Why Was Tripitaka A Girl?

Cocquerel shares his background by saying, "I grew up on farms in all kinds of unusual locales." The character of Tripitaka is really a young girl who is pretending to be a boy monk. The actress Masako Natsume performed the part of a boy monk when it was first exhibited, while the character of Cocquerels Sandy, who is slightly androgynous, was initially portrayed by the actor Shiro Kishibe.