Konzen Douji

Konzen Douji (金蝉 童子) was at one point the most bored being in Heaven. He was the nephew of Kanzeon Bosatsu. He spent his litheness days doing his job which consisted mainly of paging through documents, and the boredom was killing him. That was until the day that a heretical being was brought up from the lower world, Goku. Konzen is the previous incarnation of Genjo Sanzo.

Personality
Konzen, no matter how you look at him, tends to come off as somewhat of a prissy brat. He’s curt, brutally honest and no-nonsense, and seemingly lacking in the ability to smile or laugh. Even Goku comments that he would look better if he smiled (though upon seeing him smile Goku states it really doesn’t suit him as it seems unnatural for his expression.) When he first meets Goku he still holds no worldly knowledge and thus is “pure" as far as that goes, but after spending even a few moments with Goku, he begins to show a new side to himself. He shows the personality traits of someone who is quick to explode into fits of temper when bothered and also a surprising father-like gentleness and kindness with Goku that no one would have expected. Despite denying it initially, it quickly becomes clear that he loves Goku dearly and would do anything to protect him, including giving his own life.

Konzen doesn’t think highly of himself. In all honesty, before meeting Goku, he didn’t think much of anything other than what work had to be done, eating, and sleeping. Upon meeting Goku, he began to see himself as not being worthy of the image reflected in Goku’s eyes: the man Goku thought he was versus who he actually felt he was. His goals has shifted directly in relation to his time spent with Goku, changing him to strive to live up to the man that Goku’s sees in him, to be what Goku believes he is: like the sun, shining, warm, and always there as a guide to protect against the dark.

Being of high rank in Heaven and yet not actually doing much of anything gave Konzen a touch of an arrogance though once he begins to mingle with Tenpou and Kenren that begins to fade away. The more he interacts with others, the more he seems to break out of his habits of doing nothing but drifting through a lukewarm existence of constant boredom.

Konzen may be lazy but he’s also a neat-freak bordering OCD. He actually enjoys stamping documents and derives bits and pieces of pleasure out of perfectly aligning a stamp with the corners of the document. His room is always immaculate unless Goku’s messed things up or doodled, hence his dislike of Tenpou’s sloppy habits as it means he sometimes has to play maid and clean for him. Deep down, Konzen probably enjoys tidying things up though he doesn’t show it. It also says a lot about his appearance and what goes into his daily primping prepping.

Konzen found politics boring but at the same time became upset when he found he’d been left out of decisions that end up hurting those around him. As much as he would have liked to stay out of situations, he couldn’t help but to feel he needed to involve himself when the outcome results in pain of his friends, such as Kenren being tortured and imprisoned. This led to him to starting his own investigation and taking an interest in what's going on around for the first time in his life. He discovered almost too easily just how corrupt Heaven was and how much he detests what's happening.

Appearance
"Wow! It's beautiful! Just like the sun!" - Heretic Child to Konzen Douji

Konzen's most memorable feature is his long, fine golden hair. He wears his hair in a ponytail low at the base of his skull. Konzen has long-lashed drooping violet eyes. Even in the heavens, where everything was considered beautiful, Konzen was described as being especially so—even by Kanzeon his/herself. He was tall and dressed in fine white robes (though they appear purple in the anime) along with sandals with slight heels that add to his height. Konzen also wears a necklace that has three orbs on it. The top of his robes and his gloves bare a striking resemblance to the black under-armor and gloves that Genjo Sanzo wears, though the edges of Konzen's are gold where Sanzo's is an alloyed grey. Konzen's general appearance is very similar to Genjo Sanzo's.

Backstory
Konzen's life was very dull until the day that the heretical being, the Seiten Taisei, was brought before Kanzeon who insisted that Konzen be there to see him. The creature walked right up to him, taking a lock of his hair and claiming in an awestruck manner that Konzen looked like the sun. After which, with a slight tug of the wrist, the little brat pulled out a chunk of Konzen's hair accidentally. Konzen started bickering with the creature and Kanzeon was amused so she decided that from then on the heretic would live with them and he would be Konzen's "pet" and his responsibility.

Konzen struggled handling the heretic child at first, but started to grow fond of him and even named him eventually, Goku. Not long after, Goku met Konzen's old friend, the Field Marshal of the Western Army, Tenpou. Apparently Konzen and Tenpou have known each other for a long time. At the banquet for the Jade Emperor's birthday, Konzen met Tenpou Superior and friend, General Kenren. After which the four of them--Konzen, Goku, Tenpou, and Kenren--kicked themselves out of the banquet and returned to Konzen's office where he was persuaded into playing baseball.

Not long after, Konzen started realizing there was more going on in Heaven then he knew. Tired of being the only one left out, and have some suspicions of his own, Konzen went to Tenpou of some answers. Tenpou told him of the corruption in Heaven and just how deep it ran. He told Konzen of his and Kenren's suspicions of Li Touten, how he sought to rule, using his son Nataku in order to guarantee his advance in ranks as well as those who followed him. Also that Li Touten saw Goku as a threat to his plans and would probably make Nataku kill. Goku walked in at the wrong moment and heard the last of the conversation. Stricken, he ran from the room to seek confirmation from Nataku himself that that wasn't true. Konzen and Tenpou followed after him.

Upon their arrival, they witnessed Nataku doing just what they feared. In the end, Nataku could not bring himself to kill Goku, and turned his blade on himself right before Goku's eyes, driving Goku temporarily mad and spiking his power so high the diadem on his head broke apart. After killing anyone who dared get close and even tearing out Li Touten's eye, Kanzeon Bosatsu subdued him. Konzen, despite his fear of Goku's released form, defied. Kanzeon by holding her back and punching her. After receiving a painful return blow from the much more powerful Kanzeon, Konzen vowed he'd protect Goku, but he adds it isn't he who is the sun.

In the end, he, Kenren, Tenpou and Goku seek to flee Heaven and live in exile in the world below. They were pursued by Li Touten's men and all of those who believe his lies. Even the assassination of the Emperor himself, orchestrated by Touten, was blamed on the fleeing group of four. In the end, Konzen died, but not before he made sure Goku got to earth. He promised Goku with his last words that the next time they met, he would be the one to reach out to him.

500 years later, on the mountain of Gogyou, Goku sat in his cell, his memories of heaven and his "sun" locked away in heaven. A figure approached the cell and a held his hand out, pulling Goku out of the darkness and into the light, Genjo Sanzo.

Konzen struggled handling the heretic child at first, but started to grow fond of him and even named him eventually, Goku. Not long after, Goku met Konzen's old friend, the Field Marshal of the Western Army, Tenpou. Apparently Konzen and Tenpou have known each other for a long time. At the banquet for the Jade Emperor's birthday, Konzen met Tenpou Superior and friend, General Kenren. After which the four of them—Konzen, Goku, Tenpou, and Kenren—kicked themselves out of the banquet and returned to Konzen's office where he was persuaded into playing baseball.

Not long after, Konzen started realizing there was more going on in Heaven then he knew. Tired of being the only one left out, and have some suspicions of his own, Konzen went to Tenpou of some answers. Tenpou told him of the corruption in Heaven and just how deep it ran. He told Konzen of his and Kenren's suspicions of Li Touten, how he sought to rule, using his son Nataku in order to guarantee his advance in ranks as well as those who followed him. Also that Li Touten saw Goku as a threat to his plans and would probably make Nataku kill. Goku walked in at the wrong moment and heard the last of the conversation. Stricken, he ran from the room to seek confirmation from Nataku himself that that wasn't true. Konzen and Tenpou followed after him.

Upon their arrival, they witnessed Nataku doing just what they feared. In the end, Nataku could not bring himself to kill Goku, and turned his blade on himself right before Goku's eyes, driving Goku temporarily mad and spiking his power so high the diadem on his head broke apart. After killing anyone who dared get close and even tearing out Li Touten's eye, Kanzeon Bosatsu subdued him. Konzen, despite his fear of Goku's released form, defied. Kanzeon by holding her back and punching her. After receiving a painful return blow from the much more powerful Kanzeon, Konzen vowed he'd protect Goku, but he adds it isn't he who is the sun.

In the end, he, Kenren, Tenpou and Goku seek to flee Heaven and live in exile in the world below. They were pursued by Li Touten's men and all of those who believe his lies. Even the assassination of the Emperor himself, orchestrated by Touten, was blamed on the fleeing group of four. In the end, Konzen died, but not before he made sure Goku got to earth. He promised Goku with his last words that the next time they met, he would be the one to reach out to him.

500 years later, on the mountain of Gogyou, Goku sat in his cell, his memories of heaven and his "sun" locked away in heaven. A figure approached the cell and a held his hand out, pulling Goku out of the darkness and into the light, Genjo Sanzo.

Relationships
Son Goku - Goku was like a son for Konzen. Kenren remarked that they were "daddy and son". When Konzen first encounter the Heretic, the Child walked right up to Konzen, taking a lock of his hair and claiming that Konzen was beautiful just like the sun. It was actually the start of events that changed Konzen's life; all with that child reaching his hands out to him. Konzen actually had a hard times handling the heretic at first. Especially when the child messed with Konzen's paper work. He referred to the child as "chibizaru" or "bakazaru" (small or stupid monkey). But later on he gives the child the name Goku. Goku becomes very protective towards Konzen. An example is the events that unfolded at the Jade Emperor's birthday. Goku bumped into some of the gods attending and after mouthing off to Goku, they started trash talking Konzen. Goku, not sure exactly what was being said, got angry and hit the gods, deffending Konzen's name. Despite of being somewhat short tempered, Konzen loved Goku dearly and he would do anything to protect him, even sacrificing his own life. Konzen has an inferiority complex when it comes to some of the things Goku says about him. He can not see how he himself is like the sun, rather Goku is the sun.

Kanzeon Bosatsu - She is Konzen Douji estranged aunt, but he usually refers to her as 'old hag'. Both of them have similar traits; they have arrogant side and dying in boredom in heaven. Kanzeon is the one who leaves Goku to Konzen to take care of it, but she’s fond of the child calling his nephew a sun. The two doesn’t get along at all, but Kanzeon used to visit his office to check his condition and give advices to him''. ''Kanzeon and Konzen were all not that close or at least they just don't want to admit it.

Tenpou - He is an old acquaintance of Konzen Douji and he would frequently come to call on Konzen. Tenpou mentioned that Konzen is the opposite of Kenren who doesn’t enjoy women and drinks. Tenpou sometimes visit him if how is he or to discussed some suspicious issues about high-ranked gods. Later on, Goku begged Konzen to come over in Tenpou's house, but ended up helping him to clean his place. Konzen also asked Tenpou a favor to pick him an interesting book to read next time he visits again.

Abilities
Konzen has one very special ability and it is to use the energies of his own God-hood to restore Goku’s diadem when it shatters. Only a God can do it. Other than that he has no special abilities, no battle skills. He looks gentle but is very strict and hard to deal with once you get to know him, hence being “an iron fist in a velvet glove.” It should also be noted that Konzen has abnormal strength, as he was shown carrying Goku while escaping the emperor's palace with him, Kenren, and Tenpou; Goku's shackles weighed at least 20 kg each, adding up to a total of 100 kg. When Kenren tried lifting Goku, he couldn't even lift his feet off the ground, Konzen on the other hand, was seen carrying Goku with ease.

Trivia

 * Konzen means golden cicadas, cicadas being a power symbolism of summer in Japan while Douji means child or boy. Konzen Douji should be viewed as one whole name. From the Chinese classic text "Journey to the West" which Saiyuki is very loosely based on, the original version of Konzen Douji, Jin Chan Zhi, was one of the disciples of Tathāgata (Buddha of the Pali Canon), he was expelled from heaven, while Sanzo (Tang Xuan zang) was his tenth reincarnation [1].
 * Konzen's hobby was stamping documents, and though it sounds boring, he was very happy when the stamp was perfectly aligned with the corners of the paper.
 * Konzen, like Sanzo, had a very strong opinion about food and surprisingly enough he hated tomatoes. Unlike Sanzo—who's a Buddhist monk—Konzen was a very strict vegetarian.
 * Konzen was actually a few inches/centimeters taller than Sanzo, but the heels help.
 * He didn't like women. He thought they were all loud and noisy.
 * His favorite colors were white and gold.
 * Konzen and Goku used to take bath together like father and son.
 * His aunt used to play tricks on him like putting makeup and even changed his hairstyle.