prompter: Please could you give me a summary of the tv show Monkey, produced in the 1970's and 80's and based on the Chinese novel Journey to the West.

assistant: Sure, I'd be happy to provide a summary of the TV show Monkey!

"Monkey" is a Japanese television show that was produced in the late 1970s and early 1980s. It is based on the Chinese novel "Journey to the West," which tells the story of a Buddhist monk named Xuanzang who travels to India to retrieve sacred Buddhist texts.

The title character, is described in the theme song as being "born from an egg on a mountain top", a stone egg, and thus he is a stone monkey, a skilled fighter who becomes a brash king of a monkey tribe, who, the song goes on to claim, was "the punkiest monkey that ever popped"

The pilgrims face many perils and antagonists both human, such as Emperor Taizong of Tang (太宗皇帝, Taisōkōtei) and supernatural. Monkey, Sandy, and Pigsy are often called upon to battle demons, monsters, and bandits, despite Tripitaka's constant call for peace. Many episodes also feature some moral lesson, usually based upon Buddhist and/or Taoist philosophies, which are elucidated by the narrator at the end of various scenes.

The show is known for its campy humor, imaginative special effects, and colorful costumes. The character of Monkey, played by actor Masaaki Sakai (dubbed by David Collings in US), became particularly popular in Japan and other parts of the world, and the show has since become a cult classic.

Overall, "Monkey" is a fun and adventurous show that combines elements of fantasy, comedy, and action, and is a beloved part of Japanese pop culture.

assistant: "Monkey" is a popular TV show from the 1970s and 1980s, produced in Japan and based on the classic Chinese novel "Journey to the West". The show follows the adventures of a magical monkey named Monkey, who is freed from his imprisonment under a mountain and accompanies a Buddhist monk named Tripitaka on a journey to India to collect sacred Buddhist scriptures.

Along the way, they are joined by two other companions, Pigsy and Sandy, and they encounter a variety of obstacles and villains, including demons and monsters, that they must overcome in order to complete their quest. The show blends elements of action, adventure, and comedy, with the titular character of Monkey providing much of the humor and excitement.

"Monkey" has become a cult classic and has been widely enjoyed by audiences around the world for its unique blend of Eastern mythology and Western-style storytelling. Its enduring popularity has led to several remakes and adaptations, including a recent stage adaptation and a Netflix remake in development.

assistant: Monkey is a Japanese television drama based on the 16th-century Chinese novel Journey to the West by Wu Cheng'en. The show was produced by Nippon TV and International Television Films and broadcast from 1978 to 1980 on Nippon TV. Monkey tells the story of Tripitaka, a Buddhist monk who travels to India in search of sacred texts. He is accompanied by three disciples: Monkey, Pigsy, and Sandy. Journey to the West is a Chinese comic novel written by Wu Cheng'en during the Ming dynasty (1368–1644). The novel is based on the actual 7th-century pilgrimage of the Buddhist monk Xuanzang (602–664) to India in search of sacred texts. Composed of 100 chapters, Journey to the West can be divided into three major sections. The first seven chapters deal with the birth of a monkey from a stone egg and its acquisition of magic powers. Five chapters relate the story of Xuanzang, known as Tripitaka, and the origin of his mission. In addition to comedy and adventure, Journey to the West has been enjoyed for its biting satire of society and Chinese bureaucracy and for its allegorical presentation of human striving and perseverance. Monkey was an adaptation of Journey to the West that aired in Japan from 1978-1980. It was widely broadcast across Latin America from Mexico to Argentina but never shown on national networks in America.