DVD's

Listed Below = 
Araiso   non Saiyuki
Saiyuki   US - Season 1 - Boxed set
Saiyuki   US - Season 2 - Boxed set
Saiyuki Reload   US - Season 3 - Boxed set
Saiyuki Reload Gunlock   US - Season 4 - Boxed set
Saiyuki Burial   The Burial Ark
Saiyuki Gaiden   OVA
Saiyuki Requiem   The good Movie
Saiyuki Movie   another movie
 

 

Araiso Private High School Student Council, Executive Committee - 2 episodes
Region - All (2) Dub = Japanese Subtitles = English / Chinese Produced by - ?????

Translation:
You have to remember that this is a Japanese release and the translation is a little confusing at time, but that doesn't stop you enjoying all the fun that's going on! and really in the end the translation is only secondary to the animation, and we should just be thankful they put an English translation on it at all ^_~.
Review:
This is great and the animation is one of the best I have seen in a long time! The story it self I don't think come directly from the manga (like Clamp's anime of 'Tokyo Babylon"), and it's refreshing. The 1st story is based upon what I would call a 'Sports Day' where the bad guys get there comeuppance when our hero's are told at first they cant enter any of the contests on grounds that they must police the school first. the 2nd is a strange kind of ghost story that just has you in stitches!... You expect Kabuto to say "ma'naa" any second, being a little bit of a Hakkai clone (not that I'm complaining. Kabu-chan, as Tokito would say, has a dark eerie streak *grin*). Tokito on the other hand runs around proclaiming how great and beautiful he is, and trying to get all the girls to fancy him, well that is until Kabu-chan basically calls him a liar... These tails are also hilarious, and great if you want cheering up after a hard day! 
The Yaoi factor:
owww... this is that anime I've been dreaming of. There is never anything to graphic, but when Tokito get's injured in episode 1, Kabuto reacts with saying "I've been hurt" with narrowed eyes then kick's the shit, he's pretty easy going until Tokito is concerned. There are a few beautiful close 'hinted at' intimacy, until they get disturbed, and then there is a wonderful bit in the 2nd one where innuendoes are abound all because Tokito wants Kabu-chan's ice cream! It's all very sweat really on some strange level!
Wild Adapter Music Video:
There is a short AMV on this DVD for Wild Adapter, with the chara from WA that dont appear in Araiso, it's a great little thing, and I would LOVE to see a real Anime for WA, maybe we just have to wait /sigh.
Artbook - yup these episodes have an Artbook to go with them
HERE

 

  

Saiyuki (Season 1) (eps 1 - 26) Single DVD & Collectable boxed set
Region - 1 English/Japanese - English Subtitles DVD's - 6 / Single boxed / 5/4 eps on each Produced by - ADV films

Translation:
As far as translation goes it's goood, obviously leeway is given for lip-sink that is also good, ADV always do good on this part... It's also funnier and more explanative than all the subbing I've read, which is nice, I haven't read ADV's subbing yet but again I'm sure it's pointless.
The Dubbing:
/sigh... The ADV dubbing is terrible... there is just no getting around it. the voice over are just too apathetic and monotone, they are bearable, I recommend watch the Sub with the original Japanese.
Review:
Kudos to ADV for bringing us Saiyuki, so we can watch it lazily in English, but the dub does suck. At least thay keep the original theme song and ending and they don't mess with the names! There is some cultural notes on the DVD for anyone who has no idea what Saiyuki is about or it's origins (thought I didn't read um ^_~). The Boxed set version is OK, all it means is that you get a pretty cardboard box and with a naff t-shirt... The DVD quality is exhalent, normally region 1 DVD's can look grainy and pixelated on UK TV's but this version is faultless! thank you very muchly ADV... but sort out your dubbing! ta ^_^

         
 

 

 

Saiyuki (Season 2) (eps 27 - 50) Single DVD & Collectable boxed set
Region - 1 English/Japanese - English Subtitles DVD's - 6 / Single boxed / 5/4 eps on each Produced by - ADV films

Translation:
Same as the Season 1 boxed set, again the translation is fine, they tried to keep as much of the comedy as they could and to fit in with lip-sync.
The Dubbing:
Same again, still not good, but bearable enough if your being uba lazy!
Review:

These videos do some with posters inside, one also has a relationship and character profile that's quite good (here in a gallery somewhere). other than that it's fine... [I never had a very good translation of this series until this came out, so thanks ADV}
This series deals with Homoru and him trying to take over everything. A totally different ark to anything from the manga, very few filler episodes, loved this story. and if I remember, it also has Saiyuki Gaiden in this anime.

           
 

 

Saiyuki Reload - (eps 1 - 25) Single DVD & Collectable boxed set
Region - 1 Dub = Eng/Jap - Sub=Eng DVD's - 7 / Single boxed / 4/3 eps on each Produced by - Geneon dentsu

Translation:
This is a great Translation, keeping in all the jokes and references.
The Dubbing:
Slightly better than the ADV, but not by much. Some of the same voice actors, but moved to different chara... but again, still awful >_< but slightly more bearable than the ADV dubbing, but not by much. [I wished Funimation had got Saiyuki /cry] Anyhow, I get to be lazy when watching them ^_^
Review:

These look more the part, think these had some small Shittaka in them, I have a few and are now scattered in the galleries here. all in all a better boxed set, if not perfect :P
This series eventually does the 'Kami Sama' Ark from the originally manga series, and sooo well done! (even if it does bugger up the original story cannon a bit :P...

           
 

 

Saiyuki Reload Gunlock - (eps 1 - 26) Single DVD & Collectable boxed set
Region - 1 Dub = Eng/Jap - Sub=Eng DVD's - 7 / Single boxed / 4/3 eps on each Produced by - Geneon dentsu

Translation:
This is a great Translation, keeping in all the jokes and references.
The Dubbing:
It's the same voice actors as the Reload release, again, not the best, but liveable with.
Review:

The cardboard box cover always confused me, it's totally random... but well it's keeps them all together.
This series eventually covers the 'Even a Worm' ark from the manga, but this was created when Hazel and Gat first come into the manga, so the ending will be totally different. Still it's a great series, shame about some of the total random episodes and some that must have been done by armatures... but again, love Saiyuki, love this ^_^

           
 

 

Saiyuki Burial OVA - (eps 1 - 3)
Region - 2 Dub - Japanese / Sub - Fansubed   Produced by - ????

Translation:
So far this is only Fan-subed, and very good they are too... other than that we have to wait for someone to puck up the licence and dub it into English for us slackers :P
Review:
These anime's are from the 'Burial' Ark in the manga, 1 covers Sanzo from when he became a Sanzo, to when he met Goku also how Ukoku Sanzo got his title. 2 is mostly about Goku and him finally meeting and living with Sanzo. 3 is all about Hakkai and Gojyo and how Hakkai ended up staying with Gojyo [this is my favourite /grin].
These ova's are just great, and are straight out of the manga ^_^

    These images are only images that are used for the OVA DVD covers
 

Saiyuki Gaiden OVA - (eps 1 - 3)
Region - non Dub - Japanese / Sub - Fansubed   Produced by - ????

Translation:
So far it is being fansubed (visit my main page or my LJ Updates for more info
Review:
So far this anime is great, it skip's most of the manga that was covered in Saiyuki series 2, and carries on with the manga vols 2 to 4.

 


Saiyuki Requiem - The Movie 
Region - All (2) Japanese / Subtitles - English - Chinese Number of Disc's - 1 Produced by - Manga international inc

Translation:
Again, I think this is a Chinese version (I could be wrong) original Japanese with English and Chinese subtitles, the translation isn't that bad, again just glad it's in English of some kind! they keep the original names, though they fall at spelling Cho Gonou. Apart from that it's fine.
Review:
The animation is pixalated at first but you get used to it, it just seems like they recorded it digitally on a really old computer that just couldn't number crunch the graphics all to well... There are some wonderful bit of animation where they pan around the chara while they are moving, (anyone who's a complete animation buff will just drool over Hakkai and Goku in the dinning room!)... The story takes a little time to start and has you sat their going "who? what? why?" until the plot finally starts to pull it's self together and then your sat on the edge of your set, then giggling at the foolery of the main bad guy who really need's a life... but I will say that at times you wonder why Kougaji and his horde are bothering being in the anime at all! but a nice story and for any Sanzo~x~Gojyo fans out there >_<, as always some nice Hakkai~x~Gojyo to to keep my fan interest *grins*
And that's all folks ^_^
This movie also has an artbook to go with it, 'Visual Complete' my review for it is HERE

 

 

Saiyuki *umm?* - another movie? interactive?
Region - All (2) Japanese / Subtitles - English - Chinese Number of Disc's - 1 Produced by - ????

Translation:
The translation of the anime is fine. but the menu is in characters, also I'm not sure about the interactive menu, I couldn't get them to work no matter what dvd player / PC I stuck it into >_< so if anyone knows how to get this to work! tell me!!!
Review:
"Sucks on teeth" brake out the caffeine, ya gonna need it! As far as the anime goes I would rather just brake out the TV series and watch a 25min episode. They get asked to find this 'Pearl Jade' (a red ball, go figure) that will grant any wish by Bosatu. So they do so, the end up in this town where this girl is healing everyone's wound all because she was abused when she was even younger, And shock, she's using the pearl Jade to do it. But lots of other nastiest also want it... 
You have no sympathy with any of the chara, and really don't care if and when anything happens to them, they try to have some depth but it's pitiful... 
I'm almost sure there is some kind of interaction software on this DVD but as to what it is I have noooo idea, and is probably the only renewing feature on this DVD... if you can read Japans... >_<

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