Journey to the West (2006 Fuji TV)
A modern live-action reimagining of the classic tale, produced by Fuji TV's Getsu 9 slot and starring Shingo Katori.
Journey to the West (西遊記, Saiyūki) is a television series broadcast by Japan's Fuji TV from January 9 to March 20, 2006, airing every Monday at 9:00 PM in the "Getsu 9" prime-time slot. The series consists of 11 episodes, with the first and final episodes as 84-minute specials and the remaining episodes running 54 minutes each. Written by Yuji Sakamoto and directed by a rotation of filmmakers including Kensaku Sawada, Gaku Narita, Yuma Kato, and Kentaro Takagi, it marks the fifth major adaptation of the original Journey to the West in the history of Japanese television. Shingo Katori of SMAP plays Sun Wukong, Eri Fukuzawa portrays a feminized Tripitaka, Atsushi Ito plays Bajie, Teruyoshi Utsumi plays Sha Wujing, and Asami Mizukawa makes a guest appearance as Princess Linlin. The story follows Tripitaka and his three distinct disciples as they travel from the Middle Kingdom to the Tianzhu Kingdom to retrieve the scriptures, battling demons and growing through their spiritual practice along the way. The overall style is humorous and lively, while maintaining the essence of a fantasy adventure. The first episode achieved a viewership rating close to 30%, and the series maintained a high average throughout, with the finale recording 24.7%. Due to its overwhelming success, Fuji TV and Toho released a theatrical film sequel on July 14, 2007, which ranked eighth in the Japanese domestic box office that year. The series became one of the phenomenal family-friendly Japanese dramas of 2006.