Knights of the Zodiacalso known as Saint Seiya, is a manga property created by Masami Kurumada in 1986. The story follows the adventures of a group of five teenage saints (or knights) who are tasked with protecting Athena, the goddess of war and wisdom. The story takes place in a world where gods and mortals coexist, and humans bear the power of cosmo energy to fight against evil forces. It’s a straight forward Shonen with tons of nuance and great storytelling.
The Knights of the Zodiac anime series was first adapted for television in Japan in 1986 and ran for 114 episodes. The show was popular worldwide and received incredible attention in Europe and Latin America. North America seemed excluded from this phenomenon. It wasn’t until the show was added to Netflix’s lineup in 2019 that American audiences took notice. It has since become one of the streaming service’s most watched shows.
Knights of the Zodiac is a show with strong characters, epic battles and beautiful artwork. Toei treats the property with the same reverence as popular IPs like Dragon Ball, Naruto, And A piece. It is also one of the few shōnen anime series with a mostly mixed cast of characters. It’s probably the best show you haven’t seen yet, and you’re missing out.
We’re getting an upcoming live-action movie this year, so here’s why you should catch up on the original show before heading to the movies.
10 A classic Shonen adventure
If you are a fan of Shonen anime, you should check it out Knights of the Zodiac. The epic adventure follows the story of Seiya, Shiryu, Ikki, Shun and Hyoga, who must protect the goddess Athena. Like most shonen stories, the saints must focus on overcoming their limits and be stronger to protect the goddess. The plot is full of intrigue and twists. In the opening saga, the Saints take on their own Saints by having them fight to win the mysterious Golden Cloth. The story eventually evolves into discovering why Athena’s Sanctuary hunts the goddess and fights to the end against the master manipulator behind it.
9 Anime with feeling
Knights of the Zodiac is an emotionally charged anime. Seiya is our surrogate character, and he’s been through hell and back with only one goal in mind: to find his long-lost sister who went missing after leaving for The Sanctuary. Other characters’ struggles and trials are equally painful: Ikki takes his brother’s place by going to Royal Queen Death’s Island to train and become the Phoenix Saint. He loses most of his humanity and only manages to rejoin the fold after his brother Shun manages to contact him. He would eventually die and be reborn to fight with his fellow Saints to protect Athena.
8 Epic battles and battles
When it comes to Shonen anime, few things are as exciting as one good old fashioned fight scene. Few anime can match the scale and intensity of each showdown Knights of the Zodiac. The first few episodes mainly focus on the physicality of each saint’s power. As the plot progresses, we understand that a Saint’s physical prowess comes not only from any training or clothing, but also from the Cosmo. Each fight is beautifully choreographed, with many delving into the realms of the mind, especially with regards to the main cast battling the 12 Gold Saints.
7 Complex and multidimensional characters
Knights of the Zodiac is a story that borrows heavily from Greek mythology, especially the myths about the Twelve Olympians of the Greek pantheon. Each saint is protected by a zodiac sign that defines the clothes they wear and their techniques. Each character has extensive knowledge associated with it. Masami Kurumada expanded so much on the individuality of each saint that all data had to be collected in a single encyclopedia called “Saint Seiya Taizen”. The book contains information not only about the main cast, but also about all of their enemies and the fellow Olympian gods who wage war against Athena and their forces throughout the show.
6 Exploration of mythology and astrology
Astrology and mythology play an important role in the Knights of the Zodiac. So much so that an actual constellation guards each saint. You can explore the sky and find constellations for Pegasus, Dragon, Swan, Phoenix and the Andromeda Nebula. However, the most famous constellations are among the greatest warriors in the Temple of Athena: the 12 Golden Saints guarded by the Zodiac Constellation, protecting the way to the Temple of Athena. Kurumada took great pains to ensure that each of these saints had strong backgrounds and personalities to match the attributed characteristics of their zodiac signs. This exercise is an excellent example of world building done right.
5 Thought-provoking storylines
Knights of the Zodiac has plenty of thought-provoking storylines. The anime tells the story of the trials and tribulations of multiple characters who have become entangled in an ongoing conspiracy of an unknown assailant who plans to take over the world. When Athena’s divine origins are discovered, numerous gods come back to life to test Athena’s worth. Athena’s Sanctuary must face a civil war and then go to war against the gods of Asgard, Poseidon and finally Hades. Various side stories have been told in multiple OVAs and movies since the 1980s, where the Knights of the Zodiac must fight against the goddess Eris, Phoebus Abel, Artemis, Apollo and even Lucifer. In most of these stories, the Saints face difficult choices and must grapple with complicated moral dilemmas closely related to loyalty, betrayal, and what it means to be a hero.
4 Beautiful animation and artwork
Just as the visuals created by Tadayoshi Yamamuro define Dragon Ball, all visuals are in Knights of the Zodiac feature a team that worked closely with the original author of the manga. The original designs by Shingo Araki and Michi Himeno are considered timeless classics by fans around the world. Toei was all about this. It is a beautiful and colorful anime with top-notch art and animation that is simply beautiful. Even if you’re not a big fan of the anime genre, it’s worth checking out Knights of the Zodiac if only for its visual splendour. If you want to see something visually stunning and packed with great action then look no further Knights of the Zodiac.
3 Memorable soundtrack
Japan is home to many of the greatest composers of classical melodies in the past century and most of the new millennium. Seiji Yokoyama is a name that will always resonate all over the world of anime lovers, esp Knights of the Zodiac fans. Every piece of music in the show is perfect for the scene it’s used in, whether it’s an upbeat song for an action sequence or a more subdued and emotional piece for a character’s backstory. The original show has three different opening and ending themes, and each perfectly captures the tone of the show. If you don’t look Knights of the Zodiacare you missing one of the best anime soundtracks ever composed.
2 Critical acclaim and recognition
In the years since its release, Knights of the Zodiac has received widespread critical acclaim and recognition. The show has a huge fan base worldwide, but North America has excluded itself from the party. The series has been constantly kept in the zeitgeist of popular culture, even after the original story ended. Kurumada-Sensei has enabled fellow mangakas to expand knowledge of the story with multiple manga and novels, some of which have been adapted into successful spin-offs. The most popular stories include Saint Seiya: The Lost Canvas, Saint Seiya: Omega, Saint Seiya: Soul of Goldand of course the controversial Netflix adaptation of the original story made with 3D animation.
1 Sweet merchandise
What’s not to like about an established anime other than all the fantastic collectibles we get from them? Knights of the Zodiac has one of the most prolific toy lines ever created by Bandai Spirits. The vintage action figures originally released in 1986 have been reissued several times. A new series of action figures was launched by Bandai in 2003 to coincide with the continuation of the story in Knights of the Zodiac: The Hades Chapter. Bandai Spirits developed the Myth Cloth line and they’ve been pumping figures ever since, with nearly all Saints being produced or reissued multiple times. If these prove too expensive, you can always go for Bandai America’s Action Stars, who have already cast five main characters from the show.
You can stream the original Saint Seiya on Crunchyroll, while Netflix offers the modern remake Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac. Now go enjoy this beloved nostalgic building!