Ask John: What’s John’s Impression of Saiyuki Imagery?

Question:
I have to question Saiyuki’s status as “shounen” anime because I don’t think having a ten-year old boy in the opening sequence wearing nothing but black leather pants and tied up in bondage chains is really appealing to a male audience. And it’s also just weird how the DVD covers feature the boys looking sexy but have gaping, bloody wounds on their bodies. I’m reminded of Evangelion Episode 1 Rei in bandages porn.

Answer:
I often refer to Pretty Cure as “Dragonball for girls,” but it just occurred to me that such a label may be more appropriate to Saiyuki. After all, Dragonball and Gensomaden Saiyuki are both inspired by the Saiyuki legend and both involve superhuman men fighting. I was intrigued by the observation that the Saiyuki DVD covers highlight sensual men and blood and starting thinking about what that means. The result of my analysis is the blood representing a literal, physical manifestation of psychological angst. Many female viewers seem to be attracted to bishonen that are morally or philosophically wracked. Specifically recall the Gundam Wing boys that are attractive young men and whom all have torn allegiances and psychological issues with authority and commitment and loyalty and relationships. The Gundam Wing boys were particularly popular among female viewers, although Gundam W itself is overtly a “shonen” or male oriented anime about giant robots and war and science fiction action. On a related note, I think it’s also relevant to point out that X and Gensomaden Saiyuki, both of which star attractive men with fractured psyches, are manga created by women. I’m not trying to be rude by gender stereotyping. I’m just pointing out a circumstance that seems to reinforce a stereotype. Saiyuki can be considered a “shonen” anime because its primary focus is on action and external conflict, unlike typical anime specifically created for female viewers which often focuses on character relationships, communication, and internal psychology. But like Gundam W, Saiyuki is overtly a male oriented program that has a significant degree of psychological conflict and a cast of handsome young men that appeal to female viewers.

It may be that Saiyuki is popular in part because its imagery so effectively addresses a subconscious interest within viewers. The anime itself isn’t actually that awfully bloody or violent, but the use of splashed blood in its promotional images, which create a first and lasting impression, creates and reinforces a very powerful impression that the show is about beautiful men suffering exquisite agony. The blood just gives that impression an substantive and immediately recognizable form and color. Even if there’s not a lot of blood in the show, the imagery on the DVD covers alone is enough to influence the way viewers approach the show, and influence what elements within the show viewers focus their attention on. Furthermore, blood instinctively encourages primal impressions of not just pain, but also sexuality. From the virginal to the menstrual, blood represents a vital, internal, important and intimate physicality.

It can be said that the Saiyuki DVD covers convey a subliminal message to viewers. The DVD covers and promotional art for the show are influential commercial advertising of the finest order because they’re so subtle that the impact they make isn’t obviously recognizable as advertising. Consumers and viewers don’t consciously attempt to deny the influence of the advertising art because it’s not obviously recognizable as advertising. I may be off base with this theory of Saiyuki having a subliminal impact through its visual iconography because I’m not particularly a fan of the Saiyuki anime. So I may be trying to hard to explain its appeal to viewers since its charms don’t work on me. If nothing else, though, I think my theory is at least an interesting interpretation.