It was a time of chaos, when Heaven and Earth were as one, and humans and demons - the youkai - lived together in peace. The foundations of civilization and religion were raised and reinforced in this land of Togenkyo, the paradise known as Shangri-la. But now, a great evil threatens harmony in this great land. Far to the West, in India, someone is attempting to resurrect the youkai lord Gyumaoh by mixing human science with youkai magic. This forbidden practice has created a Minus Wave of negative energy that is spreading across Shangri-la, poisoning the souls of the youkai and turning them into mindless monsters. The only hope lies in four legendary heroes: Genjyo Sanzo, a high priest with low morals; Son Goku, the hungry and mischievous Monkey King, just released from 500 years imprisonment; Sha Gojyo, a water sprite with an addiction for good smokes and bad women; Cho Hakkai, the legendary demon slayer, and his transforming dragon Hakuryu. To save Shangri-la, these unlikely companions, united by fate, must travel together ... INTO THE WEST! Having been assigned by the human elders the mission of stopping a mystical plague that has afflicted the Youkai with madness, Genjyo Sanzo assembles his team of Youkai warriors, desperately hoping that the disease will not affect them. He sets up qualifying tests that will help him determine the loyalty and worth of Cho Hakkai, Son Goku and Sha Gojyo. The team then journeys west to rid the land of madness.

Relates the adventures of Genjyo Sanzo and his team of Yokai warriors as they journey west trying to stop a mystical plague.

Relates the adventures of Genjyo Sanzo and his team of Yokai warriors as they journey west trying to stop a mystical plague.

Relates the adventures of Genjyo Sanzo and his team of Yokai warriors as they journey west trying to stop a mystical plague.

Book by Kazuya Minekura

Sanzo's life is on the line. He is stranded in the desert with no way out as Goku desperately searches for a way to save Sanzo from the poison coursing through his veins. An unlikely run-in with Kougaiji offers a possible cure. If Kougaiji is defeated, Sanzo may live. But the sacrifice of Goku's sanity may be too high a price to pay. After all, if Goku saves Sanzo, who will save Goku?

A set of twins barge in our heroes, one which is transformed into a monster. While Goku and Hakkai are sucked into the twin's magical gourd, Sanzou and Gojyo set off a hunt for the twin. They find that the demon twins escaped from their village and were taken under the wing of "God", a mysterious figure who granted them whatever they wanted. However, as punishment for one of the twins, Ginkaku, wanted to run away, he transformed him into a monster and convinced his brother to kill "bad guys" in order to return him to normal. In the end, "God" appears to finish off the two of them, because he considers them "toys" which he free to do whatever he wants to them. Deeply disturbed by the murder of the two innocent boys, Gojyo runs off without the others the next morning. The last chapter of the volume gives a sneak peak into the past of our main characters from ten years ago. Goku trapped in his stone cage, Gojyo being ignored by his insane mother, a sullen Hakkai in an orphanage, and Sanzou with his first gun.

Sanzo, Goku and Hakkai are out to find "God"—and Gojyo. At the same time, Gojyo climbs a seemingly endless stairway to heaven and is assailed by a very maternal monster. The gang finally catches up to Gojyo, and as luck would have it, they've also found "God." But this dangerous deity is no ordinary opponent, and the quartet must get serious before they get crushed.

Defeated and crestfallen after losing round one versus "God," Sanzo and his crew turn to the only thing that can help boost their spiritsâ€"a game of mahjong. The fierce competition gets everyone back in the mood, and the gang decides to take another crack at the arrogant wannabe deity. This time, Goku and company are ready for a second helping of battle...and they've had enough of just playing around.The saga continues in Saiyuki Reload!