The BEST episodes written by Tetsuya Endo
#1 - The Man Who Came From The West ~open your eyes~
Saiyuki - Season 3 - Episode 13
In a church: organ music plays as people pray and mourn a dead child who lies on the altar, blank blue eyes staring into nothingness. Such a sweet little girl, so young, they say... Behind her, a young clergyman stands up and opens his arms wide; lights spiral around the gold pendant he wears, his hands glow, and he touches the girl and quietly tells her, "open your eyes." [Um...they were open...yet now they aren't.] The girl's eyes obediently open--they've turned golden--and she sits up and walks away from the altar. A miracle! cry the people. The Bishop--a slight, handsome fellow with clear blue eyes, prematurely silver hair, and a satisfied smile--stands back and basks in the praise and acclaim of the congregation. [He won't be introduced for awhile yet, but I'll tell you now that his name is Hazel Grosse.] He glances back and smiles at a tall, American-Indian looking man who stands farther back from the altar, but the man doesn't return the smile. His eyes are golden-amber. [Digression: this awkward business of the open/shut/open eyes was apparently invented just to make the point of the color-change. In the manga, which are in black-and-white, the girl's eyes are closed the entire time, and Hazel simply says "Now, child...rise." (--presumably "Talitha cumi".) [Digression II: Hazel's pendant in the manga is a six-pointed star--a Star of David--but I guess they didn't want any accusations of Jewish references, as the pendant in the anime has been redesigned to a four-pointed floral design.] --and here's the SI, driving along. Goku complains that he's hungry, Gojyo scolds him, Hakkai says they'll reach a town soon and Sanzo is silent and thoughtful. A typical morning in the Jeep...and then the road is blocked by a gang of implement-wielding, grim-looking townspeople. Do we look suspicious? asks Gojyo--but the lead villager says "Kill the youkai!" and, charging the jeep, tries to throttle Goku! He's shoved back, but the zombie-like humans, all droning "Kill
#2 - Reminiscence ~deprivation~
Saiyuki - Season 3 - Episode 19
After the flashback: we catch up with the ikkou eating at an inn, Goku cramming down the stir-fry so fast that Gojyo chides him, saying he can't possibly be able to taste the food that way. He gripes that Goku forces him to eat too fast as well, to make sure he even gets any; but Hakkai, with Hakuryu perched on his shoulder, feeds the dragon a nibble and says there's no reason for Gojyo to make such a fuss. Just as Sanzo is about to add a grumble, Hazel and Gat walk in. Hazel asks permission to sit at their table, and, taking their collective silence for agreement, lets Gato fetch him a chair--but as soon as he sits down, Hakkai, Hakuryu, Gojyo and Goku, as one, rise and very pointedly move to the next table. [Go, Team Youkai.] Hazel, in his sweetly nasty way, allows as how he's much obliged that they moved to make room for him. He settles his chair directly across from Sanzo's, remarking that it's amazing he can even eat at the same table as those demons. Sanzo snorts and focuses on his cigarette.== A little kid arriving with his mom trips and falls; Gato helps him to his feet, but the boy's terrified of the huge stranger and runs to mommy. Hazel chuckles, commenting that children do favor their mothers; and then quietly adds that he's an orphan, and never knew his parents. I have no memories of bein' cared for that way, he says. There's a shade of sympathy in Sanzo's eyes, as you can imagine. We see him remembering a day in the past: Kouryuu standing in the rain with a begging-bowl, rain dripping off his hat, softly chanting as he waited for passers-by to give coin offerings for the temple. He watched a small boy ride past on his dad's shoulders, and then the sun broke through the rainclouds, and Koumyou arrived, calling for him.== He's pulled from his reverie by the smash of a plate on the floor and a woman's scream--the restaurant is being attacked by youkai, and they've spotted Sanzo. Hazel wryly remarks that he envies Sanzo-han's popularity. The ikkou m
Watch Now:Amazon#3 - Fissure ~misunderstanding~
Saiyuki - Season 3 - Episode 20
After the flashback: Hazel is still standing in the courtyard when Gat walks out, asking him if Sanzo has gone. Instead of replying, Hazel asks Gat "you always follow my orders, don't you?" == At the breakfast table: Gojyo and Goku quarrel over who stole whose manjuu, and Hakkai attempts to make peace by giving Goku some of his. Gojyo says Hakkai (who's yet again feeding a tidbit to Hakuryu on his shoulder) will regret it if he makes a habit of always feeding Goku when he complains; the saru is outraged...but Sanzo, smoking, is lost in thought. Shut up, he abruptly growls; he stubs out his cigarette and heads for the door. Are you finished? asks Hakkai in surprise; yeah, replies Sanzo curtly, and he leaves. --Silence falls over the table, all three faces full of trouble and distress; plainly, everyone is remembering that overheard conversation from last night. Gojyo offers the plate of meat buns to Goku, wearily saying he can have them, but Goku doesn't want any. In their room: Hazel tells Lirin that he's planning to play a fun game with Sanzo-han today, would she like to tag along? Is it really fun? she asks uncertainly, and he reminds her that she'd said she was after the Maten Sutra; well, if she'll help them out, he'll help her get the sutra. Yay!--She's all for it, and charges out the door. Hazel smiles; Gat watches impassively. Hazel puts his hat on and heads for the door, pausing to ask Gat if he's ready. Hazel, the big native begins, do you really-- and Hazel cuts him off, ordering him not to say another word. We hear Hakkai sweetly thanking the inn staff for their hospitality as the ikkou heads out. Gojyo glances back, sees that the HT aren't on their heels and urges Hakkai to pick up speed --"let's not lose a chance to put some distance between us". Hakkai agrees. Goku worries about Lirin, and Gojyo assures him she probably just chowed down, had a nap and went on her way. Sanzo is still looking deep in thought...Goku grumbles that that idea makes him
#4 - Reanimated Man ~desperado~
Saiyuki - Season 3 - Episode 21
After the flashback: we see the ikkou-minus-3 (I-3) driving along. Goku gripes that he'd never thought Sanzo would be such an asshole; Hakkai diplomatically says "well, he's very stubborn" and Gojyo snaps that Hakkai shouldn't let the "self-centered, bald SoB" off so easy. It'll be great not having him around, says Gojyo, and angry Goku agrees. The saru wonders how the KT is. Flashback to their dropping Lirin off: the princess thanked them, and angrily swore to kill Hazel next time she saw him, for tricking her and hurting her brother and friends. Hakkai advised her to return home at once, as her brother must be worried; Lirin promised to help the SI defeat Hazel ("and afterward we'll beat you guys too!" --yeah right, bring it on, snorts Gojyo) and took off on dragonback.==Goku is still pensive; Gojyo remarks that he has too few brain cells to waste them on worrying, and Goku suddenly stands up in the back seat and lets out a howl that nearly startles Hakuryu into a wheelie. Gojyo upbraids Goku; the saru gripes that "just thinking of that baldy Sanzo makes me so mad!" (yeah, right.) --Hakkai laughs, and Gojyo tells him to pick up speed, so they can reach the West before Sanzo does. We're counting on you, Hakuryu! Goku tells the jeep, which kyuus in enthused response. Hakkai adds that there's no chance he'll get there ahead of them, as he's traveling on foot, and G&G break out in fresh chortles; he's so slow! and those sandals are hard to walk in! [Um, Goku ought to have noticed that he gave up wearing his temple sandals 2 series ago...] And he smokes too much, puts in Hakkai. Yet more chortles from the back seat. On the trail: Sanzo trips on a rock, stumbles and goes splat; he cusses, dusts off and walks on. Hazel observes that at this pace they'll be campin' out for the night, and Gato has been patiently gathering up Sanzo's chain-smoked cigarettes as he drops them--he has most of a can full. Hazel catches up as the monk lights yet another and asks if he doesn't
#5 - Strategy ~checkmate~
Saiyuki - Season 3 - Episode 22
After the flashback: the I-3 are attacked by another PoRY calling them "Sanzo-ikkou" and demanding the sutra, and G&G are royally ticked off by it, bashing the hapless youkai with a lot more force than is usually called for. We're not his group! ("Sanzo-ikkou ja nai!") snarls Goku, and he and Gojyo--having KO'd all the youkai--go into a stamping and yelling tantrum, while Hakkai mildly asks if they really ought to blame everything on Sanzo. We have to get there before him no matter what! insists Goku. Let's go!--but then yet another PoRY pops up from nowhere, also yelling "Sanzo" and "sutra"! G&G literally see red, roaring "We're not in his goddamn group!" as they rip into the demons, and Hakkai rolls his eyes and wonders just what Sanzo's doing right now... their angry racket is so deafening that in the Heavens it even disrupts Kanzeon and Jiroushin's shogi game, and the Merciful One Hirself snaps "Urasai!" --Meanwhile, Sanzo is sitting in a desert canyon, having a smoke, when he hears a chiming of bells. Hm? -he pauses, and the jingle comes again, echoing off the Monument Valley-like stone pillars...and then, ta-da! the foe appears. I've found you! calls down Zakuro; long time no see, Genjyo-Sanzo-houshi. He leaps down to face the monk. You should feel honored, he says, cackling with glee; I've been summoned from hell just to defeat you. --Sanzo, who we thought had killed this creep in their last meeting, takes the sight of him with admirable calm. Zakuro cackles again and holds up his string of bells. Who are you?--asks the monk. You can't have forgotten me, retorts Zakuro, and after a second Sanzo growls, "Oh, it's you, bastard." (Then a flashback to make sure we too remember the illusionist youkai--like we could forget the one who put Gojyo through such torment.) Zakuro, wasn't it? he asks. That's right: the Master of Illusions, Lord Zakuro! No man is more beautiful or elegant than I, there's no way you could forget me! crows the youkai, and Sanzo snorts tha
#6 - Breakthrough ~battle royal~
Saiyuki - Season 3 - Episode 23
After the flashback: Hazel tells Sanzo that this will all end if he just says 'Hazel, I'll travel with you'. You've got to be kidding, growls Sanzo, and Gato's next bullet grazes his cheek, drawing blood. Gato will punish you if you say anything besides what I want to hear, the 'angel' admonishes. Zakuro finds this uproariously funny, and calls out to Sanzo that since he can't move he'd better start begging for his life. Hazel snaps for him to shut up [hee, "Urasai!" --the nerve of him, stealing Sanzo's lines!=)], saying he'll keep his mouth shut until he's told otherwise; he, Hazel, is talking to Sanzo right now. Sanzo retorts that he doesn't want to talk to either of them, takes another bullet that staggers him backward, and tries to fire back--but his gun is still 'turned to stone'. Hazel laughs: trying to prove you're tough? he taunts. Or are you waiting for your demon friends to come save you? Sanzo says he can't remember them ever doing that [oh, really now...]. Hazel replies that it's fine if he wants to see it that way, but no matter how long he waits, those youkai won't be coming to his rescue. Sanzo doesn't like his I-know-somethin'-you-don't tone, and rasps, "What?" but the bishop just laughs. Meanwhile, the I-3 are sitting in a forest clearing with defeated youkai scattered everywhere, complaining that they seem to be getting attacked even more without Sanzo than they did with him. (One of the battered youkai raises his head long enough to gasp "we'll get the sutra next time, Sanzo-ikkou!" and gets a fast faceful of dragon foot--even Hakuryu is getting annoyed, smiles Hakkai. =) Gojyo grumbles that Sanzo is the cause of all their troubles, but this is followed by an uncomfortable silence, and he suggests, "Maybe there is one thing we have to do before we head west." It's just gonna get worse if we don't, agrees Goku, and Hakkai finally says it: "Shall we go back where Sanzo is?" --And beat him up! adds Goku. Hakkai concurs. We'll never shake off this
#7 - Life-Or-Death Struggle ~sunny day~
Saiyuki - Season 3 - Episode 24
After the flashback: the horrified Goku calls out to Sanzo, and the ikkou (apparently making the many-story drop to the ground with ease) charges toward its fallen leader; but Hazel commands "stop right there, demons", and puts a bullet into Sanzo's shoulder. The trio skids to a halt, and Hazel, those pretty blue eyes now Arctic slits, says, "Gato." The big guy, already taken aback by Hazel's appropriation of his gun, hesitates. Hazel's eyes get even scarier: Gato! he hisses, and Gat fires on the ikkou. They dive for cover, and Hakkai observes that "unlike Sanzo", Gato is quite a good shot. [--Unfair of Hakkai, who knows full well that Sanzo is a dead-eye shot; but probably justified by the monk's numerous snipes at his absent crew.] Gojyo says they needn't be anxious, as Gato's gun only holds six rounds. They count shots and charge when they hear him eject his 6th round, only to be fired upon by Hazel, who's had time to reload the other pistol! HG&G hightail it back to the rocks, where Goku and Hakkai give Gojyo grief for not thinking of that. (Hakuryu, also hiding, listens to their quarreling and kyuu's ruefully.) The guys do the math: if Hazel and Gat have both reloaded, that's a total of twelve rounds. Four for each of us, says Goku. Gojyo teases that saru-chan's math skills are top-notch and he retorts that sheesh, of course he can count; Hakkai chides that this is no time to bicker, and G&G settle, agree and arm up. Make sure you draw your share, calls Gojyo as they break cover. At once their plan is clear--force the HT to expend so much fire on them all at once that neither has time to reload--and with all three on full offensive and using their signature attacks that's just what happens. When Goku lands a huge nyoi-bo bash on Gato, Hakkai is able to slam him into the cliffside with a ki sphere. Hazel calls to him in alarm, but before blue-eyes can move he hears a pistol being cocked behind him; a deadly-eyed Sanzo has used the distraction to pull himse
#8 - The Thing That Should Be Protected ~truth~
Saiyuki - Season 3 - Episode 25
Gojyo and Goku leap clear of the rockslide; Gato is buried, but pushes free, and is healed (with much unnerving crunching and popping of mended bone) for the nteenth time by Hazel. H,G&G admit to each other that this is just a bit daunting, but they defiantly gather their strength and prepare to charge Gato. Hazel calls down to Gat that they're running low on souls, so Gat had better finish the ikkou off this time--that should be easy, he mockingly adds, just see how beat-up they are. The big native draws and charges, but the indomitable four pour it on and give him a fierce fight. Hazel, who'd thought them on the verge of death, watches in wide-eyed amazement--and then looks up to see Goku descending on his mesa from midair, nyoi-bo swung back and aimed at his skull! Gato leaps up to tackle Hazel clear of the blow [[it really is cool that they found this lunar-gravity valley to fight in, isn't it?]] intercepting Goku's shattering blow himself and requiring another healing--which drains Hazel's pendant. He's in complete disbelief: how can the ikkou just shrug off the battering and rounds of gunshots they've taken? These people might be invincible, says Gat quietly. That's absurd, snaps the bishop; we'll just retreat and replenish our soul supply-- --but Gato says "No, I won't do that." Hazel is so stunned that his mouth literally drops open. His faithful Gato, disobeying him? --My journey ends here, the big man says calmly. What are you saying? Hazel protests, I'm out of souls! if you disobey me you'll die! But Gat smiles and says, "I'm already dead." And he leaps down from the mesa [[yeah, just like that]] and cocks both pistols for another run at the ikkou. Hakkai says he's got a bad feeling about this; Gojyo says "let's finish him fast and get outta here." Goku charges, and the battle is again joined, while Hazel looks on in bewildered anger: why is Gat disobeying him, why? Battered on all sides by the ikkou, Gato is on the ropes--and a huge echoing vo
#9 - Lamentation ~close your eyes~
Saiyuki - Season 3 - Episode 26
After the flashback: Monster Arm Hazel piles into the SI, who fight back but take a pounding from the huge arm's power. Hazel completely loses it, morphing into his cat-demon form, roaring and snarling as he lashes out at the ikkou. He throws off Gojyo and Hakkai's attacks and charges at Sanzo, who aims but finds he's out of ammo; HG&G stare stunned as MA Hazel barrels toward their unarmed leader-- and a huge firebolt comes from nowhere to plow MA Hazel into a mesa, which collapses into dust. Who do we know that can throw huge firebolts? Might it be that tall redhead on the flying dragon? Yup: Lirin-sama has kept her promise, and the Kou-tachi is here to help the Sanzo-ikkou dust Hazel. =) Sanzo, reloading, demands to know what Kou & Co. are doing here. The prince retorts that they shouldn't think he's become their ally; that man is an enemy to all demons, and he'll gladly finish him off if the SI is just going to stand there. ==Hazel picks him/itself up and steps out of the dust cloud; Doku and Yaone decide they oughtn't get involved, while Lirin cheerily yells back that Sanzo ought to let her brother handle it. Sanzo cocks his pistol and says "screw that." Lirin's surprised, but the ikkou strides forward, Gojyo calling up to the 'tachi "sorry guys, but we'll settle this" and Goku adding that they have a promise to keep. Kougaiji gravely surveys the scene, including the heap of dust and clothing that's all that remains of the late Gatti Nenehawk [[may he rest in peace]], and intuits what's happened here. Lirin asks what's going on, but her brother tells her to let them be. --The grim, battered ikkou line up to face the advancing Hazel--who, as he becomes visible, has his human face and form back, and looks dazed and exhausted. I remembered everything, he says. The Kou-tachi watches over the scene; there's such calm sympathy in the prince's face. Hazel looks as if he's walked through hell barefoot. I killed my master, he says; I became a monster and killed