Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac

AUTHOR: Kurumada, Masami

ARTIST: Masami Kurumada (illustrator)

PUBLISHER: Shueisha (Japanese); VIZ Media (English)

FIRST SERIAL PUBLICATION:Seinto seiya, 1986-1990

FIRST BOOK PUBLICATION: 1986-1991 (English translation, 2004-2010)

Publication History

Saint Seiya was created, written, and illustrated by Masami Kurumada. It was first published in Weekly Shonen Jump from 1986 to 1990 and was compiled into twenty-eight volumes from 1986 to 1991. Saint Seiya has been reprinted several times in Japan and has been translated into numerous languages. The first international market in which Saint Seiya was published was France, where it was published by Kana as Les Chevaliers du zodiaque (knights of the zodiac) beginning in the late 1980’s. As a result, Saint Seiya also became known globally as “knights of the zodiac”; the characters known as “saints” in the original manga are referred to as “knights” in a number of international translations. VIZ Media adapted the manga series for the North American market, publishing the series from 2004 to 2010 under the title Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac.

Plot

Saint Seiya is a shonen manga that follows five primary knights sworn to serve the Greek goddess Athena, who has taken human form and protects Earth from other deities. The knights must rise to certain power levels and prove their worth to gain their magical armor, which is called cloth. Each cloth possesses the attributes of a guardian constellation. The cloth works together with the knights’ life energy, similar to chi, which they have learned to harness to become superbeings. The plot focuses on Seiya, the primary protagonist.

The manga can be divided into three main arcs: “Sanctuary,” “Poseidon,” and “Hades.” In the Sanctuary arc, the knights train to achieve the necessary power levels to earn their cloths. They enter a fighting tournament to win a gold cloth. The plot is driven by corruption, as Ikki betrays his fellow knights. The knights fight against this corruption and try to save the dying Athena.

In the Poseidon arc, Poseidon threatens to destroy humanity unless Athena sacrifices herself in its place. She makes a pact with him to save humanity and allows herself to be imprisoned. The knights must work together to save her before she drowns within her prison. Once freed, Athena is able to imprison Poseidon.

Hades breaks free of the Underworld in the Hades arc and resurrects fallen enemy soldiers to defeat the knights. Athena sacrifices herself to repair the cloths. The knights work with Poseidon to resurrect Athena, and she ultimately defeats Hades.

Volumes

• Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac—The Knights Of Athena (2004). Collects chapters 1-4. In Greece, Seiya wins the Pegasus cloth, becoming a Bronze Knight. He must fight an old nemesis, Shaina, to keep it.

• Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac—Pegasus vs. Dragon (2004). Collects chapters 5-8. Hyoga obtains the cloth of Cygnus in Russia before receiving orders to travel to Japan.

• Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac—Phoenix! The Warrior from Hell (2004). Collects chapters 9-12. Ikki appears at the tournament. He steals the victor’s prize, a gold cloth. Seiya, Shun, Hyoga, and Shiryu set out to retrieve the cloth.

• Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac—Phoenix! The Warrior from Hell (2004). Collects chapters 13-17. The knights face off against Ikki’s Black Knights.

• Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac—Execution! (2004). Collects chapters 18-21. Ikki reveals his tortured training before Seiya defeats him. Ikki sees the error of his ways and joins the knights against a new enemy.

• Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac—Resurrection! (2004). Collects chapters 22-24. The knights continue to battle the Silver Knights as they learn of the corruption at Athena’s sanctuary. They meet Athena’s human form, Princess Sienna.

• Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac—Medusa’s Shield (2005). Collects chapters 25-27. The Gold Knight Leo Aiolia battles the Bronze Knights until Athena reveals the pope’s role in his brother’s death.

• Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac—The Twelve Palaces (2005). Collects chapters 28-30. Saori is injured by a Silver Knight’s golden arrow. The Bronze Knights frantically seek the corrupt pope to save Athena. Seiya reaches the seventh sense power level.

• Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac—For the Sake of Our Goddess (2005). Collects chapters 31-33. The Bronze Knights get caught in Gemini’s illusions and go to different zodiac temples. Cassios allows Aiolia to kill him to stop the pope’s corruption.

• Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac—Shaka, Close to Godhood! (2005). Collects chapters 34-36. The Bronze Knights continue to work through the zodiac temples. Ikki reaches the seventh sense power level.

• Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac—To You I Entrust Athena (2005). Collects chapters 37-40. The Bronze Knights continue through the zodiac temples. Hyoga awakens his seventh sense power level.

• Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac—Death Match in the Master’s Chamber! (2005). Collects chapters 41-43. Seiya and Shun arrive at the last zodiac temple; Shun fights Aphrodite, while Seiya confronts the pope.

• Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac—Athena Revived! (2006). Collects chapters 44-45. Ikki battles the Gemini knight while trying to save Seiya.

• Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac—The Magic Flute (2006). Collects chapters 46-49. Poseidon’s Mariners make a failed attempt to kidnap Athena. Poseidon threatens to kill humankind if Athena does not sacrifice herself.

• Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac—The Undersea Shrine (2006). Collects chapters 50-53. Both Seiya and Shun borrow the Libra cloth to demolish the South Pacific Ocean Pillar.

• Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac—The Soul Hunter (2006). Collects chapters 54-57. Shiryu demolishes the Indian Ocean Mammoth Pillar. Ikki demolishes the Antarctic Ocean Mammoth Pillar.

• Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac—Athena’s Prayers (2006). Collects chapters 58-61. Hyoga demolishes the Pillar of the South Atlantic Ocean. Ikki is sent to another dimension.

• Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac—The End of the Azure Waves (2006). Collects chapters 62-66. The Bronze Knights join forces and stun Poseidon. Before Poseidon can kill the Bronze Knights for interfering, Athena imprisons him.

• Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac—108 Stars of Darkness (2007). Collects chapters 67-70. The seal confining Hades to the Underworld is broken.

• Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac—Battle for the Twelve Palaces (2007). Collects chapters 71-73. The knights battle the Specters.

• Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac—Under the Sala Trees (2007). Collects chapters 74-77. Six Gold Knights use the forbidden Athena Exclamation technique to kill Shaka at the risk of demolishing the sanctuary.

• Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac—Awaken!! The Eighth Sense (2008). Collects chapters 78-82. Shiryu aids the Gold Knights in using the Athena Exclamation against Saga and company. Athena commits suicide, and her blood is used to repair the Bronze Knights’ cloths.

• Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac—Underworld, The Gate of Despair (2008). Collects chapters 83-86. Seiya and Shun journey through the Underworld towards Hades’ castle.

• Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac—Hades Reawakens (2008). Collects chapters 87-90. Orphée rebels against Hades by joining Seiya and Shun as retribution for what was done to his lover, Eurydice.

• Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac—The Greatest Eclipse (2009). Collects chapters 91-94. Ikki arrives at Hades’ palace and fights Hades.

• Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac, Volume 26 (2009). Collects chapters 95-99. Athena protects Shun’s physical form before Hades takes her to Elysium. The Gold Knights join with the Bronze Knights.

• Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac, Volume 27 (2009). Collects chapters 100-105. Pandora betrays Hades by giving Ikki the tools to enter Elysium. Poseidon attempts to aid the Bronze Knights against Hades.

• Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac, Volume 28 (2010). Collects chapters 106-109. Seiya is brutally defeated, leaving the remaining Bronze Knights to face Hades. Athena defeats Hades.

Characters

• Seiya, a protagonist, is an orphaned young man with a great destiny: to be continuously reincarnated in order to guard the goddess Athena. He initially wears the bronze cloth of Pegasus and then works up to the gold cloth of Sagittarius. He is the jokester of the group and has superstrength and superspeed.

• Shiryu, a protagonist, is a Bronze Knight who wears the dragon cloth. He is considered the wisest of the main protagonists, and his strength lies in defense. He is temporarily allowed to wear the gold cloth of Libra.

• Hyoga, a protagonist, is a Bronze Knight who wears the cloth of Cygnus. He is stoic with a kind heart. He has the ability to conjure ice or snow.

• Shun, a protagonist, is a Bronze Knight who wears the cloth of Andromeda. He is a pacifist but has great strength. His older brother is Ikki.

• Ikki, a protagonist, is a Bronze Knight who wears the cloth of Phoenix. He is a hard-edged loner and the older brother of Shun.

• Athena, a.k.a. Princess Sienna, a protagonist, is the Greek goddess of wisdom and battle. She reincarnates every 250 years to save the Earth from the forces of darkness.

• Thanatos, an antagonist, is the incarnation of Hades, god of death. He is the primary opponent of Athena and the knights.

• Hypnos, an antagonist, is the god of sleep and is Hades’ twin brother.

• Black Knights, antagonists, are the dark doppelgängers of the Bronze Knights. They serve Ikki. The main ones are Black Pegasus, Black Andromeda, Black Dragon, and Black Swan.

• Blue Warriors, antagonists, are similar in power to the Bronze Knights. They reside in the ice lands of Sinigrad.

• Poseidon’s Mariners, antagonists, are seven warriors who follow Poseidon.

• Pandora, an antagonist, is incarnated as Hades’ brother to protect him until the final battle against the knights, after which she will be rewarded with immortality.

• The Specters, antagonists, are Hades’ equivalent of knights.

• The Olympian’s Angels, antagonists, are soldiers of Olympian gods.

Artistic Style

Saint Seiya is drawn in black, white, and gray. Black and white are often utilized in sharp contrast to add emphasis or emotion. Backgrounds, especially those depicting nature and celestial scenes, are often more detailed than characters, which is typical of Japanese manga style. Characters’ faces are expressive, and eyes serve as the primary vehicle for projecting emotion. However, deities have blank white eyes that are devoid of emotional expressions.

The armor worn by the knights is often highly stylized and harks back to Japan’s ancient samurai armor. It is depicted in great detail during intense battles, a technique that emphasizes the damage received or dealt and the severity of wounds. Blood and wounds are displayed in generous detail.

Backgrounds include horizontal or vertical lines that represent quick movement or rising power levels during battle. Fighting segments often have elements, such as sound, light, or movement, that go beyond the panels. The action-packed fight scenes feature large panels with full images of the fight and smaller panels that show close-ups of characters’ facial expressions. Some action sequences are displayed in a series of panels that resembles a film strip, manipulating readers’ conception of time and movement within the text. Important battle sequences may take up an entire page on which the images are presented in great detail. When Seiya uses intense power levels, they are emphasized with a solar-system background. In general, images are contained within neat frames unless they are important or intense, in which case they may take up an entire page or escape their panel frame.

During fights, dialogue bubbles are jagged, which shows the tension as or before a blow is delivered. When characters have intense wounds or there is great tension, dialogue appears in black bubbles resembling spilled blood. The shape of the bubbles echoes the softness or hardness of the characters’ emotions. A tense situation may have sharp-edged bubbles.

When creating characters, Kurumada uses a technique similar to the “Star System” of famed manga artist Osamu Tezuka, reusing character designs from previous series. The physical characteristics of Seiya are similar to those of Ryuji in Kurumada’s earlier series Ring ni kakero (1977-1981).

Themes

Saint Seiya is a coming-of-age story; the knights graduate from adolescence to adulthood through training and accession into knighthood. Athena plays a mother’s role to the orphan boys. The major thematic point in the manga has to do with dichotomies of power. The knights have different power levels to which they can ascend, while the deities they confront have a separate power base. The knights and deities are separate from humans, who are essentially powerless and must be protected. Echoing the Shinto philosophy that teams or groups are more powerful than individuals, the text emphasizes that battles are won through team, rather than individual, effort. The power struggle among Athena, Poseidon, and Hades relates to the power struggle in Greek mythology among the brothers Zeus (Athena’s father), Poseidon, and Hades.

Saint Seiya provides a complex representation of several religious ideologies. Kurumada’s use of the term “saint” in the original text relates to Catholicism, and the term “knight” also has Christian connotations, prompting readers to think of the knights of the Crusades. Athena, Poseidon, and Hades are adaptations of ancient Greek deities. The reincarnation of the knights relates to the Buddhist and Shinto belief that ascended beings can choose to be reincarnated to further the enlightenment of humankind, and their use of life energy relates to the philosophies that all life forces are connected and that energy can be tapped into.

Impact

The complex molding of diverse religious elements into a new mythos, as demonstrated in Saint Seiya,became a common technique in 1990’s manga such as Sailor Moon (1992-1997). The blending of religious philosophies creates a cross-cultural text that is accessible to a global audience, contributing to the international emergence of manga. The Buddhist and Shinto concept of universal energy is echoed in the manga that followed Saint Seiya and has been used in numerous shonen and shojo series. The concept of a team of male adolescents being thrust into adulthood via war helped make this series a hit and was a motif copied by later series such as Mobile Suit Gundam Wing (1995-1996).

Films

Saint Seiya: Gekijoban. Directed by Kozo Morishita. Toei Animation, 1987. This animated film features an original story not based on the manga. Eri is possessed by Eris (Discord), who kidnaps Athena with the intention of using her power to rule the world.

Saint Seiya: Kamigami no atsuki tatakai. Directed by Shigeyasu Yamauchi. Toei Animation, 1988. This animated film features an original story that was later incorporated into the anime plot. The Bronze Knights fight members of the Norse pantheon.

Saint Seiya: Shinku no shonen densetsu. Directed by Masayuki Akehi. Toei Animation, 1988. This animated film continues the anime story line. Abel threatens to destroy both humanity and Athena.

Saint Seiya: Saishu seisen no senshitachi. Directed by Akehi. Toei Animation, 1989. Lucifer and his soldiers threaten to overturn the knights’ power.

Saint Seiya: Tenkai-hen joso—Overture. Directed by Yamauchi. Toei Animation, 2004. This film adaptation takes place after the Hades arc. Athena struggles to find a way to heal Seiya’s battle-incurred injuries.

Television Series

Saint Seiya (Knights of the Zodiac). Directed by Morishita and Kazuhito Kikuchi. Toei Animation, 1986-1989. This anime stars Toru Furuya as the voice of Seiya. The series differs from the manga in that it includes a story arc (“Asgard”) not included in the original comic.

Further Reading

Clamp. Magic Knight Rayearth (1993-1995).

Kubo, Tite. Bleach (2001- ).

Takeuchi, Naoko. Sailor Moon (1991-1997).

Bibliography

Clements, Jonathan, and Helen McCarthy. The Anime Encyclopedia: A Guide to Japanese Animation Since 1917. Berkeley, Calif.: Stone Bridge Press, 2001.

McCloud, Scott. Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art. New York: HarperPerennial, 1993.

Phillipps, Susanne. “Characters, Themes, and Narrative Patterns in the Manga of Osamu Tezuka.” In Japanese Visual Culture: Explorations in the World of Manga and Anime, edited by Mark W. MacWilliams. Armonk: M.E. Sharpe, 2008.