Saint Seiya

Masami Kurumada's Saint Seiya launched in Weekly Shōnen Jump in 1985 and ran until 1990, filling 28 collected volumes. Viz Media later brought the series to North American readers. The story centers on five warriors known as Saints who don sacred armors called Cloths based on constellations. These fighters pledge their lives to protect Athena, the reincarnated goddess of wisdom, as she battles other deities seeking control over Earth. Their conflict blends Greek mythology with intense martial arts action set against a backdrop of cosmic stakes. The manga spawned a massive multimedia franchise including a 114-episode anime by Toei Animation that aired from 1986 to 1989. Fans also enjoyed a long-running OVA series titled The Hades Chapter released between 2002 and 2008. Six theatrical films appeared during the late eighties and early two thousands, while a live-action movie hit theaters in 2023. By 2022, sales exceeded 50 million copies worldwide. Kurumada continued the saga with Saint Seiya: Next Dimension, which ran from 2006 through 2024. A third main entry, Saint Seiya: Heaven Chapter, began serialization in 2026. Several spin-off titles written by different authors have expanded the universe further.[edit]