San Seiya! ‘Knights of the Zodiac’ the first anime series returning in 2023

if say legendary anime series and we are talking about great fame, it is impossible for us not to touch on the subject of one of the most important of all time, and clearly, we are referring to ‘Knights of the Zodiac’ (1986)a story initially born in a manga, and which this 2023 returns to the screens with a live action adaptation, which all fans, and dozens of generations who have grown up with its episodes, await with great enthusiasm, after the Japanese studio Toei Animation will announce the film which will hit theaters around the world.

It will be Sony Pictures, which will distribute the live action movie of “Knights of the Zodiac” this 2023, for the region of the countries of America. The adaptation will be inspired by the classic 80s series which will debut in April of this year. But, before delving into this world of live action for the big screen, there are details to know and that we want to review the story of the original series. San Seiya!

No doubt one of the most iconic and beloved series for several generations, ‘Knights of the Zodiac’ also known as ‘Saint Seiya’ was a Japanese anime and manga series, created by Masami Kurumadawhich over the years has conquered millions of fans around the world, and today we will discover the story behind its creation and its success.

While only a few are the most popular, there are 24 Knights of the Zodiac warriors in total. Each of them has specific abilities and powers that differentiate them from the others, but one of the most representative visual characteristics is their armor and the colors of their costumes.

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Origins of “Knights of the Zodiac”

The story of ‘Knights of the Zodiac’ dates back to the 1980s, when Masami Kurumada, the creator of the series, began publishing the manga in Shueisha’s Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine. The plot centered on a group of young warriors, the knights, who protected the Greek goddess Athena and fought against the enemies of the Sanctuary.

The manga became an instant hit and the first anime adaptation was produced in 1986, which consisted of 114 episodes. The series aired in Japan and quickly spread to other countries, gaining a large worldwide following until 1990.

Netflix streaming released an adaptation of ‘Knights of the Zodiac: Saint Seiya’ in 2020 which has two seasons available.

The storyline that follows the series

The plot of ‘Knights of the Zodiac’ is complex and full of unexpected twists. The story focuses on the knights’ struggle to protect Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, from the forces of evil trying to take over the world. The riders are led by Saori Kido, the reincarnation of Athena, and each of them represents a constellation of the Zodiac.

As the series goes on, they find out the origins of the knights and the villains who seek to destroy them. The storyline features deep themes such as friendship, loyalty, sacrifice and love and shows the evolution of the characters throughout the story. There are five knights that the anime series focuses on.

The success of ‘Knights of the Zodiac’

The success of ‘Knights of the Zodiac’ is due not only to its complex and exciting storyline, but also to its innovative animation and epic music. The series featured animation techniques never before seen in the anime genre, such as the use of animation layers and the combination of traditional and CGI animation.

The music from the show also became a hit, with memorable tracks like “Pegasus Fantasy” and “Blue Forever”. Additionally, “Knights of the Zodiac” has inspired video games, movies, and anime spin-offs, proving its lasting impact on popular culture.

Names and abilities of each of the Knights

The most famous and important Knights in the series are 12, each one represents the constellations of the Zodiac, they wear golden armor and have skills worthy of the seventh sense, oriented towards the cosmos to carry out activities at the speed of light. Among their other abilities, there are some high-level psychic abilities that even allow them to warp time dimensions.

All add up to a total of 88 saints representing the known constellations, constituting the forces of the goddess Athena, but not all would be willing to fully protect her. They are divided into 3 different categories: Bronze Knights, Silver Knights and Gold Knightsthese being the most important.

The Golden Knights

• Aiolia of Leo
• Sagittarius Aiolos
• Aries Mu
• milan scorpion
• Aldebaran bull
• Camus Aquarium
• Virgo Shaka
• Shura of Capricorn
• cancer death mask
• Aphrodite Pisces
• Pound Dohko
• Gemini Saga

however, the five warrior friends representing the series and they are protagonists, they are bronze knights:

Seiya (Knight of Pegasus)

In the Japanese series, seiya He is the main character and leader of the Bronze Saints, even if this happens unintentionally. He was trained as a knight in the Sanctuary of Greece and his most frequent fighting techniques are The Pegasus Meteors and The Pegasus Comet. However, he possesses a much more dangerous ability called Fist of the Rolling Star, although he rarely uses it in combat.

Shiryu (Dragon Knight)

Shiryu He is a character who stands out for his tranquility, reflection, prudence and calm. Also, he is a very righteous and intelligent person. He was trained in China and had the ability to learn to fight while blind, even defeating a silver knight.

He is a close friend of Seiya, although in the early tournaments they had to fight against each other before meeting and being chosen to protect the goddess Athena. As for his fighting techniques, Shiryu has several effective strikes such as Rising Dragon, Last Dragon or Rozan’s 100 Dragons.

Hyoga (Knight of the Swan)

The character has a syndrome and personal trauma with an Oedipus complex and retains an everlasting memory of his deceased mother, his teacher and his childhood friend. He was trained in Siberia and has skills like diamond dust, ice or aurora ray and cold whirl.

Shun (knight of Andromeda)

Although he has been caricatured by some fans for his sensitivity and “feminine” ways, this character is very gentle and noble. He only uses his Cloud Chain and Cloud Storm when necessary, as he prefers not to deal damage to his enemies unless necessary. Indeed, he was considered by Hades to be the purest knight in the universe.

Ikki (Phoenix Knight)

The brother of avoid On her mother’s side, she is a secondary character who appears in times of trouble to help her brother and friends. Her armor is the most powerful of the bronze knights and uses blows such as the evil phoenix illusion and phoenix flight. Unlike his brother, he is rude and ruthless, with no compassion for his rivals.

The five friends are the ones that make up the entire success of “Los Caballeros del Zodiaco”, which stands out for their friendship, camaraderie, honor and representation of the purity of their elements.