Saiyuki Reload Vol. 8 (Saiyuki Reload, #8)

Saiyuki universe #17

by Kazuya Minekura, Athena Nibley (Translator), Alethea Nibley (Translator)

Sanzo has gone way, and the rest of the party another, until they end up on opposite sides of a small mountain. The tension between the peaceful town of Youkai and the humans guarding the oasis has come to a head, and when things boil over, it's anyone's guess whose side the gang will join!

Genres: Manga, Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Action, Comics, Adventure, Josei

196 pages, Paperback

First published June 15, 2007

About the author

Kazuya Minekura (峰倉かずや Minekura Kazuya, born March 23, 1975) is a Japanese manga artist most known for the Saiyuki series. Her other manga series include Wild Adapter, Shiritsu Araiso Koto Gakko Seitokai Shikkobu (Araiso Private School Student Council Executive Committee), and Stigma. Stigma is notable for being a full-color work, unusual as manga is generally drawn in black and white.

She had an illness that affected her writing from 2004–2007, which caused her to have a hysterectomy. On 28 September 2010, she went on Hiatus to undergo surgery for ameloblastoma on the right half of her upper jawbone. On 31 December 2010, she reported her surgery was successful after removing the tumor on her right upper jawbone and is currently resting and being fitted with artificial prosthetics to reconstruct the area where her bones were removed.

Reviews

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A warning: I am biased. This has been my favourite manga series for over a decade and I'm on my sixth (or so) reread. This is as good as I remember. Minekura has given us distinct characters, and even when the speech balloons aren't tied directly to anyone in the panel, you know exactly who is expressing which thought. The art is amazing, and sometimes I'll just stare at scenes trying to soak more in. And the drama/angst jumps in to contrast the humour so suddenly that I will need to stop reading just to process how much I love the moments/characters/everything. Or the humour bumps aside the drama, which is a delightful way to break the tension. In all, that's basically the theme of the whole story. Nothing matters so much you can't joke about it. Though at the same time, everything absolutely matters. Sweet and sour, baby.

My copies of this manga are all beat up, but I know I'll read them again. Everytime, it's a treat.

[wulvz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sad to say I’m not enjoying these as much, the pacing is all over the place, feel like the original series was a lot more steady/consistent. The whole on massacre in this volume felt somewhat unnecessary? Since it didn’t seem to persuade Hazel much on the human versus Youkai situation, he still hates Youkai, still loves humans.

Goku’s story continues to be of interest but an entire volume and a half of Sanzo being separated seems a bit extra especially when all the content in-between feels like strange filler.

This was still a fun read, can’t hate too much.

[Brooke Goodwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Goku is the MVP of this volume! And there many gorgeous panels! I will never be able to express how much I love this series and these characters! The complexity of the characters and their motivations are definitely a highlight of the series.

On a side note, between the anime and manga, I prefer the storytelling from the manga than the anime. It feels smoother and easier to understand chronologically. And I’m SO ready for the Sanzo vs Ukoku showdown because it’s coming!

[Khari · Rating 5 out of 5]

八巻はすごく面白かった！

最後の話は悟空と悟浄の武器の話はアニメにはなかった。最近考えたことはにょいぼうはどこから来ましたかな？天国にはなかったよね。だからやっとにわかるのは楽しかった。

とこちのシリーズの最初のキス！キャア!

[Andrea Aguas · Rating 5 out of 5]

That murder mystery omake in the end is cute. I hope they'd continue it in the next volumes.

[Mosley · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's just not the same when the whole gang isn't together.

[Dev · Rating 3 out of 5]

An okay volume but I hate when main character groups get split up for an extended period of time especially when they're literally in like neighboring towns and just don't know it so obviously this volume wasn't gonna be the best for me.

[Alexis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just don't find Sanzo abandoning the party very in character.

[Omar Villafane · Rating 5 out of 5]

History repeats itself until someone or some group change it.

[Miss Ryoko · Rating 5 out of 5]

The side story of this volume is more about politics than anything. And even in today's world, the message speaks volumes. I'm not a big fan of the split, but I do however like how Minekura-sama had Sanazo and Hazel practically right next to the other guys in the two different worlds, yet each party was fighting for the same thing. And whether Minekura-sama intended it or not, there is a TON of symbolism in this volume that I really like.

That aside, I think my other favorite part of this volume is Goku! He is so adorable and so sweet! I was all ♥_♥ pretty much every Goku panel there was in this volume.

I loved the story of how Goku and Gojyo got their weapons! XD Hilarious!! The little murder mystery thing at the end was really cute too!

Well, I have a lot of photos to share, so lets get to it!

Awwwww :-(


I love this picture!


This is one of my all time favorite Hakkai pictures! He looks like he should be in the Matrix


And here are two really really sweet ones of Goku



I really like this picture of Hazel


And just because it's the Hazel/Sanzo team in this volume

[Jody Mena · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will never get enough of this series! When did Goku get so grown up? His tragic, star-crossed romance with that youkai girl (whose name escapes me at the moment) was all that much more moving because it was naive Goku. I nearly cried when she kissed him and then left him lying on the ground while she rode off to die. It was just classic, with the great twist that it was the woman riding off to war. I also can't get enough of Hazel, he's so adorable and sinister - who could resist such a combination? But it's weird to have the Sanzo group broken up like this, I miss Sanzo's death threats! Splitting them up was a great plot device... but I want my boys back together! Hopefully they'll all join forces in the next book, and maybe Kougaiji will make a significant appearance in the next book. Should be interesting, the series is almost finished, but it just keeps getting better!

[Emily G · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this volume, Hakkai, Goku and Gojyo end up in a youkai village that is desperately short of water because the nearby oasis is in a human village that is heavily fortified. Yep, you've guessed it! Sanzo, Hazel and Gat end at the human village. I don't want to ruin the storyline so I'll just say that the humans see an opportunity to use their guests to get rid of the youkai menace but things do not go according to their plan.

Why five stars? Because Goku in love for the first time was just too cute and there are some amazingly detailed drawings of him, in those scenes, which are beautiful :-)!

[Leila Anani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Continuation of the "Even a Worm" arc. Goku, Hakkai and Gojyo are staying in a Youkai village whilst Sanzo, Hazel and Gat are staying in a human village on the other side of the mountain. Trouble arises when both villages compete for the same source of water. Hazel is manipulated into shooting a youkai and sparks off a war. Tensions are high in this one and it's much more philosophical than other volumes.

Art to the same high standard as the rest of the series. A delight from start to finish.

[Tifa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a powerful volume in the series that finally gives us a look at things from the youkai perspective. It's a beautifully told and drawn story, and it makes me tear up at one point. Goku, especially, gets some personal growth here, and Sanzo makes some interesting observations. The two little bonus chapters at the end are pure gold, too.

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Almost the end of the "Even a Worm" arc; a quieter set of chapters than volume 7, but with some important scenes regarding the ikkou's sense of us vs. them. Goku is especially adorable in this volume, and I enjoyed the first omake chapter.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Ruben Monteiro · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can understand why is this one of the favourites. But personally, I felt that we spend the whole book either hiding from the action or running away from it.