rushthatspeaks | International Saiyuki Week

In honor of International Saiyuki Week, a holiday declared by

rachelmanija (among others) in a fashion vaguely and accidentally coinciding with Kazuya Minekura's birthday, I'm going to talk about an aspect of the series that has *never, ever* been given serious critical attention, a thing that is never mentioned in all of the various wonderful and insightful posts about Buddhist theology, Chinese mythology, the art of placement of text in a manga panel and ~~whether Hakkai and Gojyo are doing it~~ the interesting personal relationships.

I am referring, of course, to the plushies.

Because the Saiyuki plushies? Are a GATEWAY DRUG.

I mean, I had been aware, before I started reading and watching Saiyuki, that the Japanese anime industry has a tendency to make little cute dolls out of insanely detailed felt depicting every character who becomes really popular, even the ones who should not under any circumstances be made out of felt. But before Saiyuki? I'd never seen one of them in person. I certainly didn't own any of the things.

Then a friend found the Saiyuki plushies on eBay, and I got a set, because I had to, and now I personally own at least twenty plushies (including one of Miaka from Fushigi Yuugi) and the household owns approximately seventy jillion plushies including the ones from *Neon Genesis Evangelion* and Ryuuichi from Gravitation *wearing a bunny suit*, and it is ALL KAZUYA MINEKURA'S FAULT.

So I thought I'd give you some critical analysis of the Saiyuki plushies. Because they deserve it. FOR TAKING OVER OUR COUCH.

There are five of them.

I thought I'd start discussion with a mention of Kougaiji, since he's the only one of the villains who gets to be represented in plush. Here he is:

"My nose! My nose is... nonexistent."

All in all, I think this is a fairly reasonable plushie; Kou's hair is the correct color, and although you can't see it, it does go down his back to about the right length; also major points for the accurately marked felt earrings and the general expression of peevish annoyance. And the plush pointed ears are really adorable. However, could his feet be any bigger? Really? And the way they've done the jacket makes it look rather like one of those school uniform jackets, which he's inexplicably forgotten to button. Also, the scarf thingie is a rather peculiar shade of purple. And, criminally, NO BRACELETS. They could have done bracelets if they were going to do earrings.

The headband is perfect, though. And this plushie will definitely try to kill its owners in their sleep, although not as much as the next one will.

"My nose is... none of your damn business."

I have to admit, it's the Sanzo plushie that made me buy the set. Just look at him! The sutra! The fan! The sandals! The way he's going to SHOOT THE MANUFACTURER AND DON'T THINK YOU'RE GETTING OUT OF THIS EITHER! The multi-layered hair and the vague chibi-ness around the eyes!

Seriously, except for the fact that his chin is inexplicably fat and that he could've been holding a gun instead of obviously about to pull it, I'm absolutely and totally satisfied with this plushie. It gives the house a real presence of Sanzo. For a while, we had one of these surrounded by about six of the next one.

"Nose? Huh? I'm hungry!"

I love everything about this plushie except the face. Specifically, the mouth and cheeks. The mouth is just a little too wide, and a little too, well, stupid-looking, and the cheeks look as though somebody's gone after him with a makeup crayon. However, the headband and the ankle cuffs and the cloak and everything else are just so good... it's pretty annoying. Rrgh.

Of course, to calm one's annoyance...

"My nose is exactly where it's always been, which is why my monocle doesn't fall off."

Except it kind of doesn't, because NO DRAGON. And what is his sash doing a) tied in a bow and b) the same purple as Kougaiji's scarf? Points for effort on the ear cuff and shirt closure, though. And the chibi monocle is absolutely adorable. (It's made out of a little piece of clear plastic.) And he looks so happy to be a plushie. He can improve any set of plushies or action figures. For a while I owned a very small rainbow flag that I got at some gay event or other, and Hakkai wound up holding it, and you've never seen anyone happier about holding a rainbow flag. It was beautiful. Especially since next to him, and staring at him in Shock and Confusion, was...

"Felt! My nose is made of felt!"

This one's perfect. I can't think of a single thing that could be done to improve this plushie. He's even got a cigarette. And he wants your body. Whoever you are. I took this plushie on a trip once to my parents, and when I dumped my bag out on the bed he landed smack dab in the middle of the pillow and looked so damn smug that I threw him across the room... where he ended up in my partly opened underwear drawer, right side up, looking so infinitely smug that I fell over laughing. I highly recommend having one of these, because everybody needs a bishonen kappa.

On the list of Fabled And Rare Saiyuki Items Which You Can Basically Only Get In Japan: professional Hakuryuu plushies, and a Can of Saiyuki which gives you different versions of all five shown here plus dragon. But I've never seen any of those personally because they are absurdly and madly expensive.

There you have it: a basic critical overview. Go ye all and deconstruct.

Happy International Saiyuki Week!