Monkey

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Monkey ranks 3,927 out of the 18,221 shows on TV.com.

The 54 users who count themselves as Monkey fans have written a total of 4 reviews.

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Ended

Genre

Theme

"In the world before Monkey, primal chaos reigned. Heaven sought order, but the phoenix can fly only when it's feathers are grown. The four worlds formed again and yet again, as endless aeons wheeled and passed. Time and the pure essences of Heaven all worked upon a certain rock, old as creation. It became... more »

"In the world before Monkey, primal chaos reigned. Heaven sought order, but the phoenix can fly only when it's feathers are grown. The four worlds formed again and yet again, as endless aeons wheeled and passed. Time and the pure essences of Heaven all worked upon a certain rock, old as creation. It became magically fertile. The first egg was named "Thought". Tathagata Buddha, the Father Buddha said "With our thoughts, we make the world". Elemental forces caused the egg to hatch. From it came a stone monkey.

The nature of monkey was irrepressible!!"

And so begins the tale of Monkey.
Based on the 16th century Chinese story "Hsi Yu Chi" ("Journey To The West"). It tells the story of the Buddhist priest Tripitaka, and his three disciples Monkey, Pigsy, and Sandy, as they travel from China to India to fetch the Buddhist scriptures. They have been sent by Buddha, and getting these scriptures will bring peace to the people of the world. On this journey, they must face many dangers and challenges. All the characters have very distinctive personalities. Monkey is a brave fighter, who has magical powers, and is very mischievous. Pigsy is less brave, and has a weakness for food and women. Sandy is the thinker, much more a thinker than a doer. Tripitaka is a sometimes naive young man, who trusts everyone, and is unaware of the evils of the world.

While the subject matter sounds serious, and although there is a religious theme, the show contains lots of humour, often highlighting the clash in personalities between the main characters.less «

• 'Monkey' magic set for revival

  I jut found this news story and wanted to share.... http://au.news.yahoo.com//060218/21/xyiu.html Monday February 20, 06...more »

  I jut found this news story and wanted to share.... http://au.news.yahoo.com//060218/21/xyiu.html Monday February 20, 06:17 PM 'Monkey' magic set for revival The cult television series Monkey is being remade in its home country Japan. If you know which TV character was 'born from an egg on a mountain top' and the lead line of "in the world before Monkey, primal chaos reigned", you probably have the ABC to blame. The Japanese series Monkey was a mainstay of ABC afternoon television programing in the 1980s, generating a cult following for its theme music, its fight scenes and dialogue that sometimes lost a little in translation. Fast forward 30 years and Japan's top rating TV network is trying to recreate the Monkey magic. When ABC Radio's AM program visited the set in the Tokyo suburb of Shibuya, the fight scenes of old were in full swing. But there are a few differences to the show that Australian fans grew to love. Blonde Monkey Chief among them, a new look for the main character - Monkey, played in the new series by Shingo Katori and his very blond hair. "I bleach it every 15 days -- if I don't, it goes black," he said. Katori says his 2006 version of monkey is a punk rocker, yelling about love. Known in Japan as Saiyuki, or the "Journey to the West", the series is based on a classic Chinese tale of a priest and three companions, travelling to India in search of Buddhist scriptures. The original was a hit and its star Masaki Sakai remains a familiar face on Japanese television, appearing in variety and cooking shows. Producer Yoshihiro Suzuki says those behind the new series are hoping their version will be just as endearing. "We already have offers from countries in Asia - South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong and Singapore who are broadcasting it," he said. "Normally shows are broadcast overseas when the series is finished but this time it's only three or four weeks after Japan. "I've heard there may be some interest from Australia too, so I really hope that will be realised as well." Australian backdrops If Australians get to see it they might notice that the scenery of ancient China looks a little familiar. Parts of the series were shot in New South Wales at Stockton Desert near Port Stephens and the Blue Mountains last year. Actor Shingo Katori, says the knowledge of the original series was a surprise. "At night we would go out for a beer after work and I'd become friends with some of the local people," he said. "They didn't know we were there to film the show and they said, 'you're a surfer from Japan right? So I said, yeah, right'. "When I asked if they knew about the show, everyone started singing 'monkey magic, monkey magic'." Diehard fans might not be ready to contemplate a new version of monkey . They might still have some unresolved issues from the original, like whether the priest character Tripitaka was played by a man or a woman. But for those whose mis-spent youth involved calling up a flying pink cloud, a magic fighting stick and some good old fashioned battles with demons, it will bring back some memories and confirm once and for all, as the show's old closing line said "the nature of monkey was irrepressible". less «

  gideon9595 Last online 13 hrs, 40 mins ago
  2 comments, last one Nov 20, 2006 + Add Comment

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  7.5 Good

  An interesting show that I used to watch when I was a kid with some great comedy... hide « show »

  Even though this show may be old, it is a classic. The story is about a holy monk, Tripitaka; Monkey, a monkey born out of the Earth; Pigsy, a pig spirit whom was expelled from Heaven for liking girls too much; Sandy, a fish spirit, also expelled from Heaven and the trusty Horse, who was once a dragon, evolving into a human on their way to India to find holy scriptures, to protect the world from demons.
  
  The series, has spared no expense of the special effects/graphic side of the series, but that just makes it all the better! Monkey, has an interesting plot, even though each episode basically is stopping/destroying demons because of the light humour, cheap special effects and the personalities of each of the characters. The acting can be over the top, but you don't really notice it much, because the show keeps you fairly entertained. The actors are Japanese even though its based on a Chinese Novel and set in China. What amused me more is that the actor for Tripitaka was a female. To go with the special effects is the action and magic that Monkey and his comrads bring into the show. Even though the fights scenes can be ridiculous at times, it is funny and just adds to the charm that Monkey provides.
  
  A show that I remember watching as a kid, and a show that I have the complete collection of. A worthwhile show that is sure to keep you entertained.

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  Chikiro Added Jan 5, 2009 All my reviews
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  8 Great

  Monkey magic! hide « show »

  This show follows the progress of a monk and three bodyguards on their religious mission to India to obtain holy scriptures.
  The monk Tripitaka releases Monkey from his punishment - imposed by Buddha to teach him humility. Together with Pigsy (a pig monster), and Sandy (a fish spirit) - both also expelled from heaven - they start their quest, fighting demons and learning lessons along the way.
  This was an obviously dubbed, and fairly cheaply produced series, but with lots of action, and dodgy special effects. Monkey had a cloud that enabled him to fly, and to make the cloud he used hair off the back of his neck! Odd!
  I thought this show was great when I was a kid, and I agree with a previous reviewer...once you've heard the theme tune, it burrows into your brain forever!!

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  Vertibrains Added Dec 1, 2007 All my reviews
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  10 Perfect

  Warning - once you hear the theme tune to this show, you'll never totally get it out of your head! hide « show »

  This series achieved a cult following and for very good reasons. It was wacky, off-the-wall and just plain weird.
  
  The story focused on a small band of pilgrims travelling from China to India to fetch the holy scriptures. Leading the party was Tripitaka, a Buddhist priest and played by a girl, Masako Natsume. Following him was Monkey, Sandy and Pigsy. Apart from the priest, all are effectively spirits, cast out of heaven for causing mischief of various forms, and sworn to help the priest in his quest.
  
  Now, the effects where cheesy, the acting typically overacting, and the script of each episode typically had the band of pilgrims defeating some horde of demons in order to continue on their way. The demons where typically just actors with theatrically painted faces and occasionally horns and goofy teeth.
  
  The English language version was fairly-well dubbed, and you get used to the voices not matching the lips straight off. Of interest to fans of the original LOTR animated movie is the fact that the voice of Pigsy was done by Peter Woodthorpe, who voiced Gollum in the animated film. The voices are virtually identical, except of course, Pigsy never goes on about "his Precious".
  
  Monkey is the main star of the show, and has a number of magical powers at his disposal. His fighting staff can shrink or expand at his command (he often hides it in his ear!) and he can summon clouds to ride around on (which is just plain silliness, and brilliant anyhow!). I seem to recall he could also create duplicates of himself by plucking hairs from body.
  
  Pigsy, as mentioned above, sounds just like Gollum, and is hedonism personified. He constantly craves women, food and alcohol to excess, though he rarely ends up satisfied.
  
  Sandy is a fish spirit and is the only "heroic" character I can think of who goes around sporting a necklace of skulls.
  
  Tripitaka is the priest who tries to keep them all under control. In reality, he only appears to have any direct control over Monkey, and he usually keeps the others in line.
  
  In the second series, the actor playing Pigsy changed, though the voice remained the same. Also a new character appears in the form of Tripitaka's horse, which is apparently a dragon spirit (though he's a pretty cowardly dragon) called Yu-Lung.
  
  The fight sequences are silly, and the weapons are very obviously rubber for the most part. But there is something about "Monkey" that transcends this and entertains you regardless of its technical failings. In the end, all the silliness just becomes part of the fun of the show and you watch it mainly for the interplay between the characters, not the plot or anything else.

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  D-LinkUK Added Nov 19, 2006 All my reviews
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  9.5 Superb

  funny, and full of martial arts, magic, demons, monsters, proverbs... hide « show »

  There are some shows that you watched when you are a child that still are good now, some shows that are not. Monkey is one of the former. Monkey focuses mainly on a Monk and his 3 deciples (and their horse) on their journey to India to fetch some scriptures. Along the way they generally get to fight demons and monsters, the deciples fall in love with people, help villages etc... generally each program has a moral but the combination of wacky monsters, dodgy special effects (but they are very funny), fantastic acting and character buildup (which really is what makes the show), constant fighting with demons and monsters. This series I cannot get enough of.

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  zhulien Added Jul 17, 2005 All my reviews