This week Wukong finally gets through to Guanyin and we're all set for the match of the 15th century between the Bodhisattva and the Red Boy. How does a pacifist beat a fire-breathing, spear wielder? Find out this week with Richard & James!
Invincible warrior with no respect for authority and a rebel attitude... sound familiar? This week the battle with the Red Boy continues and Monkey calls on an old friend from the Eastern depths. But will it be enough to douse the Samadhi fires that spew from Red Boy's mouth? Find out this week!
Spooky sightings abound this week as the gang encounter a strange red light floating through the air and a naked boy hanging upside down from a tree! Turns out he's the son of Monkey's blood brother the Bull Demon King. Is his nephew nice or naughty? Tune in to find out!
Journey to the West Research blogger Jim McClanahan returns this week to provide commentary for the 2015 animated film, "Monkey King: Hero is Back". With gorgeously drawn characters and breathtaking backdrops, the film's production values are on par with Pixar. But does it actually tell the story of Journey to the West? Queue up your Amazon Prime, grab some popcorn, and find out!
Wukong uses some tricky negotiation tactics to get the Golden Elixir from Lao Tzu and bring the dead king back. But the Taoist imposter has a trick that will have him seeing double! Then, Richard and James go deep on the role of Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism in Chinese society, and speculate on the nature of "jin". It's a weird one!
This week the prince learns more than anybody wants to know about their parents, and uncovers the truth that his father has been replaced! How will he unmask the impostor? As usual, Monkey has an idea, and his pig brother ain't gonna like it. Hog hijinks ensue this week!
Tripitaka gets a special visit from the dead king of Black Rooster Kingdom and is tasked with unmasking his murderous usurper--a treacherous Taoist with the power to change the weather! Good thing Wukong has a plan... that somehow involves him getting into a tiny box and insulting the prince. On second thought, maybe don't do everything monkey say. Hijinks ensue this week with Richard and James!
This week finds Tripitaka a little low in spirits when he finds out how far they still have to go. Coming upon a monastery, the monk and the monkey must contend with the question of how to get a good night's sleep: Trip wants to ask nicely, while Wukong... well you know how royal simians are. Don't miss the monkey madness!
It's the exciting conclusion to the Golden Horn, Silver Horn saga! What exactly are all five of their treasures and how will monkey fare against their mysterious power? And just who are these two horny demons and their demon family anyway? All will be revealed so don't miss a moment with Richard & James!
This week we rest our weary cloud-trodding feet and take a deep dive with Scott Park Phillips into the Tao of Journey to the West. Learn how classic Chinese stories were used in theatre, war, and religious rituals. Uncover some of the martial arts' greatest secrets. If you thought you understood the Monkey King and his travel buddies, think again! Be sure to check out Scott's youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/NorthStarMartialArtsUSA Find out more about the common origins of Chinese mart...
It's a series of escapes and recaptures this week as the party's only hope, Sun Wukong, takes on Golden Horn, Silver Horn, their mother, and their whole fiendish army. How will our Monkey King fair against the horned brothers and their miraculous weapons? Find out this week!
Just when Sun Wukong the monkey mind thought he had things under control, Tripitaka and Wujin get kidnapped, and he ends himself under a mountain range again! What could this all mean? This week we deep-dive into some potential metaphysical explanations for who Golden Horn and Silver Horn are and more. Don't miss it!
Last time Tripitaka banished his monkey disciple. Now, with demons over yonder hill, he's put all his trust in Sun Wukong to get them through. But is this any wiser than banishing him? Now he's got Zhu Eight Rules doing all the dirty work, and the pig is not amused. Plus, who are these mysterious demons Gold Horn and Silver Horn and why are they hungering for Tang Monk meat? Find out this week with Richard & James!
How does a lazy pig convince a Monkey King to give up his kingdom once more to take up a life of austerity and don the monkly robe? With as little effort as possible! And how does a professional monster-catcher exercise his craft while saving his master? Find out in this week's epic conclusion to the Yellow Robe arc!
This week, the Yellow Robe gets his revenge! We've seen what a clever monkey with transformative powers can do, now just imagine what horrors a gentleman monster might commit! Heads won't roll, but they will get munched. Don't miss this week's exciting episode!
Tripitaka is freed by the Yellow Robe demon's wife, the princess of Precious Image Kingdom, and given a letter to deliver to her father. Just when you think the three pilgrims are in the clear, the letter leads to a challenge! Are they up for it? Zhu Eight Rules thinks so, but Sha Monk begs to differ. Find out who's right this week!
This week, we catch up with our band of monks and one ex-monk equal to heaven after Wukong's banishment by his master. If you thought human-eating monsters were cruel, you won't want to know what the humans have been doing to his poor monkey subjects! Also, Zhu Wuneng learns how hard it is to do his elder brother's work, Tripitaka gets captured by yet another hungry demon and even Sha monk gets some page-time. Don't miss it!
Every one of our travelers seems grouchy this week as we meet the deviously horrifying Cadaver Demon, 白骨精. But what really sent chills down our spine is how Monkey is able to see through her tricks because 'game recognize game'. Seems the immortal trickster ape's done way worse than stealing fruit and fighting gods! Things get horrifyingly Lovecraftian this week, and you don't wanna miss it!
Just when you think all hope is lost, Sun Wukong hatches a plan to revive the tree he knocked over in exchange for their freedom. But if none of his friends from his Great Sage days know of a cure, then it'll be less a plan and more of a stay of execution! Find out if Monkey's magical buddies have an answer this week.
Old Monkey just couldn't leave that ginseng fruit tree alone, and now they're going to get it! Luckily, the Zhengyuan Immortal is a lenient guy. Problem is, his most lenient punishments are still too brutal for any mortal to survive! What will our heroes do? Tune in to find out!
This week, Tripitaka gets a gift from a friend from a past life in the form of the ultimate super fruit. One sniff and you'll live hundreds of years. One bite and you'll live thousands! But what the Great Zhengyuan Immortal doesn't know, is that the Tang Monk's disciple is none other than the universe's most notorious fruit thief, Sun Wukong! Has the former Peach Pilferer truly reformed? Find out this exciting episode!
Last week, Eight Rules got the glory as he dealt with the Yellow Sand River demon and even helped convert him into one of master Tripitaka's disciples. This week, Eight Rules faces his toughest challenge as one rich milf widow and her three hot daughters offer their hands in marriage. Will the monks give up their pilgrimage and settle down? Find out this week with Richard and James!
This week is really Zhu Eight Rules' time to shine! The piggish younger brother gets his fill of fighting against a man-eating water monster while Sun Wukong is left to guard the baggage. But when the two fail to capture the monster in whom lies the key to Tripitaka's passage across the Yellow Sand River, a familiar face must intervene. Will Tripitaka get to continue his journey? Find out this week with Richard and James!
Pilgrim and his pig brother, "Zhu Eight Rules", face off against some world-shatteringly bad breath! Not only is the Yellow Wind monster the Monkey King's equal in combat, but he can blow a wind that almost splits the universe apart, and causes Wukong's eyes to water non-stop! Will Tripitaka's two disciples ever get him back, or will the Tang monk become a Tang-talizing main course for Yellow Wind? Find out this week!
This week we meet an old man who thought he'd seen it all. Then the Tang emperor's top monk shows up for dinner with a talking monkey and a hungry pig monster! Then Tripitaka gets kidnapped by a demon in tiger's clothing and some real gory hijinks ensue! Don't miss the bloody mess that is Chapter 21 with Richard and James!
This week we get the exciting conclusion to Sun Wukong's fight with Zhu the pig monster and the Gao family's ordeal. In the process, Zhu gets a new name, Tripitaka gains a new disciple, and we all learn the Heart Sutra to level up in our journey. It's an essential episode that's not to be missed!
Who do you call when your son-in-law turns out to be a literal pig, a divorce attorney or an exterminator? That's the dilemma facing old man Gao when Wukong and his master, Tripitaka, come across their village. What follows is like Little Red Riding Hood in reverse as Monkey not only rescues Gao's daughter but pranks her monstrous husband by taking on her appearance. It's an UN-romantic comedy you won't want to miss!
If this week's chapter was a Marvel comic, it would be a top-seller and totally worthy of being part 2. With the cassock gone and Monkey King unable to overcome the bear monster who took it with brute force alone, he gets help from the Bodhisattva of Mercy, Guanyin! But not before she drops some pearls of wisdom that makes Wukong see himself in a different light. Tune in this week for an eye-opening episode with Richard and James!
This week, the monk Tripitaka and his disciple, the Monkey King Sun Pilgrim, arrive at a temple and encounter an old abbot who's got a thing for fancy things. While the monk wants to stay humble, old Sun Wukong can't help but show off their stuff. As a result, the old abbot gets jealous and calamity befalls everyone! Will our two heroes survive? Tune in this week to find out!
This week, Xuanzang and Monkey King are forced to take a long walk, as a dragon eats the chosen monk's horse! And don't think the Monkey King's forgotten about that whole headache-inducing-hat trick that Guanyin pulled off in the last chapter! This episode's all about confrontations. You won't want to miss it!
