Saint Seiya - Episode 1 Review/Breakdown

I've decided to start breaking down/reviewing one of my favorite animes of all time. Saint Seiya was originally a manga started in January of 1986 by Masami Kuramada. October of 1986 it was turned into an anime for viewing. The story follows the Bronze Saints of Athena(five of them in particular), as they fight to protect Athena and save the world. I've always found this to be one of the most interesting animes that I've ever watched, and I'll try to do it justice.

The episode begins giving an overview of the Saints, and a small description of how strong they are. They can break the ground with strikes. Then it shows the Saints of this story, all the Bronze Saints. Then the thing decides to give you a slight glimpse of the future as the episode title is shown.

"A New Era Of Heroic Legends"

Cutting to Japan, where some stray dogs eat out of a trash can, eyes glowing. Glowing eyes probably means EVIL... Except it doesn't, as they turn their necks to look at the main place of this arc. The Colosseum, where we get to go inside. We get to see perennial 6th man Unicorn Jabu(purple) fight against Lionet Ban(orange). Several strong body shots from Ban put Jabu on the chain ropes. You get to see the crowd react as Ban continues his ferocious assault. We get to see Saori Kido, the 'Goddess Athena' in a throne watching. Well, she's more of a reincarnation of Athena. Jabu looks up at her and gives a smirk. Backflip reverse by Jabu, getting behind Ban, kicking him away. Now Jabu takes to the offensive with strikes, a super huge punch takes Ban down. Jabu poses, because he's won.

OR HAS HE. Ban's back up! Welcome to the Galaxian Wars, everyone. The Bronze Saints are fighting each other, to fight over the Gold Cloth of Sagittarius. Now, to state this, Bronze Cloths are the lowest cloth. Then there's the Silver and the Gold. The Bronze Saints are fighting to be the next person to wear the Gold Cloth. Saori is sponsoring the event on behalf of her grandfather, who is deceased. Pan to the Bronze cloths below the Gold cloth. Oh, there's a spot missing. Saori says Seiya is missing, and that he needs to hurry up and bring the Pegasus Cloth back from Greece.

We go to Greece, where Seiya and some giant man are standing in the middle of another Colosseum. A masked man, the Grand Pope, is standing telling them they are the final two. Seiya says he's bringing the cloth, and is instantly nailed in the side by the giant. The giant then begins squeezing Seiya, saying that he, Cassios, will keep it. Cassios thinks that only a Greek should hold the cloth, not some kid from Japan. Marin, Seiya's masked trainer runs down to say Cassios attacked him when he wasn't ready, when it was unfair. Shania, Cassios's also masked trainer, looks at Marin and tells her Seiya should've had his guard up. She also tells Cassios to finish him. Cassios continues to squeeze at poor Seiya, saying he'll go slower to he can feel his body break. Way to have a mean streak, Cassios. Cue Marin shouting at Seiya. Cue Cassios trying to chop off Seiya's ear. FLASH... An ear lands on the ground, also Seiya lands on the ground, and he's still got both his ears. Cassios is on his knees, holding his 'non-existant' ear as he just lost his.

Cue Cassios cursing at Seiya for taking his ear. Cue Shania looking back at Marin, monologue about Seiya actually seeming decently strong. Cue flashback of Cassios beating up Seiya when Seiya was more of a kid. Seiya tells Cassios to bring it, and Cassios rushes in. Jumping kick to the face from Seiya. Cassios questions how it's possible that he got strong. Cue Cassios getting beat down. Seiya spares his life because they both survived Sanctuary(the name of the place where they are), for six years. EVERYONE'S SHOCKED. Seiya just wants the cloth, Cassios says he isn't going to let some non-Greek take it. Cue Racist comment from Cassios, saying Japanese are not worthy to wear the cloth. Desperation strike and Cassios gets straight up blocked with one hand. Seiya tells Cassios he's not worthy because he's never felt the Cosmos in his body, relying on a Saint's physical strength. Another flashback, as Younger Seiya attempts to break a stone, fails, and Marin just crushes it in her hand. She says everything is made up of atoms. To destroy something means to destroy it at the atomic level. She tells him to focus his entire being into a hitting his fist on a single point of the stone. He breaks more then the stone, and the Earth also.

She tells him about the big bang, and how the Saints use something akin to it, called Cosmos for power. Marin wants Seiya to explode his Cosmos to make it stronger. His guardian star is Pegasus... Oh, and he's fighting for the Pegasus Cloth. It all makes sense now. Back to current day. Cassios says if Seiya can harness the Cosmos then he'll hand him the cloth himself. Seiya's hands go through an attack motion, and Cassios runs at him like an idiot. Pegasus Meteor Fist! Cassios gets rekt. Seiya smiles, VICTORY. Seiya gets the cloth. The Grand Pope tells him it should only be used to defending and not for personal gain. Shaina isn't happy her guy lost. NIGHT PHASE! Seiya attempts to open the Box the cloth is in, but Marin's right there to tell him he should have a reason to open it. Marin senses something and bails, followed by Seiya carrying the cloth box. Apparently everyone's chasing Seiya to take the cloth back and kill him, because Shania said so. Neat.

Marin explains this to Seiya as they keep running, then suddenly stops. Seiya falls over due to momentum, then gets up. Why did Marin stop... Oh. Shania's right there. Seiya questions her, wondering why she's doing this, he won fair and square. Shania asks Marin to hand over Seiya, or will Marin fight her. Marin says she doesn't owe Seiya anything and leaves. BETRAYAL? She goes and sits down, saying Seiya needs to beat Shania in order to go back to Japan. Shania comes down and Thunder Claws the heck out of Seiya. She goes for it again, he responds with Pegasus Meteor Fist! She blocking or dodging every single one. NICE GOING SEIYA! She hits him again with Thunder Claw, he goes flying, box goes flying away from him also. Seiya goes to attempt to open the cloth box, and he does! He then puts on the cloth, or rather, the cloth puts itself on him. After Seiya practices a few punches, Shania finally checks to see if Seiya's dead, and well... He's not. In fact, he hurts her with a practice punch. She asks where he is, and he's actually behind her, on a hill. Thunder Claw attempt, jump kick attempt by Seiya, and Seiya gets drilled again! Shania says the cloth is no use on a weakling like him and begins stomping him.

He gets up, only to be kicked, commenting that the cloth is too heavy. How can it be that heavy when he was just using it. Marin with more exposition, saying the cloth needs his power and cosmos to work! Shania continues to beat up the Pegasus Saint. If Seiya has any doubt, then the cloth is nothing but heavy armor. Shania wants to know if he learned anything. Seiya says it's impossible, as he actually could never hit a woman. Marin's like 'YOU IDIOT, SHE'S TRYING TO KILL YOU.' Shania gets ready for a Thunder Claw to finish it, but then her guys hop in, and begin stomping on Seiya. Seiya gets up and smirks, as her guys are not female, so he beats up the scrubs. In fact, the shockwave of the punch cuts her mask, and it falls off. Seiya says he thought she would've looked devilish. Shania says next time, she will be wearing a cloth as well, because both Marin and her are Silver Saints. Seiya says he doesn't want to meet under those circumstances. Marin bids goodbye to Seiya and tells him how to get to Athens, he asks to see her face. NOPE, not gonna happen. Get a look at some of the other saints, and that's the end of the episode.

Overall, I enjoyed the episode, as you got to have a decent breakdown of Seiya and what's going on... But I filled in a bit of the stuff not known in this review/breakdown. Cassios isn't exactly a memorable bad guy, but he's a good first start to show the strength of Seiya, and Shania helps him a lot in the end. This is a good opener, but it's definitely going to get better, as I know.

Rating: 7.5/10