Gaiden Memoirs part 1

“Can you be anyone's sun?” Saiyuki Gaiden Another story of “SAIYUKI- The Legend of the Western Journey into Danger”

“Saiyuki Gaiden” Synopsis

In Heaven, where spring is eternal and death does not even exist, Konzen Douji spent his days, bored. One day, a golden-eyed boy said to have been born of a Lower World rock, was brought before Kanzeon Bosatsu. He was rumored to be a symbol of chaos and the origin of fortune and misfortune. Although Konzen, having been appointed guardian of the naïve boy, was angered at being toyed with, he began to sense a change in his life.

The boy received the name ‘Goku [悟空]’ from Konzen, a name meaning ‘understand [悟] the void [空]’. He met Tenpou Gensui and Kenren Taisho of Heaven’s Western Army, and the three became friendly. Tenpou and Kenren both expressed apprehension and unease about the methods of the military heads.

And Goku made his first friend. That boy, Nataku, was in actuality the ‘War Prince,’ the one and only Heavenly being allowed to kill. Nataku’s father, Li Touten, was behind the unnatural succession of orders to the front lines. Li Touten was secretly scheming to use Nataku, the ‘killing weapon,’ to strengthen his own influence over the heads of Heaven.

Suspicious that Goku, as a ‘heretical being,’ might be chosen as War Prince and thus usurp Nataku’s position and rank, Li Touten determined Goku an obstacle and ordered Nataku, “Kill Goku.” A ‘man-made man’ programmed to obey his father Li Touten, Nataku was torn between his father’s order to dispose of Goku, and his own feelings of friendship towards the boy. In the end, Nataku was unable to kill Goku, who innocently and whole-heartedly believed in their friendship, and Nataku cut himself down…

Goku was horribly shocked by the injured Nataku. In response to that shock, Goku’s emotions ran wild, his golden diadem – a youkai power limiter – came off his forehead, and the powers of the Seiten Taisei were released. It was that overwhelming power that seemed to take pleasure in the fighting, that awful power that massacred those present. Kanzeon Bosatsu rendered Goku unconscious, but the brutality was just too cruel.

For protecting the ‘unclean being’ Goku, Konzen, Tenpou, and Kenren were labeled traitors and attacked by Heaven’s Army. They escaped by taking captive the Dragon King of the Western Ocean, Goujun, and demanded asylum in the Lower World. Goku regained consciousness thanks to the strength of his tie with Konzen, and the four promised, “We’ll always be together,” “Even if we get separated, we’ll meet again beneath the sakura in the Lower World.”

The four headed for the only path connecting Heaven and the Lower World: the Dimension Gate. They released Goujun and entered the Heavenly Palace. At that time, Li Touten’s comrade assassinated the Heavenly Emperor. The blame fell on Konzen and the rest, and they were attacked by the ‘Natakus’, the failed man-made weapons that didn’t become ‘Prince Nataku.’ Kenren acted as bait, and let the other three escape. Kenren struggled against the Natakus, but he was mortally wounded, and fell…

The three managed to infiltrate into the lowest level of the Heavenly Palace. However, the Gate had been placed under heavy guard. There, Tenpou decided to draw the attack of the Gate guards himself in order to allow Konzen and Goku to go on ahead. Even though Tenpou enjoyed battle, the numbers were too uneven and he suffered a fatal wound. He took care of all the guards, but in a duel with the remaining Shou’u, Tenpou too, as though chasing after Kenren, met his end…

Goku and Konzen reached the Dimension Gate. After surviving various hardships, they finally managed to open it. However, they came up against Li Touten’s resistance, and Konzen sent Goku through first. Konzen tried desperately to make it through as the Gate rapidly began to close, but only Goku got out on the other side. Konzen promised Goku, “Next time I’ll reach out on my own,” and disappeared, crushed in the Gate…

… Time went by, and Heaven sought to restore order. The Heavenly Emperor had died, the Heavenly Palace was destroyed, the Thousand-Year Sakura had scattered…… The people and the army were all thrown into chaos. Amid all this, Kanzeon Bosatsu remained stolidly on the Lower World-side of the Dimension Gate, gently holding the despairing Goku, and sealed his memories away. Every one of those memories, except for the name ‘Goku’…

The punishment imposed upon Goku was ‘500 years of loneliness.’ Deprived of his memories and shackled, Goku was sealed in a mountaintop stone prison, as countless seasons went by.

And when 500 years have passed, a shining figure appears before Goku’s eyes, and holds out a hand. Goku reaches a hand toward the light……

The story about ‘someday’ heads to a close, and begins to move once more……

CHARACTERS

Goku 悟空

A heretical being neither human nor youkai; born of a stone said to be made of the essence of Tougenkyou, on the top of the Flower and Fruit Mountain on the Eastern Aolai continent. He has the golden eyes symbolic of disaster and hosts unknown amounts of power. Fearing this, Heaven brought him before Kanzeon Bosatsu. There is a golden diadem around his forehead; this is a power limiter that suppresses his huge youkai powers. If it is removed he returns to his true form of Seiten Taisei, a life form that goes beyond gods, humans, and youkai, and he goes crazy. Normally, he is a lively rascal of a boy who sleeps a lot, plays a lot, and eats a lot. He’s innocent and hearty. He had the power to move people with his purity. Profile

・ Height: He hasn’t been measured, but he comes up to about Konzen’s hip

・ Interests: Enjoying each day

・ Favorite Food: He’ll eat anything

・ Least Favorite Food: Bitter things and spicy things

・ Special Skill: An { }unch

・ What he looks for in a woman: He still has no interest

・ Favorite color: Pretty colors. Shiny things.

Message

・ After reading “Saiyuki,” I really wanted to know about his past, and after learning about it in Gaiden I’ve come to like him even more! My chest gets tight whenever I think that, behind that brightness all this happened… (TA-san)

・ He’s cute and honest and I love his smile! I like him when he’s Seiten Taisei too. He really ran wild, but that was because he loved Nataku as a friend… I cried at that…… (HF-san)

・He’s tiny and so adorable! And, he really cherishes his friends; I love that about him too. (Nagano Prefecture, HM-san)

・ He’s honest… and cute!! (Miyazaki Prefecture, KY-san)

・ Those shining eyes are adorable. And his whole-hearted innocence is cute too. I can see why everyone wanted to protect Goku. (MJ-san)

・ I saw him smile and fell in love. And he’s really strong! I love him ♡ (Mie Prefecture, UM-san)

・ He’s pure, and I love how he can make everyone’s life brighter just by existing. (Yamanashi Prefecture, WE-san)

・ At any rate, he’s cute. His smile and his habits and his lines… I just want to squeeeeeeze him. Goku’s very pure and straight-forward words make me happy, and sometimes strike me in the heart… I think I too have become richer in feeling (thanks to Goku?). The world has changed a little now that I’ve met Goku. So, I understand Konzen’s feelings about not letting go of that hand! (Osaka City, Miyake Motsu-san)

・ He’s so dear to me I can’t express it in words. (Tokyo City, SC-san)

・ It goes without saying that he’s cute, but I was done in by the words and actions that spring from his purity! (Okinawa Prefecture, NR-san)

・ I love his honesty and his naiveté and how cute his smile is ♡ (Nagano Prefecture, MM-san)

・ I think Goku is very cute laughing or smiling (AN-san)

・ He’s a rascal, but he’s kind and cares for his friends, so I like him. (Saitama Prefecture, YA-san)

・ I can’t take my eyes of his bright, lively, vivacious running form, but he’s also a calming existence. (Osaka City, MA-san)

・ This boy was my first love. Simply put, “I love all of him,” but his angelic side, his honest side, his rascal side, his “I love you” feelings that he can’t hide about the people he likes… LOVE! (Tochigi Prefecture, IY-san)

・ His caring for others comes through loud and clear. I love the other characters too, and I really struggled with this decision, but I love love love Goku!!! (Kei-san)

・ Goku is really cool and amazingly cute! And he thinks of his friends, and cries for other people… he’s strong and wonderful. That’s the Goku I love! (Saki-hime-san)

・ He’s childish and naïve about the world, but he’s true to his feelings. He’s a strong boy who can live according to his own beliefs, and he’s a kind boy who is saddened by other people’s sadness and rejoices at other people’s joy as though they were his own. I love Goku for having such a pure heart! (Arisu-san)

・ He’s really cute when he’s innocently smiling. I get all choked up when he calls Konzen and the others’ names and I think that someday he won’t even be able to say those names. I want to watch over him until the very end. But Goku smiling is definitely the best!! (Chihiro-san)

Konzen Douji 金蝉童子

Kanzeon Bosatsu’s nephew. His rank as a god was high, but his job mostly consisted of paging through documents and the boredom was killing him. He’s a typical young master who doesn’t know what hardship is; although he’s the iron fist in the velvet glove and had a huge attitude, he had no strength or patience. He’s pure only so far as he was naïve about the world. He met Goku, and was influenced by Tenpou and Kenren as well, and was able to defeat his previous self in order to protect that which was important to him. In doing so he gained the determination to face up to a huge power.

Profile ・ Height: about 183 cm [6 ft] (What about the heels?)

・ Interests: Stamping documents.

・ Favorite Food: He’s a vegetarian, so vegetables (but he hates tomatoes).

・ Least Favorite Food: Meat (all fishy things). He has strong opinions about food.

・ Special Skill: He doesn’t exercise enough. Iron fist in a velvet glove.

・ Concerns: He does as little as he can get away with.

・ Occupation & Post: Simply put, he’s manger of Heaven’s Living Management. He just approves or vetoes the documents that come his way.

・ What he looks for in a woman: Women are noisy so he doesn’t like them.

・ Favorite color: White or gold

Message

・ I love Konzen! It was extremely heartwarming when, even though he was clumsy about it, Konzen tried his best to convey his love to Goku. He grows as a person too, through his exchanges with Goku and the others, and I’ve come to like him more and more. Konzen and Goku were bound together by a tie stronger than that of real parent and child; it was amazing to watch them both grow together. (Kanagawa Prefecture, Pao Musume-san)

・ I like that, even though before meeting Goku he was bored no matter what he did, by meeting Goku and coming into contact with Kenren and Tenpou, he tried to change himself. I like how he tried so hard to say, “I’m glad to have met you,” to Goku, who reached out a hand to him. I like how his lower eyelashes look good on him (laughs). (Saitama Prefecture, Anzu-san)

・ I like him because he’s an amazing dad. His little actions always show that he loves Goku from the bottom of his heart. He practically cares more for Goku than he does for himself. And it’s cute how normally he’s well-bred and natural. But surprisingly in emergency situations he’s manlier than anyone. I fell in love with him at that scene where he shouted, “What’s wrong with that?” while hanging from the wire (Chiba Prefecture, IK-san)

・ I love his kindness towards Goku and the smile he sometimes shows, and the light unique to Konzen. I love all of him! And, after he meets Goku, he finds what’s important to him and acts according to him own will… he’s cool! (Saitama Prefecture, KH-san)

・ To put it simply, “it was love at first sight.” I love Konzen’s awkward smile! (Yamaguchi Prefecture, FM-san)

・ Looking untouchable but surprisingly having hot spots is so Konzen, and I love it (Ehime Prefecture, SS-san)

・He’s my sun too (Tokyo City, Yukizora-san)

・ I love watching Konzen, who had no interest in anything, grow into a wonderful father for Goku. (Fukuoka Prefecture, HK-san)

・ He’s cute in that even though he’s gentle at heart, he’s clumsy so he seems indifferent towards even the things he’s interested in ♡ (Fukuoka Prefecture, KT-san)

・ I like him because he’s Goku’s guardian, and he protected Goku until the very end… (Miyagi Prefecture, IA-san)

・ The first time I saw him, my eyes were captured by his golden hair. And, I love Konzen the best when he’s with Goku and the others! I cried numerous times at the things Konzen said. I really love him. (Tokyo city, KY-san)

・ At first, he was a character I wanted to stand by, but as the story progressed he became a character I wanted to stand by me. His last smile was truly warm, and shining. (Hokkaido, IS-san)

・ He’s serious to the core, naïve of the world and he has no physical strength, and he’s a little twisted, but I fell in love with how he’s whiter and purer than anyone and anything, how he tried to protect his precious Goku, and how he really tried to live on. I’ll love him forever! (Aichi Prefecture, HS-san)

・ I really liked how Konzen, who was at first lethargic and bored, met Goku, Tenpou and Kenren, and turned to face up to Li Touten’s scheme. I feel that his feelings toward his ‘comrades’ grow stronger as he goes through more. I really fell in love with Konzen, who protected Goku to the end. (Aichi Prefecture, TN-san)

・ Konzen learning what it means to have fun by being with Goku pulled at my heart (Miichan-san)

・ He’s really cool, and he feels like a father when he’s with Goku, so I like him. (Runa Runa-san)

・ He’s awkward, but I love his somehow pure, kind, strong heart. I really like how, even though he says it’s a pain in the ass, he takes care of Goku. (Tsukieisaku Usagi-san)Seiten Taisei