Saint Seiya is among the most prominent and influential anime that emerged from Shonen Jump’s golden age, even though it didn’t conclude as intended. It was a significant manga series that debuted in 1986 and lasted until 1990, coinciding with other popular works such as Fist of the North Star and Dragon Ball. The series was instrumental in shaping shonen battle manga, much like those mentioned earlier, and has continued to be a much-loved franchise to this day, at least outside of Japan. Despite being technically unfinished, it featured gripping drama, opulent costume designs, and some of the most formidable protagonists in all of literature.
Despite its greatness, the Saint Seiya manga did not conclude in the manner it was intended. The final and highly anticipated saga was never completed due to the series’ cancellation. There are some hopeful enthusiasts who are anticipating that the author, Masami Kurumada, will eventually write the ending to his masterpiece, but the outcome remains uncertain. The series is still adored by fans, but for the die-hard followers, there will always be a yearning to know what could have been.
How was Saint Seiya meant to end?
The plot of Saint Seiya revolves around Seiya, who utilizes the Pegasus Cloth armor and the mystical Cosmo within him to uphold peace and justice in the name of Athena. Alongside four other Saints, he combats various malevolent forces, which include armor-clad knights and even the Greek Gods.
Seiya and his companions faced two major challenges in their journey, one against Poseidon and the other against Hades, to protect humanity from destruction. Fans familiar with Greek mythology may have anticipated a climactic showdown between Seiya and Zeus, the ruler of the gods. Others speculated that the group would have to combat the other Olympian deities such as Apollo and Artemis to make the arc similar to their well-known battle against the Gold Saints in the 12 Houses Arc. Kurumada’s plans for the final major arc of the series, known as the Heaven Arc, hinted at such a grandiose confrontation.
4/13（木） 本日発売
週間少年チャンピオン20号 情報！！表紙＆巻頭カラーでシリーズ連載再開！！
「#聖闘士星矢NEXTDIMENSION冥王神話」
車田正美
さらに
・特別付録
・連載再開スペシャル企画詳細はこちらhttps://t.co/lRifQP8w25 pic.twitter.com/FC5M33AcCm
— 【聖闘士星矢】公式 (@seiya_offcial) April 13, 2023
Regrettably, the Heaven Arc was never materialized in the original run of Saint Seiya’s manga. A tedious filler arc led to a decline in the series’ popularity and harmed the manga’s sales. To mitigate the loss, Shonen Jump decided to abruptly end the series with the Hades arc, being known for being unsparing when it came to canceling series. Despite this, the franchise has managed to survive through various spinoffs, prequels, reboots, and sequels, such as the live-action movie, Knights of the Zodiac. Nonetheless, only two works have attempted to continue the story from where it ended, with the Heaven Chapter anime film series being canceled after one film. Kurumada himself is currently penning a sequel manga entitled Saint Seiya: Next Dimensions, but it has yet to reach the anticipated battle with the Olympians. Consequently, it is uncertain whether the envisioned Heaven Chapter will come to fruition anytime soon.
Does Saint Seiya Have a Happy Ending?
Undoubtedly, Saint Seiya still operates effectively as a series. It could be contended that Hades serves as an appropriate ultimate adversary because the initial series never established Zeus as a rival. Although he could have been an excellent final enemy, it was not a necessity.
Assuming Saint Seiya had been given the opportunity to reach its intended conclusion, it had the potential to become one of the greatest Shonen arcs ever seen. Perhaps it could have achieved the same level of mainstream success and recognition as Dragon Ball Z, which was released around the same time. Unfortunately, the missing Heaven Chapter leaves fans to wonder what might have been. Nevertheless, Seiya’s message of hope encourages us to remain optimistic for a miracle.
Read more: Toei Animation’s Spring 2023 Suspense Series: Is It Truly a Disaster?
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