Setting their sights towards 2022, North American anime publisher Sentai has today confirmed they hold exclusive rights to Saiyuki RELOAD: ZEROIN, the next instalment in the Saiyuki franchise which is due to commence airing in Japan next month. Sentai plan to offer the series via HIDIVE during their upcoming simulcast season, before eventually doing a home video release down the line. Their license covers many countries around the world including: the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Latin America, Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Scandinavia and the Netherlands.
This acquisition also includes SAIYUKI GAIDEN OVA – Kouga no Chapter, an OVA adapting chapter 11-13 of Saiyuki Gaiden that expands the worldbuilding and lore of the series. This episode will be streamable exclusively via HIDIVE, with plans to also offer it via home video release in the future.
Saiyuki RELOAD: ZEROIN adapts the “Even a Worm” arc from the Saiyuki Reload manga by Kazuya Minekura. The manga has 25 million copies in circulation around the world. The anime series is produced by LIDEN FILMS (Blade of the Immortal, Tokyo Revengers, The Heroic Legend of Arslan) and directed by Misato Takada (episode director, Blade of the Immortal). J-rock group GRANRODEO returns to perform the series’ theme song, “Kami mo Hotoke mo”.
The series’ Japanese voice cast includes Toshihiko Seki (Pet Shop of Horrors, Kill la Kill, Mobile Suit Gundam Wing) as Genjo Sanzo, Soichiro Hoshi (When They Cry, Mobile Suit Gundam SEED, s.CRY.ed) as Son Goku, Akira Ishida (Nana, Naruto, Neon Genesis Evangelion) as Cho Hakkai, Hiroaki Hirata (Space Brothers, Tiger & Bunny, One Piece) as Sha Gojyo, Koichi Tochika (ef: A Tale of Melodies, Naruto, Detective Academy Q) as Hazel and Rikiya Koyama (Fate/stay night, Food Wars!, Hajime no Ippo) as Gat.
About Saiyuki RELOAD: ZEROIN
When the monstrous Gyumaoh was defeated by the war god Nataku Taishi and imprisoned in Houtou Castle, an era of peace began in the land of Togenkyo. Now, hundreds of years later, those seeking to resurrect Gyumaoh have unleashed a plague upon the world. The wave of negative power generated by his attempted resurrection has driven youkai to the brink of insanity. To save humanity from violent slaughter, Kanzeon Bosatsu sends Son Goku, Genjo Sanzo, Sha Gojyo, and Cho Hakkai to the west in order to prevent Gyumaoh from rising once again.