"Hey, leggo my egg roll."

[mercy_angel_09]

I forgot how fantastically puntastic ADV's dub of Saiyuki is. Geneon's dub of RELOAD is much closer to the original script, and in some cases the casting seems a bit...off. Not that I don't like the cast - I actually quite approve of a lot of their other roles - they're just not the ADV cast who took their characters and put their own life into

Comments

[mercy_angel_09]

You know, I don't know if anyone has been able to pin down if it was punishment or what. Heck, it took something like seven years for Minekura to officially state that Hakuryu was Goujun in Heaven (which is why he gets some minor focus in Gensomaden Saiyuki).

As to his value, seeing as he Tenpou's direct superior (and therefore also Kenren's superior) and the main general of the Western Army I'd say he was pretty damn valuable in Heaven, however I'd say that he's being quite useful on the trip west as well.

I know in the original legend, the horse that Xuanzang (which translates to Genjo Sanzo in Japanese) is a god who is punished for his misdemeanors in heaven by carrying Xuanzang all the way to India on his back.

(Okay, according to Wikipedia, Hakuryu is based on the third prince of the Dragon King who set fire to his father's pearl and was sentenced to death, but saved by Guan Yin (Merciful Goddess) who wanted him to stay and await his duty, which ended up being spending a good chunk of the novel as a horse.)

I do think that now, with his support system of Sanzo, Hakkai and Gojyo, he could handle the news, but given that he was still very much a child during his time in heaven, I think that remembering would be traumatic. I'm sure a shrink could have a field day with all four of them, though with most of Goku's traumatic memories sealed, he'll probably be the most difficult to work with.

[randomdiversion]

Of the group I think Gojyo is the least head-case. Hakkai is much more pleasant to be around but it's sort of that 'charming psychopath' veneer.

I suspect there'd be no reason to mess with Goku's buried memories. They're too old to be pertinent, so unless they were giving him trouble (like the memory of Konzen's face), that's probably a hornet's nest that shouldn't be poked.

Sanzo...has a surprising degree of cowardice regarding grief. Fear of grieving or causing grief is what drives him to such limited personal attachments, possibly under the guise or sanction (ie: excuse to himself) of the Buddhist notion of detachment although he won't admit to believing in anything.

Contrast to Konzen, whose attachment to Goku was what caused him to want to be a living being instead of a 'god'. When Konzen got a taste of (emotional) love he wanted more at any cost.

[mercy_angel_09]

I think that Gojyo is probably one with the least issues, or at the very least he's fully aware of his mother issues. Hakkai is a Stepford smiler to be sure, though I'm also pretty sure he's aware of his issues, though his ability to deal with them is questionable.

I also agree that there's no point in messing with Goku's burried past, though the most recent chapters of RELOAD Blast seem to hint that things are being shaken up in Heaven again, starting with the disappearance of Nataku from his throne. Needless to say, it's possible Goku's sealed memories may be unsealed soon.

Sanzo is thoroughly screwed up and refuses to deal with his issues. I don't think his issues are just with dealing with grief, it also comes regarding emotional attachments (which then forms a vicious cycle because when you think about it, his inability to be emotionally attached to anyone means that he can't properly deal with grief should he lose them).

I do think you have a point about Konzen being his contrast. He was more or less emotionally dead until Goku came into his life, and suddenly realized what he was missing in his life and how much he wanted and realizing that he would in fact do anything to get more.