Genjou Sanzou, a Buddhist monk, is dispatched by the Emperor to recover sacred Buddhist scriptures. While traveling, he encounters an Earth Deity who reveals that Buddha has chosen a disciple: the mischievous Monkey Deity Son Goku, who was sealed inside a mountain for five hundred years after causing havoc in Heaven. Joined by the wine‑loving playboy Cho Hakkai, the heavenly army general Sagojyou, and their horse, the Dragon Crown Prince Ryuuba, the group embarks on numerous adventures, from battling monsters to participating in bishounen contests.