Saiyuki Reload 3 thoughts

[louiselux]

Just a few quick thoughts on Reload 3, specifically the last chapters of Against the Stream and the Sanzo ikkou-as-team:

I've been rereading these two scenes over and over in the past few days, where the ikkou are fighting Kougaiji. desdenova's post about structure chimed in with something I noticed: the scene on page 24-25 : Gojyo, Sanzo and Hakkai move completely instinctively as a fighting team, without even discussing what they're going to do: Hakkai defends and Gojyo and Sanzo flank with a double attack, setting up Gojyo's further attack. Goku and Gojyo attack together later on, too.

It's a very clear development for them, from vol 9 when Hakkai first suggests they attack as a team and Goku has to ask what 'teamwork' means. I'm pretty sure Sanzo would never think to utter the word.

There are other things I like about that scene: Gojyo stepping forward to fight Kougaiji-- but it's Doku he tells that he won't hold back. Is this the first time Gojyo has fought Kougaiji one to one?

Gojyo must be more than a little resentful and jealous of how Kougaiji has replaced Gojyo in Doku's loyalties and this is only highlighted by Doku watching them fight and making those comparisons between the two. Gojyo taunts Kougaiji, which the others don't do (Prince Stupid). In fact, their fight turns into fisticuffs and wrestling, which I like because I can imagine Gojyo just itching to pop him one on the nose. Also, some of Yaone's thoughts about Kougaiji in that scene: 'kinder than anyone' could easily mean Gojyo too.

Also, I love how Yaone and Doku quite openly adore their leader, and Sanzo's annoyance when Gojyo points this out: 'No one asked you!"

Comments

[desdenova.livejournal.com]

Is this the first time Gojyo has fought Kougaiji one to one?

Well, I wouldn't really call it "one to one"; the whole point of that scene is that all three are ganging up on him, yeah? But yes, this is the first time Gojyo has directly engaged Kougaigi. It is also, if I'm not mistaken, the first time Sanzo has seriously participated in one of these inter-team combats. (He did get the drop on Kougaiji the first time the two groups fought, but that was more of a "okay, playtime's over" deal than "I'm really trying to beat you, now.")

I looked over that chapter again, and it really does an excellent job of highlighting the change in the ikkou's approach to combat since the Kami-sama encounter. You see it in the reaction-shots of Kou, Doku, and Yaone: they're all absolutely shocked (and in Doku & Yaone's case, horrified) at the unrelenting efficiency the guys display in their effort to take down Kou. It's like, "Wow, these guys aren't fooling around this time. They're really trying to kill him."

[louiselux.livejournal.com]

I actually meant one on one to mean 'hand to hand', so sorry for not being clearer. I couldn't remember another scene where they'd actually wrestled each other, or even where Gojyo had engaged him directly. Although in vol 3 of the original series they do all engage him individuall very briefly and Kougaiji catches Gojyo's shakoujo blade between his fingernails.

Which actually makes me think that Gojyo skills must be far more honed by this point.

It's like, "Wow, these guys aren't fooling around this time. They're really trying to kill him."

Yes, and it's also amusing how, when Goku thinks he's might have actually killed Kougaiji at the beginning of the final chapter of AtS, the ikkou all look so alarmed. Like, 'have we *finally* killed him?' You feel that if they had they'd be sorry.