Monkey Magic
This is my tribute to the great TV series - Monkey! (or Monkey Magic) which was broadcast in the UK in the late 1970s and was the highlight of my TV week. Filmed in China by Japanese actors and then dubbed into English, it tells the story of a monkey king/demi-god who accompanies a buddhist priest, Tripitaka, on his journey to India to fetch holy scriptures.
Although the plot was taken from the classic Chinese novel, Journey to the West by Wu Cheng'en, the TV series is better known for it's imaginative demon costumes, bad dubbing and special effects - not to mention Monkey's fondness for a good old-fashioned staff fight and his fondness for travelling around on a pink cloud!
The nature of Monkey was irrepressible!
The classic Monkey Magic! intro

In the worlds before Monkey, primal chaos reigned. Heaven sought order. But the phoenix can fly only when its feathers are grown. The four worlds formed again and yet again, as endless aeons wheeled and passed. Time and the pure essences of Heaven, the moisture of the Earth, the powers of the Sun and the Moon all worked upon a certain rock, old as creation. And it became magically fertile. That first egg was named "Thought". Tathagata Buddha, the Father Buddha, said, "With our thoughts, we make the World". Elemental forces caused the egg to hatch. From it then came a stone monkey. The nature of Monkey was irrepressible!
Monkey Magic Costumes for Hire
- Monkey Costumes - For Hire In The UK
- Monkey Costumes - For Hire In The UK features details of where in the UK you can hire costumes of the characters in the cult Japanese TV series Monkey (sometimes called Monkey Magic).
- The Costume Company - Brisbane
- Costume Company Hire, Brisbane, Australia.
- The Wardrobe - Sydney's Premier Costumiers
- The Wardrobe is Sydney's Premier Costume Hire Resource for theatre, corporate event and party wear, with over 15,000 costumes and accessories for hire for every occasion.
- Disguises Fancy Costume Hire
- Disguises Fancy Dress Costume Hire, Brisbane, Australia.
Who wrote that funky Monkey! Theme Tune?
Born from an egg on a mountain top
The punkiest monkey that ever popped
He knew every magic trick under the sun
To tease the Gods
And everyone and have some fun
Monkey magic, Monkey magic (repeat 4 times)
What a cocky saucy monkey this one is
All the Gods were angered
And they punished him
Until he was saved by a kindly priest
And that was the start
Of their pilgrimage west
Monkey magic, Monkey magic (repeat 4 times)
With a little bit of monkey magic
There'll be fireworks tonight
With a little bit of monkey magic
Every thing will be all right
Born from an egg on a mountain top
The punkiest monkey that ever popped
He knew every magic trick under the sun
To tease the Gods
And everyone and have some fun
Monkey magic, Monkey magic (repeat 4 times)
Cool Monkey Magic Links
- Monkey Heaven
- A tribute to the cult Japanese TV series Monkey (sometimes called Monkey Magic). This is the definitive site for all things Monkey! including video, music & screensaver downloads.
- Monkey - Great Sage, Equal of Heaven
- Another fansite - includes gallery, quotes, videos. Lots of good information about the characters.
- Monkey Magic Movie Mania
- Download videos of Monkey, Sandy, Pigsy, Tripitaka and friends!
- The Monkey Plot Generator
- This one is for diehard fans. Click the button to reveal a typical Monkey! storyline. Look familiar?
Monkey! DVDs
Monkey! is extremely popular in Australia and the UK, but it was never aired in the US due to licensing rights. If you live in the States, you can only buy the DVDs via eBay.
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand byPlease share your Monkey! memories here!
seventieschick wrote...
Yes, any thanks for the trip down memory lane(you can tell instanly it was dubbed:)
Pigsy, Monkey, Princess etc.
Kanga wrote...
I always thought the theme was "funkiest monkey that ever bopped"?? Great lens, thanks for the walk down memory lane!
dc_zhen wrote...
Hi there Meloramus, thanks for popping by my lens earlier. Ahhh.. the Monkey God! Never thought I'd see a lens on Monkey magic here at squidoo. If you love monkey magic, you should check out Stephen Chow's ( kung fu hustle )take on the little guy. The best movie hands down on the monkey yet!
Pierce_This_2 wrote...
thanks for the flash back. How to measure a belly button ring
LawrenceIp wrote...
Hey Meloramus, I'm lovin that Monkey Magic...yep I particularly found the one where Monkey and Pigsy get into a fight too...The drunken pig oggling over the Princess...Naughty Pigsy!! Hi 5!!!!!









