Saiyuki Gaiden

• Ja Kanji — 最遊記外伝 • Ja Romaji — Saiyūki Gaiden • Genre — * Adventure • Fantasy

• Type — manga • Author — Kazuya Minekura • Publisher — * Square Enix (1999-2003) • Ichijinsha (after 2003) • Imprint — * G Fantasy Comics • Zero Sum Comics • Magazine — * Monthly GFantasy • Monthly Comic Zero Sum • Comic Zero Sum WARD • First — June 1999 • Last — May 16, 2009 • Volumes — 4 • Volume List — List of Saiyuki volumes#Saiyuki Gaiden (Enix Edition)

• Type — ova • Director — Naoyuki Kuzuya • Writer — Kazuya Minekura • Music — Hiroyuki Nagashima • Studio — * Anpro • Studio Izena • First — March 25, 2011 • Last — April 26, 2013 • Runtime — 30 minutes per episode • Episodes — 4 • Episode List — List of Saiyuki episodes#Saiyuki Gaiden (2011-13) Saiyuki Gaiden is a Japanese manga series that serves as a prequel to the Saiyuki series Kazuya Minekura wrote and illustrated. Saiyuki Gaiden began serialization in Square Enix's manga magazine Monthly GFantasy from May 1999 to February 2003 and continued serialization in Ichijinsha's josei manga magazine Monthly Comic Zero Sum from November 2003, and was then transferred to the publisher's manga Comic Zero Sum WARD. Serialization finished in May 2009, with its chapters collected in four tankōbon volumes. The manga tells a story that occurs 500 years before the main story. Sentai Filmworks licensed a three-part original video animation (OVA) adaptation that aired from March to November 2011. A special edition titled Saiyuki Gaiden: Kouga no Shou was released in April 2013. Sentai Filmworks released in North America a "Complete Collection" Blu-ray edition that compiled the series into a two-hour feature-length motion picture in September 2022.

Heaven, where the gods live, is a world where death does not exist. Konzen Douji spent his days bored but his life begins to change with the introduction of a golden-eyed boy at Kanzeon Bosatsu's side, who is said to have been born of a Lower World stone. Konzen is charged with looking after the boy and begins to sense a change in his life, although he is irritated at being toyed with. Konzen names the boy Goku. Goku becomes close to Tenpou Gensui and Kenren Taisho of Heaven's Western Army, and makes his first friend. Goku is shocked when his friend dies and unleashes the power of the Seiten Taisei that is bound by his golden diadem, and with this overwhelming power, he massacres those in the area. Kanzeon Bosatsu knocks out the Seiten Taisei, but Konzen Douji stops her from finishing the job. Because they are protecting Goku, Konzen Douji, Kenren Taisho, and Tenpou Gensui are made enemies of heaven. They take hostage the Dragon King of the Western Ocean, Gojun, and attempt to flee to the Lower World.

• Illustration — Comic Zero Sum WARD No. 9 (May 2009) cover, the issue where Saiyuki Gaiden ended its serialization. Saiyuki Gaiden, written and illustrated by Kazuya Minekura, began serialization in Square Enix's manga magazine Monthly GFantasy in its June 1999 issue. and ran in the magazine until February 2003 issue. Following Minekura's move from Square Enix to Ichijinsha, the series continued serialization in Ichijinsha's josei manga magazine Monthly Comic Zero Sum beginning with its November 2003 issue. The manga was put on hold for one year in 2004, and was then transferred to the publisher's manga Comic Zero Sum WARD. The series finished its final installment in the July issue of Comic Zero Sum WARD, published on May 16, 2009. Ichijinsha collected its chapters in four tankōbon volumes, released from December 2005 to July 2009. A special edition titled "Saiyuki Gaiden memorial" was released on July 16, 2009. On January 25, 2011, Ichijinsha published two new-edition volumes of Saiyuki Gaiden. In September 2012, a new, one-shot story titled Saiyuki Gaiden Heavenly Ants was released. Ichijinsha released a book titled Saiyuki Gaiden Anthology on July 31, 2017. In Italy, the manga is licensed by Dynit; and Tong Li Publishing licensed the Chinese translation, which it published from July to October 2011. In April 2023, on the occasion of Saiyuki's 25th anniversary, a new design book box edition of Saiyuki Gaiden was published in Taiwan by Tong Li Publishing.

• Illustration — Digipak art of the Blu-ray Box illustrated by Kazuya Minekura In November 2009, an original video animation (OVA) adaptation of Saiyuki Gaiden was announced as having been green-lit. In June 2010, it was announced that the adaptation would focus on the climax of Minekura's manga rather than adapting the story in its entirety. The OVA was planned as a three-volume release, with each volume featuring newly illustrated jacket artwork by Minekura and additional material such as booklets, music CDs, and cast commentary in the limited editions. The first volume, Ōun no Shō, was released in Japan on March 25, 2011, followed by Sange no Shō on June 24 and Hōga no Shō on September 22. The three main OVA volumes were later supplemented by a special fourth episode, Saiyuki Gaiden: Tokubetsu-hen - Kōga no Shō, released in Japan on April 26, 2013. The special episode was reconstructed by Minekura from chapters 11–13 of the manga from Tenpou Gensui's perspective and focuses on the Western Army's First Unit. For the North American market, Sentai Filmworks released Saiyuki Gaiden Complete DVD, containing the first three OVA episodes, on January 22, 2013. The company later released a Complete Collection Blu-ray edition on September 13, 2022, which compiled the OVA into a two-hour feature-length presentation. Section23 Films handled the home-video distribution of the North American Blu-ray release. On September 28, 2018, Frontier Works released all four Saiyuki Gaiden OVA volumes in a Japanese Blu-ray box set featuring a new HD digital remaster of the series. The box set also included newly drawn artwork by Minekura and bonus audio material from the earlier releases.

• Volume — Release date — Discs — Episodes • 1 — March 25, 2011 — 1 — 1 • 2 — June 24, 2011 — 1 — 2 • 3 — September 22, 2011 — 1 — 3 • Special — April 26, 2013 — 1 — 4

The Saiyuki Gaiden manga achieved strong sales in Japan. Its fourth and final volume ranked fourth on the Japanese weekly manga chart for July 27–August 2, 2009, selling 89,565 copies in its first reported week and reaching cumulative sales of 135,913 copies. It remained on the chart the following week at number 22, selling a further 32,366 copies and bringing its cumulative total to 167,971 copies. An earlier volume also appeared in Anime News Networks Japanese weekly manga rankings, indicating that the series achieved chart visibility during its publication. In a 2025 editorial, Magazon included Saiyuki Gaiden at number three in a list of manga it considered substantially less well known than their quality warranted. The article praised the four-volume series for its emotional impact, particularly toward its conclusion, and highlighted its panel composition, pacing, use of pauses, characters' lines of sight, and placement of dialogue. It argued that these formal elements contribute significantly to the work's impact as a manga and recommended reading the original manga rather than relying solely on its anime adaptation.

The anime adaptation received praise for its characterization, emotional impact, visual presentation, and treatment of the relationships between its central characters. Chris Beveridge of The Fandom Post described the story as simple and straightforward, but praised the OVA as an entertaining miniseries that maintains a serious tone while incorporating moments of levity appropriate to its situations. He also praised its animation and character designs. In a later review of the Blu-ray release, Beveridge again praised the OVA and its presentation of the events in Heaven, particularly the relationships formed among the characters. He also considered the additional fourth episode, Kōga no Shō, a useful complement to the main OVA. A review by George of The Land of Obscusion was more critical of the adaptation's structure. He noted that almost all of the basic setup is compressed into the first seven minutes, including material drawn from the first two volumes of the manga. In his assessment, this leaves little time for properly introducing the main characters and their relationships, with Goku's developing friendship with Nataku receiving only brief treatment. He therefore argued that the OVA appears to assume that viewers have already read the manga or seen the Homura arc of Gensou Maden Saiyuki. George nevertheless considered the adaptation much stronger once its initial exposition is completed. He described the remaining episodes as having the feel of a feature-length chase story, praising their sustained movement, tense action, character flashbacks, and emotional momentum. He also considered the revelation of Li Touten's plans and Nataku's role important to the way the prequel connects with the wider Saiyuki story. The fourth episode, Kōga no Shō, was singled out for providing character development that the main OVA had little room to include. George particularly praised its focus on Tenpou, Kenren, and the members of their unit, arguing that it gives the supporting soldiers personalities and development that are largely absent from the main three episodes. He regarded the episode as an effective supplement to the main OVA and as making some of its later events more impactful. The review also praised the production. George found the character designs faithful to Kazuya Minekura's style, particularly noting the way Goku's younger appearance is conveyed. He described the soundtrack as predominantly orchestral, distinguishing it from the more rock-oriented music of earlier Saiyuki anime productions, and praised KOKIA's opening and ending themes for their slow and introspective character. A Polish review by Tanuki-Anime, which awarded the OVA 9/10 overall, similarly identified the opening as its principal weakness, describing it as chaotic and resembling a summary of events from nonexistent preceding episodes. The reviewer argued that the adaptation appears to have lacked enough time to present the beginning of the story in full, although the essential information is ultimately included. The same review praised the characterization, calling the relationships between Konzen, Tenpou, Kenren, and Goku the series' main strength, and described the story as emotionally powerful. Tanuki-Anime also praised the animation and character designs in comparison with the earlier television adaptations, while noting some awkward facial drawing. The review particularly praised the action scenes, the more graphic depiction of violence, the music, and the returning Japanese voice cast. It also argued that the OVA is primarily aimed at existing Saiyuki fans and can be difficult to fully appreciate without familiarity with at least Gensou Maden Saiyuki.