Saint Seiya: Meiou Hades Meikai-hen

Story and Characters It of course picks up exactly where the Sanctuary oavs leave off. This time as opposed to the Gold Saints being the central focus, the main featured characters in this series are Seiya and Shun as well as one certain Gold Saint I can't mention due to spoiler reasons in relation to the original TV series, though Hyoga and Shiryu aren't exaclty useless, they are still busy fighting their battles respective battles. And Ikki is still rarely present, but whatever presence he has will be overly significant to what happens in this story. The newer main villains that were introduced in the last oav such as Rhadmantys, are now part of the battlefield as well as a handful of other new characters. And who are some of these new characters? I feel that you have to see it to find out who some of them are, but I can tell you that some of these characters are bad ass. What also makes this story very great is that it expands the darker tone and atmosphere and still uses intriguing plot twists as it did in the Sanctuary Arc, but I thought what this installment offers I never saw coming many cosmos away. And the ending I thought was a very fitting and suited the themes of bravery, sacrafice, friendship, and brotherhood very well in the tradition of Saint Seiya. Art and Animation Well, the qualities that made the animation and coloring in the first oav is still present here. The lighting is still appropriate and I can't say much. The only negative thing I can say about the animation are the dead bodies serving as slaves to Hades. They look super cheap as hell, but in the end, they really don't matter. The new characters featured are really breathtaking to watch. Granted the diversity of the design for some of the main villains is getting weak, they all have their own unique traits and techniques. The features of the armors are appropriate with the underworld-hell theme. And of course there will be some interesting gimmick characters, though these charcters were kind of done before, they were featured in fillers of the original series, but this time, the characters with this kind of gimmick are a Kurumada-sensei original and he adds his own unique detail and feature to it. The quality of the action is still pretty awesome and the moves that will be demonstrated by the newer characters are very cool and the namings sound kind of weird, but this is one of those instances where such bizarre Engrish phrases can be sweet. Music and Voice Acting The most controversial thing about this anime is the changing of the seiyuus from the Bronze Saints and Athena. Apparently, Kurumada-sensei wanted to change everyone except Furuya Tooru because he thought they were too old for their roles, but the only exception is Suzuoki Hirotaka who passed away between the releases of the Sanctuary and Inferno oavs. I heard he especially wanted to change Shun's original voice actor Horikawa Ryo. Furuya Tooru wanted everyone to stay aboard, and he decided to quit. The fans were very angry about this and tried to petition to Kurumada-sensei to not go with this change, and it got severe to the point where Kurumada-sensei got his legal team to speak on behalf of him to accept the changes. As for the "too old excuse," I think it's flatout bullshit. Furuya Tooru still plays 15 year old Amuro in the new Gundam games and so on. Horikawa Ryo I thought still did an excellent job in playing Shun in the Sanctuary Chapter. I always loved the tone and the articulation he brought to the character. And I can't speak much for Shiryu's and Hyoga's new seiyuus since they weren't featured enough or gave a certain kind of performance in which I felt they could capture what I think is the essence of their characters. So who was replaced you might ask? Seiya is now played by Morita Masakazu, who might know as the voice of Kurosawa Ichigo from Bleach. But he was casted as Seiya because Kurumada-sensei had him casted as Takane Ryuuji, the main character in the anime adaptation of his first manga, Ring ni kakero. I can agree that Morita does sound appropriately youthful and brings a distinctive kind of energy to the role of Seiya in which it does suit his character, but I think he really lacks this dignified-heroic quality in his voice that Furuya Tooru has and I don't think he comes across as leaderlike. But the new voice actor who really won me over was Shun's, Kazuya Yuuta. The performance that had me convinced was in the second episode about when he "testifies" to the judge about what sins he's committed and how sin is natural in human nature for such and such reason. He really showed the emotion and compassion necessary that defines the Shun character and I was able to embrace him with that. The only problem I have with the voice is his pitch. It's soft, but yet still high, while with the original performance by Horikawa, it had the low voice where you could tell that he was a man despite his very feminine appearence. Another performance I liked was Konishi Katsuyuki as Ikki. I thought he captured the character well in his own way by being the lone wolf who sticks out and being the "I do things my own way" kind of guy. The new opening theme featured is Megami no Senshi by Marina Del Ray, who also sings Asu He No Toushi, the opening theme to Ring ni Kakero. The brief church organs that play is very dark and gets you hooked and then all of a sudden the guitars play and you see the saints running at the screen along with the title in the background and you got something that lives up to the original theme song, Pegasus Fantasy. In comaprison to that song, it's still pretty sweet hard rock, but it has a certain kind of diversity with the intensity that it has with being gloomy, but yet there is still hope. The imagery, the panning, and the sound effects that go with the panning just add so much to it and I must say that the quality sometimes makes me argue with myself of which is the better theme song between the old and new one. So the opening theme itself is an instant winner. The background music is actually still the same so I can't say much about it that I haven't already have said in my previous reviews. Overall This OAV will have you pumped up for the next oav and the true ending to the original manga of Saint Seiya. If you want plot twists, then you got what I think is one of the best plot twists in anime history

The middle act of the Hades Arc, Inferno, is a major step down from Sanctuary in almost every way. Whilst quickly going through many of the battles and several Celestial Star Spectres quickly being disposed of allows it to stand out and be less repetitive when it comes to combat with its side villains than the Poseidon Arc was, it also makes them a major disappointment when Terrestrial Star Spectres such as Myu proved a genuine threat to the Gold Saints. Instead of being a true step up in power, only the Judges, Pharaoh and Rhadamanthys' underlings prove much of a genuine threat. The reveal of Shun's secret was an interesting twist that explained how he survived his fatal battle with Aphrodite, but it came without foreshadowing from previous arcs and Ikki's lack of knowledge on it was from as poor a plot device as amnesia. Beyond that, the plot was as typical of Saint Seiya Arcs. It did have some interest in the setting with it being a mix of both the Greek Underworld and Hell as described in Dante's Divine Comedy, which led to some nice creative liberties in locations and the theme of life being finite and thus precious was a decent way of making the idea of holding onto hope less generic than usual. However, the regular lives of the Spectres weren't explored enough for the setting to be more than pretty backgrounds and the theme of hope and finite life weren't explored too deep, just being a reiteration of Shaka's words in the first act of this arc. The characters at least make up for this somewhat. While most of the villains within the arc were bland loyal henchmen, Pharaoh at least had some goals beyond serving Hades that allowed him to at least be more engaging than most of the Marina from the previous arc. Hades also carried himself well in displaying the power of a God far better than Poseidon did in the previous arc where he was defeated twice by Gold Saints. As for the heroes, allowing Kanon and Orphe to have their moments to shine was a breath of fresh air after having two arcs of the Bronze Saints hogging all the glory and prevents it from becoming repetitive. Kanon VS Rhadamanthys also had some pretty good build up in the formation of a rivalry between them. Speaking of the Gold Saints such as Kanon, the ending of this 2nd act carries far more consequence and emotion than any of the previous arcs combined. That said, the character appeal is enough to even out the disappointing elements of the plot and make the writing for this arc average overall. As for the more superficial elements, even these strong points for the series went a step below its predecessor. While the still pieces of art remain as good as prior, the animation became far more limited with many shots being reused constantly and character movement becoming far less fluid. Even the sound was a step down from before as while the soundtrack remains unchanged and as great as ever, the changes in several seiyuu such as all of the Bronze Saints was something that would be offputting for returning fans who had grown so accustomed to the iconic deliveries of Toru Furuya or Ryo Horikawa, especially when many of the seiyuu had yet to fully become accustomed to their roles. That said, Inferno is a step down from Sanctuary, though still has it's moments to warrant continuing the series to it's climax.

"Saint Seiya: Meiō Hades ～ Inferno" is the best "Hades" series and although the director and cast were — almost all — replaced, the spirit of Saint Seiya is stronger than ever before! One of the most interesting aspects of the Saint Seiya franchise, for me, has always been the mythos and the generations of characters that inherit the Cloths! So, a chapter that focuses on the underworld, a place that was only briefly alluded to during the original fight against Cancer Deathmask, is infinitely interesting! Ikki and Shun's brotherly love is also put to the test, when Hades selects Shun as a his host, and Ikki is forced to choose between defeating the embodiment of all evil or protecting his younger brother! Strong story writing! ⚠️ This review of Saint Seiya: Meiō Hades ～ Inferno will contain spoilers, this segment with be the second part out of the three Hades anime adaptations ⚠️ —Story/Characters The world-building in this chapter was really interesting, upon Seiya journey to the Underworld (during Episode 1: "Cross Over! The Acheron River"), which one could compare to something akin to Hell — the realm of Elysion is introduced into the narrative, a paradise for people chosen by the Gods! Which is the opposite of Hell, it's something that is Edenic and could be compared to Heaven. Another interesting correlation with the mythos is that the arc is called "Inferno" and Seiya is traveling into the netherworld to rescue Saori's soul, "Dante's Inferno" anyone? ※ Another partial Biblical tidbit is that Saga's evil personality, Kanon, literally has an attack called "Imperial Satanic Illusion"! This chapter is deeply entrenched in Greek mythology and "Antigone"-like dramaturgy between the Saints and the castle guards. The first villain that really struck me was the tragic, yet beautiful — Lyra Orphée! Orphée's lover Eurydice dies, and Orphée pleads with Pandora to release Eurydice's soul, but then she tricks him and thus, Orphée and Eurydice's souls are both tied to the underworld. Of course, Orphée is Orpheus from Greek mythology, but it was still a heartfelt rendition of the story and who doesn't want to see mythological figures wearing Saint armor? Harkening back to the "Dante's Inferno" comparison, another point of interest that I had with this particular arc, is that each gate ("Prison") has a differing effect on the souls that pass through. It's like the theory that there are seven layers of heaven and seven layers of hell, read Richard Matheson's "What Dreams May Come" novel for more of an exploration into this premise! For example the fourth layer is a swamp and has an appointed, warden Saint to guard the entrance to the next level, and fifth level is the section of the underworld where souls burn forever, etc. Each of the core "Bronze" Saints get their time to shine throughout this series... since it is a direct sequel to the original series, they are all "Silver" Saints now, and Seiya becomes a ※Gold Saint in Omega! When Hades finally enters Shun Andromeda's body, it is doubly tragic, because his older brother ("Ikki") is the one forced to fight him, the (8th) episode where it all goes down is even called "Ikki! Sorrowful Punch"! The climax ends with the Saints rushing to rescue the imprisoned Athena and Ikki reminds Pandora of her bygone mortality! This chapter really packs a punch, it not only has a really well-orchestrated premise and narrative elements, but also, it has some very compelling character moments! ※ Something else that I appreciate about the Saint Seiya series is the level of strife that the characters must endure, in order to earn their Saint Cloths! Nowadays, a character will be able to access the ultimate power level around episode twenty (or earlier), but I appreciate that the characters in Saint Seiya train for decades and entire anime seasons, before they ever reach that point. Some of them even go blind, before they can ever perfect their skills! —Technical Luna's Favorite Works by Each Respective Creator = ✅ Tomoharu Katsumata (director of the "Inferno" and "Elysion" arcs), notable works: * Anderson Dōwa: Ningyo-hime ✅ * Captain Future * Cutey Honey ✅ * Dai Yamato Zero-gō * Daikū Maryū Gaiking * Daisōgen to Hakuba ("The Princess and the White Horse") * Devilman (1972) * Entaku no Kishi Monogatari: Moero Arthur * Ginga Nagareboshi Gin * Hashire Melos * Kagayake! Yūjō no V Sign * Magnerobo Ga-Keen * Mazinger Z ✅ * Nagagutsu Sanjūshi * Ningen Kakumei * Saleryman Kintarō * Uchū Senkan Yamato: Kanketsu-hen ("Space Battleship Yamato: The Final Chapter") * UFO Robo Grendizer * Waga Seishun no Arcadia ("My Youth in Arcadia") * Yamato yo Towa ni ("Be Forever Yamato") * Yukiguni no Ōji-sama * Yume Senshi Wingman Commentary: While Mr. Katsumata's had some shows that haven't particularly resonated with me, like "Waga Seishun no Arcadia" and "Devilman (1972)" — despite this, Tomoharu Katsumata's style of directing is well-suited to a Saint Seiya series, rife will slow panoramic shots and dazzling portrait images of characters fighting in a blaze of glory, I think that Mr. Katsumata was the right guy to bring in for the introduction of the malevolent Hades character! Like the colorful tragedies of "Anderson Dōwa: Ningyo-hime" — Shun Andromeda descent into the shoes of Hades was done with style and a dense atmosphere! I appreciate the level of craftsmanship put into each subsequent scene, classic director! Impeccable work on the series, the last two chapters of "Meiō Hades" feel as though Mr. Katsumata was genuinely passionate about the Saint Seiya franchise! Good Seiyū Work = ✅ Really Enjoyed the Seiyū's Performance = ✅✅ One of Luna's Favorite Performances OF ALL TIME = ✅✅✅ Masakazu Morita as Seiya Pegasus, notable roles: * Ki-ja ("White Dragon"), Akatsuki no Tona * Claire Stanfield, Baccano * Kazuya Hiramaru, Bakuman. (series) ✅ * Eiji Hoshimiya, Big Order ✅ * Ichigo Kurosaki, Bleach (series) ✅✅✅ * Shōsaku Katsura, Bungō Stray Dogs ✅✅ * Whis, Dragon Ball Super * Akio Fuyuki, Interlude * Yukari Mishakuji, K * Xīn Lǐ, Kingdom (series) * Shirō Hodzumi and Kazuki Hihara, Kin'iro no Corda: Blue♪Sky (series) * Toshiya Satō, Major (series) * Alfred Visconti, Marginal Prince: Gekkeiju no Ōji-tachi * Itsumi Ryōgoku, Miracle☆Train: Oedo-sen e Yōkoso * Auel Neider, Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny * Yakumo Yoshikawa, Onmyō Taisenki * Pod, Pokémon Best Wishes! * Kotarō Tennōji, Rewrite ✅ * Ryūji Takane, Ring ni Kakero * Keiji Maeda, Sengoku Basara (series) * Azazel, Shingeki no Bahamut (series) ✅✅✅ * Christopher Thorndyke, Sonic X * Barnaby Brooks Jr. ("Bunny"), Tiger & Bunny ✅✅✅ Commentary: Mr. Morita did a splendid job in his rendition of Seiya Pegasus! Though I am more used to him playing moody characters like Azazel ("Shingeki no Bahamut") and Barnaby Brooks Jr. ("Tiger & Bunny"), rather than a tried and true protagonist like ※Seiya! Incredible work, another great rendition of a classic character! ※ Even Ichigo Kurosaki is a bit of a grump! Takahiro Sakurai as Dragon Shiryū, notable roles: * Haseo, .hack —series ✅ * Takashi Hayashida, 3-Gatsu no Lion ✅ * Ryō, 7 Seeds * Blue Knight, Accel World ✅ * Soichirō Sena, Active Raid * Yū Tosaki, Ajin * Cutthroat, Akudama Dive * Atsumu Matsuyuki ("Yukiatsu"), Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae wo Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai. ("AnoHana") ✅ * Shinobu Kujiin, Babylon ✅ * Yūki Momose, Battle Spirits * Griffith, Berserk ✅ ✅ ✅ * Jirō Mochizuki, Black Blood Brothers * Killy, Blame! * Izuru Kira, Bleach ✅ * Kabuto Hanadori, Boku no Tonari ni Ankoku Hakaishin ga Imasu. * Bizon Gerafil, Buddy Complex * Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald, Bungō Stray Dogs ✅ * Hiroki Kamikura, Canvas 2 * Suzaku Kururugi, Code Geass ✅ ✅ * Haruhiko Tsugayama, Copihan * Joe Shimamura, Cyborg 009: The Cyborg Solider * Yū Kanada, D. Gray-man ✅ * Leon Kuwata, Danganronpa * Ryūsuke Higo, Detective Conan ✅ * Mono Ureu, Devil Survivor 2 the Animation * Ruki Mukami, Diabolik Lovers * Kazuya Miyuki, Diamond no Ace * Tentomon, Digimon Adven…

General: (7.55 / 10) (SPOILERS) I missed the second of the three installments under the "Hades" arc. This time it was also entertaining, but I feel that its prequel is still a step higher than "Chapter - Inferno", since although we have had good moments of drama as the final outcome with the sacrifice of the golden knights, and even history Orpheo. The battles themselves were not too memorable, I feel that the antagonists in this case the "ghosts" left much to be desired and did not give a great sense of danger or depth of characters, with the exception of Radamanthys who was one step above the others. judges of hell. As for the staging, the art had good moments at the beginning, but already for the last chapters the quality declines enough to the point of having a certain deformity in the characters. On the contrary, the soundtrack continues to have the same charm as always and representative of this title, although its Opening left me to be desired for this occasion. In short we are in the final stretch of history I hope the best for the closing of this series. VERSION EN ESPAÑOL: General: (7,55 / 10) (SPOILERS) Se me fue la segunda de las tres entregas bajo el arco de "Hades". En esta ocasión también fue entretenida, pero siento que su precuela sigue estando un escalón mayor que "Chapter - Inferno", ya que si bien hemos tenido buenos momentos de drama como el desenlace final con el sacrificio de los caballeros dorados, e inclusive la historia de Orpheo. Las batallas en si no fueron demasiado memorables, siento que los antagonistas en este caso los "espectros" dejaron bastante que desear y no dieron gran sensación de peligro o profundidad de personajes, exceptuando un poco a Radamanthys que estuvo un escalón por encima de los demás jueces del infierno. En cuanto a puesta en escena, el arte tuvo unos buenos momentos al comienzo, pero ya para los últimos capítulos decae bastante la calidad al punto de tener cierta deformidad en los personajes. Por el contrario la banda sonora sigue teniendo el mismo encanto de siempre y representativo de este titulo, aunque su Opening me dejo que desear para esta ocasión. En fin estamos en la recta final de la historia espero lo mejor para el cierre de esta serie.

The continuation, with the part of the underworld. You immediately notice a change of style. If the first part (Hades Sanctuary) had dared, with some changes to the story and a bit of CG in the graphics, here we essentially stick to the manga faithfully, without even great animations. History manages to remain good, in the Underworld with Dante inspiration. The main problem is that that feeling of war is missing, the characters are scattered, and of serious battles, in true Saint Seiya style, there are very few. A fairly painful key is the characterization of the enemies. Except for Rhadamanthys, already presented in the previous part, most of the specters lack charisma, they save just a couple. Of course, there are some good parentheses (like that of Orpheus), some unexpected twists, some badass moments for a couple of characters, and an epic closure, but in general you feel that something is missing in this part.

1/1 Movie Watched (Español Disponible) This is one of the most emotional parts that this anime has had so far, I have cried so much that my sentimental bond with this anime is so special. I love how the determination of these characters reaches the point of collective sacrifice for a just cause. This anime didn't think it was going to be emotional but the story, the sound, the development of the characters is impressive. I really love the direction the anime is taking, despite the turn the anime takes that Hades enters Shun's body and Ikki tries to protect him at an early age, so far I want to know what Pandora's plan is that I follow without understanding it. On the other hand, something that also sensitized everyone was the part of Orfeo de Lira who goes in search of his beloved Erudice, who's love story was very sad. The other thing I saw was that there were many Seiyuus that I love too much. I remind you that this review is according to the release date of this anime. ********************************************************************* 1/1 Película Vista Esta es una de las partes más emotivas que ha tenido este anime hasta el momento, he llorado tanto que mi lazo sentimental con este anime es especial, me encanta mucho como la determinación de estos personajes llega al punto del sacrificio colectivo para una causa justa. Este anime no pensaba que fuese a ser emocional pero la historia, el sonido, el desenvolvimiento de los personajes es impresioante. Me encanta muchísimo la dirección que está tomando el anime, a pesar del giro que toma el anime que Hades entra en el cuerpo de Shun e Ikki trata de protegerlo a una temprana edad, hasta el momento quiero saber cual es el plan de Pandora que sigo sin entenderlo. Por otro lado algo que también sensibilizó a todos fue la parte de Orfeo de Lira que va en busca de su amada Erudice, que fue muy triste su historia de amor. Lo otro que vi fue que habían muchos Seiyuus que me encantan demasiado. Hago recordar que este review es según la fecha de lanzamiento de este anime.

In the Hades Saga – Inferno, everything becomes slower and heavier. Seiya and the Saints descend into Hell, and the story leans more on endurance and exhaustion than on immediate impact. It’s a long journey of continuous battles and constant suffering. The Judges of Hades—Rhadamanthys, Aiacos, and Minos—do command respect, but the execution doesn’t always live up to their presence. The fight choreography is one of the weaker points: many battles end up being stacks of power-ups and declarations rather than real strategy. Still, the series gets something right that feels missing in modern works: when a powerful enemy appears, they truly feel like an immovable obstacle. They’re not disposable villains. They halt the story, demand real sacrifice to overcome, and restore a sense of weight to battles that many modern shounen have simply lost.

This is the third time I'm rewatching the Hades series, and for the third time, I feel like it could have given more. Don't get me wrong, Sanctuary and Inferno were fun to watch and it had the classic Saint Seiya's vibes, but Inferno especially, was rushed (so was Elysium, but we don't talk about that). The setting of a Dante's underworld was very intriguing, but a lot was left unexplored, like all the Prisons. 12 episodes weren't enough to do so after all. But despite the rushed product, I loved the art style, the Kanon's redemption arc, and the interactions between some characters (especially on the last episode). Keeping the music of the original serie was a nice touch and made it feel even more nostalgic. It has some flaws (which anime doesn't have at least one?), but I would recommend this and Sanctuary to people who haven't watched the series yet.

In fact, this OVA is, like this anime, rather boring. I completely understand that this universe and these characters can be so appreciated by the public, but personally I found this part rather slow and frankly the pace suffers quite a bit since the events take far too long to move forward for my taste, to the point where we quickly lose interest in what's going on. Admittedly, there are some twists in the plot and some battles, but they're clearly not well-paced, animated or narrated enough to get me back into the story. From the very first episodes, I was hooked and never managed to get back into it (especially as the twists come out of nowhere, if you ask me). In short, discovering these old Saint Seiya series makes me realize that Toei's bad habits don't date from yesterday, but from much longer ago.