Welcome to Gaia! ::

3×3 Eyes (pronounced Sazan Eyes in Japanese) is a manga created by acclaimed mangaka Yuzo Takada, and is his most successful series. It spans 40 volumes, beginning in 1987 and finally ending in 2002. It was serialized in Young Magazine.

There are also two anime OVA series based on 3×3 Eyes. They were first released in 1991 and 1995. They were relatively short, only comprising four 30-minute episodes and three 45-minute episodes. The storyline goes up to volume 5 of the manga.

The English-language manga was being published by Dark Horse Comics, but was canceled before the release of volume 9 in 2005. Two versions of the English adaptations exist; one published by Streamline Pictures and another released in 2001 by Pioneer LDC, now known as Geneon Entertainment.

Characters

Note: This is an incomplete list.


Main characters

Pai (パイ), Pai Ayanokoji (綾小路 パイ ayanokōji pai), Parvati IV (パールバティー四世 pārubatī yonsei) — The last surviving Sanjiyan Unkara. As what usually happens to almost all the beings pertaining to that race, she's developed a split personality as she grew older in order to cope with the problems of a long life. Her first personality, called Pai in the series, has the appearance of a normal human and is that of a cheerful and naive girl. The second personality, that of Parvati IV, usually arises when Pai is defenseless, endangered, or emotionally overcome. The presence of the Sanjiyan in Pai is distinguishable because the normally invisible third eye in her forehead opens when Parvati awakens. Most characters refer to her as Sanjiyan when she's in that state. Sanjiyan is more rigid and stoic than Pai and is able to use powerful magic, unlike her first personality. However, using those powers is draining to the Sanjiyan and requires them to rest, leaving them exposed to danger.

Yakumo Fujii (藤井 八雲 fujī yakumo) — The primary male character, he became Pai's Wu and companion when a rampaging Takuhi, Pai's demon friend, fatally wounded him. Before he could die, Pai merged his soul with her own, transforming him into a Wu, which in turn made him immortal as long as Pai lives. His father had previously found Pai and promised to help her become human, so Yakumo tries to keep that promise.

Takuhi — Parvati's pet bird that's responsible for the events that led Yakumo into becoming Parvati's undead Wu.

Jake McDonald — A treasure hunter looking for the secret of immortality that Sanjiyans keep.

Haan Hazrat (ハズラット・ハーン hazuratto hān) — A magical merchant who offers various magic for sale, he's a human of Pakistani descent, and uses various magic to defend himself against demons. He first appears in volume 7 of the manga to settle a debt with Yakumo Fujii.

Youko Ayanokouji (綾小路 葉子 ayanokōji yōko), Houasyou (化蛇 houashio) — The snake demon that was sealed within Parvati's body from volumes 3-5; she returns in volume 12 with a new body and identity. She's a water-based demon with the power to manipulate water at will -- with deadly results.

Kaiyanwang (鬼眼王 kaiyanwang), Shiva — The strongest Sanjiyan. His ambitions drove him to wage war against the rest of the Sanjiyan Unkara, which ultimately led them to their fate. He was sealed away by Parvati IV after a bloody struggle.

Benares (ベナレス benaresu) — The Wu of Kaiyanwang. He assumed command of Kaiyanwang's demons after his master was sealed away by Parvati. He's spent the last 300 years searching for ways to revive Kaiyanwang from his sealed prison. Before becoming a Wu, Benares was a powerful dragon monster who consumed various holy demons. This allowed him to absorb enough intelligence to eventually transform himself into the humanoid being we see today. Benares is a highly powerful figure within the demon world physically, magically, and politically, and strikes fear into even the bravest of souls.

Yougekisha

Chen Aguri — The chief editor and founder of Yougekisha. He's turned into stone after getting a little too close to the demon world, but is revived later. His main interest is to study the Sanjiyan Unkara so that he can write a great article for his magazine.

Lee Ling Ling (李 鈴鈴 ri rinrin) — Yougekisha's editor in Chen Aguri's absence. At first, she's reluctant to believe in the occult, but traveling with Yakumo and Pai has led her to change her attitude. She's since become extremely interested in the subject -- if only to make money off of publishing material for the magazine.

Long Meixing (龍 美星 ron meishin) — The sister of Steve Long, she meets Pai and Yakumo when looking to save her brother from kidnappers. She's an excellent martial artist.

Steve Long (スティーブ 龍 sutību ron) — A Taoist and a regular human, he's quite skilled at using paper charms, and can sense demonic energy.

Kaiyanwang's followers

Benares (ベナレス benaresu) — The immortal Wu of Shiva. He keeps trying to break the seal that keeps his master imprisoned and restore his original powers, for which he'll need the involuntary help of Yakumo and Pai. His true form, being a dragon, he's also known as the Dragon Emperor.
Ryouko

Choukai — A servant of Benares that commands a sizeable range demons including Hong-nyang, whom he refers to as Ran Pao Pao. He knows how to fight using magic talismans enchanted with celestial calligraphy, demonstrating explosive attacks and imprisoning spells. Choukai also is a skilled martial artist, despite his chunky size, and possesses two forms. The first is a normal Chinese human with a whisker-like moustache, donning a heavy trench coat with a fedora hat and round dark spectacles. His other form is a larger, muscular demon (though he still keeps his glasses and whiskers) with a long teeth and can devour others by opening his body exposing the tentacles and negative space within. Because he has knowledge on using magic circles, Benares charges Choukai with finding and destroying keys and entrances (named Konron) into the world that the Sanjiyan inhabited, the seichi (literally translates to "holy land"). In the anime, Choukai has a disturbing chuckle.

Ran Pao Pao — A demon enforcer under Choukai's command. Normally appears as an 8-foot tall muscular and pale skinned woman with flared red hair, long teeth, with completely red eyes. She also can grow an extra limb from underneath each of her arms and can deceptively change form into a small child that resembles a chibi version of her normal form.

Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Seinen

Manga: 3×3 Eyes
Authored by: Yuzo Takada
Publisher: Kodansha
Dark Horse Comics
Other publishers:
Pika Édition
Carlsen Comics
Star Comics
Young Movie Comics
Planeta DeAgostini Comics

Serialized in: K.U.R.D. Magazine
Original run: December 1987 – October 2002
No. of volumes: 40

OVA: 3×3 Eyes
Directed by: Daisuke Nishio
Studio: Bandai Visual
KOERDISTAN
No. of episodes: 4
Released: June 1991

OVA: 3×3 Eyes Seima Densetsu
Directed by: Kazuhisa Takenouchi
Seiko Sayama
Studio: Bandai Visual
Kodansha
Toei Animation
Geneon
No. of episodes: 3
Released: March 1995

man i haven't seen this series in a long time. i should add this to my new collection i'm starting here in california.