The producer of such works as JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable and Knights of the Zodiac: Saint Seiya, Temuri Nishii has managed to keep her dance card full with some of the most noteworthy anime around. Recently, we had the opportunity to chat with Nishii specifically about the latter series, asking her at the recently held Crunchyroll Expo, 2019, about how she first came into contact with the Saint Seiya franchise and what attracted her to having a hand in the creation of the Netflix original anime, Knights of the Zodiac.
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Nishii had this to say about her origins with the cast of anime protagonists who find themselves neck deep in Greek Mythology:
“I first became a fan of Saint Seiya when I was in elementary school. I was drawn to the characters’ fighting spirits, friendships, beautiful/aesthetic designs and deep worldview. I also collected toys and goods. My favorite Saints are Shun and Shaka.”
The Knights of the Zodiac features a group of super powered individuals, attempting to protect the reincarnated Athena, one of the most well known members of the Greek Pantheon. The Saint Seiya franchise has had a good number of anime series under its belt, originally created thirty years ago by manga writer and artist, Masami Kuramada. Since spawning back in the 1980s, the franchise has warranted the creation of several anime series, movies, video games, light novels, and more merchandise than we can list.
It’s a testament to the longevity of the concept itself that it inspires creative minds to leap into the series, even decades after its original start date.
When did you first discover the Saint Seiya series for yourselves? What’s been your favorite iteration of the group of super heroes 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 Knights of the Zodiac!
Netflix officially describes the series as such, “Knights of the Zodiac: Saint Seiya follows modern day adventures of young warriors called “Knights”, who are sworn protectors of the reincarnated Greek goddess Athena. Each Knights wears a powerful armor based on their chosen zodiac constellation, and are called Knights of the Zodiac. They aid Athena in her battle against powerful Olympian gods who are bent on destroying the humankind.”
Saint Seiya was originally created by Masami Kurumada for Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump in 1986. The series follows five mystical warriors known as Saints. They’re fighters who wear powerful armor known as “Cloths” and derive their strength from the stars and constellations. Their goal is to defend the reincarnation of Athena by battling the other Olympians who wish to take over Earth.
