Back in the 80s, Katuji Murakami was the one in charge of toy development at Bandai[バンダイ]. He was made aware of the manga when one of the Department Heads,[1] Masaya Sasano told him about how his son is a fan of the manga. Bandai had talks with Toei Animation about being one of the sponsors of the anime based on the manga. In June of 1986, at Toei Animation, Yoshibumi Hatano took on the role as producer and started developmenting the anime for TV.
    Kouzou Morishita was hired as the Series Director. Shingo Araki was hired to be Conceptual Drawing Director and along with Michi Himeno,[2] they were hired to be Character Designers.[3] Takao Koyama was hired to be the Series Organizer. He along with Yoshiyuki Suga wrote most of the scripts for the show. Seiji Yokoyama was hired as Music Director. Masayoshi Kawata was the producer for TV Asahi.
    Although the general plot was the same as the manga, the anime did not follow straight-forwardly from it. Because the anime needed to allow the manga to have some breathing room away from the anime, so, original episodes and original arcs were produced to be made as time fillers. The TV staff would create these original characters and stories. The show writers also wrote 3 Outside stories to complement the TV series. They were published in the 3 Anime Specials[アニメ　スペシャル: Anime Supesharu] which are companion guides to the series.
    When the episodes were released on VHS tapes, for Sanctuary Chapter, Toei Animation took out some original episodes for a separate release, in order to watch all 73 Episodes, you have to buy the 12 Sanctuary Chapter[聖域十二宮編: Seiiki　Jyuunikyuu Hen: Sanctuary 12 Palaces Chapter] tapes and the 3 Sanctuary Extra Chapter[十二宮番外編: Jyuunikyuu Bangai Hen] tapes.[4] The Asgard Chapter[アスガルド編: Asugarudo Hen] was released on 7 tapes[5] and Poseidon Chapter[ポセイドン編: Poseidon Hen][6] was released on 3 Tapes.[7] (In 2002-2003, the whole series was finally re-released on DVD.[14])

Story&Differences with Manga

Sanctuary Chapter[聖域十二宮編: Seiiki　Jyuunikyuu Hen: Sanctuary 12 Palaces Chapter]

Episodes: 1-73
Aired Date: 1986 10/11 - 1988 4/16
VHS: Sanctuary Chapter 1-12, Sanctuary Extra Chapter 1-3
DVD: Pegasus, Dragon, Andromeda, Cygnus Box
BD: Box I, II

Galaxian Wars Arc[銀河戦争編: Ginga Sensou Hen: Milky Way Wars Chapter]
Episodes: 1-8
Aired Date: 1986 10/11 - 1986 12/6
VHS: Sanctuary Chapter 1-2
DVD: Pegasus Box
BD: Box 1

The main differences between the Anime and manga are:

• Seiya and Marin appearing at Acropolis and the tourist scenes were not animated.
• Ikki was the one that was appointed to kill the Bronze, in the manga the job went to Hyoga.
• Anime only: Ikki wearing the Gold Cloth.
• The anime had its own original designs for the Bronze Cloths and stayed the same until the end of Sanctuary Chapter.

The main differences between the Anime and manga are:

• In the manga, Pegasus and Dragon Cloths upgrades to version 2.
• There's only one Dark Dragon, in the manga, there were twins.
• In the manga, all the 100 Orphans are blood related because they have the same father. In the anime, they are unrelated. The scene where Ikki tells Seiya who their father is, was never animated.
• In the anime, Esmeralda is the daughter of Guilty, in the manga, she is just a slave girl sold to work at Death Queen Island.
• After Dark Chapter, the anime went into original episodes, so the Silver Saints don't appear.

    The Pope has suddenly died and Ares has become the new Pope. Ares only recognizes the Greek race and no other. He commands his own Private[私兵: Shihei] Saints to retrieve all the Gold Cloth pieces. Except for the head piece, the rest of the Gold Cloth parts are taken into Sanctuary. Docrates, Geist and the Ghost[幽霊: Yuurei: Apparition] Saints attempt to take the head piece from the Bronze but they fail. With the brainwashing of Hyoga's Master, Crystal Saint[水晶聖闘士:Suishou Seitoushi], Hyoga had to confront his own master. At the end of the arc, Ikki returns to fend off Gigas and Fiery Saint[炎熱聖闘士: Ennetu Seitoushi].

The other main differences between the Anime and manga are:

• In the manga, Guilty was not brainwashed by Pope Ares. Why Guilty have such a violent character is unknown and he is also not the former Phoenix Saint.(9)
• Anime only: Seiya vs Shaina fight.
• In the manga, Hyoga's master is Aquarius Camus.
• In the manga, The Gold Cloth are all taken back by the Bronze.
• Phaeton is an anime original character.

The main differences between the Anime and manga are:

• Ikki joins Seiya and the boys for a party. In the manga, Ikki only appears to fight.
• Steel Saints are anime original characters.
• In the manga, Babel is easily defeated by Hyoga
• The involvement of Mu is not animated.
• Anime only: Seiya vs Shaina fight.
• Spartan is an anime original character.
• Algor turns Shun and Seiya to stone, in the manga, it is Shun and Hyoga.
• Dark 3[暗黒スリー: Anokoku Suri-: Dark Three] are anime original characters.
• The involvement of Shaka in Death Queen Island is not animated.
• DQI was not sunk in the manga.
• Tarantula Arakne is an anime original character.
• In the Anime, the Gold Cloth travels to a lake and turns into its true form.(11) In the manga, however, The Gold Cloth was reshaped as an antique 13 years ago and when it finally came out of its own box again when Aiolia appears, it returns to its true form. Who reshaped the Cloth is unclear.

The main differences between the Anime and manga are:

• The Gold Saints themselves don't know who or what constellations the other Gold Saints are. This is anime only(and foolish if you think about it.)
• Leda and Spica are anime original characters.
• In the manga, Pegasus Cloth upgrades to version 3.
• In the anime, Shun's master is Cepheus Albiore, in the manga, his master is Cepheus Daidaros. Cloth design is also different.
• In the anime, Aphrodite aided Milo secretly, so Milo can kill Albiore easily, in the manga, Aphrodite killed Daidaros alone and left.
• Anime only: Milo destroying Andromeda Island and defeating the Saints there.
• In the anime, Camus sinks Natassia's ship while he and Hyoga was in Libra Temple, in the manga, Camus sunk it before Hyoga goes to Sanctuary.
• Because in the anime, Hyoga's Master is Crystal Saint and Crystal Saint's Master is Camus, many scenes and dialogue of Hyoga's training were changed to reflect Crystal Saint's role.
• Peacock Shiva and Lotus Agora are anime original characters.
• Anime only: the Bronze have an adventure in Sagittarius Palace.
• Anime only: all Aiolos vs. Shura flashback scenes.
• In anime, there's more fighting after Athena is saved, in the manga, all fighting stops after Athena is saved. The actual fights are also very different.
• In the anime, Saga kills Ares and his body is left on Star Hill. Saga kills the Pope around time of Galaxian Wars(The location of body of the Pope is unknown). In the manga there is no Ares character, Pope Sion is killed on Star Hill and his body is left there.

Episodes: 74-99
Aired Date: 1988 4/23 - 1988 11/12
VHS: Asgard Series 1-7
DVD: Cygnus Box, Phoenix Box
BD: Box 2

    Before the end of Sanctuary Chapter, Poseidon puts a Nibelung Ring on Hilda, the Earth Representative[地上代行者: Chijyou Daikousha] of Odin. Instead of doing her duty for Odin, she awakens the 7(8 really) armors, called, God Robe[神闘衣: Shin Tou I: God Fight Cloth] for her warriors, called, God Warrior[神闘士: Shin Toushi: God Fighter]. Athena instead takes Hilda's duty to perserve the ice caps from melting so the world won't be flooded. The Bronze must defeat all 7 Gold Warriors take their Odin Sapphires in the God Robes and awaken the Balmung Sword. With this Sword(from Odin Robe), they can release Hilda from the curse of the Ring. At the end of  the arc, Hilda regains her freedom but Saori is abducted by Posiedon!! (The differences that resulted from adding this extra chapter is discussed below.)

Poseidon Chapter[ポセイドン編: Poseidon Hen]

Episodes: 100-114
Aired Date: 1988 11/19 - 1989 4/1
VHS: Poseidon Series 1-3
DVD: Phoenix Box
BD: Box 2

The main differences between the Anime and manga are:

• In the manga, Julian's birthday party is after Sanctuary Chapter, in the anime, it is a flashback, so the exact timeframe is unknown.
• In Asgard Chapter, blood was needed to restore the Bronze Cloths, 5 Gold Saints had to give to 5 Cloths: Aiolia->Pegasus, Mu->Dragon, Milo->Cygnus, Aldebaran->Andromeda and Shaka->Phoenix. In the manga, however, while the boys was still in a coma from the 12 Palace fight, 4 Gold Saints gave to 4 Cloths: Aiolia->Pegasus, Roshi->Dragon, Milo->Cygnus, and Shaka->Andromeda.
• In the anime, Zeta Star Mizar Syd tried to kill Athena but was stop by the Bronze, in the manga, Aiolia stopped an abduction attempt by a Marina.
• In the anime, Syd and Bud defeated Aldebaran. In the manga, Solent fought Aldebaran protecting the Bronze in a coma state.
• In the anime, it gave an impression Sorrento died with Siegfried. In the manga, it gave an impression Solent killed Aldebaran.
• In the manga, Phoenix Cloth never turned Gold Bronze.(12)
• In the anime, when Poseidon threw his Halbred to attack Athena, Seiya protected her, in the manga it was  Kanon.(13)
• The last scene in the manga with Solent and Julian is not animated.
• In the anime, after the war, Thethys lives as a mermaid, in the manga, it's gives an impression Tetis dies as a fish.

    Between Dec. of 2002 and Dec. of 2003, all 114 episodes was re-released on DVD. The booklets had lots of info, from Conceptual Drawings to toy and music products information. Each limited edition box came with a Saint Cloth Series figure of the 5 New Bronze Saints Gold ver. Pegasus Box contained episodes, 1-24. Dragon Box contained episodes, 25-48. Andromeda Box contained episodes, 49-72. Cygnus Box contained episodes, 73-96. And, Phoenix Box contained episodes, 97-114.

Hikari[光] Artbook

    Released on Feb. 2004 was the artbook of Shingo Araki and Michi Himeno illustrations. The illustrations came from products, the anime productions from the TV Series era to the new era works like Hades Sanctuary OVA and Overture Movie. Some of the material was never released before. It also includes anime production info and interviews with Shingo and Michi.

Notes & Trivia

1. In recent years, Masaya Sasano at one time became the President of Bandai.
2. Shingo Araki is the main designer. Michi Himeno supports him.
3. Movie 4 was the only work that had character design not done by Shingo and Michi.
4. Sanctuary Outside Chapter Videos Episodes: Up - 17-20; Middle - 21-22,26,32; Down - 33-34, 54-55.
5. Asgard Tapes Episodes, 1: 74-77; 2: 78-81 3: 82-85; 4: 86-89; 5: 90-93; 6: 94-96; 7: 97-99.
6 The chapter is also simply called 海王編: Sea King Chapter.
7. Each Poseidon tape have 5 Episodes.
8. In Eternal Edition booklet, it called the original episodes, オリジナル編: Orijinaru hen: Original Chapter.
9. The Great Holy War History reveals no one has worn the Phoenix Cloth before Ikki.
10. In Dragon Box DVD booklet, episodes 32-35 is called 修行編: Shugyou　Hen: Training Chapter.
11. The anime never explained why this happened but since Mu is missing, the impression given is that Mu returned the Sagittarius Cloth to its true form.
12. For Cosmo Special folded poster, all 5 boys wear Gold Bronze Cloths.
13. The change angered many fans.
14. A Special 2 Box Special Price DVD will be released in Nov 2012.

Links

Official Saint Seiya Anime Website: http://www.toei-anim.co.jp/lineup/tv/seiya