Saint Seiya Netflix Edition: When the Legend of the Knights of the Zodiac Returns but Falls Short of the Dream

The legend of Saint Seiya, the Knights of the Zodiac, returns once again in the form of a 3D anime series on Netflix under the name SAINT SEIYA: Knights of the Zodiac. After fans have waited a long time, this series is a remake of the classic manga and anime from the 80s-90s that was famous worldwide. But when adapted into modern CG, can it preserve the charm of the original? Our editorial team will take you to find the answer.

Story Summary (No Spoilers for the Ending)

The story begins with Seiya, a young boy with special powers and determination to become a warrior in armor resembling a knight. He is chosen to be one of the 'Saints,' protectors of the goddess Athena, who in this season is Saori Kido, a young woman who inherits the power of Athena. The series follows the path of Seiya and his four teammates: Shiryu, Hyoga, Shun, and Ikki, as they face enemies from various schools, including the powerful 'Gold Saints.' The content in the first season focuses on team assembly and proving themselves in the upcoming holy war, without spoiling the ending. Subsequent seasons will expand the scope to larger battles and reveal secrets of the past.

Performance and Characters

In terms of voice acting, the series uses the same Japanese voice cast from the 1986 anime, including Masakazu Morita (Seiya), Fumiko Orikasa (Saori), and others, which helps preserve the identity of the characters well. Their voices still have power and convey emotions appropriately. However, the character design in 3D may feel strange to old fans, especially the stiff facial expressions in some scenes. The main characters still have their unique charm, such as Seiya's boldness, Shiryu's composure, or Shun's gentleness, but the character development in this series is quite rushed, so new viewers may not absorb the relationships between characters as deeply as the original.

Direction, Visuals, and Music

This series uses cel-shaded 3D animation, which gives a 2D anime feel but with more depth. In some fight scenes, the movement is smooth and exciting, especially special moves like 'Pegasus Ryu Sei Ken' which are beautifully rendered. However, at times the character movement looks stiff and unnatural, especially in dialogue scenes lacking emotional detail. The background music still uses classic themes familiar to fans, but has been rearranged to be more modern by Yoshihiro Ike, which adds grandeur to fight scenes. Nevertheless, the editing and sequencing in some episodes may slow the pacing or lack continuity.

Editorial Analysis

SAINT SEIYA: Knights of the Zodiac is an attempt to present a classic legend to a new generation in a different format, but it comes at the cost of some of the original's subtlety. The series' strength is condensing content from many manga volumes into just 36 episodes, making the story fast-paced and concise, but it also greatly reduces character development and world-building. Old fans may feel the series is rushed and lacks emotional engagement, while new viewers may be confused by the complex universe. However, for those who want to watch a fun action anime without much attachment to the original, this series is somewhat satisfactory.

Verdict

Saint Seiya Netflix is a series suitable for new viewers who want to quickly start this legend, or for fans who want to see fight scenes in a new format. But for those who grew up with the old version, they may need to accept many changes. Overall, it is a remake that does well in some aspects but is not perfect. You should try watching a couple of episodes before deciding.