Saiyuki Saiyubito Illustrations
Big squishy hugs to veronicacode for all the images once again!!!
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One who combines both light and dark - Genjyo Sanzo
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He is the 31st Sanzo priest of the Toua line, Genjyo. Successor to both the “Maten Scripture” and the “Seiten Scripture”, he is the youngest highest-ranking priest in the history of Shangri-la. Nothing is known about his birth. Send down the river in a small boat soon after being born, he was picked up by the previous Sanzo priest, Koumyou, given the childhood name of “Kouryuu”, and raised at Kinzan Temple. The night the 12-year-old was named the next Sanzo priest, the temple was attacked; he saw Koumyou Sanzo killed by youkai before his eyes. He descended the mountain n order to retrieve the Seiten Sutra that had been stolen at the same time as the incident occurred and began chasing its whereabouts. In the four years spent wandering, he protected his life with a small handgun from the dangers thrown his way. He arrived at Chang’an, where he had an audience with the Three Aspects. Through a series of unexpected events, the biggest temple to the East of Shangri-la, which had asked for help, became his responsibility. Sanzo, after meeting Goku and becoming bad friends with Gojyo and Hakkai, received information from the Three Aspects stating “the Seiten Scripture is at Houtou Castle”; he then took the three with him when he left for India to stop the Gyuumaoh revival experiment.
Currently he is 24 years old. He is approximately 176 centimeters tall. Thin, and at first glance seems elegantly luxurious, but is unexpectedly muscular. He has a handsome face, golden hair and violet eyes, but is unsociable and there is usually a wrinkle between his eyebrows. He curses so much you wouldn’t think him one of the highest ranking priests; is rough; arrogant; and atrocious. He hits people he doesn’t like with the paper fan, and shoots at people in his way with his gun, all without pardon. He has enough will to kill and expertise with guns that he’s been supposed a “shura or rasetsu” demon, but is lazy and actually the slow to start type. If possible, he would like to spend his days away from bothersome things. Although he doesn’t always get on well with his teammates, as the group’s leader he has their confidence. However, he isn’t really trusted. The only words he took from his revered master - “Hold nothing”, have been reinterpreted and that is the belief he follows. He is a heavy smoker and a drinker, smokes Marlboros. He seems fond of the soft cases.
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One who understands the invisible void - Son Goku
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Born of the giant stone at the summit of the Flower-Fruit Mountain that was said to be the essence of Shangri-la, he is an unprecedented heretical being. He has the golden eyes symbolic of disaster and possesses unknown powers; fearing this, Heaven dragged him before Kanzeon Bosatsu, where he spent his early childhood days in Heaven with his guardian, Konzon Douji. However, caught up in an incident in Heaven, Goku’s true form was revealed. That form was the demon made legend for having powers equaling that of a god - “Seiten Taisei”, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven. Goku, who slaughtered the Heavenly Army with his rampaging power, was caught in a trap and marked with the brand of “traitor”, and lost his companions one after the other. After, he was banished from Heaven and, along with all his memories, was sealed away in the stone prison on the Mountain of Five Elements where, all alone, he spent years so long as to be incomprehensible. 500 years passed, and he remained there until meeting Genjyo Sanzo.
Because time had been stopped within the stone prison, he is currently 19 years old. He is approximately 165 centimeters tall, with golden acorn eyes and unruly brown hair. His forehead is fitted with a gold diadem; this is the power limiter that suppresses his great youkai power. He both appears and acts younger than his age suggests and, like a young boy, is vivacious and pure-hearted. He hates things he can’t understand even more than he hates twisted things. Even though he still hasn’t regained his memories of Heaven, he still has an extreme reaction to “losing” something. His appetite is bottomless, as though trying to regain those 500 years in which he couldn’t eat or drink. Among his companions he is called Idiot Monkey or Midget Monkey, but it is certain that he is the brace that connects the four damaged members of the Sanzo Ikkou.
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One who lives with crimson shackles - Sha Gojyo
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He is a “taboo child” born of the relations between humans and youkai forbidden in Shangri-la. His youkai father had another family, and Gojyo’s mother was that lover. When he was three years old he got caught up in his parents’ double suicide but, surviving that, Gojyo was placed in the care of the family his father had left behind. Even while taking the persistent abuse from his step-mother, he admirably continued to seek love. However, when Gojyo was 12 years old his step-mother cut him with a knife and, just when he had prepared himself for death, his step-brother Jien saved him. Consumed by guilt over raising his hand against his own mother, Gojyo’s older brother disappeared. After being left alone once again, Gojyo became a wild rogue, wandering the country. He dirtied his hands in larceny and gambling, and sometimes made a living being something like a pimp. Amid days spent fighting he fell into the bad company of Banri, and practically welcomed the descent into lazy days. The under-handed Banri disappeared and, one rainy night during his once more solitary life, he picked up a man rolling in a pool of blood in the forest.
Currently he is 23 years old. He is approximately 184 centimeters tall, rather long-bodied but comparatively thin. He has the crimson eyes and hair marking a taboo child; in addition to having a flashy appearance, he has a nasty look and a foul mouth, so his character appears quite bad… But, he isn’t a bad person at heart, and cares about his companions. Although he’s made a hobby of seducing women, if anything is the caring big brother loved by children.
He is repeatedly called “Good for nothing” or “Pervy kappa”, but he would be solidly kicked if he were to disappear (laughs)
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One who engraves a warning into his name - Cho Hakkai
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A youkai man who used to be human, his real name is Cho Gonou. When he was young his parents divorced; he was temporarily in the custody of his mother, but was abandoned to spend his childhood days in an orphanage. Growing up always reading books, he was highly knowledgeable and falsely mature from a young age; to all outward appearances he was a complete recluse. He never socialized with the Sisters, must less the children his own age at the orphanage. He was a mean child who, as though repulsed by the smiles surrounding him, never smiled. Assuming he could only love himself, he believed that the only one he could share his heart and his body with was his elder twin sister*, separated from him at birth. He left the orphanage at 16 years old, and on scholarship entered a graduate school with a dormitory. There, for the first time in is life, he met a woman for whom he held affection: the twin sister separated from him at birth, Kanan. All the while knowing it was unforgivable, the two were attracted to each other and began a modest life together. But while Gonou was away at the teaching job he had just begun, Kanan was abducted by the youkai Hyakuganmaoh. Driven mad by the year it took to reach Hyakuganmaoh’s lair, Gonou massacred the youkai within the castle. Kanan was carrying Hyakuganmaoh’s child when the two were finally reunited, and she committed suicide before Gonou’s eyes. Gonou was transformed into a youkai by his anger, sadness, and loss, and as though completely entrapped by the need to atone for everything, a vine pattern appeared all over his body. Dying, chased by the sin of mass murder, he ended up by the side of a man with hair and eyes like blood.
Currently he is 23 years old. He is approximately 180 centimeters tall, of medium build. He has burnt brown hair and eyes green as a lake, but because he previously gouged out his own eye, the right eye is fake. He is the only sociable, soft-mannered one among the Sanzo Ikkou, and at first glance is a refreshingly good young man. In truth he is quite the strange one, with a dark underside. Among the companions who know him well he is feared as a shadow bully. While delicate on the inside, he is unexpectedly passionate and manly.
*Just an interesting tidbit. Unlike in America, in Japan (and in Italy, I just found out) the elder twin is the one who is born second. I’ve heard two slightly contradictory reasons for this: (1) the second-born twin is on top in the womb and thus higher ranking; or (2) the second-born twin had to wait to come out, so it’s only fair (?) to switch it around and make him/her the elder.
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Gat
A man from the Eastern continent, he visited Shangri-la with Hazel. He is a dead man brought back to life by Hazel’s reanimation technique; the perfectionist Hazel is his world; he was a “human”, but at this point in time he can’t elaborate on that experience. He travels with Hazel as the man’s bodyguard, and takes Hazel’s commands as absolute. He has a huge body over two meters tall, strong arms, and quick movements. He defeats youkai with his pair of highly accurate handguns, and will sacrifice his own body to protect Hazel. When he loses his life in battle doing so, he is revived by Hazel’s reanimation technique.
He has the yellow eyes specific to those who have been reanimated, and the scar on his forehead remains that was given to him by Hazel during life. He doesn’t require sleep or food, or anything else related to living. (This doesn’t mean that he has no desire for them, simply that they are “unnecessary”) He is extremely silent and expressionless, but his is a pacifist and has a good-natured heart. He thinks of Goku, who nonchalantly connected with him, as a friend, apparently.
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Hazel Grouse
He’s a foreigner from the rich Western continent who crossed an ocean to visit Shangri-la. His dress is that of the church, but in actuality he follows in the footsteps of the man who was both father and ‘master’ to him, and exterminates monsters. When he was a child, his master was killed by monsters, so he now holds in his heart a persistent need for revenge and a sense of hatred. He heard the story of Shangri-la from Ukoku, whom he met in the past. Knowing that Shangri-la is now under the rule of youkai, he traveled there with his bodyguard Gat in order to send all youkai into extinction.
He has a special revival technique through which he can replace souls. He uses the souls of the youkai he’s defeated to revive those humans who died by youkai-inflicted wounds. It is currently unknown as to where and when he gained that ability. He has lost one portion of his childhood memories.
He is a beautiful young man with silver hair, blues eyes, and a neutral countenance, and he speaks elaborately with the intonation specific to those of the Western continent. At first glance he is elegant and soft-mannered, but is rather self-confident and is good at rubbing people the wrong way. In actuality he is an intellectual, with both sharp intelligence and high physical capabilities. He is affectionate towards Sanzo but with the other three youkai, especially with Hakkai, he has a secret cat-and-dog relation.
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Kougaiji
He is the only son of Gyuumaoh and Rasetsunyo. 500 years ago he was sealed away in Houtou Castle along with Gyuumaoh, but was awakened by the joint efforts of Ukoku Sanzo and Gyokumen Koushu. With his real mother held hostage, he is a tragic prince forced to be Gyokumen Koushu’s hands and feet. He excels in martial arts and youkai magic, and commands fire, fog, and summoned beasts. He has a strong sense of justice, and a serious, honest nature; in other words he is overly-serious and obstinate. However, because he cares deeply about his family and companions, anyone would adore him. He is almost too yielding, especially when it comes to his younger half-sister Lirin. Saving his sealed mother is his only wish now.
The Sanzo Ikkou are the mortal enemies he is bound to defeat, and though he cannot comprehend their irresponsible, frivolous behavior, he recognizes that strength and holds a seed of longing for their “unrestrained freedom” and “absolute self-confidence”.
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Koumyou Sanzo
Genjyo Sanzo’s master and the parent who raised him, this man is the previous Sanzo priest. He picked up the baby floating down the river, named him “Kouryuu” and brought him up. He was the protector of both the “Seiten Sutra” and the “Maten Sutra”, but as soon as he entrusted it all to Genjyo Sanzo, he was attacked by youkai opposition and died. That life ended at 47 years. He is endlessly good-tempered and soft-mannered, but he moves at his own pace and is a natural fool. Even so, he shows a side so philosophical it is as though he can see far into the future.
His is an old acquaintance of Goudai Sanzo, and together they spent their days as apprentice monks under the teachings of Arch-Bishop Jikaku. Koumyou succeeded to the “Seiten Sutra” and Goudai to the “Muten Sutra”. Their friend, the youkai Tensan Sanzo, walked the path of Sanzo priest with them, but with his death the “Maten Sutra” Tensan possessed was given to the care of Koumyou as well. Although this writing takes place 12 years after his death, Koumyou is a key person in “Saiyuki”.
Ukoku Sanzo
He is keeper of the Tenchi Kaigen “Muten” Sutra, and one of the active Sanzo priests. Currently he hides his origins, and shoulders the role of executing the Gyuumaoh revival experiment at Houtou Castle, although his purpose in doing so is unknown. He is always observing the movements of the Sanzo Ikkou from afar. He encourages trouble from afar because he enjoys watching their future like a game. This isn’t limited to the Sanzo Ikkou; he has the nearby Kougaiji group at his mercy with his belittling behavior.
He was born and raised in an extremely normal, albeit rich family. Both his parents were graduate school professors. Although he entered graduate school at a young age, skipped a few years and received his doctorate in accordance with his parents’ expectations, one day he suddenly left home to become a Buddhist monk. He had an interest in the Sanzo priests, and had become an apprentice monk called “Kenyuu” when he met Koumyou Sanzo. After murdering the previous Sanzo priest Goudai and succeeding to the title of Sanzo priest himself, he was christened “Ukoku” by Koumyou. He wandered the world with Koumyou for a year, after which he set out on a solitary, roaming journey.
Nii Jienyi is another face of Ukoku Sanzo, a temporary guise known as the “leading professor in life sciences”. He effaces the dignity of a “Sanzo priest” by spiking his hair, growing stubble, and wearing a shabby white coat. Because of his outstanding skills in science and knowledge of youkai magics, he is the only human allowed to live in Houtou Castle. He has a physical relationship with Gyokumen Koushu. Although he usually puts on an act of flattering her, it seems he is skillfully pulling the strings behind her back. Recently, he pulled the “Muten Sutra” from within the stuffed bunny he had always carried around with him, and once more begins to act from the shadows and “Priest Ukoku Sanzo”.
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Yaone, Lirin, Dokugakuji
They are Kougaiji’s loyal followers and little sister. Completely unlike the Sanzo Ikkou, they are bound together by family-like bonds.
Yaone is a youkai apothecary. She inherited her techniques from her apothecary parents, and can prepare anything considered a drug, from healing medicines to explosive powders. After the death of her parents, she was to be presented to Hyakugan Maoh as a tribute due to her beauty, but was saved by Kougaiji. Ever since, she has served him whole-heartedly. She tries very hard, but is naturally a bit foolish. Fundamentally she is a gentle woman who disapproves of fighting, but for Kougaiji-sama she will step out to the front lines and fight in a bikini leg -style outfit. She is a surprisingly strong person. Unexpectedly, she is hard on Dokugaku and, even though she’s the younger of the two, she acts like an older sister to him. It is uncertain whether this is due to their getting along well with each other, or to Yaone seeing Dokugaku as a fellow soldier.
Dokugaku is Gojyo’s older half-brother, and his real name is “Sha Jien”. When he was 18 he raised his hand against his own mother in order to save his half-brother from her abuse, but couldn’t withstand the knowledge of his sin and disappeared. He wandered the country hiring himself out as a bodyguard and the like until, a few years later, he met Kougaiji in a certain town. Concerned by Kougaiji’s slight physical resemblance to Gojyo, Dokugaku changed his name when he became Kougaiji’s follower. Hearty and manly, he is like a brother to Kougaji. He used to see Kougaiji as his little brother, but now he holds nothing so dear as being a part of the Kougaiji group. By sheer chance he was able to reunite with his younger brother Gojyo, but was set free when he confirmed that they were both walking paths they believed in.
Lirin is the child of Gyuumaoh and Gyokumen Koushu, Kougaiji’s younger half-sister. She is innocent and childlike, mischievous and active. On top of that she has lightning-fast brute strength, and although she means no hard, she is belligerent. Her appetite is large enough for her to be labeled the “female-edition Goku”. She adores Kougaiji more than anyone. As for the Sanzo Ikkou, she is aware only that “they bully my brother so they’re my enemies!”
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Jeep
His is the fifth member of the Sanzo Ikkou, the one who continues to journey carrying the four noisy men on his back. Usually he appears as a white long-necked dragon, but can also metamorphose into a Jeep. The parent figure to name him was Hakkai, but as you can see, in the anime and such he is mainly called “Hakuryuu” [lit. ‘white dragon’], as he was unthinkingly named after a product with a registered trademark (laughs). He is a creature created in an experimental “combination of science and youkai magic”, and so has crimson eyes like the flying dragons of Houtou Castle. While still living with Gojyo, Hakkai found the weakened Jeep in the forest and brought him home. Ever since, Jeep has been something of a pet to Hakkai. He didn’t get along very well with his housemate Gojyo, but the two compromised as they are both “taboo existences”.
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One who combines both light and dark - Genjyo Sanzo
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He is the 31st Sanzo priest of the Toua line, Genjyo. Successor to both the “Maten Scripture” and the “Seiten Scripture”, he is the youngest highest-ranking priest in the history of Shangri-la. Nothing is known about his birth. Send down the river in a small boat soon after being born, he was picked up by the previous Sanzo priest, Koumyou, given the childhood name of “Kouryuu”, and raised at Kinzan Temple. The night the 12-year-old was named the next Sanzo priest, the temple was attacked; he saw Koumyou Sanzo killed by youkai before his eyes. He descended the mountain n order to retrieve the Seiten Sutra that had been stolen at the same time as the incident occurred and began chasing its whereabouts. In the four years spent wandering, he protected his life with a small handgun from the dangers thrown his way. He arrived at Chang’an, where he had an audience with the Three Aspects. Through a series of unexpected events, the biggest temple to the East of Shangri-la, which had asked for help, became his responsibility. Sanzo, after meeting Goku and becoming bad friends with Gojyo and Hakkai, received information from the Three Aspects stating “the Seiten Scripture is at Houtou Castle”; he then took the three with him when he left for India to stop the Gyuumaoh revival experiment.
Currently he is 24 years old. He is approximately 176 centimeters tall. Thin, and at first glance seems elegantly luxurious, but is unexpectedly muscular. He has a handsome face, golden hair and violet eyes, but is unsociable and there is usually a wrinkle between his eyebrows. He curses so much you wouldn’t think him one of the highest ranking priests; is rough; arrogant; and atrocious. He hits people he doesn’t like with the paper fan, and shoots at people in his way with his gun, all without pardon. He has enough will to kill and expertise with guns that he’s been supposed a “shura or rasetsu” demon, but is lazy and actually the slow to start type. If possible, he would like to spend his days away from bothersome things. Although he doesn’t always get on well with his teammates, as the group’s leader he has their confidence. However, he isn’t really trusted. The only words he took from his revered master - “Hold nothing”, have been reinterpreted and that is the belief he follows. He is a heavy smoker and a drinker, smokes Marlboros. He seems fond of the soft cases.
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One who understands the invisible void - Son Goku
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Born of the giant stone at the summit of the Flower-Fruit Mountain that was said to be the essence of Shangri-la, he is an unprecedented heretical being. He has the golden eyes symbolic of disaster and possesses unknown powers; fearing this, Heaven dragged him before Kanzeon Bosatsu, where he spent his early childhood days in Heaven with his guardian, Konzon Douji. However, caught up in an incident in Heaven, Goku’s true form was revealed. That form was the demon made legend for having powers equaling that of a god - “Seiten Taisei”, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven. Goku, who slaughtered the Heavenly Army with his rampaging power, was caught in a trap and marked with the brand of “traitor”, and lost his companions one after the other. After, he was banished from Heaven and, along with all his memories, was sealed away in the stone prison on the Mountain of Five Elements where, all alone, he spent years so long as to be incomprehensible. 500 years passed, and he remained there until meeting Genjyo Sanzo.
Because time had been stopped within the stone prison, he is currently 19 years old. He is approximately 165 centimeters tall, with golden acorn eyes and unruly brown hair. His forehead is fitted with a gold diadem; this is the power limiter that suppresses his great youkai power. He both appears and acts younger than his age suggests and, like a young boy, is vivacious and pure-hearted. He hates things he can’t understand even more than he hates twisted things. Even though he still hasn’t regained his memories of Heaven, he still has an extreme reaction to “losing” something. His appetite is bottomless, as though trying to regain those 500 years in which he couldn’t eat or drink. Among his companions he is called Idiot Monkey or Midget Monkey, but it is certain that he is the brace that connects the four damaged members of the Sanzo Ikkou.
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One who lives with crimson shackles - Sha Gojyo
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He is a “taboo child” born of the relations between humans and youkai forbidden in Shangri-la. His youkai father had another family, and Gojyo’s mother was that lover. When he was three years old he got caught up in his parents’ double suicide but, surviving that, Gojyo was placed in the care of the family his father had left behind. Even while taking the persistent abuse from his step-mother, he admirably continued to seek love. However, when Gojyo was 12 years old his step-mother cut him with a knife and, just when he had prepared himself for death, his step-brother Jien saved him. Consumed by guilt over raising his hand against his own mother, Gojyo’s older brother disappeared. After being left alone once again, Gojyo became a wild rogue, wandering the country. He dirtied his hands in larceny and gambling, and sometimes made a living being something like a pimp. Amid days spent fighting he fell into the bad company of Banri, and practically welcomed the descent into lazy days. The under-handed Banri disappeared and, one rainy night during his once more solitary life, he picked up a man rolling in a pool of blood in the forest.
Currently he is 23 years old. He is approximately 184 centimeters tall, rather long-bodied but comparatively thin. He has the crimson eyes and hair marking a taboo child; in addition to having a flashy appearance, he has a nasty look and a foul mouth, so his character appears quite bad… But, he isn’t a bad person at heart, and cares about his companions. Although he’s made a hobby of seducing women, if anything is the caring big brother loved by children.
He is repeatedly called “Good for nothing” or “Pervy kappa”, but he would be solidly kicked if he were to disappear (laughs)
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One who engraves a warning into his name - Cho Hakkai
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A youkai man who used to be human, his real name is Cho Gonou. When he was young his parents divorced; he was temporarily in the custody of his mother, but was abandoned to spend his childhood days in an orphanage. Growing up always reading books, he was highly knowledgeable and falsely mature from a young age; to all outward appearances he was a complete recluse. He never socialized with the Sisters, must less the children his own age at the orphanage. He was a mean child who, as though repulsed by the smiles surrounding him, never smiled. Assuming he could only love himself, he believed that the only one he could share his heart and his body with was his elder twin sister*, separated from him at birth. He left the orphanage at 16 years old, and on scholarship entered a graduate school with a dormitory. There, for the first time in is life, he met a woman for whom he held affection: the twin sister separated from him at birth, Kanan. All the while knowing it was unforgivable, the two were attracted to each other and began a modest life together. But while Gonou was away at the teaching job he had just begun, Kanan was abducted by the youkai Hyakuganmaoh. Driven mad by the year it took to reach Hyakuganmaoh’s lair, Gonou massacred the youkai within the castle. Kanan was carrying Hyakuganmaoh’s child when the two were finally reunited, and she committed suicide before Gonou’s eyes. Gonou was transformed into a youkai by his anger, sadness, and loss, and as though completely entrapped by the need to atone for everything, a vine pattern appeared all over his body. Dying, chased by the sin of mass murder, he ended up by the side of a man with hair and eyes like blood.
Currently he is 23 years old. He is approximately 180 centimeters tall, of medium build. He has burnt brown hair and eyes green as a lake, but because he previously gouged out his own eye, the right eye is fake. He is the only sociable, soft-mannered one among the Sanzo Ikkou, and at first glance is a refreshingly good young man. In truth he is quite the strange one, with a dark underside. Among the companions who know him well he is feared as a shadow bully. While delicate on the inside, he is unexpectedly passionate and manly.
*Just an interesting tidbit. Unlike in America, in Japan (and in Italy, I just found out) the elder twin is the one who is born second. I’ve heard two slightly contradictory reasons for this: (1) the second-born twin is on top in the womb and thus higher ranking; or (2) the second-born twin had to wait to come out, so it’s only fair (?) to switch it around and make him/her the elder.
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Gat
A man from the Eastern continent, he visited Shangri-la with Hazel. He is a dead man brought back to life by Hazel’s reanimation technique; the perfectionist Hazel is his world; he was a “human”, but at this point in time he can’t elaborate on that experience. He travels with Hazel as the man’s bodyguard, and takes Hazel’s commands as absolute. He has a huge body over two meters tall, strong arms, and quick movements. He defeats youkai with his pair of highly accurate handguns, and will sacrifice his own body to protect Hazel. When he loses his life in battle doing so, he is revived by Hazel’s reanimation technique.
He has the yellow eyes specific to those who have been reanimated, and the scar on his forehead remains that was given to him by Hazel during life. He doesn’t require sleep or food, or anything else related to living. (This doesn’t mean that he has no desire for them, simply that they are “unnecessary”) He is extremely silent and expressionless, but his is a pacifist and has a good-natured heart. He thinks of Goku, who nonchalantly connected with him, as a friend, apparently.
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Hazel Grouse
He’s a foreigner from the rich Western continent who crossed an ocean to visit Shangri-la. His dress is that of the church, but in actuality he follows in the footsteps of the man who was both father and ‘master’ to him, and exterminates monsters. When he was a child, his master was killed by monsters, so he now holds in his heart a persistent need for revenge and a sense of hatred. He heard the story of Shangri-la from Ukoku, whom he met in the past. Knowing that Shangri-la is now under the rule of youkai, he traveled there with his bodyguard Gat in order to send all youkai into extinction.
He has a special revival technique through which he can replace souls. He uses the souls of the youkai he’s defeated to revive those humans who died by youkai-inflicted wounds. It is currently unknown as to where and when he gained that ability. He has lost one portion of his childhood memories.
He is a beautiful young man with silver hair, blues eyes, and a neutral countenance, and he speaks elaborately with the intonation specific to those of the Western continent. At first glance he is elegant and soft-mannered, but is rather self-confident and is good at rubbing people the wrong way. In actuality he is an intellectual, with both sharp intelligence and high physical capabilities. He is affectionate towards Sanzo but with the other three youkai, especially with Hakkai, he has a secret cat-and-dog relation.
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Kougaiji
He is the only son of Gyuumaoh and Rasetsunyo. 500 years ago he was sealed away in Houtou Castle along with Gyuumaoh, but was awakened by the joint efforts of Ukoku Sanzo and Gyokumen Koushu. With his real mother held hostage, he is a tragic prince forced to be Gyokumen Koushu’s hands and feet. He excels in martial arts and youkai magic, and commands fire, fog, and summoned beasts. He has a strong sense of justice, and a serious, honest nature; in other words he is overly-serious and obstinate. However, because he cares deeply about his family and companions, anyone would adore him. He is almost too yielding, especially when it comes to his younger half-sister Lirin. Saving his sealed mother is his only wish now.
The Sanzo Ikkou are the mortal enemies he is bound to defeat, and though he cannot comprehend their irresponsible, frivolous behavior, he recognizes that strength and holds a seed of longing for their “unrestrained freedom” and “absolute self-confidence”.
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Koumyou Sanzo
Genjyo Sanzo’s master and the parent who raised him, this man is the previous Sanzo priest. He picked up the baby floating down the river, named him “Kouryuu” and brought him up. He was the protector of both the “Seiten Sutra” and the “Maten Sutra”, but as soon as he entrusted it all to Genjyo Sanzo, he was attacked by youkai opposition and died. That life ended at 47 years. He is endlessly good-tempered and soft-mannered, but he moves at his own pace and is a natural fool. Even so, he shows a side so philosophical it is as though he can see far into the future.
His is an old acquaintance of Goudai Sanzo, and together they spent their days as apprentice monks under the teachings of Arch-Bishop Jikaku. Koumyou succeeded to the “Seiten Sutra” and Goudai to the “Muten Sutra”. Their friend, the youkai Tensan Sanzo, walked the path of Sanzo priest with them, but with his death the “Maten Sutra” Tensan possessed was given to the care of Koumyou as well. Although this writing takes place 12 years after his death, Koumyou is a key person in “Saiyuki”.
Ukoku Sanzo
He is keeper of the Tenchi Kaigen “Muten” Sutra, and one of the active Sanzo priests. Currently he hides his origins, and shoulders the role of executing the Gyuumaoh revival experiment at Houtou Castle, although his purpose in doing so is unknown. He is always observing the movements of the Sanzo Ikkou from afar. He encourages trouble from afar because he enjoys watching their future like a game. This isn’t limited to the Sanzo Ikkou; he has the nearby Kougaiji group at his mercy with his belittling behavior.
He was born and raised in an extremely normal, albeit rich family. Both his parents were graduate school professors. Although he entered graduate school at a young age, skipped a few years and received his doctorate in accordance with his parents’ expectations, one day he suddenly left home to become a Buddhist monk. He had an interest in the Sanzo priests, and had become an apprentice monk called “Kenyuu” when he met Koumyou Sanzo. After murdering the previous Sanzo priest Goudai and succeeding to the title of Sanzo priest himself, he was christened “Ukoku” by Koumyou. He wandered the world with Koumyou for a year, after which he set out on a solitary, roaming journey.
Nii Jienyi is another face of Ukoku Sanzo, a temporary guise known as the “leading professor in life sciences”. He effaces the dignity of a “Sanzo priest” by spiking his hair, growing stubble, and wearing a shabby white coat. Because of his outstanding skills in science and knowledge of youkai magics, he is the only human allowed to live in Houtou Castle. He has a physical relationship with Gyokumen Koushu. Although he usually puts on an act of flattering her, it seems he is skillfully pulling the strings behind her back. Recently, he pulled the “Muten Sutra” from within the stuffed bunny he had always carried around with him, and once more begins to act from the shadows and “Priest Ukoku Sanzo”.
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Yaone, Lirin, Dokugakuji
They are Kougaiji’s loyal followers and little sister. Completely unlike the Sanzo Ikkou, they are bound together by family-like bonds.
Yaone is a youkai apothecary. She inherited her techniques from her apothecary parents, and can prepare anything considered a drug, from healing medicines to explosive powders. After the death of her parents, she was to be presented to Hyakugan Maoh as a tribute due to her beauty, but was saved by Kougaiji. Ever since, she has served him whole-heartedly. She tries very hard, but is naturally a bit foolish. Fundamentally she is a gentle woman who disapproves of fighting, but for Kougaiji-sama she will step out to the front lines and fight in a bikini leg -style outfit. She is a surprisingly strong person. Unexpectedly, she is hard on Dokugaku and, even though she’s the younger of the two, she acts like an older sister to him. It is uncertain whether this is due to their getting along well with each other, or to Yaone seeing Dokugaku as a fellow soldier.
Dokugaku is Gojyo’s older half-brother, and his real name is “Sha Jien”. When he was 18 he raised his hand against his own mother in order to save his half-brother from her abuse, but couldn’t withstand the knowledge of his sin and disappeared. He wandered the country hiring himself out as a bodyguard and the like until, a few years later, he met Kougaiji in a certain town. Concerned by Kougaiji’s slight physical resemblance to Gojyo, Dokugaku changed his name when he became Kougaiji’s follower. Hearty and manly, he is like a brother to Kougaji. He used to see Kougaiji as his little brother, but now he holds nothing so dear as being a part of the Kougaiji group. By sheer chance he was able to reunite with his younger brother Gojyo, but was set free when he confirmed that they were both walking paths they believed in.
Lirin is the child of Gyuumaoh and Gyokumen Koushu, Kougaiji’s younger half-sister. She is innocent and childlike, mischievous and active. On top of that she has lightning-fast brute strength, and although she means no hard, she is belligerent. Her appetite is large enough for her to be labeled the “female-edition Goku”. She adores Kougaiji more than anyone. As for the Sanzo Ikkou, she is aware only that “they bully my brother so they’re my enemies!”
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Jeep
His is the fifth member of the Sanzo Ikkou, the one who continues to journey carrying the four noisy men on his back. Usually he appears as a white long-necked dragon, but can also metamorphose into a Jeep. The parent figure to name him was Hakkai, but as you can see, in the anime and such he is mainly called “Hakuryuu” [lit. ‘white dragon’], as he was unthinkingly named after a product with a registered trademark (laughs). He is a creature created in an experimental “combination of science and youkai magic”, and so has crimson eyes like the flying dragons of Houtou Castle. While still living with Gojyo, Hakkai found the weakened Jeep in the forest and brought him home. Ever since, Jeep has been something of a pet to Hakkai. He didn’t get along very well with his housemate Gojyo, but the two compromised as they are both “taboo existences”.