The Westward: Goodbye Wu Kong
Synopsis
Prequel to animation series "Journey to the West", Su Yi, a princess of the heavenly realm, befriends Sun Wukong in the mortal world and falls in love with him. However, Sun Wukong is violently treated as a demon by other gods and suppressed under the Five Fingers Mountain. In the past 300 years, the god Rulai has taught the Wukong how to uphold justice in his heart. Sun Wukong protects the Longevity Monk and goes to the other side of the world to retrieve the fire of creation for the benefit of the world, but finally returns after many ups and downs. The conspiracy surfaced and the fate of the master and disciples was rewritten. (Source: TMDB)
Audience Consensus
The movie is a worthy prequel that expands on Wukong's backstory and his relationships with key figures. The CGI animation is decent for a Chinese anime, but not top-tier. While familiarity with the series enhances the experience, the movie stands alone reasonably well.
Strengths
- Adds more story layers and characters to Wukong's origins
- Good quality CGI animation compared to other Chinese anime
- Worthy prequel that retains the level of its series
Weaknesses
- CGI animation not the best and not for everyone
- Watching the series is a prerequisite (though debatable)