Manga Mavericks Books
ZENZO is a promising new artist whose enigmatic pen name stirs curiosity. With Bonds being his debut let’s hope he’s not a one-hit wonder. All we know about him so far is that he studied under Takafumi Adachi, the creator of Beyblade: Metal Fusion, and he won both the Japan Representative Selection and Candidate Award in the Featured Manga category for the 2019 Goku Cup manga contest.
His debut work reimagines a small part of the Chinese version of The Odyssey, and as a standalone work, it’s a fitting reintroduction to one of China’s most revered heroes! This adaptation takes one chapter from Journey to the West and dives into examining the intricate relationship between Sanzo, a Buddhist monk, and Son Goku. The latter has not yet become The Monkey King.
Though written by a Japanese creator, this legendary tale of antiheroes resonates across all of Asia. In this retelling, Sanzo—symbolizing purity—is remorseful for having tricked Goku—representing strength—into donning the golden circlet that suppresses his powers. Demons tricked this human into doing this act! Unlike the original depiction of them as master and disciple, this betrayal introduces a fresh layer of conflict. Thankfully, Goku’s fierce loyalty remains intact; despite feeling wronged, he still prioritizes rescuing Sanzo.
As in the original myth, Sanzo is a non-combatant and often ends up captured, relying on Goku to save him. This recurring dynamic presented ZENZO with an obvious challenge: which part of such a sprawling tale should he adapt into a standalone chapter? The result is an essentially self-contained narrative; those familiar with The Monkey King or Journey to the West will find the introduction of these central characters reasonably well handled.
However, the manga stumbles slightly when translating the importance of this specific bond to Western audiences. Goku is famously accompanied by Zhu Bajie (Pigsy), Sha Wujing (Sandy), and Yulong (the White Dragon Horse), but these companions are missing or so minimally featured that they might go unnoticed. If ZENZO plans to expand this story, a more deliberate introduction of the full ensemble will be necessary.
Visually, Bonds is stunning. The artwork echoes earlier animated renditions of the Monkey King, with expressive line work and a gritty charm that evokes classic Chinese manhua. Goku’s rough-edged personality leaps off the page. The energy in the illustrations is dynamic and fluid, capturing the mythic essence of the story. As for Nezha—my personal favourite from the original novel—there’s no sign of him yet, though I remain hopeful for future instalments.
Bonds felt less like a self-contained tale and more like a prologue to a grander saga. Whether that story will ever unfold depends on ZENZO’s next move.
3 Stars out of 5
So Who Is The Monkey King? (Going Beyond the Bonds)
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