Sentai Filmworks licensed a three-part original video animation (OVA) adaptation that aired from March to November 2011.

Sentai Filmworks released in North America a "Complete Collection" Blu-ray edition that compiled the series into a two-hour feature-length motion picture in September 2022.

Konzen names the boy Goku, who becomes close to Tenpou Gensui and Kenren Taisho of Heaven's Western Army, and makes his first friend.

Saiyuki Gaiden, written and illustrated by Kazuya Minekura, first was serialized in Square Enix's shōnen manga magazine Monthly GFantasy.

[41] On September 28, 2018, Frontier Works released all four OVA volumes of "Saiyuki Gaiden" in a Blu-ray box set containing a new, HD digital remastering of the show.

[46] In addition to the volumes, a DVD box set titled The Monkey Perm 2 DVD-Box Deluxe Edition Gaiden ranked twelfth during the week of December 22 to 28 2014, selling 1,653 copies.

[48] In his review of the anime DVD, Chris Beveridge of The Fandom Post describes the story as very simple and straightforward, saying Saiyuki Gaiden is a very entertaining miniseries that plays it seriously.

He said there are moments of levity that fit the situation, calling the story enjoyable, and the animation and character design lovely.