About Opentopia
Opentopia Directory Encyclopedia Tools

Saint Seiya

Encyclopedia : S : SA : SAI : Saint Seiya

|}

is a manga and anime series about a group of five mystical warriors called the "Saints" (or "Knights") who have adopted various constellations as their guardian symbols.
Contents

History

Cover to the original Japanese edition of Saint Seiya vol. 01. Art by Masami Kurumada.
Enlarge
Cover to the original Japanese edition of Saint Seiya vol. 01. Art by Masami Kurumada.

Manga series

The Saint Seiya manga is authored by Masami Kurumada and was first published on Shonen Jump magazine in January 1986. As it is common among Japanese mangas, it was later published as a collectible, consisting of 28 volumes. The series has three main parts: Sanctuary (volumes 1 to 13), Poseidon (14 to 18), and Hades (19 to 28). The 13th volume also contains a separate short story called Blue Warriors.

In December, 2002, serialization began in Champion Red magazine of a new manga called Saint Seiya Episode G. This new work, in which Masami Kurumada has a very little part (and probably none, in fact) is written and drawn by artist Megumu Okada. The story happens years before the Galactic Tournament, and focuses on the Gold Saints and the Sanctuary, particularly on Leo Aiolia, all against Chronos and his Titans.

On April 27, 2006, Masami Kurumada begins his new work: Saint Seiya - Next Dimension - Meiō Shinwa ("The Knights of The Zodiac - Next Dimension - The Lord of the Underworld Myth") on Weekly Shonen Champion. The relationship between former Pegasus saint and Hades during the holy war 243 years ago is expected to be revealed in the new serial.

TV series in Japan

The anime is based on the manga series of the same title (above). The animation series by Toei Animation first premiered on Japan's TV Asahi on October 11 1986.

The first anime series was produced by Toei Animation from 1986 to 1989. It was directed first by Kōzō Morishita (episodes 1 to 73) and then by Kasuhito Kikuchi (episodes 74 to 114). The character designers were Shingo Araki and Michi Himeno, and Seiji Yokoyama composed the soundtracks. The chief script writers were Takao Koyama and Yoshiyuki Suga.

It has three main parts: Sanctuary (episodes 1 to 73), Asgard (74 to 99), and Poseidon (100 to 114). The Asgard arc does not exist on the manga and was made directly for the anime. There have also been four theatrical releases (three short movies and a full-length one), which do not belong to the regular chronology, as they contain several story line contradictions. The movies are Saint Seiya (Saint Seiya Gekijōban), The Great Battle of the gods (Kamigami no Atsuki Tatakai), The Legend of the Hot Blooded Boys (Shinku no Shonen Densetsu), and Warriors of the Last Holy War (Saishūseisen no senshitachi).

Hades Saga

Chapter Sanctuary
The first 13 episodes of an OVA series corresponding to the Hades saga were broadcasted on Animax (a japanese pay-per-view channel) from November, 2002 to April, 2003, and then released on DVD during the year 2003. Before that, the Hades saga could only be seen in the manga. These 13 episodes were named Hades - Chapter Sanctuary (Meiō Hades Jūni-Kyū Hen).

This OVA series was directed by Shigeyasu Yamauchi, still with character designs by Shingo Araki and Michi Himeno, and with scripts written this time by Michiko Yokote, and soundtracks entirely taken from Yokoyama's work on the previous TV series.

Chapter Inferno
Two years after the first part of the Hades saga, Chapter Sanctuary, a second part was produced in 2005. This second chapter was named Hades - Chapter Inferno Part 1 (Meiō Hades Meikai Hen Zenshō) and consists of six episodes. Unfortunately, most of the original seiyu have not reprised their roles.

Toei Animation Studios released on the same Animax channel the first two OVAs on December 17 2005, followed by the next two on January 21 2006. The last pair were released on February 18 2006. Shortly after their TV broadcasting, they were released on DVD in 2006.

This short OVA series was directed by Tomoharu Katsumata, again with character designs by Shingo Araki and Michi Himeno, with scripts by Yōsuke Kuroda and soundtracks still taken from Yokoyama's previous works on the TV series of 1986 (but Yokoyama composed 2 new tracks for this OVA).

On July 4 2006, the newly released Saint Seiya Vol.15 manga (Japan Complete Version) brings a news: Hades - Chapter Inferno Part 2 (Meiō Hades Meikai Hen Kōshō) anime will be made.

[Spoiler warningSpoiler warning]: Plot and/or ending details follow.
The last episode of Chapter Inferno (Part 1) ends in the battle between Ikki and Garuda Aiacos, one of 3 Hades's Kyotos or Hell Judges. However, it does not include the conclusive battle between Ikki and Shun who eventually is possessed by Hades's spirit or the great sacrifice made by the 12 gold saints at the great Wailing Wall in which Elysium is found.
Spoilers end here.

Heaven Prologue

A fifth movie came out in Japanese theatres in 2004, Heaven Chapter - Overture (Tenkai-hen Josō), which is supposed to follow the regular chronology right after the end of the manga (which has not been entirely adapted to anime yet) as a prologue to a new chapter. Toei Animation first announced that this new chapter would be a new animated series, but later Kurumada stated that he wants the movie to be part of a trilogy.

Foreign releases

right
Enlarge
right

Saint Seiya began to be known in the West as Knights of the Zodiac after it became successful in France at the end of the 1980s, where it was given the name of Les Chevaliers du Zodiaque. This was also the very first release of the series outside Asia, in 1988. Indeed, France is known to be the first country, outside Japan and Asia, which has a "manga culture" for a long time, since the end of the 1970s.

The series aired in North America starting only on August 30 2003, on Cartoon Network at 7:00 P.M. on a Saturday. Called Knights of the Zodiac, the series was heavily edited for television. The censorship issues were partly due to the fact that the US rights were held jointly by DiC and ADV Films, with DiC owning the TV rights to the series and ADV Films holding the DVD rights.

The US "Knights of the Zodiac" version was heavily panned by fans of the series, due to the graphic amount of editing used to remove the violence, bloodshed, and religious themes. While the characters retained their names and the bulk of their backstories (only Phoenix Ikki's backstory was changed for the US dub, with his evil mentor Guilty and his daughter not dying), Saori Kido was turned from wealthy corporation owner to a princess named Sienna in the US dub. The US dub also featured all new music, most notably a cover of the Flock of Seagulls song "I Ran" as it's theme song.

Another factor in the show's failing was low ratings, which led to Cartoon Network moving the show to 12:30 a.m. late Saturday/early Sunday morning timeslot. The series was pulled after 32 episodes.

ADV Films, sensing the backlash, quickly rushed out an uncensored DVD release of the series with the original music restored and the US voice actors providing a more series accurate dub. The DVDs were successful and appealed to the hardcore fans of the show and quickly went up until episode 60 of the series before ADV Films stopped production of the series. According to ADV Films, they originally only bought the US rights to 60 episodes and that Toei, for unknown reasons, decided to not renew their contract with ADV Films to allow them to dub and release the remaining 54 episodes. As it stands, ADV Films has implied that they will at least attempt to get Toei to allow them to release the remaining 13 episodes of the Sanctuary Saga (which makes up the first 73 episodes of the series) and have re-released the single disc sets of Saint Seiya into two 30 episode/6 disc box sets to drum up interest in the series, but no move has been made yet.

It is unknown whether or not The Hades Chapter OVA or any of the other following soonafter titles will ever be liscenced in the US, but some speculate that since the recent Hokuto no Ken (Fist of the North Star) OVA series Shin Hokuto no Ken (New Fist of the North Star) was given a full US release, despite the fact that the original series went liscenced past episode 36, it may be possible.

VIZ Media's English language adaption of the manga (titled: Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac) has been extremely successful and has recently seen the release of volume 15 out of the 28 volumes in total of the manga series. The US Manga version uses the DiC dub names for the main characters, but for the most part remains extremely accurate in terms of story presentation.

The series was intermittently successful in other countries, attaining a cult series status outside Japan, France and the US. It had tremendous impact in Indonesia and the Philippines. In Brazil, for example (where it is known as Os Cavaleiros do Zodíaco), the debut of the series in September 1994 was responsible for changing the face of animation in the country, truly popularizing Japanese animation for the first time. This was also true in other countries of Latin America, especially Panama, Costa Rica, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Chile and Argentina, although shows like Robotech and Mazinger Z had been shown in many of these nations during the previous decade. Both anime and manga were introduced into Mainland China as 圣斗士星矢 and 女神的圣斗士 around 1990 and into Hong Kong and Taiwan as 聖闘士星矢 as early as 1987, and started the trend of Japanese manga and animation among those areas.

The series was hugely successfull in Brazil and the brazilian audience saw it aired in open television, with episodes running on the morning and reprising in the afternoon from monday to saturday. After the conclusion of the Sanctuary part, it was reprised on a two episodes per day basis and then Asgard and Poseidon followed with the ordinary one episode per day broadcasting. All episodes from 1 to 114 corresponding to Sanctuary, Asgard and Poseidon, were broadcasted in this manner and were then reprised. In 2006 The full 114 episodes were released on DVD and VHS as 21 volumes, each with 3 to 4 episodes. It was followed by the release of Hades also in DVD, planned as a 4 volume release, again with 3 to 4 episodes each. Volume 1 and 2 were released in June, 2006 and volumes 3 and 4 are expected to be available in August of the same year. In addition to the portuguese dubbing all DVD's contains the original japanese soundtrack and dubbing and also subtitles in portuguese, so it´s possible to see the series with its original sound. The soundtrack received a portuguese language version which maintained the original instrumentation with new versions for the lyrics only. The main theme was recorded by famous heavy metal singer Eduardo Falaschi from brazilian metal band Angra, coincidently a huge success, platinum artist in Japan.

In Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries, the anime and Mexican manga is named as Los Caballeros del Zodiaco while the manga in Argentina and Spain is called Saint Seiya. In Italy it is known as I Cavalieri dello Zodiaco. The series was also aired in Belgium and Portugal.

It may be said that Saint Seiya has special contributions in the development of Japanese manga and anime culture by laying the groundwork for the "God Warriors" genre of manga/anime and has been cited as having considerable influence on the series Ronin Warriors. A number of anime fans believe the possibility that the anime may have had some influence on the popular anime Sailor Moon. And there are also some similarities with Tokyo Mew Mew

Story summary

[Spoiler warningSpoiler warning]: Plot and/or ending details follow.

The Saints' Mission

Saints believe each atom within a human body resembles a small solar system, and since the human body consists of billions of atoms, the totality forms a "small cosmos" or a "small universe". Each person's cosmos has its own unique signature. The cosmos is the source of power for the saints and can be endowed or given to others. If permission is granted, one can also draw other's cosmos to amplify one's own cosmos. The power of the cosmos can also be channeled through Saint armor.

Saints' primary mission is to protect and aid Saori Kido (Sienna in the TV dub and the English manga), the reincarnation of Pallas Athena (the Greek patron goddess of wisdom, art, and military strategy), and fighting against evil forces. Athena normally resides in her sanctuary, a protected physical location just outside of Athens, Greece. In the Sanctuary, a hierarchical command structure is followed, with the goddess as the supreme commander, followed by the Pope, and then by a few other gold saints. Athena dislikes weapons, believing intelligence and bodily strength to be the strongest weapons of all. Thus, she only allows a few Saints to carry arms. The most famous Saint to carry arms is Libra Dohko. Other Saints who bear arms include Andromeda Shun and Sagittarius Aiolos. Additionally, Dragon Shiryu and Perseus Algol are noted for using a shield in combat and Phoenix Ikki sometimes uses phoenix feathers as projectiles. Capricorn Shura (and later Dragon Shiryu) bears Excalibur, but does not actually carry a sword, but rather possesses an attack with the sharpness of a sword. The goddess also forbids unauthorized duels among her Saints in the Sanctuary. Lastly, Athena bans her Gold Saints from using the technique "Athena Exclamation", which is considered to be too destructive.

Athena is not the only female in her domain - females are allowed to become Saints, though they are in the minority and must wear masks to cover their feminine traits. Some of the famous female saints include Eagle Marin and Ophiuchus Shina.

TV story arcs

The story arc in the anime TV series consists of 114 episodes, basically divided into seven main parts:

Characters of Saint Seiya

Cloth

In Saint Seiya, most characters are warriors who wear different types of "cloth" (armor). The different cloths are fashioned by smiths working for the competing Gods, to be used by their own warriors to defend themselves or attempt to conquer the domain of other gods (more frequently, a god will attempt to seize the human world, which is the possession of Athena). Of note is the fact that none of the actual makers of cloth is ever depicted, although it is explained that Mū (and by inference, Shion and Kiki) are descendents of the tribe who forged Athena's Saints' cloth. It is said that only Mu is capable of repairing cloth.

Despite the fact that each type of cloth has different characteristics, these are usually ignored in the main story, and each receive a different name. However, the main attributes of all cloth are highly similar: they are stronger than normal cloth made of regular metals, and, if the wearer has awakened their cosmos, it serves to amplify the wearers' defence, several times over. Below, the main cloth types and their particulars:

Athena's Cloths

Characteristics: Athena's Cloths were fashioned by a lost tribe of smiths, and was actually the second group of cloths created (as far as it is presently known). They were created to protect Athena's Saints in her first confrontation with Poseidon. Each of Athena's Cloths represents a constellation. Also, Athena represents justice and righteousness, and as such, if the person wearing Cloths in her name acts in a severely undignified manner, their Cloth will abandon them.

All clothes wear off as the result of battles, and as such must be repaired with a master smith like Mu or perhaps his apprentice Kiki. It is possible for a cloth to be destroyed if it receives great damage. If that happens, it is impossible to repair unless restored using a great amount of the Saint's blood. All the Cloth could repair itself but at a very slow rate, however Ikki's Phoenix Cloth can repair itself at a much greater rate, even if it has been turn to ashes (a power that comes from the Phoenix, a mystical bird that could revive from its own ashes).

Clothes also evolve when the wearer's cosmo increases or under other circumstances. The main characters clothes were almost destroyed during the Sanctuary Saga, after being revived using the living Gold Saints' blood they acquired different characteristics. During the Poseidon Saga, the Bronze Cloth acquired Gold Cloth characteristics becoming as powerful as them. In the Hades chapter after being smeared with Athena's blood they became almost divine (named God Cloths) and in the case of Pegasus spawned wings later on the chapter.

Odin's Robes

Odin's Robes represent the seven (or eight, to be more precise) stars of the Ursa Major constellation. They were created to protect Odin's legendary God Warriors. Each Robe also represents a mythological creature or object originating from Norse Mythology (such as the serpent of Midgard Jormungandr and Sleipnir, Odin's Horse). They are said to protect against the extreme cold of Asgard, but possess no other distinguishing characteristics.

Another characteristic of Odin's Robes is that each Robe has an Odin sapphire (except for Zeta Alcor). When Asgard is in need, the god warriors can then take all seven sapphires and put them at the feet of Odin's statue, which then unlocks Odin's very own God robe. Odin's Robe also comes with the Balmung sword.

Poseidon's Scales

Poseidon is the first God known to have created armors to protect his Mariners. The Scales are made of Orichalcum, a rare metal which is said to have existed in the meteorite which sunk the lost city of Atlantis, which is now where Poseidon's Underwater Temple is located. The Scales are similar to the Gold Cloths, with a larger predominance of the color Orange, but are otherwise just as protective and imposing, if weaker. The Scales represent seven (or eight, if one is to include the non-Sea General Scales) mythological creatures, and it is said that the myths relating to those creatures actually originated from the Scales (within the Saint Seiya universe).

Hades' Surplices

Endlessly referred to by fans as "Sapuris", due to the Japanese pronunciation of the term, these are the protective armors created by Hades, God of the Underworld, to protect his warriors, the 108 Spectres. The common characteristic of the surplices is their highly ornate yet terrifying design, which is rather fitting considering who they were created for. The Surplices represent nightmarish creatures for the most part, or beings related to the Hades (such as the boatman, Acheron). Besides these Surplices, nine more were created. One for Hypnos and Thanatos each (who are gods, not Spectres), one for Hades himself, and one each for the six revived Gold Saints: Shura of Capricornus, Camus of Aquarius, Saga of Gemini, Aphrodite of Pisces, Death Mask of Cancer and Shion of Aries (the latter six are Surplice-like remakes of each Saint's original Cloth).

It must be noted that although the deceased Gold Saints joined Hades, their ultimate loyalty stayed true to Athena. They only accepted Hades' offer so that they can return from death and retrieve Athena's cloth, by using her own blood.

Titan's Soumas

Seen only in the non-canon Episode G Manga. To fight the tyrant god Uranos, Gea gave to her 12 children a different weapon. This weapons had the ability to transform into very powerful armors called Souma. As seen in the Episode G manga they are extremely strong, and almost impossible to break. During a battle between Gold Saint Leo Aioria and one of the Titan Gods, Hiperion of Darkness, after a direct attack by Aioria the gold cloth was broken along with Aiorias left arm. The most notable of this weapons is the MEGAS DREPANON (or MEGAS DOREPAN), which belongs to the leader of the Titan Gods, Chronos, was the weapon that killed Uranos. The Episode G story revolves around this weapon.

Kamui

Zeus gave armors to 12 Olympian gods. These are believed to be the most powerful of the armors. Not much is known about them and they never appeared in Saint Seiya. Each god depicted in the manga wore only the armor of his own conception (Athena wore her Cloth, Poseidon wore his Scale, and Hades wore his Surplice).

Spoilers end here.

Movies

Without having a direct relationship with the manga or anime story, four movies was released in theatres or TV between 1987 and 1989. One more movie was released on 2004 as a continuation of Hades saga manga .

  1. Legend of the Golden Apple (1987)
  2. *Japanese Title: Saint Seiya Gekijôban
  4. The Heated Battle of the Gods (1988)
  5. *Japanese Title: Saint Seiya, Kamigami no Atsuki Tatakai
  7. Legend of Crimson Youth (1988)
  8. *Japanese Title: Saint Seiya, Shinku No Shônen Densetsu
  10. Warriors of the Final Holy Battle (1989)
  11. *Japanese Title: Saint Seiya, Saishû Seisen No Senshi Tachi
  13. Heaven Chapter ~ Overture (2004)
  14. *Japanese Title: Saint Seiya, Tenkai-hen ~Overture~

Themes songs

  1. TV-serie (1 - 73)
  2. *Opening :"Pegasus Fantasy" (Make Up)
  3. *Ending : "Blue Forever" (Make Up)
  5. TV-serie (74 - 114)
  6. *Opening:"Soldier Dream" (Hironobu Kageyama & Broadway)
  7. *Ending: "Blue Dream" (Hironobu Kageyama & Broadway)
  9. Saint Seiya Hades Ova: (1 - 13)
  10. *Opening: "Chikyuugi" (Yumi Matsuzawa)
  11. *Ending: "Kimi to Onaji Aozora" (Yumi Matsuzawa)
  13. Saint Seiya Hades Ova: (14 - 19)
  14. *Opening: "Megami no Senshi ~Pegasus Forever~" (Marina Del Ray)
  15. *Ending: "Takusu mono he ~My Dear~" (Yumi Matsuzawa)

External links

Japanese
English

 

From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Original article here. Support Wikipedia by contributing or donating.
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License See Wikipedia Copyrights for details.

Search Titles
0123456789
ABCDEFGHIJ
KLMNOPQRST
UVWXYZ?

E-mail this article to:

Personal Message: