Saiyuki Reload Vocal Albums Volumes I and II (Anime Music Review)

Are you looking for information on the music albums called Saiyuki Reload Vocal Album Volume 1 and Saiyuki Reload Vocal Album Volume 2?

You've come to the right place. In this hub, you'll see the track list for both of the aforementioned albums as well as information on the songs and even some sample songs from the music albums.

You'll also be seeing references to the anime and manga Saiyuki Reload in this hub because of its relation to the music albums in question.

If you want to read up on a bit more information on the anime Saiyuki Reload, then look at this.

This hub will also mention the Sanzo-ikkou (these are the 4 main characters of the series) as well as the Saiyuki series in general so if you want some more information about the topics in question, then you can just look at this.

The Saiyuki series has a lot of music and all of them are superb and fantastic. You get different tunes and melodies that are all brilliant and amazing.

The singers of the songs all have wonderful voices. Even the lyrics of the songs have such inspirational and quotable meanings. This is the same with the music from the Vocal Albums of Saiyuki Reload.

These albums even feature 3 of the main characters' seiyuus (voice actors) as the singers of some of the songs. Seki Toshihiko (Sanzo), Hirata Hiroaki (Gojyo) & Hoshi Soichiro (Goku) are definitely great singers with indescribably good voices.

Listening to their voices will definitely remind you of Sanzo, Gojyo and Goku as they have very distinct voices that make them stand out and yet can also blend well when the 3 are singing a song together.

Here are the two (2) Saiyuki Reload vocal albums:

There are 7 tracks in this album but only 5 are songs as the other 2 are merely scenes voice acted by the seiyuu of the main characters of Saiyuki.

The 5 songs from this album are as follows:

1. Waymarks
2. Wing Area
3. There Is
4. Spirit
5. Trigger

The 2 scenes from this album are as follows:

1. Scene 1
2. Scene 2

The 5 songs from Saiyuki Reload Vocal Album Volume 1

This was sung by Seki Toshihiko (Sanzo), Hirata Hiroaki (Gojyo) & Hoshi Soichiro (Goku). This song also appears in Saiyuki Reload Burial Ending Theme Song: Shiny Moon.

This song has a nice beat and tune. The voices of the 3 seiyuu are distinguishable even in the parts that they sing together.

The translated lyrics of this song has great meanings with words and phrases like 'the sun sings red crimes', 'how far do you go, even though you're broken?', and 'the light falling in the west'.

These and other such related words may well reference the Sanzo-ikkou (party / group, a term to collectively refer to all 4 of the main characters) and their journey to the west as well as their struggles throughout their life as they keep on moving forward and just living.

This was sung by Hoshi Soichiro (Goku). This song also appears in Saiyuki Reload Gunlock Son Goku's Song Collection. This is a very lively song with a catchy beat and tune.

The lyrics hold much meaning. With words and phrases from the translated lyrics such as 'seeing the same place', 'how long before I'm free?', 'many nights, many dawns', and 'the quiet loneliness is unbearable pain', this song may well be referencing Goku and the time when he was once imprisoned in a cave. He had been stuck in that cave for many, many years, unable to leave and having to endure being alone. It's no wonder that he would want to just be able to fly away and be free.

This was sung by Hirata Hiroaki (Gojyo) & Hoshi Soichiro (Goku). This song has a bit of a slow pace at the beginning but it does pick up. It has a nice, catchy tune to it.

The lyrics has good meaning to it with such words and phrases as 'isn't it okay if we meet colliding?', 'each person's way is different' and 'we seem to resemble each other, of course, there's something different'.

This song may well be referencing the unique friendship of Goku and Gojyo who are also rather like brothers to each other. The two can be seen arguing pretty much all the time over the simplest of things and they never seem to get along. But then you see how they fight their enemies together and watch each other's backs in battle. This and other such instances show that the two do care about each other in their own way.

This was sung by Kusao Takeshi (Kougaiji). This song has a different feel to it that seems almost dark in tune somehow and even more solemn but it is still a good song with great lyrics.

Kougaiji is a demon and he is the son of Gyumaoh. He is one of the enemies of the Sanzo-ikkou though there is much more to him than being a mere antagonist.

Some of the words and phrases from the translated lyrics include 'if it is what you want to protect', 'the wishes of this heart', darkness and light.

This may well reference Kougaiji who wants to free his mother, Rasetsunyo, who has been turned to stone and this is what drives him to fight against the Sanzo-ikkou.

Seki Toshihiko (Sanzo) sang this song. This song also appears in Saiyuki Reload Sanzo's Song Collection. This song starts off slowly with a rather long instrumental music before the singing starts.

But this just sets the tone of the song, which is rather solemn and soft and light. It still sounds meaningful though and it isn't just because of the great lyrics.

Check out some of the words and phrases from the translated lyrics - 'I lost that which was important to me' and 'to see for myself that I'm not weak'.

All this may well reference Sanzo who has had to deal with his mentor and father figure, Komyou (or Koumyou) Sanzo, being killed right in front of him. Sanzo thinks himself as weak for being unable to protect what was important to him and he hates being weak.

There are 7 tracks in this album. Five (5) of these tracks are songs. But the other 2 tracks are audio dramas featuring scenes that have been voice acted by the seiyuus of the 4 main characters of Saiyuki.

The 5 songs from this album are as follows:

1. Cherish
2. One Day
3. Preparation
4. Brave Soul
5. Destination

The 2 scenes from this album are as follows:

1. Scene 3
2. Scene 4

The 5 songs from Saiyuki Reload Vocal Album Volume 2

Hoshi Soichiro (Goku) sang this song. This song also appears in Saiyuki Reload Gunlock Son Goku's Song Collection. This song has a bit of a fast beat to it with a lively tune.

The translated lyrics have a lot of meaning. Here are some phrases from the song - 'That which I don't understand here and there in the wide sky' and 'if I'm alive, there's always more to perceive'.

This song may well reference Goku who is innocent and even naïve. He's just a simple-minded and happy-go-lucky person who is wont to be cheerful and ask for food practically all the time.

Hirata Hiroaki (Gojyo) sang this song. It has a light but catchy beat to it and the tune is very nice. This song has good meanings to it. The translated lyrics mention such words as red and punishment.

This may well reference Gojyo who has issues with the blood red color of his hair and eyes because these mark him as a half-breed whom many people consider to be cursed and who supposedly brings bad luck.

Seki Toshihiko (Sanzo) sang this song. This song also appears in Saiyuki Reload Sanzo's Song Collection.

This song has a solemn tone to it but that doesn't make it any less wonderful.

There's great meaning to the lyrics with words and phrases such as 'I'll want to believe in these two foolish hands', 'the living pain' and 'I'm allowed to break down'.

These and other such words in the lyrics may well be referencing Genjo Sanzo as he thinks about his tragic past and berates himself for his perceived weakness and inability to protect his mentor.

Kusao Takeshi (Kougaiji) sang this song. This song starts almost right away after a bit of instrumental music. It's very lively from the get-go and it has a catchy beat and tune to it.

There are some words sung in English, most notably, 'I want to become brave soul'.

This and other such words in the translated lyrics may well be in reference to Kougaiji who is seeking to become strong so he could better protect the ones he cares about.

There's also the issue of him only fighting with the Sanzo-ikkou because of wanting to free his mother, which explains the song's mentions of light and darkness.

This was sung by Seki Toshihiko (Sanzo), Hirata Hiroaki (Gojyo) & Hoshi Soichiro (Goku).

This song also appears in Saiyuki Reload Burial Ending Theme Song: Shiny Moon. From Saiyuki Reload Gunlock Piano Supplement - Lively And Relaxed Days, this song appears as merely an instrumental piano version.

This great song has a bit of a solemn tone to it but it's still catchy and upbeat with good meaning to its lyrics. The phrase 'we can go to the destination, ever' is sung in English. Other words and phrases from the translated lyrics include 'unending road grows white, persistently far away' and 'even if there's nothing on the other side of the walls, we keep running'. All this and other such words may well reference the Sanzo-ikkou and their journey to the west as they continue traveling to get to their destination no matter what obstacles may fall in their path.

The Saiyuki series has such exceptionally appealing and wonderfully amazing music that all of it is definitely worth checking out. The music sounds fantastic and the lyrics are all meaningful and brilliant.

But there's no need to stop at the music. Check out the other Saiyuki merchandise like the anime series and the mangas. They're all equally superb.

Pic credits: The images are enlarged pics of the products from Amazon.com

Sources:

• holdthelight.net/Pages/SaiyukiSongs via waybackmachine (for references to the translated lyrics)
• yesasia.com (for the vocal album volume 1 track list)
• shopanimedvd.com (for the vocal albume volume 2 track list)

Saiyuki and all things related to it is copyright to Kazuya Minekura.