Saiyuuki Reload

Haven't had your fill of badassery lately? Craving more mullets in your life? Curious if our ragtag group will ever reach their destination? Fear not, because Saiyuki is back - and it's time to Reload.

For those unfamiliar with Minekura Kazuya's Gensomaden Saiyuki series, I warmly recommend starting from the beginning. Also, consider reading Saiyuki Gaiden before diving into Reload; it provides a better understanding of the overarching story. Ready to fasten your seat belts, boys and girls?

*This is a spoiler-free review*

The transition from GFantasy to josei magazine Zero Sum marked the end of the first Saiyuki series and gave birth to Saiyuki Reload, picking up shortly after the Kami-sama arc. We now have a vague idea of what we're up against, but many questions remain unanswered. If you felt the prequel was slow and only generated more loose ends, Reload aims to resolve these unfinished matters.

I've already expressed my love for the first Saiyuki series, and the elements I enjoyed most are present here too. We still have our favorite villainous heroes, heroic villains, lots of ass-kicking, and witty dialogue. While Reload starts similarly to the prequel - as an episodic action romp - the focus eventually shifts to the main story, accelerating the pace. The narrative becomes more solid and serious. We still have flashbacks, angst, and personal struggles, but less so than in the prequel. The initial arcs show how the world has changed since the journey began, with distrust and hate becoming recurring themes.

Character development hasn't been a strong point in Saiyuki, if existent at all, but Reload tries to compensate by helping us understand the characters and their motives better. Sanzo still doesn't care, Goku remains a childish teenager struggling to grow up, Gojyo is a lustful yet good-hearted jerk, and Hakkai is the team mom with a deceiving smile and biting remarks. However, new characters and revelations disrupt character dynamics in fresh ways. If the first series explored how the characters became who they are today, Reload makes them contemplate who they might be tomorrow. I particularly enjoy Sanzo's storyline, showing he can indeed grow as a character.

While Reload is an improvement over the prequel, there are still some issues. The start feels slow and directionless, and Minekura-Sensei's battle with health problems shows in the uneven quality of the story and art. Her art becomes more refined, but the composition admired in the first series isn't as beautiful here. Both the story flow and character designs are occasionally broken. Towards the end, we see some unfinished, sketchy panels and chapters, which is regrettable but also commendable, given Minekura-Sensei's determination to deliver despite her illness.

Reload continues on a familiar path but offers more action, less bickering, and less overwhelming drama compared to the prequel. By the end of Reload, we've come full circle, tying up loose ends satisfactorily while setting the stage for what's next. I find the ending awesome for many reasons, but discovering them is for the reader to experience!

TL;DR

Saiyuki is a gradually escalating manga series. Reload is a sequel that elevates the story's quality by finally getting to the point. The scale grows larger, the action becomes more high-speed, and certain characters' motives are finally revealed. Are you ready to seek out TRUE DARKNESS?