Saiyuki Gaiden OVA
A three-episode OVA series based on Kazuya Minekura's prequel manga, recounting the celestial tribulations of the protagonists five hundred years prior.
Saiyuki Gaiden is an OVA anime series adapted from the prequel manga of the same name by Kazuya Minekura. Co-produced by Anpro and Studio Izena and directed by Naoyuki Katsuya, the first volume was released on March 25, 2011, followed by the second volume on June 24. Due to delays, the third volume was released on September 22, 2011. In April 2013, a special episode titled Saiyuki Gaiden: Chapter of the Yellow Tusk was added. The complete series consists of four episodes, each approximately 30 minutes long. Sentai Filmworks acquired the distribution rights for North America and released a Blu-ray collection in September 2022, which re-edited the four episodes into a feature-film format lasting approximately two hours.
The plot is set in the Heavenly Palace five hundred years before the main story of Saiyuki. Konzen, a minor official, reluctantly cares for a golden-eyed boy—a "strange fetus" who would later be named Wukong—and forms deep bonds of friendship with Marshal Tianpeng of the Heavenly West Army, General Ganni, and Nezha, the son of the God of War. When Wukong goes on a rampage following the death of his dear friends and accidentally unleashes a destructive power, Konzen and his companions are forced to lead Wukong in a rebellion against the Heavenly Palace. Their exile begins with the kidnapping of the Dragon King of the West Sea as a hostage, establishing the origin of many fateful bonds found in the main series. With its delicate artwork and intense emotion, this work serves as a pivotal bridge within the Saiyuki anime series.