Saint Seiya

Saint Seiya (聖闘士星矢), also known as Knights of the Zodiac in the USA, 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. Saints believe each atom within a human body resembles a small solar system. Since human body consist of billions of atoms, the combination forms a "small cosmo" or a "small universe". Each person's cosmo has its own unique signature. The cosmo 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 cosmo to amplify one's own cosmo.

Related Topics:
Anime - Manga - Constellation

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Saints are given the task to protect Saori Kido (Sienna in the TV dub and the English manga), the reincarnation of Pallas Athena (the goddess of wisdom, art and military strategy), and to fight against evil forces. Athena normally resides in her sanctuary. It is a protected physical location just outside of Athens Greece. In the sanctuary, a command structure is established with the goddess as the supreme commander, follow by the Pope and then by few other gold saints. In both the manga and anime, Athena dislikes weapons. She believes intelligence and body are the strongest weapon of all. In addition, she only allows few saints to carry arms. These arms can be defensive or offensive. The famous saint who carries arms is Libra Dohko. The goddess also forbids unauthorized duels among her saints in the sanctuary. Athena is not the only female in her domain, she also allows other females to become saints. Some of the famous female saints include Aquila Marin and Ophiuchus Shaina.

Related Topics:
Pallas Athena - Athena - Athens - Greece

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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.

Related Topics:
Masami Kurumada - Toei Animation - Japan - TV Asahi - October 11 - 1986

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The series aired in North America on Cartoon Network every Saturday night as an edited-for-TV version called Knights of the Zodiac, but was later cancelled. 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.

Related Topics:
North America - Cartoon Network - TV - ADV Films - VIZ Media - Shonen Jump

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The series was able to make so much success in certain parts of the world that it gained the status of "cult". 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, making people effectively enjoy Japanese animation for the first time. This was also true in other countries of Latin America, especially Mexico and Argentina, although Japanese animation had slowly been shown in both nations in the previous decade, with shows like Robotech and Mazinger Z. Both anime and manga were introduced into Mainland China as 圣斗士星矢 around 1990 and into Hong Kong and Taiwan as ????? as early as 1987, and started the ardors of Japanese manga and animation among those areas.

Related Topics:
Brazil - 1994 - Mexico - Argentina - Robotech - Mazinger Z - Anime - Manga - Mainland China - 1990 - Hong Kong - Taiwan - 1987

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Saint Seiya began to be known in the west as Knights of the Zodiac after it became successful in France, where it was given the name of Les Chevaliers du Zodiaque. That was also the first country where the series was shown, besides Japan itself. 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.

Related Topics:
France - Spain - Spanish - Italy

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It may be said that Saint Seiya has special contributions in the development of Japanese manga and anime culture. It is the most early and important origin for dōjinshi, which has grown into a significant peripheral subculture of manga and anime. Dōjinshi groups now have large amount of members in East Asia, South America and West Europe.

Related Topics:
Dōjinshi - East Asia - South America - West Europe

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