Saiyuki
A dark and tension-filled modern fantasy manga by Kazuya Minekura, inspired by Journey to the West, with over 25 million copies in circulation worldwide since 1997.
Saiyuki is a manga series by Japanese artist Kazuya Minekura, serialized in Monthly GFantasy starting in February 1997, spanning a total of nine volumes. Based on the classic Journey to the West, the story reimagines the four pilgrims as modern heroes traversing a fictional world called "Togenkyo." In this version, the monk Tripitaka is transformed into the cold-blooded gunslinger Xuanzang Sanzang, while Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing are portrayed as complex characters burdened by trauma and inner conflict. Departing from the religious allegorical tone of the original novel, this work is renowned for its nuanced psychological depth and intense action sequences, pioneering a unique aesthetic that blends the styles of shoujo and shonen manga. With global sales exceeding 25 million copies, the series has spawned five anime adaptations, numerous stage plays, and games, making it one of the most influential manga adaptations of Journey to the West in the modern era.