Yo! Uni again, here with another topic for everyone.

I was just wondering if we have any fans of the Saiyuki series here. Me, I've been reading this series for over four years now. XD It's not over, but that's mainly because it comes out a bit slow. (That really is an understatement...) It has beautiful art and a wonderful cast of characters.

I'm one of those people who searches for those oh-so-hard-to-find scanlations for it because, for some reason, no one really does it. It makes me sad that I can't read it all that often. (Especially with Saiyuki Gaiden almost over...)

This series is proof that even a simple plot can be amazing with the right characters in it.

Anyone else a fan?

I have to say that i've never read or heard very much about it, but isn't it about the basic story that inspired the DB franchise?

Yes, it is. It follows the story though. (Somewhat anyway...) It just changes the characters around a lot. It's one of those manga that I try to make everyone read because I like it that much. It is very epic.

is there a place I can check it out online? I've never heard of it before, but I'm willing to at least look into it.

Well, like I said, the scans are a bit hard to come by. in fact, I've only found them in one place.

Manga Fox

I haven't read this series off of this website though. (I own them so I don't have too.) They also have most of the chapters for Saiyuki Reload and Saiyuki Gaiden. Again, both of those are very hard to come by. (Especially Gaiden because it isn't licensed in the US yet...)

ohh, okay. So then it'd be hard for me to get a hold of it to read then.

Well, all nine volumes of the first series are out in the US. They're releasing Reload too and you don't really have to read Gaiden at all to get the plot. Gaiden is a little like the DGM: Reverse novels. It's all back story. It's good to read them, but you don't have too.

ohh, okay. what company publishes them?

Tokyopop does it.

okay, it shouldn't be too remarkable hard for me to find then, tho I do live in a small town, which makes me lose points on the chart of Anime and Manga selections.

Well, it's starting to get old so it can be a little hard to find the first volumes. I really do recommend the series though.

Have you seen any of the Saiyuki anime?

Indeed. In fact, I own all 50 episodes, as well as the 26 episodes of Reload and the 26 episodes of Gunlock, along with Requiem, the movie.

It's not nearly as good as the manga. (A great deal of the beauty and detail of the art is lost I'm afraid... T_T ) But I still like it a lot.

So your a fan then lol.

It looks good i reckon i might check out the manga and the anime. Does the anime differ or does it stay pretty true?

Well, the first 25 episodes are pretty much right on with the manga, with a filler here and there. After that, it's all filler for the next 25. I think they made that arc for the sole sake of being able to get the first volume of Gaiden in there somewhere...

But it does contain the omake where they're all fighting over a bed. Funny, funny stuff.

Let's see... Reload is mostly filler too, except for the end arc, but it's good filler a lot of the time. (Ahh... The Youkai Sanzo episode... Priceless...) Gunlock... Hmm... That's mostly filler except for the beginning and the first part of the last arc. (But the episode about the haunted board game is hilarious.)

Anyway, the point of all that was to say that it doesn't stick to the manga very well, but it's good anyway.