Saint Seiya
聖闘士星矢
Saint Seiya
聖闘士星矢
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Watch-outs
What this film brings
Content barometer
Violence
4/5
Strong
Fear
3/5
Notable tension
Sexuality
1/5
Allusions
Language
1/5
Mild
Narrative complexity
2/5
Moderate
Adult themes
0/5
None
Expert review
Saint Seiya, first broadcast in 1986, is a shōnen action and mythological fantasy series following young warriors wearing cosmic armors who fight to protect the goddess Athena against malevolent deities. The series is built around frequent, prolonged, and intense battles, often featuring visible injuries, stylized blood, and heroic sacrifices, with several key character deaths occurring throughout the story. Violence is constant and central to the narrative, with fights often spanning multiple episodes within an increasingly dark atmosphere as heroes confront underworld gods. The main female character, Saori/Athena, is repeatedly cast in a passive role as a figure to be protected or rescued, which may reflect dated gender stereotypes, and parents may wish to use this as an opportunity to discuss these representations with their children. Parents of children close to the recommended age may want to watch the first few episodes together to gauge their child's reaction to the intense combat and themes of death and sacrifice.
Synopsis
Ages ago, the goddess Athena was served by fighters called Saints who channeled the power of the Cosmos within them. Now a youth named Seiya has trained to become a Saint himself by earning the mystical Cloth of Pegasus. He is joined by other Saints with Cloths of their own to fight for Athena.
Difficult scenes
Throughout the series, battles between saints are particularly violent for animation of that era: heroes suffer serious injuries shown on screen, with stylized blood, broken limbs, and characters in agony. These scenes recur across every story arc and may disturb sensitive children, as physical suffering is depicted with notable dramatic emphasis. Several supporting characters and even major Gold Saints die during the story, sometimes in touching sacrificial scenes that are explicitly shown on screen. These deaths are not glossed over but serve as key narrative turning points, with prolonged farewells and strong emotional reactions from surviving heroes. The Underworld arc immerses the characters in an oppressive realm ruled by Hades, god of the dead. The atmosphere is dark and anxiety-inducing, featuring hellish creatures, souls of the deceased, and a constant threat of death looming over the heroes. This arc may create genuine tension and unease in younger viewers unfamiliar with underworld mythology. Saori Kido, the reincarnation of Athena, is repeatedly placed in critical danger, mortally wounded, or held in prolonged states of helplessness, consistently requiring rescue by the male saints. This repetitive pattern casts the main female character almost exclusively in a passive role, a notable gender stereotype that parents may want to discuss with their children.
Where to watch
Availability checked on Apr 09, 2026
About this title
- Format
- TV series
- Year
- 1986
- Runtime
- 24m
- Countries
- Japan
- Original language
- JA
- Main cast
- Toru Furuya, Hirotaka Suzuoki, Ryo Horikawa, Koichi Hashimoto, Hideyuki Hori, Keiko Han, Hideyuki Tanaka, Mami Koyama, Yuriko Yamamoto, Kazuyuki Sogabe
- Studios
- Toei Animation
Content barometer
Violence
4/5
Strong
Fear
3/5
Notable tension
Sexuality
1/5
Allusions
Language
1/5
Mild
Narrative complexity
2/5
Moderate
Adult themes
0/5
None
Expert review
Saint Seiya, first broadcast in 1986, is a shōnen action and mythological fantasy series following young warriors wearing cosmic armors who fight to protect the goddess Athena against malevolent deities. The series is built around frequent, prolonged, and intense battles, often featuring visible injuries, stylized blood, and heroic sacrifices, with several key character deaths occurring throughout the story. Violence is constant and central to the narrative, with fights often spanning multiple episodes within an increasingly dark atmosphere as heroes confront underworld gods. The main female character, Saori/Athena, is repeatedly cast in a passive role as a figure to be protected or rescued, which may reflect dated gender stereotypes, and parents may wish to use this as an opportunity to discuss these representations with their children. Parents of children close to the recommended age may want to watch the first few episodes together to gauge their child's reaction to the intense combat and themes of death and sacrifice.
Synopsis
Ages ago, the goddess Athena was served by fighters called Saints who channeled the power of the Cosmos within them. Now a youth named Seiya has trained to become a Saint himself by earning the mystical Cloth of Pegasus. He is joined by other Saints with Cloths of their own to fight for Athena.
Difficult scenes
Throughout the series, battles between saints are particularly violent for animation of that era: heroes suffer serious injuries shown on screen, with stylized blood, broken limbs, and characters in agony. These scenes recur across every story arc and may disturb sensitive children, as physical suffering is depicted with notable dramatic emphasis. Several supporting characters and even major Gold Saints die during the story, sometimes in touching sacrificial scenes that are explicitly shown on screen. These deaths are not glossed over but serve as key narrative turning points, with prolonged farewells and strong emotional reactions from surviving heroes. The Underworld arc immerses the characters in an oppressive realm ruled by Hades, god of the dead. The atmosphere is dark and anxiety-inducing, featuring hellish creatures, souls of the deceased, and a constant threat of death looming over the heroes. This arc may create genuine tension and unease in younger viewers unfamiliar with underworld mythology. Saori Kido, the reincarnation of Athena, is repeatedly placed in critical danger, mortally wounded, or held in prolonged states of helplessness, consistently requiring rescue by the male saints. This repetitive pattern casts the main female character almost exclusively in a passive role, a notable gender stereotype that parents may want to discuss with their children.