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Saiyuki Creator Draws New Illustration for Character Genjo Sanzo's Birthday
posted on by Lynzee Loveridge
Saiyuki manga creator Kazuya Minekura drew a brand-new illustration of Genjo Sanzo for the character's birthday on Thursday. Minekura, who has battled health problems since at least 2010, offered her thanks to fans for their support. She wrote in her tweet that she is doing her best to get healthy and asked readers to continue to watch over her and the characters as they go "all the way to the West."
Genjo Sanzo is a main character from Minekura's Saiyuki, Saiyuki Reload, and Saiyuki Reload Blast manga. The original Saiyuki manga inspired a 1999 OVA and a 2000 television anime adaptation, as well as a sequel film and OVA. Saiyuki Reload inspired two anime adaptations and a prequel OVA. The Saiyuki Gaiden prequel manga inspired an OVA adaptation in 2011 and most recently Saiyuki Reload Blast inspired a television anime last year.
Minekura put her "hard-boiled action" manga Wild Adapter on hiatus due to her health in 2015. The last compiled volume was released in July 2015. The third compiled volume of Saiyuki Reload Blast, the first for the manga in three years, was released last year.
Publisher Ichijinsha slowed the serialization of Minekura's Wild Adapter and Saiyuki Reload Blast manga in 2013 due to her health. The manga had already resumed after a separate hiatus earlier that year. Minekura also went on hiatus from her manga work in late 2010 due to surgery.
[Via Nijimen]
