List of Saint Seiya films
Due to the series' high popularity in Japan and the rest of the world, four films based on Saint Seiya were released in theatres between 1987 and 1989, while the original TV series was still airing. The plots of these films do not comply with the chronology of the manga or anime storylines and therefore it is unknown at what point the events of the films take place. A fifth film named Heaven Chapter: Overture was released in 2004, originally intended to initiate a continuation of the manga. A sixth film, , was premiered in 2014.
The first two movies received a theatrical release in France under Les Chevaliers du Zodiaque: La Légende de la Pomme d'Or, and La Guerre des Dieux, where Knights of the Zodiac was at its prime popularity in that country. These films were never released in the U.S until it was announced by Discotek Media in 2012 that they had acquired the rights to the first four movies in a two disc set. The DVDs contain the original Japanese audio track with English subtitles.
Evil Goddess Eris (1987)
When Seiya, Hyōga and Shun visit Saori at the orphanage, they meet an employee called Eri. An orphan herself, Eri takes a liking to Hyōga and one night they sit outside watching the stars. They see a shooting star and Hyōga asks Eri to make a wish. After Hyōga leaves, however, Eri becomes powerfully attracted to the shooting star and wanders alone into the woods, where she finds a golden apple. She is then possessed by Eris, the Goddess of Discord, and kidnaps Athena, planning to use the golden apple to suck her energy out, fully reincarnate and take over the world. Eris leaves a message for the Bronze Saints, who set out for the goddess's temple which appears on the mountains. There, the heroes fight the five Ghost Saints: Sagitta Maya, Lyra Orpheus, Southern Cross Khristós, Scutum Jan and Orion Jäger.The Heated Battle of the Gods (1988)
Saint Seiya: The Heated Battle of the Gods is the second anime film by Toei Animation based on the Saint Seiya manga. It premiered on March 12, 1988 in the Toei Manga Matsuri film festival along with the movie versions of Lady Lady!!, Bikkuriman and Kamen Rider Black. The soundtrack was composed by Seiji Yokoyama and released in the Saint Seiya Original Soundtrack IV – The Heated Battle of the Gods CD.In Siberia, Hyōga saves a man that is being attacked. Injured, the man manages only to say something about Asgard. Some days later, Saori, Seiya, Shiryū and Shun are wondering about Hyōga and decide to go to Asgard to investigate. At Valhalla, the Lord of Asgard, Dolbar, says he has not heard of any Hyōga and neither has his right hand, Loki. However, at all times Seiya and the others can feel an evil cosmo emanating from Loki and the other Odin Saints called God Warriors. Shiryū, in particular, notices a familiar cosmo coming from Midgard, a mysterious, masked God Warrior. Dolbar makes it clear that he is trying to take control of both Asgard and the Sanctuary, imprisoning Athena in a strange dimension within the giant statue of Odin. Midgard reveals himself as Hyōga and tries to kill Shiryū to prove himself to Dolbar. Thus, it is the task of the Bronze Saints to defeat Dolbar, Loki and the rest of the God Warriors, to save Athena and Hyōga.
Due to this film's popularity, Toei Animation created the Asgard saga for the anime, which did not originally appear in the manga and is set between the Sanctuary and Poseidon arcs of the story.
Legend of Crimson Youth (1988)
Saint Seiya: The Legend of Crimson Youth is the third anime film by Toei Animation based on the Saint Seiya manga. Unlike its predecessors, which premiered on the Toei Manga Matsuri film festivals, this installment was instead shown at the Weekly Jump 20th Anniversary Festival along with the animated movie version of Sakigake!! Otokojuku.Athena receives the visit of Phoebus Abel, her older brother and God of the Corona. He informs her that he has come to destroy humanity as punishment for their corruption, just as it was done in ancient times. He dismisses Seiya and the Bronze Saints, as she will now be guarded by Abel's three Corona Saints, Atlas of Carina, Jaō of Lynx and Berenice of Coma Berenices, and the five resurrected Gold Saints who died in the Sanctuary battle: Saga of Gemini, Deathmask of Cancer, Shura of Capricorn, Camus of Aquarius and Aphrodite of Pisces. When Athena rebels against Abel's plan, he attacks her, sending her soul to Elysion, the final resting place from which there is no return. The Bronze Saints immediately rush to the Sanctuary to save her and ultimately overcome Abel.
Unlike the other Saint Seiya movies made in the 1980s, this one was a full featured film, having a running time of 75 minutes. The events occur sometime after the Poseidon saga and before the Fallen [|Angels] saga.
Warriors of the Final Holy Battle (1989)
The plot involves the coming of Lucifer to the Sanctuary, where his underlings systematically dispose of the surviving Gold Saints. Athena goes to Lucifer to ask for peace, placing herself in peril. The Bronze Saints must then come to her rescue, destroying Lucifer's Fallen Angels in the process.The soundtrack was composed by Seiji Yokoyama and released in the Saint Seiya Original Soundtrack VIII – Warriors of the Final Holy Battle CD.
Heaven Chapter: Overture (2004)
After the success of the OVA series Hades - Chapter Sanctuary, this movie served as a continuation to the Hades saga. Injured after his confrontation with Hades, Seiya is in a coma and under Saori's care. The Goddess Artemis, Saori's older sister, comes to Earth to ask why she is not fulfilling her duties as a Goddess and takes control of Sanctuary in her stead. Hoping that it may bring peace on Earth, Saori goes to the Sanctuary and starts spilling her blood and it is up to the Bronze Saints to save her.After the bloody battle against Hades, goddess Athena's Saints are still recovering when they find themselves face to face with their newest and most formidable foe: the dreadful goddess Artemis, accompanied by her Angels. Artemis replaces Athena as the Earth guardian deity and takes over the Sanctuary, turning Athena's Saints into her servants.
Upon invading the Sanctuary, the Bronze Saints learn that Athena was banished by Artemis and decide to fight the moon goddess in order to rescue their true goddess and free the Earth from Artemis's ominous control.
The movie focuses mostly on Seiya and Athena, as the other Bronze Saints are not seen as much; they only appear during their respective fights with the other Angels, and briefly towards the end. However, Eagle Marin also appears, as Ophiuchus Shaina, Unicorn Jabu, and Hydra Ichi do, though the latter three are just cameos.
The movie also has a very ambiguous ending, with many plot points and danglers unresolved.