Late Night Fandom ramblings

[cornerofmadness]

I'm curious what other's thought. After a year of waiting, I couldn't help but feel let down. I don't follow this one online so I was jazzed to get it only to find myself unable to even get into it. It wasn't that the story was awful because it wasn't. But it wasn't that special. Even in the preceding volume I knew what would happen. One water source, two opposing tribes, this was as predictable as the tides. About the only thing I didn't predict was what Gat did. That was the one pleasant surprise.

Even Pippi (did she even have a name? I don't remember it if she didn't which is rather sad, appearing in two volumes with no memorable name) didn't do anything for me other than anger me. I didn't feel sad at her sacrifice. It was a waste. Want to impress me? Stay behind, care for those homeless children, do what people didn't expect of you. Survive. She choses to die? ho hum. boring.

About the only thing salvaging this from a toss across the room was Goku. The poor thing. He's lost his foster father temporarily (and while I do write Sanzo/Goku I pretty much figured this was the canon reality and I like it as much if not more than the actual ship), he loses his first canon love interest, though frankly I think Gojyo misinterprets that just a bit at the end. I'm not sure Goku is really thinking of Pippi like that, not until her brother said something. The sad truth did out; Goku barely knows what to do with a girl. He has no experience with them at all. He's spent his entire life surrounded by men to the point he could barely think of Pippi in feminine terms. And in the end, Goku's choices, well the little monkey is really growing up, isn't he? These scenes with Goku give depth to an otherwise humdrum storyline (well they can't all be winners)

One of my flist summed it up fairly well when I asked her opinions, something along the lines of 'I forgot it as soon as I read it.' HOWEVER, the supplemental pre-journey story was worth the price of admission. Learning where those weapons came from was great and funny with a mix of aww, damn, the monkey is going to make me cry with those little sad bon mots of his. And the detective omake is a giggle and a half.

The oasis storyline over, I'll be looking forward to what comes next. Gat's actions will surely have repercussions (and leave me wondering who made that pendant and can it be replaced) Hazel is growing on me just a litle. I'm still not much of a fan but he is making for an interesting story line. I'll be interested to see what happens when the team comes back together again. I'm wondering if the matured Goku is a fleeting thing or if the monkey has been changed for good.

Comments

[mulzrule.livejournal.com]

Wait, is the new Saiyuki Reload out?!?! Sweet, I have to re-read the last one and refresh my memory. to the book store!

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

yeah it came out on my birthday in June actually

[mulzrule.livejournal.com]

Wow, have I been behind. That is one cool b-day present. Dude, that icon rocks.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

have you seen all four of the live siayuki cast?

[mulzrule.livejournal.com]

Ooooers, no. *drools*

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

http://renegadekitsune.livejournal.com/29517.html

a friend of mine has them up. i don't think this is locked

[mulzrule.livejournal.com]

That made me giggle. Hakkai and Sanzo didn't come out as well as Gojyo and Goku. Goku was so sweet it makes you want to melt.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

i agree on all counts

[chaos-by-design.livejournal.com]

For some reason I can't remember much of the storyline of Reload 8, and I can't remember all the stuff that happened.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

well out of the two people I talk about this with most regularly you're in agreement. It was forgettable

[chaos-by-design.livejournal.com]

I remember reading it very fast on the way home on the train and I think I didn't quite understand some stuff that happened, like why that girl killed herself and how come Sanzo and Goku seeing each other again was so anticlimactic. Oh and why was everyone acting like attacking the youkai town was such a bad, evil thing when hello, these are youkai who think it's perfectly fine to EAT PEOPLE, or didn't anyone remember that?

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

sanzo and goku don't meet up again

the girl was a moron who tossed away her life for nothing

I think the point was to show the humans were just as vicious and vile but who didn't predict that for the moment we heard about the oasis

[chaos-by-design.livejournal.com]

They didn't? Wuh? I could have sworn that they did. Oy. I really need to slow down and pay attention when I read.

Humans in this story may be vicious and vile but in my book they still have a moral leg up from youkai who like to eat people. I mean, come on. Eating people kinda always lands at the top of the bad pile in the end.

I'm not anti-youkai, mind you. I'm just anti-eating people.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

nope, the boys are proceeding to the west without him adn Goku is all grown up deciding he's not going for Sanso any more

You're probably thinking of the side story set before the journey detailing where they got their weapons which was made of cute

Well human flesh even put Goku off his feed. While I wouldn't advocate the eating of humans under normal circumstances I do know where the filet mignon is on our bodies