Manga

The manga is a sequel to Saiyuki Reload and the final part of Saiyuki series, written and illustrated by Kazuya Minekura, Saiyuki Reload Blast started in Ichijinsha's josei manga Monthly Comic Zero Sum on December 28, 2009,^[4][5][6] Following a hiatus that began in September 2010,^[7][8] the manga resumed in March 2012,^[9] The first volume was released in July of the same year,^[10] with a limited edition that included a mini art book released on June 25.^[11]

In July 2013, the publication of Saiyuki Reload Blast slowed down due to Minekura's health.^[12] Ichijinsha published the second volume in July 2014.^[13] In April 2016, the publication paused again.^[14] Initially, the third volume was planned to be released in August 2017^[15] but was postponed until October that year, when it was published alongside a special edition.^[16] The series went on hiatus in October 2017 and resumed 18 months later,^[17][18] and shortly the manga go on hiatus again and after a five-year hiatus, it returned to its publication on September 28, 2024.^[19][20] Ichijinsha has collected its chapters into individual tankōbon volumes. The first volume was released on April 25, 2009.^[21] As of October 31, 2017, three volumes have been released.^[22] In January 2021, Ritsuhiro Mikami released a one-shot for the series.^[23]

In Italy, the manga is licensed by Dynit;^[24][25][26] and Tong Li Publishing licensed the Chinese translation.^{[27][28][29][30][31]}

Anime

An anime television series adaptation of the Saiyuki Reload Blast manga series, serving as a sequel to Saiyuki Reload Gunlock, aired from July 5 to September 20, 2017, on Tokyo MX, TV Aichi, BS11, and Sun TV.^[35][36][37] It ran for 12 episodes.^[38] Crunchyroll licensed the series, and Funimation released it on home video as part of the two companies' partnership.^[39] Muse Communication licensed the series in South and Southeast Asia; it aired on Animax Asia and later released on its YouTube channel.^[40][41] Saiyuki Reload Blast BD/DVD Combo Pack and BD essentials blast were published in North America by Funimation on July 24, 2018, and January 28, 2020, respectively.^[42][43] The episodes were collected by Frontier Works on four DVDs and Blu-rays released from August 23 to November 29, 2017.^[44][45]

Manga

The Saiyuki Reload Blast manga achieved notable commercial performance in Japan. The first collected volume ranked 13th on the Japanese weekly manga chart for June 25–July 1, 2012, with cumulative sales of 60,545 copies.^[51] The second volume ranked 25th during July 28–August 3, 2014, selling 32,121 copies during that week and reaching cumulative sales of 61,622 copies.^[52] The third volume ranked 23rd on the Japanese weekly manga chart for October 30–November 5, 2017, selling 34,879 copies, while its special edition ranked 42nd with 18,607 copies.^[53]

Anime

Saiyuki Reload Blast received notable support from Japanese viewers during its 2017 broadcast. In a Charapedia survey of anime that Japanese fans were still watching during the summer season, the series ranked third, behind Kakegurui and Fate/Apocrypha.^[54] It also ranked fifth in a Goo Ranking poll of viewers' favorite late-night anime that began broadcasting in July 2017.^[55] Before the season began, the series ranked seventh in a poll conducted through Kadokawa's eb-i Xpress of the summer 2017 anime most anticipated by Japanese viewers.^[56] A contemporary Japanese-language report also listed Saiyuki Reload Blast among the three most highly rated July 2017 anime in its survey coverage.^[57]

The home-video releases also charted on the Japanese Oricon rankings. The first DVD volume reached 11th place in the week of August 21–27, 2017 and ranked 20th the following week, selling 1,992 copies in that second week.^[58][59] The second DVD volume ranked 11th in the week of September 25–October 1, selling 1,681 copies.^[60] The third volume ranked sixth in the week of October 23–29 and 20th the following week; it sold 1,764 copies in the latter week.^[61][62] The fourth DVD volume reached third place in the week of November 27–December 3, selling 1,595 copies.^[63]

The Blu-ray releases likewise entered the Oricon animation Blu-ray rankings. The first volume ranked 12th in the week of August 21–27, selling 2,301 copies, while the second ranked 16th in the week of September 25–October 1, selling 2,337 copies.^[64][65] The third and fourth Blu-ray volumes ranked 17th and ninth respectively, selling 1,995 and 2,167 copies.^[66][67]

The anime received a mixed but generally favorable critical response, with reviewers particularly divided over its characterization, visual production, and the extent to which it succeeds as a continuation of the long-running Saiyuki series. In The Summer 2017 Anime Preview Guide, Gabriella Ekens of Anime News Network praised the relationships among the main characters and the balance between serious drama and character-based humor, while noting that the series' treatment of their past lives adds context rather than simply repeating previously established material. She was less impressed by the visual presentation, finding the show's distinctive art style disappointing despite the characters only occasionally appearing noticeably off-model.^[68]

Nick Creamer of Anime News Network considered the series successful at what it set out to do and praised its character and background designs. James Beckett found its combination of the traditional journey-to-the-West framework with Western influences reminiscent of a modern spaghetti Western, while also considering the action scenes brief but entertaining. Paul Jensen and Rebecca Silverman were more critical of the premiere, describing it as a predictable reintroduction to the principal characters and a conventional Western-style opening.^[68]

In its coverage of the series, Anime Feminist placed greater emphasis on its value to existing fans. Dee described herself as highly invested in the franchise and said that the latter half of the season was particularly strong, while also acknowledging that the animation was weak and that the series was primarily suitable for viewers already familiar with Saiyuki. She nevertheless praised the season for expanding the story and highlighted the introduction of a prominent female character as a welcome addition to the franchise.^[69]

The animation received more sustained criticism from The Josei Next Door. In a midseason review, the site gave the series a C+ and argued that, although the scripts and general directing were relatively solid, Platinum Vision struggled to give the fight scenes the fluid and dynamic animation that the franchise's action requires. The review found these production limitations increasingly noticeable after the story shifted into a past-incarnation arc with more action and a larger cast of secondary characters.^[70]

Charles Solomon of Animation Scoop offered a different criticism, arguing that the principal characters remain largely unchanged throughout the series. He nevertheless noted that this lack of major character development had not prevented Saiyuki from maintaining a dedicated audience over many years.^[71]

A review by Honey's Anime was favorable toward the adaptation's attempt to return the franchise to the tone of the manga, particularly praising the improved character designs and the treatment of the characters' pasts. However, it criticized the decision to devote three of the season's twelve episodes to Saiyuki Gaiden, given that the material had already been adapted in previous installments. The review also argued that Reload Blast lacks some of the emotional intensity associated with the earlier Gensomaden Saiyuki anime and the manga, although it ultimately regarded the series as a significant improvement over the preceding television adaptations.^[72]

Marshall Daley of Bubbleblabber gave the series a 9 out of 10 and was considerably more enthusiastic. He praised the story, character depth, animation, visual style, and English voice acting, and argued that the adaptation strengthens the characters by giving their actions deeper motivations and making their relationships with one another feel more natural. He also praised the comic chemistry between Goku and Gojyo and the series' ability to put a fresh spin on the traditional Journey to the West framework.^[73]

Olivia Subero of Comic Book Resources likewise praised the series for combining the historical framework of Journey to the West with supernatural elements, as well as for its main characters, antagonists, and intense fight scenes.^[74]

Chris Beveridge of The Fandom Post also praised the Blu-ray release and described the season's storytelling as shifting toward the characters' past, viewing that change as an effective development that connects the events of the present journey with the franchise's history.^[75]