One of the last major characters in the cast for my JttW AU. Sha Wujing, aka "Sandy", though in my AU he's just known as Sha, or Brother Sha.

I based his look on a cross between most of his version throughout media, for instance the red moon is based on the bright red face paint the actors portraying him on the stage wear, and is in the shape of the circlet he was often depicted wearing. The braided hair and partially shaved head was my personal touch, though, and I'm pretty proud of it. Since he's a river spirit or described as being fish-like in the novel, I gave him green-ish skin with some subtle scale patterns. The beads around his neck also have skulls on them, because before he joined up with Wukong, Bajie, Bai Longma and Tripitaka, he wore a string of human skulls around his neck.

The skulls were of monks he apparently killed many years ago, and I had an early idea while designing him that the skulls (had he kept them) would be haunted and talk to him frequently, but I scrapped that idea in favor of another. The beads bear skull patterns instead, and are still magical in a sense, Sha can take them off and chuck them at his enemies; causing them to turn into skull shaped "spirit flames" while in midair. His other weapon, his polearm, can still be summoned and used on a whim, though Sha prefers not to fight, despite being absolutely huge. He prefers to teach Tai Chi and meditating techniques to the students at the temple, and his favorite pastime is making teas out of seaweed.

Sha is very gentle and has an extremely calm nature about him, despite his massive side. Even when you make him mad, though it's hard to do so, given his advanced techniques with meditating. He's very protective of his fellow monks, and particularly of Sun, Bajie, and especially Chanzi. In fact one could call him Chanzi's personal bodyguard, despite the head monk not needing one whatsoever.

Anyway, that's Sha for you, everyone! Hope you enjoy his design and please be sure to leave a comment!