Saint Seiya 19
Posted: June 10, 2010 Filed under: Knights of the Zodiac 1 Comment »Masami Kurumada – Viz – 2007 – 27 volumes
This was released in English as Knights of the Zodiac.
Yes. YES. This is what I wanted from Saint Seiya. Thank you, Hades, for wandering into Sanctuary and raising hell.
Favorite moment: Mu delivers a Kenshiro line when he passes one of the Hades knights and says something to the effect of “Aldeberan struck you with his horns. There’s no use fighting an opponent who’s already dead.” To which the knight acts confused, then promptly explodes. After being alive for the length of time it took to hold a conversation and exchange attacks with Mu.
Also? Seiya’s dead again. I’m sure it won’t be for long, but you know. These things happen.
So yes, so far the Hades saga is great. They don’t even waste time with a transition or exposition. I think Princess Sienna is beheaded within the first few pages of this volume, and the fighting only gets better from there. Lots of people walking around in cloaks to hide their true identity, only to reveal that it’s an underwhelming surprise later. Then they issue their greatest attacks at one another, only to find that they are ineffective and they need to use their greatest greatest attacks.
I have to admit, though, I do like the focus on Mu rather than the Bronze Knights. The four main characters do put in appearances, but I suspect it will still be awhile before they enter the story proper. If the series has one flaw, it’s that it has way too many side characters, but on the other hand, it really makes no difference at all who these characters are. Canon and Saga? Meh. Knights that died several volumes ago at Sanctuary? Meh.
The open graves are nice. I know I’m supposed to recognize the names of all those characters, but the fact that we learn of their resurrection by surveying the cemetery is an awesome way to do it.
Also awesome: another glimpse at the Unicorn Knight, possibly one of the wussiest in the series. Also, Aphrodite, the Pisces Knight makes another appearance with his roses, to reinforce the idea that this is a volume of weaklings kicking each other’s asses, so the best is yet to come.
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