S01E01 Suddenly, I'm a Girl!
Enter our (for lack of a better word) 'hero'. We find Gokudo in some random medieval dive, trying hard to brush off an old foretuneteller who's warning him that the Magic King is out to...
Gokudo
S01E14: Identity Crisis! I Am You But Who Are You?
We next find the gang enjoying some rest and relaxation on a place called Demon Island (nice holiday spot, no doubt), but this is Gokudo after all, so don't expect much of a breather; the fourth major plot arc of the series is set to start... rather spectacularly, in fact, with the lot of them getting sucked into a strange magical vortex before losing consciousness. Gokudo awakens to the concerned gaze of Ikkyu, doubly suprising as Ikkyu not only seems not to recognise him, but the little demon no longer appears to be evil, either! While taking tea with the priest (Master Tei) whose home he finds himself in, the true horror of the situation becomes apparent to Gokudo... he no longer looks like himself; in fact he's the spitting image of Rubette. Yes, we have come at last to the infamous 'body-switching' plot arc that may provoke snickers of appreciation or snorts of vexation in equal measure, depending upon which Gokudo fan you speak with. To give you the basic run-down, we soon learn
Overview
Gokudo is an adventurer by heart, his only goals being to get all the money and hot babes in the world. After being told by an old hag in a local bar that an evil king seeks to harm him, he is set forth unknowingly on a hilarious adventure filled with a gender changing genie, demon prince, and sword wielding enemies galore. The story thickens later on when Gokudo and friends find out the real reason for their series of events.
Episodes
S01E02 Sappy Sidekick, Bracing Appearance
We learn that his cellmates include Rubette (a bona fide princess who's a lot more interested in a good swordfight than in waiting for Prince Charming to show up), Asuga (that landlord's daughter he was...
S01E03 Please, Grant My Last Wish
In the final episode of this three-part arc, our heroes converge on the throne room (only after contending with a hall of enchanted mirrors and Gokudo's abortive attempt to throw in with their enemies). The...
S01E04 The King's Race: Ready or Not, Here I Come!
Starting off a new adventure (and ditching Seigi and Asuga, thankfully), this episode has the rare distinction of killing Gokudo in the first few minutes, as he gets accidentally shoved off a cliff by Rubette,...
S01E05 The Riddle of Sphinx
Here's another good example of what's endearing about Gokudo. Take your basic fantasy premise (Parmette is a land awash with magic, but something has gone terribly wrong with the natural order of things), focus on...
S01E06 Don't Let Women Fool You
As those of you who read my review of the first volume may recall, when we last left our – ahem – 'heroes', Gokudo had somehow stumbled into a three-man race with the prize being...
S01E07 The Shocking Truth of the Third Man!
Well, the title pretty much sums this episode up, but this wouldn't be much of a summary without a few details, so here we go... in that dumb-luck way of his, Gokudo manages to chance...
S01E08 The Rose Prince, the Charming, Winning Smile
And so the show gains yet another recurring character... the handsome rogue, Prince Niari, who's defining trait is his womanising nature. Apparently tempted to the mortal plane as he was bored with the girls in...
S01E09 When in the Unimaginable Ryuga Castle...
And so we begin the third story arc of Gokudo. Frustrated at having come out of his desert race with no more than a dusty old box, he pops it open and is instantly turned...
S01E10 Stormy Weather! The Selfish Sun-Goddess Explodes
As Gokudo and Co set off - mercilessly leaving Niari behind to keep Princess Otto company - they are soon met by Nihi, a priest of the Hanishi (the followers of the Dragon God), who...
S01E11 The Destiny of the Hotoke and Magic Gods
Still hoping to find the magic sphere in the capital of Inaho, the gang chance upon Niari at the seashore... who apparently escaped the clutches of Princess Otto (lovestruck daughter of the Dragon God; see...
S01E12 Let's Play Doctor! Here Comes the Magic Sphere!
Before the fight can really get going, Ah and Ng use their arms flapping in synchronisation to hypnotise Gokudo & Co. Upon waking up, they realise Lady Nano's been abducted, so Djinn and Pegasus revert...
S01E13 World Shattering World! Which Way Is the Future of Inaho!?
The capital city of Inaho burns as Indra and the Dragon God battle one another while searching for Gokudo, while Djinn and Pegasus finally manage to rescue Lady Nano. Meanwhile, our hapless 'hero' is having...
S01E14 Identity Crisis! I Am You But Who Are You?
We next find the gang enjoying some rest and relaxation on a place called Demon Island (nice holiday spot, no doubt), but this is Gokudo after all, so don't expect much of a breather; the...
S01E15 Temptation of the Deadly Gorgeous Sisters!
So the gang are all still where we left them back in episode 14... which is to say, amidst an identity crisis as all of them have inexplicably switched bodies. The unsightly creature Rubette has...
S01E16 Me, Myself & Monkey!?
The smaller part (no pun intended) of their troubles is resolved when the lot of them end up falling into some magical hot springs (no, not those magical springs) and have all of their bodies...
S01E17 The Trembling Debut of the Bok-Choy Sisters!
Abruptly, the Chingensai Sisters are number one in the Hellish music charts and perform live from the Yama Palace Stadium, introduced by MC Ikkyu. When Gokudo ('Gon-Gon' to the adoring crowd of demonic creatures) comes...
S01E18 The True Identity of Me, I'll be a Monkey's Uncle!
Using Gokudo (in the pop star persona of Gon-Gon) as bait, the gang manages to infiltrate the secret monkey encampment ruled by Gokuu (or, as is currently the case, Niari - who has been unable...
S01E19 The World Is Full of Loving and Shoving!
Well, you'll remember from the previous review that when we last left our heroes, they were still suffering from the 'old body switcheroo', had just been sent to 'Hell' by the evil monk Sanzo, and...
S01E20 Who's That Baby? Whose Baby? Mystery of the Blue Egg
As if this isn't weird enough, the gang also crosses paths with the magical talking panda from before, who's not only pregnant (from gobbling down a magical blue egg, or so he claims), but proceeds...
S01E21 Monk Sanzo Appears! What Is Happiness?
Our heroes do eventually find and confront Sanzo, who at first endeavours to convince them that Queen West has been lying to them and that he has the power to put their souls back in...
S01E22 The Awakening of Miroku - Where Is Happiness?
As we approach the end of the Sanzo plot arc, the show gets a bit weird. (At least, weird for Gokudo.) This episode sees Sanzo engaging in a full-blown philosophical debate with Miroku (the denizen...
S01E23 Sanzo Counterattacks! Please Give Me Back My Body!!
Nanya is still jealous of Gokudo, thinking Djinn ('Jade') is in love with him ('her'). Since mer-tigers such as herself must eventually return to their animal forms, Queen West has informed her that the only...
S01E24 Get Back the Spring of Life! I Shall Return
Which brings us handily to the sixth and final plot arc of the series. Team Gokudo make a beeline for the country of Yanu to find the Spring the Life, which allegedly should be able...
S01E25 Am I Dreaming? Surprise at Sunrise!
Ah, the inevitable 'dreamscape battle' episode. The premise here is that both Rubette and Gokudo are fighting for their own souls and control of their own bodies. Attempting to possess them are Negana Luna and...
S01E26 See Ya, Everybody! Nobody Can Stop Me Now!
And to tie things up well and good, in this final episode we engage in a bit of full-circle-ism with our heroes getting to revisit early 'throwaway' characters Seigi and Asuga, not to mention Indra...
Cast
Akira Ishida
Gokudou / Justice (voice)
Sayuri Yoshida
Ruubet (voice)
Shin-ichiro Miki
Prince (voice)
Yu Shimaka
Jin (voice)
Akira Sasanuma
Tsukiha (voice)
Hideo Ishikawa
Hanayo (voice)
Houko Kuwashima
Coco-hime (voice)
Ikuya Sawaki
King (voice)
Junko Noda
Goddess (voice)
Kae Araki
Rayuka (voice)
Makiko Ohmoto
Ikkyu (voice)
Mami Kingetsu
Jin (voice)
