Monday nights at 9 p.m. usually belong to Fuji TV, which always parks its highest-profile romantic drama series in the slot. The network has now opted for something different, a fantasy series based on a well-known Chinese folk tale. "Saiyuki" is about the journey of a Buddhist priest from China to India in the company of a monkey, a pig and that mythical water creature the Japanese call kappa.
Each weekly installment is a self-contained adventure and features a high-profile guest star.
In the third episode, which airs Jan. 23, the group comes upon a temple where dreams supposedly come true. The travelers are welcomed by the temple's priest and fed. They sleep more soundly than ever -- except for Songoku (Katori Shingo), the monkey, who is restless. The next day, things go awry.