History Series / JourneyToTheWest1996

* AnachronismStew: In the first arc of second season, there's a character called Little Monkey who suffers InvoluntaryShapeshifting into a Great Ape Demon, and if someone trying to drown him into water, instead of drown to his demise, he will transform into a Demonic Dragon who looks nothing like Chinese Dragon and more resembles Western Dragon.

* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: Ginsengfruit Demon Siblings really care each other. There are also Long Armed Ape Monkey and Phyton Demon Queen who undergo UnholyMatrimony.

* InterspeciesRomance: Erlang's parents. His father is a human, his mother is a fairy / goddess.

* ShoutOut: At the beginning of second season, there's a kid monkey who simply called as "Little Monkey". Some fans note he is shout-out to [[DragonBall Gohan]]. That was actually the Six-Eared Macaque.
** Long Armed Ape Monkey's rivalry with Wukong may also be shout-out to Vegeta's rivalry with Goku in DragonBall. Other than that, his role as Wukong's rival may also be inspired from Six-Eared Macaque's role in the novel.

*** In the novel when Sha Wujing was first encountered, Sanzang was cowering in a corner while the disciples tried subduing Wujing but failed - In the end requiring the help of Guan Yin to recruit Sha Wujing. In this adaptation, Sanzang was captured by Wujing and was threatened to be eaten by the latter, but Sanzang used his words and knowledge of the Buddhist scriptures to rebuke Wujing, guilt-tripping the demon into surrendering to him without force.

** Tang Sanzang too. He is more noble and less cowardly in this adaptation as compared to the novel's version, and more likable as a character too.

** The Spider Demonesses in the original are typical monsters seeking to eat Sanzang. In the adaptation, not all of the Spider Demonesses are evil, and the ones in focus are TheWoobie who are kind-hearted in nature.

*** In the novel when Sha Wujing was first encountered, Sanzang was cowering in a corner while the disciples tried subduing Wujing but failed - In the end requiring the help of Guan Yin to recruit Sha Wujing. In this adaptation, Sanzang was captured by Wujing and was threatened to be eaten by the latter, but Sanzang used his words and knowledge of the Buddhist scriptures to rebuke and subdue Wujing by himself.

** The Spider Demons, Six-Eared Macaque, and also arguably the Black Bear Demon (Who becomes a WellIntentionedExtremist in this adaptation)
** Sun Wukong himself. Whoever read the original novel will realize that the adaptation omitted many killings that the original Wukong did. The adaptation also painted him a more sympathetic origin.

* JerkAss: Sun Wukong, until character development by the end of the Spider Demons' story arc where he becomes more of a JerkWithAHeartOfGold.

** A few characters who were originally antagonists became either comedic nuisances or eventually befriended the 4 protagonists, notably the Spider demons and the Black Bear demon.
* KillAndReplace: Golden and Silver Horned Kings are present, but never met the protagonists. It is because they are killed by Ginsengfruit Demon Siblings, and then two of the oldest siblings replace them as new Golden and Silver Horned Kings.

* RuleOfThree:

*** In the first attempt, he was outwitted by Wukong, having the [[RestrainingBolt golden headband]] transferred to his head and thus incapacitating him with Sanzang's magical curse.

*** In the third attempt, he had recovered from near-death and also fully mastered his new absorbing powers with the help of the Snake Demoness. The additional powers he stolen made him practically invincible and Wukong was forced to surrender.
*** Technically, there was also a fourth and final battle, where Sun Wukong finally succeeded in killing the Long Armed Ape by exploiting a weakness of his digested victim. But that can also be considered a team battle against Long Armed Ape.
** The traditional story of Sun Wukong striking White Bone Demoness three times also counts as well.

** Also Sanzang. In the novel he was portrayed as weak, cowardly, naive, and practically useless throughout the entire journey. In this adaptation however, he has his shining moments other than being TheLoad and DistressedDude.

*** The Python Demoness easily overwhelmed Wukong with her magical stone of Seven Emotions and Six Desires and held him in control, because Wukong displayed the sin of hate. She tried doing the same with Sanzang but it backfired because Sanzang has none of the sins that the stone had power over and she was forced to retreat.

** Also Sanzang, though not a perfect example, but he helps in defeating two villains, Dream Demon in the first season and Long Armed Ape Monkey (only in his first defeat, though) in the second season. Sure, both of them are NotQuiteDead, but at least Sanzang has his moments other than being TheLoad and DistressedDude.
*** In a case of Dream Demon, Sanzang (along his three disciples) makes him reverted back to his SleepModeSize (although for a moment, it looks like Dream Demon either DisappearsIntoLight or [[CessationOfExistence is ceased from existence]]) by ''chanting prayers''.
*** In a case of Long Armed Ape Monkey, Wukong's [[RestrainingBolt golden headband]] is somehow transported from Wukong's head to Long Armed Ape Monkey's head. Then, Sanzang chant the prayers who makes Long Armed Ape Monkey suffers intense headache like Wukong usually suffers.

* ShoutOut: At the beginning of second season, there's a kid monkey who simply called as "Little Monkey". Some fans note he is shout-out to [[DragonBall Gohan]].

* UnstoppableRage: this is what triggers the Little Monkey to transform into a Great Ape Demon in second season. In first season, there's also Bajie who does this to a black bear whom he mistook eating Sanzang. Said black bear IS actually Sanzang being [[BalefulPolymorph polymorphed]] by White Bone Demoness.

* RuleOfThree: Long Armed Ape had a one-on-one match with Sun Wukong three times. He lost the first two but succeeded beating Wukong in the third attempt.
** In the first attempt, he was outwitted by Wukong, having the [[RestrainingBolt golden headband]] transferred to his head and thus incapacitating him with Sanzang's magical curse.
** In the second attempt, he obtained [[TheAssimilator power absorbing]] magic but was too hasty in re-challenging Wukong. He suffered PowerIncontinence from swallowing too many victims in too short a time and Wukong took opportunity of his moment of weakness to beat him to within an inch of his life and forced him to regurgitate his victims in time.
** In the third attempt, he had recovered from near-death and also fully mastered his new absorbing powers with the help of the Snake Demoness. The additional powers he stolen made him practically invincible and Wukong was forced to surrender.
** Technically, there was also a fourth and final battle, where Sun Wukong finally succeeded in killing the Long Armed Ape by exploiting a weakness of his digested victim. But that can also be considered a team battle against Long Armed Ape.

* AdaptationalAttractiveness: In the novel, Sun Wukong was consistently described as an ugly demon not unlike Lei Gong (Thunder God) in facial features. In the adaptation, while he's far from normal-looking by human standards, he doesn't really look frightening. That is, he simply looks like a human surrounded by long fur.

** The Three Kings of Lion Camel Cave. Their goals, motivations, and the general plot were completely altered. In the original novel, they are crafty villains seeking to eat Tang Sanzang, which Sun Wukong can't defeat by himself. In the 1998 Hong Kong TVB Adaptation, they are a comedic trio of cowardly and incompetent [[JerkAss jerkasses]] who merely seek power and wealth and are barely a match for Pigsy.

** The Real/Fake Sun Wukong saga had absolutely nothing to do with any impersonator of Sun Wukong, the closest it gets are brief misunderstandings at the beginning due to Sanzang's prophetic nightmares (Sanzang dreamt that a Giant Ape demon that resembles Wukong will kill him). The "Fake Sun Wukong" was Six Eared Macaque, who didn't even impersonate anyone.

** In the second attempt, he obtained [[The Assimilator power absorbing]] magic but was too hasty in re-challenging Wukong. He suffered PowerIncontinence from swallowing too many victims in too short a time and Wukong took opportunity of his moment of weakness to beat him to within an inch of his life and forced him to regurgitate his victims in time.
** In the third attempt, he had recovered from near-death and also fully mastered his new absorbing powers with the help of the Snake Demoness. The additional powers he stolen made him invincible and Wukong was forced to surrender.

This series is NOT to be mistaken with [[Series/MonkeyKingQuestForTheSutra Monkey King: Quest for The Sutra]], where Dicky reprises his role as Sun Wukong.

* CanonForeigner: There are some characters who are not taken from the novel. Namely Dream Demon, Little Monkey, Crow Demon, etc.

* BigBrotherBully: Wukong to Baijie, but this grew to become VitriolicBestBuds eventually. Also Baijie to Wujing, although this is mostly PlayedForLaughs with Baijie constantly scolds Wujing's stupidity and FearlessFool persona.
* BigFun: Baijie.
* BrilliantButLazy: Baijie, even after undergoes many impressive CharacterDevelopment, he is still infamously lazy. Other than this, he is also CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass and CowardlyLion.

* {{Faux Action Girl}}s: Two sisters of Ginsengfruit Demon siblings. Even Baijie can overwhelms them easily and they need their brother's rescue to defeat Baijie.

* UnstoppableRage: this is what triggers the Little Monkey to transform into a Great Ape Demon in second season. In first season, there's also Baijie who does this to a black bear whom he mistook eating Sanzang. Said black bear IS actually Sanzang being [[BalefulPolymorph polymorphed]] by White Bone Demoness.
* VitriolicBestBuds: Wukong and Baijie.

** Beside characters, some arcs are also composed into one arc. For example, Honghaier arc with Bull Demon arc; and Ginsengfruit arc with Golden and Silver Horned Kings arc.

** Wukong sparing the hunters who killed his followers, as opposed to the original who wiped them out in revenge.

* AdaptationalAngstUpgrade: The moment when Honghaier atone for her crimes and become Guanyin's companion has more angst because Bull Demon and Princess Iron Fan are present along the time to company their daughter for some time.

** Tang Sanzang too. He is more noble and less cowardly in this adaptation as compared to the original's version, and more likable as a character too.

* BigBrotherBully: Wukong to Baijie, but this will grow into VitriolicBestBuds eventually. Also Baijie to Wujing, although this is mostly PlayedForLaughs with Baijie constantly scolds Wujing's stupidity and FearlessFool persona.

* GenderFlip: Honghaier and Nezha are females in this series.

* LighterAndSofter: compared with many other adaptations.

* AdaptationExpansion: Contains several arcs and enemies which are not present in the novel.
* AdaptationalHeroism: Some characters, but most notable are Bull Demon and Princess Iron Fan.

* AdaptationalWimp: Some villains, but most notable is Yellow Brows Great King whose roles mostly (but not entirely) are overtaken by Long Armed Ape Monkey (who is also his sworn brother in this series).

* UnholyMatrimony: Long Armed Ape Monkey and Phyton Demon Queen in second season.

* InvoluntaryShapeshifting: Wukong in his birth in first season. In second season, we have Little Monkey who undergoes this after eating a poisoned food (which not actually hurt him, but instead make him REALLY ANGRY).

* {{Faux Action Girl))s: Two sisters of Ginsengfruit Demon siblings. Even Baijie can overwhelms them easily and they need their brother's rescue to defeat Baijie.

* FauxActionGirl: Two sisters of Ginsengfruit Demon siblings. Even Baijie can overwhelms them easily and they need their brother's rescue to defeat Baijie.