How a 16th-century Chinese epic became a modern, cigarette-smoking fantasy road trip manga

Countries & Cities · Published 15 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Kazuya Minekura transformed the classic Journey to the West into Saiyuki, a stylized fantasy series where Buddhist priests and yōkai navigate a world of modern technology. By blending ancient mythology with mahjong, canned beer, and credit cards, she created a unique, gritty road narrative that has sold 25 million copies.

Saiyuki is a radical reinterpretation of the 16th-century Chinese novel Journey to the West. While it retains the core identities of the original travelers—Genjo Sanzo, Son Goku, Sha Gojyo, and Cho Hakkai—author Kazuya Minekura strips away the traditional religious framework. Instead, she places these characters in Togenkyo, also known as Shangri-La, a fantasy land where humans and yōkai coexist. The series is defined by its anachronistic aesthetic, featuring contemporary elements like cigarettes, television, and credit cards alongside its mythical setting. Minekura, who began conceiving the project in high school, has described the title as meaning the most playful version of the classic story.

The narrative follows the cynical, abrasive priest Genjo Sanzo on a westward journey to prevent the resurrection of the evil god Gyumao. He is joined by three yōkai companions—Goku, Gojyo, and Hakkai—who are largely unaffected by the negative energy spreading across the land. The group's dynamic is central to the series, as they grapple with their traumatic pasts and the growing distrust between humans and yōkai. Unlike the original novel, the manga explores themes of masculinity and unconventional family structures, often complicating the moral boundaries between good and evil. The protagonists are defined by their resistance to fate and their determination to choose their own paths.

The franchise has expanded significantly since its 1997 debut in Monthly GFantasy. It includes multiple sequels and prequels, such as Saiyuki Reload and Saiyuki Gaiden, which delve into the characters' histories and the world's lore. The series has also inspired five anime television series, stage plays, and various other media. Despite health-related production interruptions for Minekura starting in 2010, the franchise remains a massive commercial success. By 2017, it had reached 25 million copies in circulation worldwide, cementing its status as one of the most popular and distinctively stylized manga series in history.

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