Long ago, Gods were able to keep demons at bay. That is, until a cleverer-than-thou demon managed to get the most valiant soldier, the Monkey King, condemned by the gods themselves. Without their captain, Gods falled and the demons reigned over the world, imposing their terror and darkness. 500 year later, a scholar found a way to free the Monkey king from his imprisonment. He entrusts this mission to Tripitaka, a monk he has trained. But Tripitaka is killed before the eyes of a young servant girl, who decides to take his place.
Armed only with her bravery, she succeeds in the unthinkable: freeing Monkey, and finding and rallying two other gods. At the end of a long and perilous quest, her greatest achievement will undoubtedly be to transform Monkey, a fierce warrior but an illiterate and self-centered god, into a knight with a pure heart.
A quest between fights and dreams
The series is based on a 16th century Chinese novel, “Journey to the west”, adapted as a Japanese production from the 1970s and 1980s. This results in an excellent series, a concentrate of humor, martial arts and legends, a real journey as well as an inner one.
For one thing, it’s very rare for a series to rely on a quartet! Heroes, duos and trios are much more common. But this is a success: each of the four main characters is very touching, as are some of the secondary characters. Every character, god, human or demon, is well written. The script assumes Manichaeism and the opposition between gods and demons. But it has fun with it, with very fallible gods, and demons generally not very clever.
There’s never a dull moment between quest stages, great fights and plot twists. With beautiful costumes and stunning scenery, this mythical adventure encourages us to dream. And we can’t help but become attached to Monkey, Tripitaka, Pigsy and Sandy.
It’s funny, light, intelligent and moving. Don’t miss out on this adorable little gem.
2 seasons, 20 episodes (20 mn), 2018-2020, ABC, now on Netflix
WITH :
- Chai Hansen as Monkey, Luciane Buchanan (seen in the Night agent) as Tripitaka, Josh Thomson as Pigsy, Emilie Cocquerel as Sandy, Rachel House as Monica
- Season 1 : Josh McKenzie as Davari, Jordan Mooney as Raxion, Daniel Watterson as Shaman, Bryony Skillington as Princess Locke, Chelsie Preston Crayford as Gwen
- Season 2 : Jayden Daniels as Gaxin/the real Tripitaka, Atticus Iti as Kaedo Zef, Michelle Ang as General Khan, Fasitua Amosa as Dreglon, Simon Prast as Hagfish, Tawanda Manyimo as Gorm, Natasha Daniel as Mothrax, Katherine Kennard as Mycelia