Saint Seiya

Story[]

Saint Seiya (聖闘士星矢, Seinto Seiya), better known as Knight of Zodiac was the first manga series in the Japanese and genre Battle Shounen franchise, it was written and illustrated by Masami Kurumada. Published in weekly shonen jump from 1986 to 1990, the manga was adapted for a tv animated series by Toei Animation from 1986 to 1989, and its finale adapted in 3 other anime series (between 2002 and 2008). It is called "Classic Series" by fans, to differentiate it from others, as it is a series without sub-titles, the first of all.

The story follows five mystical warriors called "Knights" (or Saints), who fight wearing Sacred Armor, whose aspects derive from the drawings of the various constellations, which the characters adopt as their intended symbols Protectors. These knights/Saints have vowed to defend the reincarnation of the Greek Goddess Athena in their battle against other gods who want to dominate the earth.

Both the main manga and the adaptation of the anime were very successful in Japan and several European and Latin American countries, such as France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Peru, Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Chile and Brazil. Four films were shown in Japanese theaters in 1987-1989. The anime was cancelled and unfinished in 1989, leaving a manga saga unanimated. However, in 2002, Toei Animation continued the anime in the form of three OVA series (the latter ended in 2008) in order to adapt the remaining arches of the manga, and, following this revival of the franchise, a fifth film was screened in 2004. A sixth film (which is in CG) premiered in Japan on June 21, 2014, and had its theatrical debut in world on September 11, 2014.