# Monkey (1978)

> A Buddhist priest and his three unruly disciples journey across a fantastical landscape to fetch sacred scriptures for the world.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/12886

## Facts

- Seasons: 2
- Episodes: 52
- Episode runtime: 45 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: action, adventure, comedy, fantasy
- Network: Nippon TV
- Cast: Masaaki Sakai, Masako Natsume, Shiro Kishibe, Tonpei Hidari, Toshiyuki Nishida, Shunji Fujimura, Takayuki Akutagawa, David Collings
- TMDB rating: 8.4/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078659/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: mild
- Tone: campy, playful, whimsical, earnest, cult, lighthearted

## What critics say

Viewers remember Monkey as a cheesy but entertaining cult classic with a devoted following and a lasting influence on later adaptations.

## Synopsis

Monkey (1978-1980) is a Japanese live action fantasy adventure series broadcast on Nippon TV, adapted from the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West. Masaaki Sakai plays the mischievous Monkey, who travels alongside the devout priest Tripitaka (Masako Natsume), the gluttonous Pigsy (Tonpei Hidari and Toshiyuki Nishida) and the steady Sandy (Shiro Kishibe). Their engine is simple and sweeping: a journey across a mythic landscape to retrieve Buddhist scriptures, with each episode built from encounters with demons, shapeshifters and monsters, most resolved through kung fu bouts and slapstick bickering. Across two seasons and fifty-two episodes of roughly forty-five minutes each, the story stays one continuing pilgrimage rather than a set of unrelated stories. The tone blends goofy comedy with earnest mythic wonder, and the production carries the handmade charm of its era, with cheesy effects and gleaming studio sets. Fans of Journey to the West (1986), Kung Fu and Ultraman will find resonance in its cult sensibility, its playful heroics and its episodic odyssey. Its family-friendly, lighthearted register makes it a comfortable pick for viewers who enjoy campy adventure with a cult following.

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- [Kung Fu (1972)](https://ember.film/tv/1388)
- [Ramayan (1987)](https://ember.film/tv/1882)
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- [Yao—Chinese Folktales (2023)](https://ember.film/tv/114973)
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- [Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai (1991)](https://ember.film/tv/35217)
- [SAND LAND: THE SERIES (2024)](https://ember.film/tv/156123)

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