to ANY anime fan!