Summary
Feeling very uninspired and dull, Netflix series Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac, adapted from the manga/anime materials, is disappointing but it might be worth committing to, for now.
Netflix Anime series Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac season 1 was released on the platform on July 18, 2019.
I can’t profess to be knowledgeable about Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac but I do know its history spans back to 1986 as a weekly serial. Since then, the story has been created in various media forms, which brings us to 2019, with Netflix releasing a computer-generated adaptation of the manga and anime series.
Embracing Greek mythology, Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac follows Seiya, who ends up embroiled in fighting for his life at a sanctuary while looking for his sister who has disappeared. Seiya fights for armour and becomes a “Saint” – the “Saints” form a team, known as the five mystical warriors. Their mission is to defend the reincarnation of Greek Goddess Athena, who is trying to stop the Olympian Gods from dominating Earth. If you have an eye for these stories, you will be thrilled to know that the series provides its twist on the mythology. There’s a sense of good versus evil, and like the anime and manga counterparts, it tries to honour the story of Athena.
I have to admit; I was quite concerned about the wooden dialogue executed from the start. Words feel childlike and robotic. The sense of what is at stake is dulled down by very poorly timed one-liners, meaning you never really feel impacted by the story. I appreciate there is a sense that the computer-generated version is more in-tune for the kids, but I expected a little more emotion in the voice acting.
Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac bumbles along with the character Seiya who nurtures the powers gained instantly. There is a need to speed-up the story, as Season 1 is seemingly only six episodes long — however, I am unsure if this is Part 1, and subsequent episodes will follow, as Wikipedia clearly states there will be 12 chapters.
But yes, despite the hype around the release of this Netflix anime/manga adapted series, I felt underwhelmed mainly by the content of the show. Luckily, it’s quick to watch so you can remain committed, so I wouldn’t be put off watching it. I just expected more.
