Saiyuuki Gaiden Chs 1-2

(Begins at first coloured page. Pages are numbered here where a number appears in the manga.)

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The soul is born and issues from its source; its nature is trained and acquires virtue
F/X gara
F/X Ohhhhh

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Saiyuuki gaiden

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Minekura Kazuya

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(excerpt from the Japanese translation of Saiyuuki) It is written in verse: when Chaos had not yet been divided, Heaven and Earth were in disorder, and all that could be seen was the vastness of Nothingness. the ancient darkness was destroyed, the world created, and here on earth Pure was divided from Impure. Animals were made to live in flocks and to revere their master. The world was brought into the light and all made Good. If you would know the means by which all this came about

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Then you must read this story that relates the events of the Journey to the West
Kenren: ...as it's called...
Tenpou: Ahh- that's a nice breeze

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Kanzeon: Mmhh

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"Can you ever be the sun for someone else?

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Table of contents

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Saiyuuki Gaiden 1 Minekura Kazuya

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...ever since I met the noisy little beast I've been feeling lousy. First there's my eyes and my neck. I can't take my eyes off him because I never know what he'll get up to, and he's always running back and forth and all around me.
Then my throat and my stomach hurt. I've learned that yelling really gets you in the stomach muscles.
And then my legs. He can't get very far, but he moves really fast trying to get there. Lately my calves have been killing me and keeping me awake at night. Shit.
And my shoulders are all cramped too. He barely comes up to my waist, and he keeps looking up into my face all the time, so I have to keep looking back down at him.
And then there's this--
And then there's that--

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Please accept this cup from me. Fill it up to the brim. Rough winds scatter the blossoms, and life consists only of the word 'good-bye.'
-Ibuse Masuji In Praise of Wine; from Collected Poems to Dispel Disaster, published by Chikuma Shobou

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First Tale

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Voice: I forget who it was down on earth who said 'Boredom can kill.' But there's no death in Heaven

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Voice: Your brain can be the same temperature as always and still run out your ears
Konzen: ...hmph...
Kanzeon: 'Bloody boring.'
Kanzeon: It's written all over you, Konzen

(Page 15)
Konzen: Thanks a whole fat bunch
Kanzeon: You never will learn how to talk properly to me- Kanzeon Bosatsu who governs the world
Konzen: Don't tell me who you are.
If you just came to bug me, you can go away again. I've got work to do. Kanzeon: You only have to give those papers a once-over and put your seal on them, right?
Come with me. The hermit Egan has returned from Down Below, and he's picked up this animal that sounds like it might be interesting
Konzen: Animal?

(Page 16)
Kanzeon: Ummhmm. Pretty ferocious for all that he's so small
With golden eyes
Soldier: Taishou! Kenren Taishou!
Oh for god's sake! Where the hell's he got to!?

(Page 17)
Tenpou: You've ducked out of the party to drink alone?
Kenren: Oh- it's you.
Tenpou: Your poor men are running all over trying to find you.

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Kenren: Give me a break. I don't wanna be drinking with a bunch of Grandads and saying nice things to them nonstop
Tenpou: I see your point, but it's not a good idea to offend the higher-ups...
After all, the upper gods are there as well, right? *General* Kenren.
Kenren: Well, come to that, is it OK for /you/ to be lounging around here, *Marshal* Tenpou? If I'm out of the picture, it's my adjutant's turn to show his stuff
Tenpou: /No way./ It's too much trouble
Kenren: Mh- yes it is...

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Kenren: Flowers are alright, and women are OK
But if you're talking good sake
That's all I really need
Tenpou: ...Kenren
Did you ever feel so bored you might as well be dead?
Kenren: Hm? Why're you asking?
Tenpou: I know someone

(Page 20)
Tenpou: Who's never loved flowers, or touched another person, or ever drunk wine
He always looks mad about something
Kenren: Hmm
I'd say he's not worth bothering with
Egan: How good to see you again, Kanzeon Bosatsu

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Egan: Thank you for seeing me when you must be so busy...
Kanzeon: Take all that as read
I hear you've brought a child up from Down There
Egan: In the land of Gourai in the province of Toushoushin is the mountain Kagazan. He was born from the magic rock that holds the essence of the mountain's top-
A weird and misbegotten sprite
Konzen: Born from a rock...?
Kanzeon: Umm.
In other words, neither human nor youkai- a living being born from the earth

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Egan: And also- he's very fierce
Gokuu: Lemme go!! OWW! Quit dragging me!!
Guard: Be quiet! Behave yourself!
Gokuu: You said you'd feed me!!
Liar!!

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Konzen: Well, it's certainly an animal
Egan: As you see, the child was born with golden eyes
From ancient times, children with golden eyes have been considered fated beings who bring fortune or disaster. So I thought he should be properly disposed of and came to ask you about it, O Bosatsu
Kanzeon: Mm. I see. But Celestials don't kill
You can't talk of 'immediate execution' around here
Go tell the Lord Buddha we're not running an orphanage, up here.
Jiroushin: Kanzeon Bosatsu!

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FX: stare
Konzen: What's the matter?
Gokuu: That's neat! It shines

(Page 25)
Gokuu: Just like the sun
Egan: What-- You're being rude to Konzen Douji-sama!!
FX: pull as Gokuu yanks out Konzen's hair
Gokuu: oh
So--rry
Kanzeon: (smothers laugh)

(Page 26)
Konzen: ---WHAT ARE YOU DOING, YOU STUPID MONKEY!!
Gokuu: What?? What's the matter! I *said* sorry!!
Egan: (thought) Oh my god look what's happened
Kanzeon: Egan
This kid
I suppose we should look after him up here in Heaven
I'll take charge of him

(Page 27)
Jiroushin: What are you saying, Kanzeon Bosatsu!! You've never grown so much as a flower!!
Kanzeon (small kanji): Don't be rude!
Who said *I* was going to raise him?
Jiroushin: Huh?
Kanzeon: I'll leave all that to my nephew Konzen
Konzen: **What***--
What do you think you're doing, you old bag!?
Kanzeon: That's the Bodhisattva's orders. Consider yourself honored.
Give him a name. You're the one looking after him

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Kanzeon: 'Like the sun', hm?
That's some pick-up line, isn't it, Konzen?
Voice: Bored
I was so bored
I thought I'd die
Konzen: What's she mean a 'pick-up line'!! It's a damned nuisance and she's making *me* do it all!
F/X: door slam

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Konzen: Where the hell's he gotten to now!!
F/X: furious walk
Konzen: That goddamned monkey!!
Underling: Konzen Douji, now what--
Konzen: He's made paper airplanes of all my important papers!
You guys go look for him too! Today he's going to get what's coming to him!
(I'll kill him!!)
Underlings: Yessir!
F/X Gokuu squeezing himself behind pillar
Gokuu: Boy he's scary
He's pretty but he gets mad fast
Hits me and all...

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Gokuu: Better hide for a bit
F/X clank of chains
Gokuu (thinks): They're heavy, and they hurt me, and they're cold but that's not really the problem
Gokuu: Just a pain...
(thinks) I don't really get it
Why couldn't I have stayed on my mountain?

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Gokuu (thinks): The sky was blue, and everything was green, and the water was cool and the breeze was warm. And everyone I met was so nice. Everybody up here seems so dull. But--
That golden color is like the sun
and it feels good to be near it
Gokuu: Maybe I'll hide here. What room *is* this? Well, never mind
Voice: Hey--

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Nataku: Who are you?

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'Know that life and death are one and the same'- Chuang Tzu Second tale

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Gokuu (thinks): A kid? Same age as me about--
Nataku: Listen-
I asked you you who you are
Gokuu: Uhh-
(thinks) Huh?
Who am I?
Noises off: people talking
Nataku: Oh rats--
F/X: grabs Gokuu's wrist

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Gokuu: AGGHH
Nataku: SSHH! This way!!
F/X: door bangs open
Lackey: Are you in here, Nataku-sama!!? ...hunh?
F/X: silence
Lackey: Honestly! Where are you hiding, Nataku-sama!
Nataku: (snicker) Idiot
Gokuu: making noises with Nataku's hand over his mouth
Were you running cause you did something bad?
Nataku: It wasn't much. The Emperor always looks so dumb when he takes his naps

(Page 36)
Nataku: So I drew nose hairs on his face
Gokuu: (big laugh) Great!! Wish I'd seen it!!
Nataku: Right! Right! I should have taken a picture
You're fun
I'm Nataku. Who're you?
Gokuu: ...um well. Me-
I don't have a name. There wasn't anyone to give me one

(Page 37)
Gokuu: They say I'm strange. I was born from a rock so they call me an 'itan'
And they say yellow eyes are unlucky so I have to be 'looked after' here.
Nataku: I don't understand all that, but it seems pretty impressive
Gokuu: Huh?
F/X: surprise
Nataku: There's only one of you in the whole world.
So there's nobody could take your place. Don't you think that's impressive?

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Guard: **There** you are, Nataku-sama!!
Nataku: AK!!
Guard: You've gone too far this time, even for you. Return to the palace at once
Nataku: Ohh, alright, alright
Gokuu: Nataku!
Hey--
Will I see you again?

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Nataku: Yeah
See you again!
Konzen: You've made a friend?
Gokuu: Yeah! He seems kind of stuck-up, but he's lots of fun
Konzen: Well, that's good
Gokuu: Yeah!
Konzen: (thinks) But
the only person in this palace who's the same age as Gokuu-

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Konzen: (thinks) Can't be.
Now what?
F/X: Gokuu staring
Gokuu: Naa, Konzen
Give me a name
Konzen: That's kind of sudden--
Gokuu: Next time I see him, I want to tell him my name! I want him to call me by my name! So--

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Konzen: I'll think about it
Gokuu: No! I want one now! Right away!
Konzen: OK. Monkey. Let's make it Monkey.
Gokuu: Don't be stupid!
F/X: pillow hitting Konzen's head
Gokuu: I asked you specially!
Konzen: You brat! Don't get ideas!!
F/X furious anger
Konzen: ...Gokuu

(Page 42)
Konzen: It's Gokuu
It's simple and short so even your monkey brain should be able to remember it
Gokuu: Gokuu.. yeah
Right. I'm 'Gokuu.'
Hey- whatsit mean? Whatsit mean?
Konzen: Shut up and go to sleep!!
Gokuu: Meeeenie
Tenpou: I haven't been here in a while

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Tenpou: And look how lively things are around here now
Konzen: Yes, well...
Gokuu: Konzen-- Oh, you've got a visitor?
Tenpou: No trouble. Come on in.
Gokuu: Me- me, right- I'm Gokuu! And you, ojisan (uncle)?
F/X: tugging at Tenpou's clothes
Tenpou: This **Oniisan** (brother) is Tenpou.
You could say I'm an old friend of Konzen's

(Page 44)
Tenpou: Please call me Tenchan
Gokuu: Great! Ten-chan it is!
Konzen: ...*Tenpou*... (What's with this 'Ten-chan'?)
I didn't know you were so fond of children.
I thought the Marshal of Heaven's Western Army was a military otaku
Tenpou: And it's the first time I've ever seen you looking at all alive
F/x grin
Konzen: *What?*
Tenpou: Gokuu, is it? That's a good name for him
Go -(instinctive understanding)- the one who can grasp
Kuu- (emptiness)- what's invisible to the eye
Konzen: Hmph- just be quiet

(Page 45)
Konzen: You've got someone like that in your army, right- someone who keeps you busy?
Tenpou: Oh yes, I do But he's a lot bigger than this kid
Konzen: Name of Kenren or something
I hear he's a better fighter than some of our so-called battle gods
Tenpou: He's an individualist- does exactly as he pleases- but it's because he's so bright. Which means he has a lot of enemies
Konzen: I hear the upper command of the army are wary of him
Tenpou: Well, *that*
Might just be because there's something fishy about the upper command.

(Page 46)
Konzen: So you've realized that?
Tenpou: Relatively speaking
all these expeditions that the army's been ordered out on lately- they feel like a pretext for something else
Here in Heaven there are no battles- no death, even. The Army was created only to confine those who would disturb the peace and good order of the world below.
It's true I'm interested in the wars down there
War by its nature
is a means of carrying out one's own ideas
But there's no use complaining to you about all this. I'll come back later
Konzen: Tenpou...

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Konzen: A Marshal should outrank a General.
So why are you content to be a mere adjutant at a time like this?
Tenpou: I'm no good at calling attention to myself
Gokuu: Are you leaving, Tenchan?
Bye-bye
Tenpou: Yes. Good-bye. See you later
Konzen: You /don't/ think you call attention to yourself?
(thinks) It's true- there's something going on where I can't see it happening
But surely Tenpou
isn't giving the General his head in order to incite the Army into doing something?

(Page 48 49)(double page, should be read as one)
Konzen: He's always been a schemer
Court official: Toushin Nataku taishi
Come forward
Man 1: Nataku-sama's on stage
Man 2: They made him toushin though he's just a mannerless brat
Man 3: They say he stopped this monster with a single blow though it was ten or twenty times bigger than him
Man 4: That's because he's an ogre himself
Man 5: Don't care who his mother was, there's something weird abo-- unh!!!
F/X: Kenren's hand stifles the guy's mouth
Kenren: You wanna talk like that, keep your voice down
Man: mumble
F/X: sound of Nataku kneeling

(Page 50)
Emperor: Nataku!
I've called you here for one reason
Nataku: Those nose hairs
You can still kinda see them
Emperor: Be quiet!!
...I'll overlook your pranks this time
I have an important task for you to undertake
Go to the world below. There is one who disturbs the order there by devouring humans as his fancy pleases

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Emperor: You must subjugate the great youkai Gyuumaoh
He possesses great power that has caused him to be named the God of Destruction. But nonetheless
It should be an easy matter for you. Will you go?
Nataku: (thinks) You people are worth nothing
I know as far as you're concerned, I'm just your Killing Puppet

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Nataku: (thinks) I'm never going to grow up to be like you
(aloud) As you will.
(thinks) Never.

Chs 3-4