Saint Seiya (聖闘士星矢 Seinto Seiya), also known as Knights of the Zodiac, is an anime and manga series about a group of five mystical warriors called the 'Saints' (or 'Knights') who have adopted various constellations as their totems of power.
They are given the task to protect Saori Kido (Sienna in the English adaptations), the reincarnation of Athena (the goddess of wisdom and war), and to fight against evil forces. It is based on the manga series of the same title by Masami Kurumada. The animation series by Toei Animation first premiered on Japan's TV Asahi on October 11, 1986.
The series is currently being aired in North America on Cartoon Network every Saturday night as an edited-for-TV version called Knights of the Zodiac. An unedited subtitled version is being released by ADV Films. Viz's Shonen Jump titles the manga Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac for American audiences and it uses the English anime names.
The series was able to make so much success in certain parts of the world that it gained the status of "cult". In Brazil, for example (where it is known as Os Cavaleiros do Zodíaco), the debut of the series in 1994 was responsible for changing the face of animation in the country, making people enjoy Japanese animation for the first time. This was also true in other countries of Latin America, especially Mexico and Argentina, although Japanese animation had slowly been shown in both nations in the previous decade, with shows like Robotech and Mazinger Z. Both anime and manga were introduced into Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan (named 圣斗士星矢) around the year 1990, and started the ardors of Japanese manga and animation among those areas.
Saint Seiya began to be known in the west as Knights of the Zodiac after it became successful in France, where it was given the name of Les Chevaliers du Zodiaque. In Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries, it is named as Los Caballeros del Zodiaco, and in Italy it is known as I Cavalieri dello Zodiaco.
It may be said that Saint Seiya has special contributions in the development of Japanese manga and anime culture. It is the most early and important origin for doujinshi, which has grown into a significant peripheral subculture of manga and anime. Doujinshi groups now have large amount of members in East Asia, South America and West Europe.
Summary
The story in the anime series consists of 114 episodes and can be basically divided into seven main parts:
- The tournament for the gold armour of the Sagittarius
- The search of the stolen pieces of the gold armour of the Sagittarius (and battle with the Black Saints)
- The battle against the Silver Saints and other kinds of close encounters
- The battle of the Sanctuary, which most fans consider the anime's finest part
- The fight in Asgard, this fight doesn't appear in the manga series.
- The battle in Poseidon's kingdom
- The Hades' saga (13 OVA - unfinished)
- The Heaven saga (started with the latest Saint Seiya movie, unfinished)
The story in the manga series consists of 28 comic books.
The first 13 episodes of an OVA set in Hades' realm were released in November 2002. Before that, the Hades' saga could only be seen in the manga. There have also been four theatrical releases. Those movies are generally considered as not belonging to the regular chronology, as they contain several storyline contradictions and even bring in out-of-flavour characters such as Lucifer. Nevertheless, a fifth movie came out in Japanese theatres in 2004, Tenkai-hen Overture, which is supposed to follow the regular chronology right after the end of the manga (which has not been entirely adapted in anime yet) as a prologue to a new chapter which has also begun as a manga.
The manga has certain differences with the anime, like the lack of the Asgard saga.
Characters
Athena's Saints of the 88 Constellations*
Bronze Saints (protagonists)
- Seiya (knight of Pegasus)
Age: 13
Birthplace: Japan
Techniques: Pegasus Ryu Sei Ken (Pegasus Meteor Fist), Pegasus Suisei Ken (Pegasus Comet Fist), Pegasus Rolling Crush
Headstrong and not too bright, old Seiya is the main character of the series. In most ways, he's a typical Shônen hero, in the sense that he perseveres to the point of risking his life for what he believes in, and is not generally too complex in personality. He had an older sister, Seika, who was separated from him by the Kido foundation, and desperately wants to see her again. He trained in the Sanctuary in Greece, under the tutelage of Marin (Silver Saint of Eagle).
- Shun (knight of Andromeda)
Age: 13
Birthplace: Japan
Techniques: Nebula Chain, Thunder Wave, Rolling Defence, Nebula Stream, Nebula Storm
Often confused for a woman by people who just started watching the anime, Shun is a rather odd choice for a warrior. He is a pacifist, and as a child was very delicate and hated violence. When the time came to draw names randomly, to send the orphans to train to be saints, Shun got Death Queen island. Clearly worried that his brother wouldn't survive, Ikki took his place. Shun was then sent to Andromeda Island in the Pacific Ocean, and trained under Daidaros (Silver Saint of Cepheus).
- Shiryū (knight of Dragon)
Age: 14
Birthplace: Japan
Techniques: Rozan Sho Ryu Ha (Rozan's Rising Dragon), Rozan Hyaku Ryu Ha (Rozan's Hundred Rising Dragons), Excalibur
It could be said that Shiryu is the more contemplative and less impulsive of the young Bronze Saints. Often one to think rather than rush to face the enemy, Shiryu is nonetheless a very powerful Saint. He trained in the Rozan Peaks, China, under Dohko, the Ancient Master and Gold Saint of Libra. He also has an unclear relationship with Shunrei, an orphan that Dohko took in and who lives with him.
- Hyōga (knight of Cygnus / Swan)
Age: 14
Birthplace: Russia
Techniques: Diamond Dust, Aurora Thunder Attack, Aurora Execution, Ice Ring
Unlike the other Bronze Saints, Hyōga is not a full orphan as he knew his mother and lived with her (although it is implied that Ikki and Shun knew their parents). He is very strongly attached to his mother, Natasha, who died when the ship that they were in sank near Siberia. Fortunately, he was sent to train in Syberia under Camus, Gold Saint of Aquarius (in the anime, his teacher is the Crystal Saint, who has now been removed from canon in the Hades OAVs). He initially trained in order to recover his mother's body, but after a very important incident he dedicated himself fully to becoming the Cygnus Saint.
- Ikki (knight of Phoenix**)
Age: 15
Birthplace: Japan
Techniques: Hoyoku Ten Sho (Flight of the Flaming Phoenix), Phoenix Houou Genma Ken (trans: Phoenix Illusion Demon Fist)
A renegade and, quite simply, a badass, Ikki is by nature a lone wolf. Scarred by his training in Death Queen Island (described as "Hell on Earth"), he initially comes back to take revenge on the Kido foundation for sending him there, and on his brother whose place he took. Recruiting the help of the Black Saints, he took parts of the Gold Cloth of Sagittarius but was eventually foiled. With time he joins the other Saints in their struggle against the Sanctuary and subsequent fights, but is generally doing his own thing until it is his time to act. With the possible exception of Seiya, he is generally speaking the strongest Bronze Saint, and is relatively invulnerable because of his armour´s ability to rise from the ashes as the Phoenix. He trained under Guilty (a former Saint of an unknown constellation who was driven to madness) in Death Queen Island.
Other Bronze Saints
- Jabu/Jab (knight of Unicorn/Monoceros)
- Ichi (knight of Hydra)
- Nachi (knight of Wolf)
- Geki (knight of Bear)
- Ban (knight of Lionet)
- Juné (knight of Chameleon)
Silver Saints
- Misty (knight of Lizard/Lacerta**)
- Capella (knight of Auriga)
- Babel (knight of Centaurus)
- Dante (knight of Cerberus)
- Jamian (knight of Crow)
- Asterion (knight of Hound)
- Moses (knight of Cetus)
- Algol (knight of Perseus)
- Dio (knight of Fly)
- Sirius (knight of Canis Major)
- Algethi (knight of Hercules)
- Shiva (knight of Peacock, disciple of Shaka, Gold Saint of Virgo)***
- Agora (knight of Lotus, disciple of Shaka, Gold Saint of Virgo)***
- Daidaros (knight of Cepheus)
- Shina (knight of Ophiuchus)
- Marin (knight of Eagle)
- Tremy (knight of Sagitta)
- Aracne (knight of Tarantula)***
- Crystal (knight of Crystal)***
- Orpheus (knight of Lyra, he appears only in the manga, during the Hades saga)
Gold Saints
- Shion (Previous Knight of Aries, Master to Mu. He was the Pope)
- Mū (Knight of Aries)
- Aldebaran (Knight of Taurus)
- Saga (Knight of Gemini)
- Kanon (Knight of Gemini during the Hades chapter)
- Death Mask (Knight of Cancer)
- Aioria (Knight of Leo)
- Shaka (Knight of Virgo)
- Dohko (Knight of Libra**)
- Milo (Knight of Scorpius)
- Aioros (Knight of Sagittarius)
- Shura (Knight of Capricorn)
- Camus (Knight of Aquarius)
- Aphrodite (Knight of Pisces)
*NOTE: Supposedly, the Saints represent the 88 constellations, yet according to the official number of saints given (12 Gold Saints, 24 Silver Saints and 48 Bronze Saints), there are still four unaccounted knights. These could be considered to be Eris's warriors from the first Saint Seiya movie, as they also represent constellations. However, four Silver Saints and over thirty Bronze Saints never make an appearance.
**NOTE: Plot references seem to imply these Saints are the "leader" of each particular Saint sub-category.
***NOTE: These characters are exclusive to the anime TV series.
Asgard God Warriors
- Thor (God Warrior of Phecda (Gamma))
- Fenrir (God Warrior of Alioth (Epsilon))
- Mime (God Warrior of Benetnasch (Eta))
- Alberich (God Warrior of Megrez (Delta))
- Hagen (God Warrior of Merak (Beta))
- Cid (God Warrior of Mizar (Zeta))
- Bud (God Warrior of Arkor (Zeta))
- Sigfried (God Warrior of Dubhe (Alpha))
Poseidon's Marinas
- Thetis (Marina of Mermaid)
- Baiane (Northern Pacific Marina General of the Sea Horse)
- Io (Southern Pacific Marina General of Scylla)
- Krishna (Indian Marina General of Krisaor)
- Kassa (Antarctic Marina General of Lymnades)
- Isaac (Arctic Marina General of Kraken) (Issac is the training partner of Cygnus Hyoga, while he was trainning to get the Cygnus Bronze Cloth)
- Sorrento (Southern Atlantic Marina General of Siren)
- Kanon (Northern Atlantic Marina General of the Sea Dragon) (Kanon is the twin brother of Gemini Saga.)
Hades's Warriors
Hades's Heralds
- Thanatos (God of Death)
- Hypnos (God of Sleep)
The 108 Spectres*
- Radamanthys (Spectre General of Wyvern, Celestial Raging Star)**
- Minos (Spectre General of Griffon, Celestial Valiant Star)**
- Aeacus (Spectre General of Garuda, Celestial Superior Star)**
- Niobe (Spectre of the Deep, Terrestrial Abyss Star)
- Zeros (Spectre of the Frog, Terrestrial Strange Star)
- Markino (Spectre of Skeleton, rank-and-file soldier)
- Gigant (Spectre of Cyclops, Terrestrial Violent Star)
- Myu (Spectre of Butterfly, Terrestrial Faerie Star)
- Raimi (Spectre of Worm, Terrestrial Hidden Star)
- Valentine (Spectre of Harpy, Celestial Lamentation Star)
- Charon (Spectre of Acheron, Celestial Interstellar Star)
- Rune (Spectre of Balrog, Celestial Talent Star)
- Pharaoh (Spectre of Sphinx, Celestial Beast Star)
- Phlegyas (Spectre of Lycaon, Celestial Punishment Star)
- Rock (Spectre of Golem, Celestial Target Star)
- Ivan (Spectre of Troll, Celestial Defeat Star)
- Stand (Spectre of Killer Beetle, Celestial Repulsion Star)
- Sylphid (Spectre of Basilisk, Celestial Victory Star)
- Queen (Spectre of Alraune, Celestial Magic Star)
- Gordon (Spectre of Minotaur, Celestial Prison Star)
*NOTE: Most of the 108 spectres are not actually named or characterized in any way.
**NOTE: in Greek myth, Radamanthys, Minos and Aeacus were the Judges of the Underworld.
Other notable protagonists
- Saori Kido (城戸沙織 Kido Saori) a.k.a. Athena / Princess Sienna: The leader of Bronze, Silver and Gold Saints.
- Tatsumi: Saori's bodyguard and right-hand man. Was in charge of training the orphans who went on to become the Bronze Saints, and as such most of them are resentful towards him (now that they are stronger than he could possibly be, he's rather scared of them).
- Mitsumasa Kido / Lord Nobu : Grandfather of Saori. He gathered the kids to became Knights.
- Miho: Seiya's friend. Works at an orphanage.
- Ancient Master (Dohko) : Shiryu;'s master. He is also the Libra Saint.
- Shunrei: Lives in Rozan with Dohko and cares deeply for Shiryu.
Notable antagonists
- Saga: Gold Knight of Gemini, possessed by Ares, god of war
- Hilda: Odin's representative on Earth, this Valkyrie is possessed by the Nibelung Ring (controlled by Poseidon in the anime) and sets her sights on world domination in the name of Odin.
- Julian Solo (Poseidon): International sea trade magnate, God of the Seas.
- Kanon: Saga's twin brother who induced him to evil.
- Hades: God of the Underworld
- Pandora: Hades's sister, who commands the first wave of Spectres to attack the Sanctuary in the name of her brother.
Armour
In Saint Seiya, most characters are warriors who wear different types of armour. The different armours 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 assigned to Athena). Of note is the fact that none of the actual makers of armours 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' armour.
Despite the fact that each type of armour has different characteristics, these are usually ignored in the main story, and each receive a different name. However, the main attributes of all armours are highly similar: they are stronger than normal armour made of regular metals, and, if the wearer has awakened their cosmic energy, it serves to amplify it several times over. Below, the main armour types and their particularities:
Athena's Cloths
Characteristics: Athena's Cloths were fashioned by a lost tribe of smiths, and was actually the second group of armours 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.
- Bronze Cloths: Granted to the Bronze Saints, the lowest order of Athena's Saints. They are of various colours, and are the weakest of all Cloths with the exception of the Phoenix Cloth, which is one of the most powerful. They freeze at minus 150ºC.
- Silver Cloths: Granted to the Silver Saints, the middle order of Athena's Saints. They are usually very conservatively coloured, appearing in tones of gray for the most part. Many Silver Cloths have similar designs when worn by the Saints. They freeze at minus 200ºC.
- Gold Cloths: Granted to the Gold Saints, the highest order of Athena's Saints, said to be the most powerful group of warriors of all the different factions among Gods. They represent the Zodiac constellations. Distinctive features include the fact that they protect most of the body (unlike many Silver and most Bronze Cloths), and that they are practically indestructible. They freeze at minus 273.15ºC, also known as the absolute zero.
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.
Poseidon's Scales
Poseidon is the first God known to have created armour to protect his Marina warriors. 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 colour Orange, but are otherwise just as protective and imposing, if weaker. The Scales represent seven (or eight, if one is to include the non-Marina General scale) mythological creatures, and it is said that the myths relating to those creatures actually originated from the Scales (within the Saint Seiya universe of course).
Hades's Surplices
Endlessly referred to by fans as "Sapuris" due to the japanese pronounciation of the term, these are the protective armours created by Hades, God of the Underworld, to protect his minions, the 108 Spectres. The common characteristic of these armours 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 demi-gods, not Spectres), one for Hades himself, and one each for the six revived Gold Saints: Shura of Capricorn, 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).
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