As a kid I was convinced Tripitaka was a girl, until I realised that he was a boy monk.
And then, many years later, I found out I was correct. Tripitaka was played by a girl.
Does anyone know why this was so? I'm sure Japan had plenty of young male actors that could have played the part.
I had read that Xuanzang, the monk who Tripitaka is based on was feminine looking for a man and resembled an attractive woman, so he was played by one in Monkey. Don't know if that is true or not. I think in all adaptations since the Monkey TV show the role has been played by a woman.
But I also think it served to create an androgynous character that was concerned more with the spiritual, not the physical side of life, especially sex. The dubious nature of the gender seems to add to the characters spirituality, that the character could be all things to all people.
"dont you hear that horrible screaming all around you? That screaming men call silence."