Saint Seiya watch order
Seiya and his fellow Bronze Saints wear armour (Cloths) modelled on the constellations and fight for the goddess Athena, reborn as the girl Saori Kido. Masami Kurumada's manga became Toei's 114-episode 1986 series, finished years later by the Hades OVAs, with several spin-offs and two CG reboots alongside.
First time? Watch the TV series (114 episodes, Asgard included if you like), then the three Hades OVAs: Sanctuary, Inferno and Elysion. Add Heaven Chapter: Overture afterwards. Everything else is an optional side story or a separate continuity.
First-timer order
The core story: the TV series, then the three Hades OVAs that finish it, then Overture. The 1980s films, Soul of Gold and Saintia Sho are optional extras for later. Skip Asgard (episodes 74–99) if you only want the manga story.
- Saint Seiya: Sanctuary arc (episodes 1–73)
Seiya wins the Pegasus Cloth and fights in the Galaxian Wars, then the Bronze Saints take on Black, Silver and finally Gold Saints in the battle through the Twelve Temples of the Sanctuary. Adapts the manga, with a handful of filler episodes (16–22, 33–35, 54–55 and 64).
- Saint Seiya: Asgard arc (episodes 74–99)
An anime-only arc made so the TV series wouldn't overtake the manga: Athena goes to Asgard and the Bronze Saints fight Hilda's God Warriors. Filler, but popular; it can be skipped without missing anything from the manga.
- Saint Seiya: Poseidon arc (episodes 100–114)
Back to the manga: Poseidon awakens, takes Athena to his undersea temple and the Bronze Saints fight his Marina Generals. The end of the original TV series.
- Saint Seiya: The Hades Chapter – Sanctuary
Thirteen years after the TV series, the manga's final arc is finally animated, picking up where Poseidon left off: Hades revives fallen Gold Saints to attack the Sanctuary. Made with the original character designs and voice cast.
- Saint Seiya: The Hades Chapter – Inferno
The Bronze Saints go down into the Underworld after Hades. Released in two halves, and recast: the main Japanese voice cast was replaced from here on.
- Saint Seiya: The Hades Chapter – Elysion
The final battle against Hades in Elysion. The end of Kurumada's original manga story.
- Saint Seiya: Heaven Chapter – Overture
A film set after Hades, with the original voice cast: Seiya lies wounded by Hades' sword and the goddess Artemis takes the Sanctuary. Released between the first two Hades OVAs, but watch it after Elysion. Its open ending was never continued in anime.
Story order
The original continuity first, with every film and spin-off where it fits, then the separate continuities: The Lost Canvas (a prequel by another author), Omega, and the two CG retellings. The 1980s films are original stories that don't fit neatly anywhere; they're placed where the cast and setting make sense.
- Saint Seiya: Sanctuary arc (episodes 1–73)
Seiya wins the Pegasus Cloth and fights in the Galaxian Wars, then the Bronze Saints take on Black, Silver and finally Gold Saints in the battle through the Twelve Temples of the Sanctuary. Adapts the manga, with a handful of filler episodes (16–22, 33–35, 54–55 and 64).
- Saint Seiya: Saintia Sho (optional)
A spin-off by another manga artist about the Saintias, Athena's female guards, set after the Sanctuary arc. Its own side story with a new cast; it only partly adapts its manga. Optional.
- Saint Seiya: Evil Goddess Eris (optional)
A 45-minute original film about the revived goddess of discord, Eris. Like the other 1980s films it sits outside the series' story; watch it any time after the Twelve Temples.
- Saint Seiya: The Heated Battle of the Gods (optional)
A 45-minute film set in Asgard, the snowy realm of Odin's warriors. The TV series' Asgard arc grew out of it, so it's a shorter, different version of the same idea: watch one or both.
- Saint Seiya: Asgard arc (episodes 74–99)
An anime-only arc made so the TV series wouldn't overtake the manga: Athena goes to Asgard and the Bronze Saints fight Hilda's God Warriors. Filler, but popular; it can be skipped without missing anything from the manga.
- Saint Seiya: Poseidon arc (episodes 100–114)
Back to the manga: Poseidon awakens, takes Athena to his undersea temple and the Bronze Saints fight his Marina Generals. The end of the original TV series.
- Saint Seiya: Legend of Crimson Youth (optional)
The longest of the original films (75 minutes): Athena's brother Abel, a sun god, comes to Earth with his Corona Saints. An original story; watch it after the TV series.
- Saint Seiya: Warriors of the Final Holy Battle (optional)
The fourth 45-minute film, in which the fallen angel Lucifer attacks Athena. An original story; watch it after Legend of Crimson Youth.
- Saint Seiya: The Hades Chapter – Sanctuary
Thirteen years after the TV series, the manga's final arc is finally animated, picking up where Poseidon left off: Hades revives fallen Gold Saints to attack the Sanctuary. Made with the original character designs and voice cast.
- Saint Seiya: The Hades Chapter – Inferno
The Bronze Saints go down into the Underworld after Hades. Released in two halves, and recast: the main Japanese voice cast was replaced from here on.
- Saint Seiya: The Hades Chapter – Elysion
The final battle against Hades in Elysion. The end of Kurumada's original manga story.
- Saint Seiya: Soul of Gold (optional)
An anime-original spin-off: the Gold Saints who died at the Wailing Wall during the Hades war wake up in Asgard and fight a new threat there. It runs parallel to Elysion, so watch it after the Hades OVAs. Optional.
- Saint Seiya: Heaven Chapter – Overture
A film set after Hades, with the original voice cast: Seiya lies wounded by Hades' sword and the goddess Artemis takes the Sanctuary. Released between the first two Hades OVAs, but watch it after Elysion. Its open ending was never continued in anime.
- Saint Seiya: The Lost Canvas
A prequel by another manga artist, Shiori Teshirogi, set during the previous Holy War against Hades about 250 years earlier, with its own cast. A separate story you can watch any time, though it's best after Hades.
- Saint Seiya: The Lost Canvas 2
The second set of 13 episodes. The anime stops partway through the manga and wasn't continued.
- Saint Seiya Omega
An original TV sequel for the 25th anniversary, set years after Hades: a new hero, Koga, trains to become a Saint, and Seiya is now a Gold Saint. Its own continuity, separate from Overture; two seasons.
- Saint Seiya: Legend of Sanctuary (optional)
A 3D CG film retelling the Sanctuary arc in about 90 minutes, with heavy changes. Not connected to anything else.
- Knights of the Zodiac: Saint Seiya
A CG reboot of the start of the story for Netflix, released in two batches of six episodes. A new continuity.
- Knights of the Zodiac: Battle for Sanctuary
The reboot's continuation, now on Crunchyroll, heading into the fight for the Sanctuary.
- Knights of the Zodiac: Battle for Sanctuary Part 2
The last 12 episodes, finishing the reboot's version of the Sanctuary arc. Nothing further has been announced.
Release order
Everything in the order it came out. Note the long gap between the TV series (1989) and the Hades OVAs (2002), and that Overture came out partway through Hades.
- Saint Seiya: Sanctuary arc (episodes 1–73)
Seiya wins the Pegasus Cloth and fights in the Galaxian Wars, then the Bronze Saints take on Black, Silver and finally Gold Saints in the battle through the Twelve Temples of the Sanctuary. Adapts the manga, with a handful of filler episodes (16–22, 33–35, 54–55 and 64).
- Saint Seiya: Evil Goddess Eris (optional)
A 45-minute original film about the revived goddess of discord, Eris. Like the other 1980s films it sits outside the series' story; watch it any time after the Twelve Temples.
- Saint Seiya: The Heated Battle of the Gods (optional)
A 45-minute film set in Asgard, the snowy realm of Odin's warriors. The TV series' Asgard arc grew out of it, so it's a shorter, different version of the same idea: watch one or both.
- Saint Seiya: Asgard arc (episodes 74–99)
An anime-only arc made so the TV series wouldn't overtake the manga: Athena goes to Asgard and the Bronze Saints fight Hilda's God Warriors. Filler, but popular; it can be skipped without missing anything from the manga.
- Saint Seiya: Legend of Crimson Youth (optional)
The longest of the original films (75 minutes): Athena's brother Abel, a sun god, comes to Earth with his Corona Saints. An original story; watch it after the TV series.
- Saint Seiya: Poseidon arc (episodes 100–114)
Back to the manga: Poseidon awakens, takes Athena to his undersea temple and the Bronze Saints fight his Marina Generals. The end of the original TV series.
- Saint Seiya: Warriors of the Final Holy Battle (optional)
The fourth 45-minute film, in which the fallen angel Lucifer attacks Athena. An original story; watch it after Legend of Crimson Youth.
- Saint Seiya: The Hades Chapter – Sanctuary
Thirteen years after the TV series, the manga's final arc is finally animated, picking up where Poseidon left off: Hades revives fallen Gold Saints to attack the Sanctuary. Made with the original character designs and voice cast.
- Saint Seiya: Heaven Chapter – Overture
A film set after Hades, with the original voice cast: Seiya lies wounded by Hades' sword and the goddess Artemis takes the Sanctuary. Released between the first two Hades OVAs, but watch it after Elysion. Its open ending was never continued in anime.
- Saint Seiya: The Hades Chapter – Inferno
The Bronze Saints go down into the Underworld after Hades. Released in two halves, and recast: the main Japanese voice cast was replaced from here on.
- Saint Seiya: The Hades Chapter – Elysion
The final battle against Hades in Elysion. The end of Kurumada's original manga story.
- Saint Seiya: The Lost Canvas
A prequel by another manga artist, Shiori Teshirogi, set during the previous Holy War against Hades about 250 years earlier, with its own cast. A separate story you can watch any time, though it's best after Hades.
- Saint Seiya: The Lost Canvas 2
The second set of 13 episodes. The anime stops partway through the manga and wasn't continued.
- Saint Seiya Omega
An original TV sequel for the 25th anniversary, set years after Hades: a new hero, Koga, trains to become a Saint, and Seiya is now a Gold Saint. Its own continuity, separate from Overture; two seasons.
- Saint Seiya: Legend of Sanctuary (optional)
A 3D CG film retelling the Sanctuary arc in about 90 minutes, with heavy changes. Not connected to anything else.
- Saint Seiya: Soul of Gold (optional)
An anime-original spin-off: the Gold Saints who died at the Wailing Wall during the Hades war wake up in Asgard and fight a new threat there. It runs parallel to Elysion, so watch it after the Hades OVAs. Optional.
- Saint Seiya: Saintia Sho (optional)
A spin-off by another manga artist about the Saintias, Athena's female guards, set after the Sanctuary arc. Its own side story with a new cast; it only partly adapts its manga. Optional.
- Knights of the Zodiac: Saint Seiya
A CG reboot of the start of the story for Netflix, released in two batches of six episodes. A new continuity.
- Knights of the Zodiac: Battle for Sanctuary
The reboot's continuation, now on Crunchyroll, heading into the fight for the Sanctuary.
- Knights of the Zodiac: Battle for Sanctuary Part 2
The last 12 episodes, finishing the reboot's version of the Sanctuary arc. Nothing further has been announced.
Explained
Is the Asgard arc filler? Can I skip it?
Yes, episodes 74–99 are anime-only, made so the series wouldn't catch up with the manga, and nothing later depends on them. Many fans like the arc anyway. The second film, The Heated Battle of the Gods, is an earlier, shorter take on the same Asgard idea. There are also a few filler episodes in the Sanctuary arc (16–22, 33–35, 54–55 and 64).
Where's the ending? What are the Hades OVAs?
The TV series stopped after Poseidon in 1989. The manga's final arc, Hades, was animated much later as three OVA series: Sanctuary (2002–03), Inferno (2005–07) and Elysion (2008). They pick up right after the TV series. From Inferno on, the main Japanese voice cast was replaced.
Are the movies canon?
The four 1980s films are original side stories that don't fit the TV series' timeline. Overture (2004) is different: it's set after Hades and was meant to start a new arc, but no sequel was made and fans disagree on how canon it is. Treat it as an open-ended epilogue.
Lost Canvas, Omega, Knights of the Zodiac: how do they fit?
They don't continue the main story. The Lost Canvas is a prequel by another manga artist, unfinished in anime. Omega is an original sequel series in its own continuity. Legend of Sanctuary (2014) and Knights of the Zodiac (2019–24) are separate CG retellings of the Sanctuary arc. Next Dimension, Kurumada's own manga prequel, has never been animated, and nor has his new Tenkai-hen manga, which started in May 2026.
Which English version should I watch?
'Knights of the Zodiac' is the name of both the heavily edited 2003 DiC dub (only about 40 episodes) and the 2019 CG reboot. ADV released an uncut dub of the first 60 episodes, and in 2019–20 a new English dub of all 114 episodes was made for Netflix; the series is now on Crunchyroll. The Hades OVAs stream with subtitles.