Knights of the Zodiac: The Beginning Drops New Trailer: Watch

The catalog of live-action anime adaptations is going to grow bigger later this year with the arrival of Knights of the Zodiac: The Beginning in theaters. Slated to arrive on April 28th, the Saint Seiya anime adaptation has long been a part of the medium since its debut in the 1980s. Will the upcoming film manage to placate fans of the anime adaptation who might be skeptical of a live-action film as its new trailer drops? 

Ironically enough, actor Mackenyu who is the star of the film is no stranger to the world of live-action adaptations, with his role in Knights of the Zodiac being only one of his roles that will bring an anime character to life. Taking on the role of Zoro in Netflix’s One Piece series arriving this year, the actor recently discussed his upcoming action-packed take on Saint Seiya anime via an interview in Japan: “There aren’t a lot of these opportunities for Asian-Americans, and it’s an opportunity to show audiences that Asian-American talents exist and we can bring as much fun and excitement and talent to a lead role.”  

What is Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac?

If you haven’t heard of the Knights of the Zodiac franchise before now and are looking for more information on the live-action adaptation of the Saint Seiya anime, here is how the film’s official website describes the upcoming film:

“When a headstrong street orphan in search of his abducted sister unwittingly taps into hidden powers, he discovers he might be the only person alive who can protect a reincarnated goddess, sent to watch over humanity. He will only become a Knight of the Zodiac when he can let his sister go and embrace his destiny.”

The Saint Seiya anime adaptation brought to life stars Mackenyu as Seiya, Madison Iseman as Sienna, Sean Bean as Alman Kido, and Famke Janssen as Guraad. Knights of the Zodiac: The Beginning is directed by Tomasz Baginski (The Witcher), action directed by Andy Cheng (Shang-Chi And The Legend of The Ten Rings, Rush Hour 2), and the screenplay is written by Matt Stuecken and Josh Campbell (10 Cloverfield Lane).

While confirmed for release in Japan this spring, the Saint Seiya/Knights of the Zodiac adaptation has yet to reveal a worldwide release of the movie. You can stay tuned to ComicBook.com for updates on the movie’s international drop. And for those wanting to try out Saint Seiya’s anime, you can find its latest TV series streaming now on Netflix. 

What has been your favorite live-action anime adaptation to date? Feel free to let us know in the comments or hit me up directly on Twitter @EVComedy to talk all things comics, anime, and the world of Knights of the Zodiac.