Shinzo

Did You Know?

• The series is an adaptation of the 16th-century Chinese novel Journey to the West, transplanting events to a far-future science fiction setting.
• Tang Sanzang becomes Yakumo, Sha Wujing becomes Sago, Zhu Bajie becomes Kutal (who transforms into a tiger), and Sun Wukong becomes Mushra, retaining the golden headband and telescoping staff.
• The anime's US dub by Saban Entertainment replaced the original Japanese musical score and sound effects with an American-made score and sound effects.

Plot

In the distant past, the Guardian of the Milky Way galaxy named Lanancuras desired more power and began absorbing parts of planets, invading worlds he was meant to protect. Creatures from across the galaxy pledged allegiance to him, becoming known as Kadrians. The other Celestial Guardians confronted him but were defeated, so they combined their power into a new Guardian, Mushra. They transformed Mushra's core into a powerful card to seal Lanancuras in a prison made from the remains of ravaged planets, then sent the meteorite prison into the galaxy.

On Earth around the 22nd century, Lanancuras's influence manifested as a virus merging with human DNA. Scientists created a sentient race called Enterrans by combining human DNA with animal and creature DNA to fight the virus, and a cure was eventually found. However, the Enterrans turned against their human creators and robots, driving humans near extinction. Scientist Dr. Daigo Tatsuro placed his 4-year-old daughter Yakumo in a sleep chamber to save humanity and find the sanctuary Shinzo.

When the meteor containing Lanancuras struck Earth during the Human-Enterran War, a fragment hit infant Yakumo, granting her special abilities.

Media

A two-volume manga by Yoshihiro Iwamoto was serialized monthly from January to August 2000 in Kodansha's Comic BomBom, with a plot completely different from the anime, ending with Mushra and Yakumo marrying and raising a daughter. The complete DVD includes a 3D Sound Special Drama audio drama featuring a digest of the main story and later developments. Ayumi Miyazaki, who sang the anime's theme song, voiced Yakumo's father Daigo, and Yoshihiro Iwamoto voiced Ganchan in the later part.