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Monkey

Original title: Saiyûki
  • TV Series
  • 1978–2004
  • 45m
IMDb RATING
8.4/10
2.3K
YOUR RATING
Masaaki Sakai in Monkey (1978)
Supernatural FantasySword & SorceryActionAdventureComedyFantasy

An adaptation of a Chinese folktale about a pilgrimage to the West undertaken by a monk and his divine guardians.An adaptation of a Chinese folktale about a pilgrimage to the West undertaken by a monk and his divine guardians.An adaptation of a Chinese folktale about a pilgrimage to the West undertaken by a monk and his divine guardians.

  • Stars
    • Masaaki Sakai
    • Shirô Kishibe
    • Masako Natsume
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    8.4/10
    2.3K
    YOUR RATING
    • Stars
      • Masaaki Sakai
      • Shirô Kishibe
      • Masako Natsume
    • 28User reviews
    • 2Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Episodes52

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    Edit
    Masaaki Sakai
    • Monkey…
    • 1978–1980
    Shirô Kishibe
    • Sandy…
    • 1978–1980
    Masako Natsume
    • Tripitaka…
    • 1978–1980
    Andrew Sachs
    Andrew Sachs
    • Horse…
    • 1978–1980
    Peter Woodthorpe
    Peter Woodthorpe
    • Pigsy
    • 1978–1980
    David Collings
    David Collings
    • Monkey
    • 1978–1980
    Gareth Armstrong
    Gareth Armstrong
    • Sandy
    • 1978–1980
    Maria Warburg
    • Tripitaka
    • 1978–1980
    Takayuki Akutagawa
    • Narrator…
    • 1978–1980
    Shunji Fujimura
    Shunji Fujimura
    • Horse…
    • 1978–1980
    Miriam Margolyes
    Miriam Margolyes
    • 1978–1980
    Peter Marinker
    Peter Marinker
    • 1978–1980
    Frank Duncan
    Frank Duncan
    • Narrator
    • 1978–1980
    Toshiyuki Nishida
    • Pigsy (season 1)…
    • 1978–1979
    Tonpei Hidari
    • Pigsy (season 2)…
    • 1979–1980
    Tatsumi Nikamoto
    • 1978–1980
    Kazuo Arai
    • 1978–1980
    Burt Kwouk
    Burt Kwouk
    • Narrator
    • 1979–1980
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews28

    8.42.3K
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    Featured reviews

    Freki

    From the Cosmic Egg...

    'Monkey!' was obviously created, imported, & then overdubbed by mad geniuses. It's cheesey, it's deranged, it's surreal, it's brilliantly, hysterically funny. And it's better now than when I was 9, which is astonishing.
    blinderben

    Buddha said - with our thoughts we build the world

    Monkey Magic is just the best childrens(?) series in the world. I remember watching it on Children's Tv when I was 5 or 6 years old - despite the time gap, I could still vividly remember the music, Monkey's kung-fu fights and his magic staff. As soon as the videos came out, I was determined to buy a copy..... and I was not disappointed! The fact is, Monkey is an oaf who wants it all (he's still likeable just because of his effrontery - challenging Buddha, what chutzpah!), but as he sets on his mission with Tripitaka you can see that he does have plenty of good qualities. Pigsy is amusing because of his lustful nature, Sandy is a bit earnest and Tripitaka is just untouchable. The soundtrack is funky man! The dated nature of the fx just add to the appeal of Monkey and the fights are still wicked. You do learn a bit about Buddhism as well. Buy the videos and have a good night in with your friends.
    andythedon

    The nature of Monkey was......irrepressible

    This show was the best! I used to love the craziness of it.

    I remember the pilot episode( i have it on video somewhere) where monkey went to heaven to "kick off" with the Jade emperor was a hoot!

    especially when monkey meets the dragon kings daughter to claim his weapon (the magic wishing staff).

    Dragon kings daughter calls monkey a "passionate Primate" and tells monkey to make his stick "grow Big!".

    An absolute classic. A must see!.

    What are you reading this for?

    Get out there and grab a copy now!

    You wont be disappointed!.
    dijon-2

    Funky 70's kung-fu adventure

    Before there was humans on the earth, there was just monkeys and demons. Saiyuki (monkey) was the king of the monkeys, loud, rude and aggressive he demands the gods that he be made powerful, because he defeats the demons. After a trip to heaven he gets all the magic and power he wants, but he annoys in the gods and he manages to urinate on the finger of the Buddha.

    So he is banished to earth thousands of years later with the task of protecting a young Buddhist preist Tripitaka. Along with a Pigmonster called Pigsy and a Fishdemon called Sandy he gets in too all sorts of kung fu fights while protecting Tripitaka.

    Monkey can rides on his own cloud, make himself small, change into animals, stuff like that.

    Very entertaining, with a funky soundtrack, and hilarious English dubbing. Ahhhhhhh Monkey!!!

    9 out of ten
    mfd591

    Greatest show - ever!

    I watched this show as a child and revisited it recently when I purchased the boxset. Unlike shows such as the A-team and Knightrider which by today's standards are lame, Monkey is absolutely timeless. Based on the novel "Journey to the west" its plot lines are interesting and allow you to see each character develop along the journey. Combine this with excellent fight scenes and good humour, this show is a hit! The biggest thing for me about the show was its morality and one liners of wisdom from the narrator - pure gold. You don't have to be a buddhist to appreciate the humanistic side of this saga and more than one scene can leave you with a tear in your eye. Finally the soundtrack is ridiculously good. I simple love that song "Ghandarra" and obviously the intro. The only thing I didn't like about the show was that there was only two seasons made. "Even in Heaven, they say desire ends in tears."

    Best Emmys Moments

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    Related interests

    Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, and Ernie Hudson in Ghostbusters (1984)
    Supernatural Fantasy
    Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sandahl Bergman, and Gerry Lopez in Conan the Barbarian (1982)
    Sword & Sorcery
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    Will Ferrell in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
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    Fantasy

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Originally transmitted in Japan as two series of 26 episodes, this was changed to three series of 13 episodes when transmitted in the UK. The final 13 episodes (the second half of series 2) were never translated into English, until Fabulours Films translated them for DVD release in 2002.
    • Quotes

      [opening narration]

      Narrator: In the worlds before Monkey, primal chaos reigned. Heaven sought order, but the phoenix can fly only when its feathers are grown. The four worlds formed again and yet again, as endless aeons wheeled and passed. Time and the pure essences of Heaven, the moisture of the Earth, the powers of the Sun and the Moon all worked upon a certain rock old as creation, and it magically became fertile. That first egg was named Thought. Tatagatha Buddha, the father Buddha said "With our thoughts, we make the world." Elemental forces caused the egg to hatch. From it then came a stone monkey... The nature of Monkey was irrepressible!

    • Connections
      Referenced in Lupin the Third: Part II: Lupin's Big Saiyuuki (1979)
    • Soundtracks
      The Birth of the Odyssey - Monkey Magic
      Written by Mickie Yoshino, Yoko Narahashi and Yukihide Takekawa

      Performed by Godiego

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    FAQ18

    • How many seasons does Monkey have?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 1, 1978 (Japan)
    • Country of origin
      • Japan
    • Languages
      • English
      • Japanese
    • Also known as
      • Царь обезьян
    • Filming locations
      • China
    • Production companies
      • Kokusai Hoei
      • Nippon Television Network (NTV)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 45m
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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