Seinto Seiya: Legend of Sanctuary (2014) Reviews

• A missed opportunity

  Rectangular_businessman2014-09-16

  As someone who grew up watching the original "Saint Seiya" anime, I found "Saint Seiya: Legend of Sanctuary" to be a mixed bag at best: The first half of the movie introduces the story and the main characters in a decent (albeit a bit rushed) manner, but during the second half (Specifically, after the Taurus House part), the plot turns muddled and hard to follow. Not as muddled as in movies like "Final Fantasy: Advent Children", but I think that some scenes will confuse those viewers who never watched the original series. (Hey, I watched the original series several times, and I still found some parts of this movie to be confusing and not very well explained) The short duration of the movie (90 minutes approximately) is simply not enough to cover the 73 episodes of the Sanctuary Arc from the original anime, having too many characters which aren't properly developed (Case in point: Pisces Aphrodite, who only appears in this movie to be killed off without doing anything relevant to the plot.) Some moments lack of the same emotional impact that the original anime had due the rushed narrative (For example, the duel between Camus and Hyoga, which isn't as memorable as in the 80's series, since their whole master-disciple relationship is merely referenced, but not explored) Visually speaking, the film is very impressive and well done, though I'm sure that the comparisons with the Final Fantasy games will be unavoidable.(Specially taking in consideration the transformation of the main villain near the end of the movie, which reminded me the final boss battles from those videogames) The soundtrack was decent, but in my opinion the soundtrack of the original series was far more memorable. While it was moderately entertaining to watch "Saint Seiya: Legend of Sanctuary" had the potential to be something much better. I wasn't expecting a 100% faithful adaptation (That would have been impossible in such short time) but it could have been a far more memorable experience with its own merits instead of being a merely watchable flick. On a side note, the Latin American dub used almost all the voices from the original series for the movie, and I think that was a nice touch for the nostalgic fans. 6/10

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• Saint Sei.. what?!

  franck_lam892015-04-11

  Alright, I am part of this 89 generation in France who grew up watching Saint Seiya on TV. Loved it when I was a kid, adored it when I became a teen and still admire it as a grown-up. Both the anime and the manga convey values of friendship, faith, true strength, love, justice, overcoming your own limits, etc. They would transport you into a unique dimension in which Greek mythology serves as background. In short, a fair genuine and creative world. Even the language was particularly beautiful: the cues / lines were using elevated / formal registers with a classy lexicon. In addition, this epic shounen depicted a lot of wonderful fights which were far from being repetitive. The characters would spray out such charisma that you would take a liking into identifying yourself as one or several of them (we all have a zodiacal sign, haven't we?!). As for the anime, the soundtrack composed by Seiji Yokoyama is still considered as a reference, a unique genre and a jewel for your ears (and cosmos). SPOILER ALERT Therefore, when I heard of the movie about 'Saint Seiya', I was quite thrilled. Later on, when I saw the first pictures of it, I started to fear the worst. Although one might like the character-design, I personally find it awful. It is so childish... The Clothes are no longer contained in boxes but in medals (?!), our Bronze Saints and Saori Kido look like Asian Teenage Idols, Tatsumi is no longer bald, Mû wears glasses, Milo is a woman... We don't get to see the clothes in their unworn forms (i.e., as the mythical Pegasus) and even attacks are just made of poor-tasted FX. Regarding the plot, I get the fact that they had to condense 73 episodes into 90 min. But hell, if you're a Saint Seiya neophyte, how are you supposed to appreciate it? For example, Camus will die teaching Hyôga the 7th sense. Right, who cares - we just saw him for two minutes. In the original works, you'd be crying out loud. Even as a hardcore fan, I was not even slightly moved by the sequence. And what's up with the scenery? What happened to Greek mythology? Why could the guys go there through a... Stargate?! What's up with the main villain - Saga - who has just one personality here and who became a monster like in 'POWER RANGERS'? I won't even comment on the soundtrack - we just happen to be in a lame video game here. So yeah, I am very disappointed that Kurumada actually gave his permission for this shameful adaptation of his masterpiece. Well, you still might appreciate it if you happen to be 3 years old (hence the one star) but trust me - this has really NOTHING to do with the original 'Saint Seiya' which is this time genuinely - LEGENDARY.

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• Failed with the new and old fans. Good visual but Poor script

  eng-klendatu2014-09-15

  It's a rather patchwork of disjointed and poorly explained situations, it has so many loose ends, that only a legitimate fan of anime and manga is able to see a logical script line. Despite presenting a very good CGI,lush scenery and characters with huge potential the movie fails miserably in creating a new audience for Saint Seiya universe and please the old fans. Analyzing purely as a common movie, it's just mediocre and will be easily forgotten by youngers ... The final script brink of chaos, undergoes a bewildering do speeds up precisely in the huge point of this movie, where should really be about, the battles. Whitch are the base point of original saga plot. Here, only three can be described as the level of what is expected of the franchise, the other comes down in one or two hits and go for resounding defeats. One of the main character has a death that takes seconds to happen without even a real confrontation. This movie completely lost the basic points of the original plot. However the Saint Seya universe does not allow the film to be classified as just a kids movie. All a dark tone, violent, while psychologically loaded, with cursing, self motivation speeches and mantras about friendship and trust were exchanged with a jocular tone, with dry and empy dialogs and contained violence and forced misplaced comedy. But worst of all was one of the characters subvert. He was originally a psychopathic killer and became sort of a carnivalesque version of Cap. jack Sparow. paradoxically singing in harmony with those who would represent the agony of the imprisoned souls of their victims as macabre props ..your necrophiliac house was turned into a Disney musical stage. Not to mention he was defeated effortlessly by a challenger. By any reference to the original story, it should be a dark character and provide a real challenge to be defeated. To quote one of the many holes in the script, the story cites the need to cross all the houses of the signs, but some are summarily ignored. In short, it's a caricatured representation of what the anime represented over a very weak and careless script. The climax of the film is equally disappointing, contains all the clichés about confronting the grand final villain.

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• Great CG/Art, nothing else

  cblackfire2015-03-29

  After watching this movie I am disappointed. A recommendation for different kind of watchers:

• A Great CG, but A bad Anime/Manga Adaptation

  meliyantocxx2014-12-13

  **Spoiler Warning** Pros: Good CG. Neutral Opinion: The Cloth Box and Mask. Cons: 1) Poor Script: 90 min run time isn't enough to cover the entire arc, well that's forgivable, BUT there are unnecessary scene for about 10-20 mins, such as Deathmask singing(really hate this scene). 2) Wrong personality of the characters: Milo is woman while the real one in manga/anime is a man! Deathmask is eccentric and sadist, not a comedian! Seiya isn't that funny kind of guy, he is about spirit and friendship, and loyalty, not a funny character. Ikki isn't as cool as in the Manga/Anime. 3) Shaka didn't fight Ikki??? 4) Almost every battle get cut, it only show how the bronze saint meet with gold saint, and then goes to another scene, and when we back to the fighting, it only show the bronze saint execute his final attack, lame! 5) Why they change the characters face? I've played Saint Seiya game, 3D graphic one, and the characters face is identical with the Manga/Anime, but in this movie they all have different face, a cuter one, LAME! 6) They don't have that dramatic moment!!! When Hyoga desperately having to fight his own master(Aquarius Camus) and it turned out that his master actually teach him something.. 7) Saori with short hair?? 8) Changed Script: My beloved battle: Aphrodite vs Shuun is changed.. (Saga killed Aphrodite).. TERRIBLE STUPID LAME!!! There is also no Shura Vs Shiryu (and Shiryu managed to make Shura realize his mistake and Shura give him Excalibur at the last minute of his life). That battle against that Giant Statue is lame and unnecessary. And this movie is about Bronze Saints, but why are the Gold Saints taking the spotlight? 9) The final battle is mehhh. Overall, it's a failed Manga/Anime adaptation. What a disappointment.

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