The best anime inspired by Journey To The West

Key takeaways

• Journey to the West is a timeless story that continues to inspire adaptations in various media.

• I like anime Goku no Daiboken and Shinzo put your own unique spins on the classic tale.

• dragon ball, inspired by Journey to the Westevolved into a beloved franchise with a mix of humor and mythology.

Journey to the West is a medieval Chinese novel dating from the 16th century but set in the 7th century and featuring characters and places drawn from ancient Chinese history and legends. Written by Wu Cheng’en, it is one of the most popular books in the world and has inspired countless modern adaptations in the form of films, books, comics and lively. the video game Black Myth: Wukongwhich is currently having a huge impact on the entertainment world, is yet another example of the continued popularity of this story.

Many anime use some of the elements of Journey to the West as part of your setting, plot or heroes. There is a wide range of genres and types of anime based on this novel, some only reference it while others are intended to be full adaptations.

7

Goku no Daiboken

Comedy, fantasy and demons

• Directed by: Gisaburô Sugii
• Produced by: Eichi Kawabata
• Study: Mushi Productions
• Release date: January 7, 1967

Goku no Daiboken is notable for several reasons, starting with its historic place as one of the first Japanese animated shows to reach overseas, although localizations were limited to Europe rather than North America. The anime follows the same basic plot as the novel and includes Goku as one of the guardians destined to guide the monk Xuanzang to India.

The show is also titled Adventures of the Monkey King and Goku’s great adventuresdepending on the location. Although it never came to the United States back in the day, the show is currently available for those interested in classic and vintage anime.

6

Sci-Fi Western Saga Starzinger

A creative futuristic adaptation

• Directed by: Yugo Serikawa
• Written by: Tatsuo Tamura, Mitsuru Majima, Sukehiro Tomita
• Study: Toei Animation
• Release date: April 2, 1978

Instead of a historical adaptation of the novel, a popular method of interpretation Journey to the West it is through a futuristic or fantasy lens. known as Astronauts In the United States, this series included the same character dynamics and the search for a sacred MacGuffin, but takes place in the distant future.

Instead of a monk, the main character is a princess and her three guardians are based on those in the novel. The most powerful of the three, and the protagonist of the story, is Jan Kugo, who is largely based on The Monkey King.

5

Monkey Typhoon

A mixed media project that combines fantasy, action and comedy

• Directed by: Mamoru Hamatsu
• Written by: Hiroshi Hashimoto, Rika Nakase, Shin Kibayashi
• Study: study egg
• Release date: October 1, 2002

Based on the original manga by Jōji Arimori, the saga of Monkey Typhoon It also consists of 52 animated episodes and can also be found under the original Japanese name, Assobot Robot Goku. The series features a futuristic setting that includes robots, making the original title more descriptive than the English translation.

Instead of searching for Buddhist scriptures, the main character, Goku, who turns out to be a first-generation “assobot” with certain specific powers and ape-like characteristics, is tasked with searching for the 49 Keys to the Apocalypse. Being a trickster, his real target is the treasure that is hidden in the same place as the keys.

4

Alakazam the great

A vintage adaptation of early Toei

• Directed by: Taiji Yabushita and Daisaku Shirakawa
• Written by: Keinosuke Uekusa
• Study: Toei Doga
• Release date: August 14, 1960

One of the first full-length animated films to come to the United States from Japan. Alakazam the Great is an interpretation of the novel that makes Goku the hero and omits details about the Buddhist relics. Instead, it follows Goku’s rise to royalty of the Monkey Tribe and how he becomes arrogant, and even tyrannical, only to learn some important lessons and change his ways.

Goku is never really a villain, but rather a mischievous and playful thief, which is how he is portrayed in most Chinese mythology and novels. Journey to the West. The Monkey King uses his cunning and ingenuity to defeat the demons, escape his enslavement, and return to his subjects.

3

Shinzo

The human race is the relic that must be saved

• Directed by: Tetsuo Imazawa
• Written by: Mayori Sekijima
• Study: Toei Animation
• Release date: February 5, 2000

For those anime fans who like elaborate stories with an immersive story and complex settings, Shinzo It is an ideal option. In Japanese, the show is known as Mushrambo, but the English version is named after a mysterious shrine, hidden somewhere on Earth, a place that is the key to restoring the planet’s original inhabitants, humans.

It’s a clever twist to swap ancient Buddhist texts for humans, but that’s not the only similarity. The character of Mushra, one of the three figures who guards and guides the main character, is not a monkey, but retains the features of a staff as a weapon and the distinctive golden headband.

2

Gensomaden Saiyuki

A unique dystopian interpretation

• Directed by: Hayato Date
• Written by: Katsuyuki Sumisawa
• Study: Pierrot
• Release date: April 4, 2000

“Go Into The West” is the name of the first episode of this anime series, so it’s clear that they’re not exactly being subtle when using Journey to the West as its source material. The setting is the fantasy paradise of Shangri-La, which has been disturbed by a wave of negative energy, rising evil spirits, and ferocious monsters. The Celestial Heavens order a priest named Sanzo to travel to India and find out what has happened and how to fix it.

Sanzo is obviously meant to be the Chinese Buddhist monk Xuanzang and is naturally joined, as usual, by three companions, one of whom is Son Goku. The show was popular enough to prompt a full-length movie and a remake. Saiyuki recharged.

1

dragon ball

Humor and mythology evolved into a franchise

The full name of the Monkey King in Journey to the West It’s Sun Wukong. In Japanese the pronunciation is Son Goku, and thus we have the name of our iconic protagonist in dragon ball. Goku also has a tail, uses a staff, and flies on a cloud, all powers that he also has Sun Wukong.

the plot of Journey to the West is about a Buddhist monk tasked with finding ancient religious texts in India and bringing his knowledge to China. The initial season of dragon ball It’s about Goku and his friends in search of the magical Dragon Balls. Not many fans are familiar with the first season of this popular series, which is a sci-fi fantasy comedy as opposed to the action anime it evolved into for its second season.