Genjo Sanzo
| Genjo Sanzo (the priest) | |
|---|---|
| 'Saiyuki' character | |
| Created by | Minekura Kazuya |
| Voiced by |
Wataru Takagi (Japanese, OVA) Toshihiko Seki (Japanese, original series) David Matranga (English) Lex Lang (English, Reload and Gunlock) |
| Profile | |
| Aliases | Konzen Douji Kouryu (the river drifter) |
| Title | The 31st of China |
Genjo Sanzo (玄奘三蔵 Genjo Sanzō) is a fictional character in the manga and anime series Saiyuki. He is one of the four protagonists, loosely based on (or inspired by) the character Xuanzang.
His name is spelled Genjo Sanzo in the English anime and the Singapore English manga, while in the North American English manga it is Genjyo Sanzo (the -jō is spelt in hiragana as ji-(yo)-u, with a small yo to indicate a glide rather than separate syllables).
He was rescued as a baby from the waters of the Yangtze river and named Kōryū of the "river flow", a name he used until he was thirteen. He is generally called "Sanzo" by his traveling companions, although his full title is "The 31st of China, Genjo Sanzo".
As opposed to Xuanzang of Journey to the West, which is in turn based on the historical Buddhist monk Xuanzang, Genjo Sanzo is not the "purest" person undertaking a holy pilgrimage.
A brutal, worldly man, he doesn't fit the stereotypical image of the passive, or pacifist, cleric. Disregarding basic Buddhist principles, he smokes like a chimney, drinks like a fish, gambles, swears like a sailor, and generally follows his own path. Sanzo is a cold, rational thinker and somewhat aloof. When there's a job to be done he usually has Goku, Gojyo, and Hakkai do it for him. He is called an old man by Gojyo because he likes to drink tea while reading his paper, and because he likes to go to bed early. Arrogant and short tempered, he nonetheless prefers to remain above the melee unless the situation is desperate. He is strongly opinionated, and despite his terse demeanor, highly moralistic and quick to defend the weak. The superstition among demons that eating his flesh will grant them eternal life is present, as it is in the original Journey to the West.
Genjo Sanzo was rescued as a baby from the waters of the Yangtze river by Kōmyō-Sanzō. The boy was named Kōryū of the "river flow"; a name he used until he was thirteen. He was raised by a group of monks. One night when he was thirteen the priest Koumyou Sanzo, a father figure to him as well as his mentor, was murdered and his sutra was stolen by a band of Youkai. After the raid Kouryu was crowned Genjo Sanzo the 31st of China. He was given a Smith & Wesson revolver and set out to find his master's sutra.
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Wikipedia