Saint Seiya
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Saint Seiya (聖闘士星矢), (also known as Knights of the Zodiac in the United States, Los Caballeros del Zodiaco in hispanic countries, Les Chevaliers du Zodiaque in France, I Cavalieri dello Zodiaco in Italy and Os Cavaleiros do Zodíaco in Brazil), 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 guardian symbols.
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History
Image:Couverture01j.jpg The anime 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.
Manga series
The Saint Seiya manga was first published on Shonen Jump magazine in 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 is written by Saint Seiya creator, Masami Kurumada, but 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.
TV series in Japan
The first anime series was produced by Toei Animation from 1986 to 1991. 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 Gekijouban), The Great Battle of the gods (Kamigami no Atsuki Tatakai), The Legend of the Hot Blooded Boys (full-length), and Warriors of the Last Holy War.
Hades saga
The first 13 episodes of an OVA series corresponding to the Hades saga were released from November, 2002 to March, 2003. Before that, the Hades saga could only be seen in the manga. These 13 episodes were named Hades - Chapter Sanctuary (Meiou Hades Juuni-Kyuu Hen).
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 (Meiou Hades Meikai Hen) (Part 1) and consists of six episodes. Unfortunately, most of the original seiyu have not reprised their roles.
Toei Animation Studios released the first two OVAs on December 17 2005, followed by the next two on January 21 2006. The last pair was released on February 18 2006. Perhaps a new part of the Chapter Inferno will be made in the near future.
The last episode of Chapter Inferno (Part 1) ends in the battle between Ikki and Aiacos, the Spectre General of Garuda. It does not include the battle between Ikki and Shun/Hades or the great sacrifice made by the 12 gold saints. Template:Endspoiler
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
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 80's, 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 70's.
The series aired in North America starting only on August 1, 2003, on Cartoon Network every Saturday night and on Saturday afternoon on YTV as an edited-for-TV version called Knights of the Zodiac, but was later cancelled on both stations (YTV cancelled it after it aired all the episodes up until Seiya receives the gold cloth of Sagittarius). An unedited subtitled and dubbed version is being released by ADV Films. VIZ Media'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 intermittently successful, attaining a cult series status. 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 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, 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 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.
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. 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.
Story summary
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 be channeled through Saint armor, Saints are tasked with protecting 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, Draco Shiryu and Perseus Algol are noted for using a shield in combat and Phoenix Ikki sometimes uses phoenix feathers as projectiles. Capricornus Shura (and later Draco 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 Aquila 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:
- The Galactic Tournament (In which the Saints battle for the golden Sagittarius cloth): Introduction of the main bronze characters.
- The search for the stolen pieces of the golden armor of Sagittarius: The 4 Bronze saints battle with Phoenix Ikki and his black warriors and after that battle with other evil saints.
- The battle against the Sanctuary's Silver Saints "and other close encounters": The pope sends several silver saints to destroy the saints. Steel Saints appear. Shiryu gets blinded. The Sagittarius gold cloth disappears. Ikki battles with Jango and the black saints. First Appearance of some Gold Saints.
- The battle against the Gold Saints in the Sanctuary: The five bronze saints have heated battles in the 12 Zodiac temples, finally emerging victorious. Shiryu recovers his sight. Gemini Saga was the pope.
- The fight against Hilda's God Warriors in Asgard, home of the Norse (this story arc is only in the anime): Seiya uses the Odin Robe to destroy the nibelung ring, thus destroying Poseidon's grip over Hilda.
- The battle against the Marinas in Poseidon's kingdom: Poseidon was manipulating Polaris Hilda. Saints go to the Undersea Temple. Gemini Kanon was the enemy who awakened Poseidon's soul. The power/soul of Poseidon was possessed within the body of Julian Solo, the son of a wealthy sea merchant. Seiya, Shiryu and Hyoga use the Golden cloths, and with the help of Athena, seal Poseidon's soul, thus returning Julian Solo back to his normal self.
- The Hades Sanctuary saga - battle against the fallen gold saints and Hades' Specters (13 OVA episodes - this arc concludes in the manga, but the anime ends partway through): All battles are held within the Sanctuary. The Pope who Gemini Saga killed in the original Sanctuary series, was revealed as Aries Shion. He and the other five fallen gold saints (Gemini Saga, Cancer DeathMask, Capricornus Shura, Aquarius Camus and Pisces Aphrodite) were revived by Hades. Shaka dies during the battle between Shura, Camus and Saga. Both team of Gold Saints (Saga, Camus and Shura vs Mu, Aiolia and Milo) use the forbidden move, Athena Exclamation on each other. Athena sacrifices herself (for a reason: Arayashiki). Shion gives the divine cloth to the four Bronze Saints and restores their cloths to their ultimate level (he also revealed their true intentions). Battle continues in Hades' Castle and the Underworld.
- The Hades Inferno saga - battle against the Specters, the 3 Judges of Inferno, and the God of the Underworld himself. (6 OVA's to appear December 2005 to March 2006): Battle with all the Specters and the 3 judges. Appearance of the legendary silver saint, Orpheus. Shun becomes Hades (very similar to Poseidon/Julian Solo).
- The Heaven saga - Tenkai Hen Josō (started with the latest Saint Seiya movie, battle with Olympian Gods Apollo and Artemis, unfinished in anime and doesn't exist in the original manga).
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.
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 it 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.
- Bronze Cloths: Granted to the Bronze Saints, the lowest order of Athena's Saints. They are of various colors, and are the weakest of all Cloths. They freeze at minus 150ºC.
- Silver Cloths: Granted to the Silver Saints, the middle order of Athena's Saints. They are usually very conservatively colored, 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 12 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 the absolute zero (−273.15 °C).
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. It should be noted however, that among all other clothes, Ikki's Phoenix Cloth is the only Cloth that can repair itself and even fully reappear from its 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 Golden saint blood they acquired different characteristics and color (In case of Pegasus cloth it changed dramatically and in the case of Andromeda it changed from pink to red). 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 Kamuis) 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. When Asgard is in need, the god warriors can then take all eight sapphires and put them at the feet of Odin's statue, which then unlocks Odin's very own God robe. Odin's Robe is as strong as the Kamuis Cloths and also comes with a sword.
Poseidon's Scales
Poseidon is the first God known to have created armor to protect his Marine Generals. 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-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).
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 Episode G Manga. To fight the tyrant god Uranos, Gea gave to her 12 children a different weapon. This weapons had the abilty 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.
Kamuis (Divine Cloths)
Zeus had given armors to 12 Olympian gods. These are believed to be the most powerful of the armors. Not much is known about them except that Athena, Poseidon and Hades wear such cloths. They can be only created by the blood of gods. In the Hades Chapter, Aries Shion used Athena's Blood to revive her own cloth. Her blood was also used to upgrade the five Bronze Saint's armors, giving them divine armor characteristics. Combined with a maximized level of cosmos, their armor changed into Divine Cloths in the Hades battle.
External Links
- Official Sites
- 聖闘士星矢
- 聖闘士星矢 冥王ハーデス十二宮編
- 劇場版 聖闘士星矢 天界編序奏 ～overture～
- 聖闘士星矢 冥王ハーデス冥界編
- 聖闘士星矢情報 Network
- 聖闘士星矢 ～ st-seiya.net
- Toei Animation
- Toei Animation (English Version)
- English
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