Netflix's Saint Seiya Fails to Capture the Heart of the Original

Netflix's CGI reboot of Saint Seiya is a narrative letdown that betrays the iconic legacy of the Original Saint Seiya anime.

\There is a risk in taking a much-beloved IP and rebooting it, especially these days when fans have become way more vocal than ever before. Though not all of these criticisms are justified, some are very much in their place. One example relates to Netflix's CGI reimagining of Saint Seiya, a reboot that could be described as a collage of missed opportunities and a poorly executed homage. When the original Saint Seiya premiered in 1986, it didn't just deliver episodes, it built a narrative legacy with themes of friendship, loyalty, and honor. A legacy that the reboot simply fails to live up to.

From the get-go, the Saint Seiya reboot, entitled Saint Seiya Knights of the Zodiac, dilutes the richness of the original. One can't help but question, why tamper with time-tested formulas only to arrive at a bland reboot that not only pushes new viewers away but, most importantly, fails to resonate with the original fans. Saint Seiya Knights of the Zodiac forgets its foremost duty was to its legacy – a legacy of heart, narrative depth, and unforgettable characters. It is a reminder of what happens when nostalgia is done wrong.

Seiya and the Knights of Athena

When it comes to stories that center around a group of heroes, much of the story's emotional impact rests on the bonds that tie these characters together. In the original Saint Seiya, Seiya, the Pegasus Knight, and his fellow Knights were and are the greatest examples of such bonds. Seiya's friendship with Hyoga, Shiryu, and Shun was accessible, and almost a character in its own right, pulsating through every episode as a reminder of their collective journey. This was a friendship that was steeped in sacrifice and a 'one-for-all' mindset. It was an element that pushed the narrative forward, and made it resonate with audiences long after the episodes ended.

Fast-forward to the Netflix reboot, in Saint Seiya Knights of the Zodiac, that legendary bond is now replaced by a dim and two-dimensional version of what made the original so iconic. Shun – once a compelling, sensitive male character whose emotional depth and compassionate pacifist heart offered a counterpoint to traditional masculinity – is now gender-bent, and it doesn't add anything new or of value to the narrative. On the contrary, it raises the question of why the creators felt the need to tinker with an aspect of the story that was not only well-executed but fundamentally important to its thematic richness. It comes off as a change for the sake of change, and trivializes the character.

Black Ops vs. Ikki and the Dark Knights

In anime, villains aren't just obstacles for heroes to overcome; they are fully fleshed out characters and embodiments of the underlying tensions that push the narrative forward and the heroes to their limit. In the original Saint Seiya anime, Ikki and the Dark Knights were complex figures that reflected darker possibilities and moral ambiguities. Ikki was Shun's brother, a Knight of Athena who crossed over to the dark-side of the Cosmo, who eventually after multiple battles redeemed himself and became an anti-hero of sorts. Ikki was a villain with motives, history, and layers that peeled back over the course of the series. He and his Dark Knights weren’t just enemies to be vanquished but enigmas to be understood.

In the Netflix reboot, this nuanced landscape of conflict is replaced by what can only be described as thematic monotony. Instead of Ikki and the Dark Knights, the series decided to go with faceless armies and black ops – an unnecessary change that does nothing to elevate the narrative. All of a sudden, Saint Seiya was filled with black hawks, mech-suits, and angry military leaders who wanted to steal the Knight cloths for themselves. It could be argued that these changes are simply aesthetic and are inconsequential to the story at its core. But when these aesthetic changes strip the narrative of its complexity and heart, making it a typical good guys versus bad guys, the anime suffers. Taking away elements of the series that made it a fantasy tale with complex characters and intricate themes, leaves the audience with nothing but a B-Action series.

Saint Seiya – Knights of the Zodiac: Nostalgia Done Wrong

Nostalgia is a tricky thing to navigate, especially when it comes to rebooting a beloved series. It's not just about retelling a story; it's about rekindling the unique magic that captured hearts in the first place. Saint Seiya, with its original run, did just that – it wasn't merely a show but a phenomenon that carved itself into the collective memory of an entire generation. Fans didn't just root for Seiya, Shiryu, Hyoga, Shun, and Ikki, they lived with their struggles, their victories, and their losses. For many, the original Saint Seiya anime wasn't just a series; it was a formative experience, that shaped their understanding of honor, sacrifice, and friendship.

This is where the Netflix reboot unfortunately fails: losing the very essence that made the original anime a treasure. Rather than deliver what many fans hoped for, Netflix's Saint Seiya Knights of the Zodiac was overall a watered down and rushed caricature of the series that came before it. The reboot seemed to pander to the audience, and preferred flash to substance, and spectacle to narrative depth. Even visually, with the CGI, the series felt like a video game cut-scene. In choosing this path, Netflix's Saint Seiya Knights of the Zodiac alienated its legacy fans and deprived new viewers of the emotional and thematic richness that should have been at the core of the reboot.

Saint Seiya captivated its fans with the journeys of its lead characters, not only through the anime series but through the films as well. It was and is a cultural landmark and defined a generation of anime lovers. With its rich lore, memorable characters, and universal themes, Saint Seiya transcended its medium and found its way into the hearts of all who grew up watching it.

Netflix's Saint Seiya Knights of the Zodiac is a missed opportunity. It's a narrative and visual let-down, and the changes made to the legacy story only stripped the series of what made the original great. What could have introduced a new generation to the complex world of Saint Seiya while paying homage to the original anime, instead stands now as a glaring example of what not to do when approaching a reboot of a beloved IP. This reboot will go down in history as another failed attempt to captivate nostalgic audiences and a reminder of the old addage, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."