What a shame, that it would slide back into 3-star territory so soon after a very good fourth volume. But the entire arc of how Sanzo's group got together seems to lack . . . something, I can't put my finger on it. And once again, female characters are evil or unable to help themselves or change their own destiny, so that they either die or stand meekly to the side while the men take charge yet again. Let's not get started on the new minor villain introduced in the last chapter, allegedly a guy in drag, who Sanzo has no problem addressing with the f-word and insulting in a way that made me incredibly uncomfortable. Although I might have to chalk that one up to the translation, which seems like it is trying its damndest to make everyone sound more hardcore than they are. But considering Saiyuki's terrible track record for LGBTQQI characters, and add to that the cheap jokes about how -not gay- they are because being gay would just be the worse wouldn't it?, then I'm not so sure that Minekura's completely off the hook for the more offensive bits of dialogue in this volume.

Casual aside: Is this when Minekura started her Gaiden series? The flashback story arc seems like a good jumping point to run a series parallel to the main one that explores more of the series' history, but I don't know for sure. ( )

In this volume we learn a little more about Cho Hakkai's past life as Cho Gonou, but the best story is how Genjyo Sanzo and Sun Goku first meet Sha Gojyo and Cho Hakkai. Towards the end they also meet a demon that's eaten a Sanzo priest before, and is intent on eating Genjyo, because it's said that the eating of a Sanzo priest grants immortality. ( )