Please click on an image to go to that characters' profile.
Tripitaka - My C.v. (resume)
Also known as : Holy fool, Boy priest, Master, Xuanzang in Chinese, Sanzo Hoshi, Genjo Sanzo in Japanese.
Address :
The City of Ch’ang-an
Features : I Know about Buddhism, Wear lipstick, Look like a girl, Speak like a girl, and most people would say i AM a girl...
Weapon of choice : My mind, Buddhist Sceptre.
Skills : Praying, Headache Sutra.
Favourite phrase : ‘Buddha says…’ - ‘Remember...no violence Mon-kee’.
About me : I am actually a Mahayana Buddhist (Greater Vehicle) which teaches love and compassion - I always want to help people and normally have to force Monkey to help - i wish he would be a little more tactful, he always wants to fight. The Mahayana tradition was founded by Je Tsongkhapa who was an emanation of Manjushri (The Wisdom Buddha). This Tradition teaches that everyone has a Buddhaseed and can become a Buddha.
Tripitaka means 'Three Baskets' in Sanskrit :
1. Vinaya Pitaka (Basket of Discipline)
2. Sutra Pitaka (Basket of Discourses or Teachings)
3. Abhidharma Pitaka (Basket of Ultimate Doctrine)
Mantra means 'Mind Protection' - My ultimate goal is of course Enlightenment or Buddhahood. Which means escaping Samsara and suffering (being reborn). In Samsara you can be reborn in one of the six realms of The Wheel of Life.
Also in some episodes you can see a Mala (beads tied together on string) which you can count Mantras on hanging around my neck.
Dislikes : Monkey's aggressive nature - i don't like to chant the headache sutra - but, well.. sometimes he leaves me with no choice. Apart from that, everything in the garden is Rosie, at least i think so..
Reference from Buddha : 'Tripitaka symbolizes the ordinary man - fearful, concerned with his own survival and safety, in-decisive, easily deceived and not able to see through the demons’ many disguises - basically blundering anxiously through life’s difficulties. Don't quote me on this ... but i'm glad Monkey and the boys are there to keep an eye on him or he'd never make it to India.!'
Work experience : Full time Buddhist and all round nice guy/girl. ('a sissy more like' ..Monkey). Never done anything else and don't think i want to. Monkey put me in a 'WOMANS' disguise once which had Pigsy drooling all over me.. never again!
About the actor : Tripitaka was actually played by actress Masako Natsume.
Born 17th December 1957 in Roppongi, Tokyo. A beautiful young lady and successful model, she was “Campaign Girl” for Kanebo Cosmetics.
She appeared in several TV dramas and movies picking up various awards :
'Kirûin Hanako no shôgai' - blue ribbon award for best actress (1984)
'Setouchi shonen yakyu dan' - Award of the Japanese Academy nomination for best actress. (1984)
'Jidai-ya no nyobo' - Hochi film award for best actress (1983)
'Gyoei no mure' - Award of the Japanese Academy nomination for best actress. (1983)
'Dai Nippon teikoku' - Yokohama film festival prize for best supporting actress. (1982)
'Kirûin Hanako no shôgai' - Award of the Japanese Academy nomination for best actress. (1982)
'203 kochi' (1980) - Award of the Japanese Academy nomination for best actress.
Her other roles include : Nihon TV’s 'Ai Ga Mimasuka' (1976) and Toei’s 'Truck Yarou – Ippiki Momo Taro' (1977).
She died of Leukaemia, 11th September 1985, aged just 27.
Websites :
NATSUME MASAKO SUNFLOWER FUND - a charity to help Japanese women with cancer. It’s for a VERY good cause so go check it out.
FOREVER MASAKO - Official Masako Natsume website
Uk tv voice-over : Maria Warburg :
Maria Warburg is a British actress who was born in 1952 . She starred in the Japanese action series Monkey, dubbing the character of Tripitaka in English. She also did dubbing for the character Julia Matosthe in the series Dancin' Days. She was the voice of Whisper in the audio tapes of The Animals of Farthing Wood (not the television series as she is often confused with). She also guest starred in an episode of Man in a Suitcase (Somebody Loses Somebody... Wins, in 1968) and Number 10 (The Asquiths, 1983).
Maria later retired from acting to concentrate on her family life although she did return with the other original dubbed cast members of Monkey to restore the last 13 episodes in 2004. She was married to the actor John Channell Mills until his death in 1998. They have 3 children.