Saint Seiya (films)
Encyclopedia
Due to high popularity in Japan
and the rest of the world, several Saint Seiya
films were released. Without having a direct relationship with the manga
or anime
story, four movies were released in theatres or TV between 1987 and 1989, when the original TV series was still airing.
One more movie was released in 2004, Tenkaihen Josō ~Overture~ ("Heaven Chapter ~Overture~"), as a continuation of the Hades saga manga and corresponding OVA adaptation.
Evil Goddess Eris
Given that the movies do not follow the main storyline of the Saint Seiya manga
or anime
, it is not know exactly at what point the events of this movie take place. It may be after the Twelve Temples arc, but the Bronze Saints are still wearing their old armors.
The Ghost Saints Arc. When Seiya, Hyōga and Shun visit Saori (Athena) at the orphanage
, they meet an employee called Eri. An orphan herself, Eri takes a liking to Hyōga, and at night they sit outside watching the star
s. Then, a shooting star
flies over the sky, and Hyōga tells Eri to make a wish. Then, after Hyōga leaves, Eri becomes powerfully attracted to the shooting star, and wanders alone into the woods
, where she finds a golden apple
. Immediately after, she is possessed by Eris
, the Goddess of Discord, who then kidnaps Athena and plans to use the golden apple to suck her energy out, with the intention of fully reincarnating and taking over the world.
Eris leaves a message for the Bronze Saints, who set out for the temple which appeared on the mountains. There, the heroes fight the five Ghost Saints, Maya of Sagitta, Orpheus
of Lyra, Khristós of the Southern Cross, Jan of Scutum
(called with the Japanese name Tateza), and Jäger of Orion
.
The Heated Battle of the Gods
As with the previous movie, this one is not considered part of the normal continuity of the series. It could be placed somewhere after the battles in the Twelve Temples, but the Bronze Saints are still wearing their original clothes.
Due to this movie's popularity, Toei Animation
created the Asgard saga for the anime
, which did not originally appear in the manga
, and which is set after the Sanctuary arc, and before the Poseidon arc.
The Proto-Asgard Arc. In Siberia
, Hyōga saves a man that is being attacked. The injured man is barely able to say something about Asgard
. Days after, Saori (Athena), Seiya, Shiryū and Shun, are wondering about Hyōga, so they decide to go to Asgard to investigate. At Valhalla
, the Lord of Asgard, Dolbar, says he hasn't heard of any Hyōga, and neither has his right hand, Loki
. However, at all times Seiya and the others can feel a malign cosmos emanating from Loki and the other Odin Saints, called God Warriors. Shiryū in particular, notices a familiar cosmos coming from Midgard, a mysterious, masked God Warrior.
As it is clear that Dolbar is trying to take control of both Asgard and the Sancturay, he imprisons Athena within a strange dimension in the giant statue
of Odin
. Also, Midgard is revealed to be Hyōga, who tries to kill Shiryū in order to prove himself to Dolbar. Thus, it is the task of the Bronze Saints to defeat Dolbar, Loki, and the rest of the God Warriors, in order to save Athena and Hyōga.
Legend of Crimson Youth
Unlike the other Saint Seiya movies made in the 1980s, this one was a full featured film, having a running time of 75 minutes. The events occur sometime after the Sanctuary saga in the original TV anime
, as the Gold Saints were defeated, and the Bronze Saints have their new armors.
The Corona Arc. On a given day, Saori (Athena) receives the visit of Phoebus Abel, her older brother and god of the Corona
. Abel informs Athena that he has come to destroy humanity as punishment for their corruption, just as it was done in ancient times. Moreover, Seiya and the Bronze Saints will no longer be needed by Athena, as she will now be guarded by Abel's three Corona Saints, Atlas
of Carina
, Jaow of Lynx
, and Berenike of Coma Berenices
, and the five resurrected
Gold Saints who died in the Sanctuary battle: Saga of Gemini
, Death Mask of Cancer
, Shura of Capricorn
, Camus of Aquarius
, and Aphrodite of Pisces
.
Soon, however, Athena rebels against Abel's plan, and he attacks her, sending her soul
to Elysion, the final resting place from which there is no return. The Bronze Saints immediately rush to the Sanctuary to save her, and confront the seemingly invincible Abel.
The Fallen Angels Arc. They are called Seima Tenshi in Japanese. The plot involves the coming of Lucifer to the Sanctuary where his underlings dispose of the surviving Gold Saints systematically. Athena goes to Lucifer to ask for peace and a condition is made, as usual. The Bronze Saints come to the rescue, destroy Lucifer's fallen angels and rescue Athena.
The soundtrack was composed by Seiji Yokoyama
and released in the Saint Seiya Original Soundtrack VIII – Warriors of the Final Holy Battle CD.
The Pre-Heaven Arc. After the success of the OVA Hades - Chapter Sanctuary, this movie served as a follow up from the end of the Hades saga. Seiya is injured after his confrontation with Hades and is placed in a coma and Saori takes care of him. Artemis, her sister, comes to Earth ask why she is not serving as a God and takes up her scepter in her place. Saori then goes to the Sanctuary and starts spilling her blood in the hope that it may bring peace on Earth.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and the rest of the world, several Saint Seiya
Saint Seiya
, also known as Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac or simply Knights of the Zodiac, is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masami Kurumada and serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1986 to 1991, and adapted into an anime TV series by Toei Animation from 1986 to 1989.The story follows...
films were released. Without having a direct relationship with the manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
or anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
story, four movies were released in theatres or TV between 1987 and 1989, when the original TV series was still airing.
One more movie was released in 2004, Tenkaihen Josō ~Overture~ ("Heaven Chapter ~Overture~"), as a continuation of the Hades saga manga and corresponding OVA adaptation.
Evil Goddess ErisSaint Seiya: The Movie, retitled on its home video release, is the first in a series of anime films produced by Toei Animation based on the manga Saint Seiya by Masami Kurumada...
(1987)
- Japanese Title: Saint Seiya: Gekijōban or Saint Seiya: Jashin Eris
Given that the movies do not follow the main storyline of the Saint Seiya manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
or anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
, it is not know exactly at what point the events of this movie take place. It may be after the Twelve Temples arc, but the Bronze Saints are still wearing their old armors.
The Ghost Saints Arc. When Seiya, Hyōga and Shun visit Saori (Athena) at the orphanage
Orphanage
An orphanage is a residential institution devoted to the care of orphans – children whose parents are deceased or otherwise unable or unwilling to care for them...
, they meet an employee called Eri. An orphan herself, Eri takes a liking to Hyōga, and at night they sit outside watching the star
Star
A star is a massive, luminous sphere of plasma held together by gravity. At the end of its lifetime, a star can also contain a proportion of degenerate matter. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun, which is the source of most of the energy on Earth...
s. Then, a shooting star
METEOR
METEOR is a metric for the evaluation of machine translation output. The metric is based on the harmonic mean of unigram precision and recall, with recall weighted higher than precision...
flies over the sky, and Hyōga tells Eri to make a wish. Then, after Hyōga leaves, Eri becomes powerfully attracted to the shooting star, and wanders alone into the woods
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
, where she finds a golden apple
Apple of Discord
An apple of discord is a reference to the Golden Apple of Discord which, according to Greek mythology, the goddess Eris said that she would give "to the fairest" at the wedding of Peleus and Thetis, sparking a vanity-fueled dispute between Hera, Athena and Aphrodite that eventually led to the...
. Immediately after, she is possessed by Eris
Eris (mythology)
Eris is the Greek goddess of strife and discord, her name being translated into Latin as Discordia. Her Greek opposite is Harmonia, whose Latin counterpart is Concordia. Homer equated her with the war-goddess Enyo, whose Roman counterpart is Bellona...
, the Goddess of Discord, who then kidnaps Athena and plans to use the golden apple to suck her energy out, with the intention of fully reincarnating and taking over the world.
Eris leaves a message for the Bronze Saints, who set out for the temple which appeared on the mountains. There, the heroes fight the five Ghost Saints, Maya of Sagitta, Orpheus
Orpheus
Orpheus was a legendary musician, poet, and prophet in ancient Greek religion and myth. The major stories about him are centered on his ability to charm all living things and even stones with his music; his attempt to retrieve his wife from the underworld; and his death at the hands of those who...
of Lyra, Khristós of the Southern Cross, Jan of Scutum
Scutum
Scutum is a small constellation introduced in the seventeenth century. Its name is Latin for shield.-History:Scutum is the only constellation that owes its name to a non-classical historical figure...
(called with the Japanese name Tateza), and Jäger of Orion
Orion (constellation)
Orion, often referred to as The Hunter, is a prominent constellation located on the celestial equator and visible throughout the world. It is one of the most conspicuous, and most recognizable constellations in the night sky...
.
The Heated Battle of the GodsSaint Seiya: The Heated Battle of the Godsis the second anime film by Toei Animation based on the Saint Seiya manga. It premiered on March 12, 1988 in the Toei Manga Matsuri film festival along with the movie versions of Lady Lady!!, Bikkuriman and Kamen Rider Black....
(1988)
- Japanese Title: Saint Seiya: Kamigami no Atsuki Tatakai
As with the previous movie, this one is not considered part of the normal continuity of the series. It could be placed somewhere after the battles in the Twelve Temples, but the Bronze Saints are still wearing their original clothes.
Due to this movie's popularity, Toei Animation
Toei Animation
Toei Animation Co., Ltd. is a Japanese animation studio owned by Toei Co., Ltd. The studio was founded in 1948 as Japan Animated Films . In 1956, Toei purchased the studio and it was reincorporated under its current name...
created the Asgard saga for the anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
, which did not originally appear in the manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
, and which is set after the Sanctuary arc, and before the Poseidon arc.
The Proto-Asgard Arc. In Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
, Hyōga saves a man that is being attacked. The injured man is barely able to say something about Asgard
Asgard
In Norse religion, Asgard is one of the Nine Worlds and is the country or capital city of the Norse Gods surrounded by an incomplete wall attributed to a Hrimthurs riding the stallion Svadilfari, according to Gylfaginning. Valhalla is located within Asgard...
. Days after, Saori (Athena), Seiya, Shiryū and Shun, are wondering about Hyōga, so they decide to go to Asgard to investigate. At Valhalla
Valhalla
In Norse mythology, Valhalla is a majestic, enormous hall located in Asgard, ruled over by the god Odin. Chosen by Odin, half of those that die in combat travel to Valhalla upon death, led by valkyries, while the other half go to the goddess Freyja's field Fólkvangr...
, the Lord of Asgard, Dolbar, says he hasn't heard of any Hyōga, and neither has his right hand, Loki
Loki
In Norse mythology, Loki or Loke is a god or jötunn . Loki is the son of Fárbauti and Laufey, and the brother of Helblindi and Býleistr. By the jötunn Angrboða, Loki is the father of Hel, the wolf Fenrir, and the world serpent Jörmungandr. By his wife Sigyn, Loki is the father of Nari or Narfi...
. However, at all times Seiya and the others can feel a malign cosmos emanating from Loki and the other Odin Saints, called God Warriors. Shiryū in particular, notices a familiar cosmos coming from Midgard, a mysterious, masked God Warrior.
As it is clear that Dolbar is trying to take control of both Asgard and the Sancturay, he imprisons Athena within a strange dimension in the giant statue
Statue
A statue is a sculpture in the round representing a person or persons, an animal, an idea or an event, normally full-length, as opposed to a bust, and at least close to life-size, or larger...
of Odin
Odin
Odin is a major god in Norse mythology and the ruler of Asgard. Homologous with the Anglo-Saxon "Wōden" and the Old High German "Wotan", the name is descended from Proto-Germanic "*Wodanaz" or "*Wōđanaz"....
. Also, Midgard is revealed to be Hyōga, who tries to kill Shiryū in order to prove himself to Dolbar. Thus, it is the task of the Bronze Saints to defeat Dolbar, Loki, and the rest of the God Warriors, in order to save Athena and Hyōga.
Legend of Crimson YouthSaint Seiya: Legend of Crimson Youthis the third anime film by Toei Animation based on the Saint Seiya manga. Unlike its predecessors, which premiered on the Toei Manga Matsuri film festivals, this installment was instead shown at the Weekly Jump 20th Anniversary Festival along with the animated movie version of Sakigake!!...
(1988)
- Japanese Title: Saint Seiya: Shinku no Shōnen Densetsu
Unlike the other Saint Seiya movies made in the 1980s, this one was a full featured film, having a running time of 75 minutes. The events occur sometime after the Sanctuary saga in the original TV anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
, as the Gold Saints were defeated, and the Bronze Saints have their new armors.
The Corona Arc. On a given day, Saori (Athena) receives the visit of Phoebus Abel, her older brother and god of the Corona
Corona
A corona is a type of plasma "atmosphere" of the Sun or other celestial body, extending millions of kilometers into space, most easily seen during a total solar eclipse, but also observable in a coronagraph...
. Abel informs Athena that he has come to destroy humanity as punishment for their corruption, just as it was done in ancient times. Moreover, Seiya and the Bronze Saints will no longer be needed by Athena, as she will now be guarded by Abel's three Corona Saints, Atlas
Atlas (mythology)
In Greek mythology, Atlas was the primordial Titan who supported the heavens. Although associated with various places, he became commonly identified with the Atlas Mountains in north-west Africa...
of Carina
Carina (constellation)
Carina is a constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for the keel of a ship, and it was formerly part of the larger constellation of Argo Navis until that constellation was divided in three.-Stars:...
, Jaow of Lynx
Lynx (constellation)
Lynx is a constellation in the northern sky, introduced in the 17th century by Johannes Hevelius. It is named after the lynx, a genus of cat. It is a very faint constellation; its brightest stars form a zigzag line.-History:...
, and Berenike of Coma Berenices
Coma Berenices
Coma Berenices is a traditional asterism that has since been defined as one of the 88 modern constellations. It is located near Leo, to which it formerly belonged, and accommodates the North Galactic Pole...
, and the five resurrected
Resurrection
Resurrection refers to the literal coming back to life of the biologically dead. It is used both with respect to particular individuals or the belief in a General Resurrection of the dead at the end of the world. The General Resurrection is featured prominently in Jewish, Christian, and Muslim...
Gold Saints who died in the Sanctuary battle: Saga of Gemini
Gemini (constellation)
Gemini is one of the constellations of the zodiac. It was one of the 48 constellations described by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy and it remains one of the 88 modern constellations today. Its name is Latin for "twins", and it is associated with the twins Castor and Pollux in Greek mythology...
, Death Mask of Cancer
Cancer (constellation)
Cancer is one of the twelve constellations of the zodiac. Its name is Latin for crab and it is commonly represented as such. Its symbol is . Cancer is small and its stars are faint...
, Shura of Capricorn
Capricornus
Capricornus is one of the constellations of the zodiac; it is often called Capricorn, especially when referring to the corresponding astrological sign. Its name is Latin for "horned male goat" or "goat horn", and it is commonly represented in the form of a sea-goat: a mythical creature that is half...
, Camus of Aquarius
Aquarius (constellation)
Aquarius is a constellation of the zodiac, situated between Capricornus and Pisces. Its name is Latin for "water-bearer" or "cup-bearer", and its symbol is , a representation of water....
, and Aphrodite of Pisces
Pisces (constellation)
Pisces is a constellation of the zodiac. Its name is the Latin plural for fish, and its symbol is . It lies between Aquarius to the west and Aries to the east...
.
Soon, however, Athena rebels against Abel's plan, and he attacks her, sending her soul
Soul
A soul in certain spiritual, philosophical, and psychological traditions is the incorporeal essence of a person or living thing or object. Many philosophical and spiritual systems teach that humans have souls, and others teach that all living things and even inanimate objects have souls. The...
to Elysion, the final resting place from which there is no return. The Bronze Saints immediately rush to the Sanctuary to save her, and confront the seemingly invincible Abel.
Warriors of the Final Holy Battle (1989)
- Japanese Title: Saint Seiya: Saishū Seisen no Senshitachi
The Fallen Angels Arc. They are called Seima Tenshi in Japanese. The plot involves the coming of Lucifer to the Sanctuary where his underlings dispose of the surviving Gold Saints systematically. Athena goes to Lucifer to ask for peace and a condition is made, as usual. The Bronze Saints come to the rescue, destroy Lucifer's fallen angels and rescue Athena.
The soundtrack was composed by Seiji Yokoyama
Seiji Yokoyama
is a prolific Japanese incidental music composer from Hiroshima who is best known for his work on the Saint Seiya series. He is a graduate student of Kunitachi College of Music....
and released in the Saint Seiya Original Soundtrack VIII – Warriors of the Final Holy Battle CD.
Fallen Angels
- SeraphSeraphA seraph is a type of celestial being in Judaism and Christianity...
BeelzebubBeelzebubBeelzebub -Religious meaning:Ba‘al Zəbûb is variously understood to mean "lord of flies", or "lord of the dwelling". Originally the name of a Philistine god, Beelzebub is also identified in the New Testament as Satan, the "prince of the demons". In Arabic the name is retained as Ba‘al dhubaab /...
- Techniques: Garuda Hell Wing (ガルーダ・ヘル・ウィング, Garūda Heru Wingu)
- Seiyū: Katsuji MoriKatsuji Moriis a Japanese voice actor often accredited as the Casey Kasem of Japan. He is most known for the roles of Go Mifune , Joe Shimamura/009 , Ken the Eagle , Jouji Minami , and Garma Zabi .- Anime :*Nephrite in Sailor Moon*Seiji Hayami in Cutey Honey*Go Mifune in Mach Go Go Go/Speed Racer is a...
- CherubCherubA cherub is a type of spiritual being mentioned in the Hebrew Bible and cited later on in the Christian biblical canons, usually associated with the presence of God...
AshtarothAstarothAstaroth , in demonology, is a Crowned Prince of Hell. He is a male figure named after the Canaanite goddess Ashtoreth.-Background:...
- Techniques: Killer Fanged Cobra (キラー・ファングド・コブラ, Kirā Fangudo Kobura)
- Seiyū: Keīchi NanbaKeiichi Nanbais a Japanese voice actor currently affiliated with Aoni Production. He is married to fellow voice actress Mayumi Shō.-Anime:* Sailor Moon series as Gurio Umino, Zoisite, Alan* Trigun as Hoppered the Gauntlet-Tokusatsu:...
- ThronesThronesThe Thrones are a class of celestial beings mentioned by Paul of Tarsus in and related to the throne of God. They are living symbols of God's justice and authority. According to the New Testament, these high celestial beings are among those Orders at the Christ's service...
MoaMolochMoloch — also rendered as Molech, Molekh, Molok, Molek, Molock, or Moloc — is the name of an ancient Semitic god...
- Techniques: Demon Fantasy (デモン・ファンタジ, Demon Fantaji)
- Seiyū: Toshio FurukawaToshio Furukawais a Japanese voice actor affiliated with Aoni Production and is married to fellow voice actress Shino Kakinuma. His height is 164cm. Hobbies are Fishing, diorama, reading and movies.In July 2011, Furukawa appeared at Anime Expo as a guest.-Career/Personal:...
- Virtues Eligor
- Techniques: Sacred Fist of Mantis (聖魔蟷螂拳, Seima Tōrō Ken)
- Seiyū: Ken YamaguchiKen Yamaguchiwas a Japanese voice actor. He was represented by OYS Produce.He was most known for the roles of Ashuraman, The Omegaman, Prisman , Genji Togashi , Flazzard , Tarantula Arachne , and Ein .Yamaguchi died on October 24, 2011 due to illness.-Notable voice...
- LuciferLuciferTraditionally, Lucifer is a name that in English generally refers to the devil or Satan before being cast from Heaven, although this is not the original meaning of the term. In Latin, from which the English word is derived, Lucifer means "light-bearer"...
- Techniques: Unknown
- Seiyū: Masane TsukayamaMasane Tsukayamais a Japanese actor, voice actor, and narrator from Naha, Okinawa.-Television animation:*Akagi *Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto *Blocker Gundan 4 Machine Blaster...
Heaven Chapter ~ Overture (2004)
- Japanese Title: Saint Seiya: Tenkaihen Josō Overture
The Pre-Heaven Arc. After the success of the OVA Hades - Chapter Sanctuary, this movie served as a follow up from the end of the Hades saga. Seiya is injured after his confrontation with Hades and is placed in a coma and Saori takes care of him. Artemis, her sister, comes to Earth ask why she is not serving as a God and takes up her scepter in her place. Saori then goes to the Sanctuary and starts spilling her blood in the hope that it may bring peace on Earth.