Should you watch this at weekend movie ticket prices? Definitely, especially if you like anime or the Saint Seiya series.
Should you watch this at weekday movie ticket prices? Yes.
Secret ending? Yes.
Running time: 93 minutes (1.5 hours)
“Saint Seiya: Legend of Sanctuary” is a Japanese 3D animated movie, an adaptation of the Saint Seiya manga/anime series. It follows the adventures of the eponymous Seiya, who is a Saint (a magical constellation-themed knight), and his friends as they fight through Sanctuary to protect Athena/Saori, their goddess. It stars the voice talents of Kaito Ishikawa (Pegasus Seiya), Ayaka Sasaki (Saori Kido), Kensho Ono (Cygnus Hyoga), Kenji Akabane (Dragon Shiryu), Nobuhiko Okamoto (Andromeda Shun), and Kenji Nojima (Phoenix Ikki).
I’ve never watched the Saint Seiya series before this, and was slightly worried when entering the cinema – would my lack of knowledge on the Saint Seiya mythos be a problem? After all, it has spanned multiple series, movies, toys, and all manner of merchandise. Thankfully, the story was self-contained and at no point did I feel lost or confused about what was happening. It’s a good starting point for newcomers to the franchise.
So what was good about this animated movie?
Beautiful art direction
The costumes are just amazingly detailed and incredibly gorgeous to look at. All of the Saints, the fighters and heroes of the movie, have very distinctive armours which bear such lavish detail that no matter how close up the shot is, you’ll never grow bored just admiring their armours.
Every location in the film is also spectacularly rendered with similar detail – especially, when they head to Sanctuary, where the bulk of the film takes place. The fictional city is detailed to the very last brick, and each and every temple’s ornate gold trimmings and exquisite architecture emphasises their uniqueness. The animation was just superb.
Amazing fight scenes
Honestly, you’re probably watching this for the fight scenes. They don’t disappoint. Each character’s signature moves result in abundant explosions, awash with colour and movement. All of the Saints have their own individualised fighting styles, which come across with fluid movements and well choreographed action. From the Saints first fight with assassins, to Seiya & Saori’s final battle against a mutated Saga, each fight is a treat to watch.
Well differentiated characters
“Saint Seiya: Legend of Sanctuary” isn’t all about the fighting, though. It might not be an extensive exploration of character motivations, but it does try its best to give memorable traits and quirks to the sprawling cast, ensuring that even if you don’t remember their names, you can remember the Saints by their mannerisms.
Seiya’s comic moments
As the main protagonist of the film, Seiya gains a certain level of relatability with his sometimes goofy behaviour. That’s not to say it’s a slapstick anime – far from it, given the amount of fighting and conflict. But it’s refreshing to see that Seiya retains some light-heartedness despite their desperate battles.
That being said, “Saint Seiya: Legend of Sanctuary” could have worked on some of the plot to make it even more accessible to newcomers of the franchise.
Not enough background on the Saints and Athena
The story gives you just enough to get you interested in the story, but it doesn’t quite explain the motivations of Saori’s protectors. There’s just not enough exposition to justify why the Saints are risking their lives to protect Saori, whom they’ve only met five minutes ago. It’s not to say that their willingness to help is unbelievable, it just seems like a stretch to see them going all out to save a girl that they don’t even talk to much.
Horrible subtitling
The subtitling has multiple, glaring English errors, like “protest another word” which might make sense in Japanese, but sounds clumsy in English. Also, none of the locations (which are named on screen) are translated, which does lead to some initial confusion at where the battles are being held. Ultimately, they’re all in temples in Sanctuary, so you do figure it out anyway.
After watching “Saint Seiya: Legend of Sanctuary” I went to Wiki and look up the franchise… and got stuck there for a good few hours. A movie adaptation has done its job when it makes viewers seek out other adaptations of the franchise, especially given that this is a modern updating of Saint Seiya. But it also stands well on its own merit as a movie. “Saint Seiya: Legend of Sanctuary” is worth watching, even if you’re not an anime fan.
“Saint Seiya: Legend of Sanctuary” opens in cinemas 9 October, 2014 (Thursday).
This review was also published on Yahoo Movies Singapore.
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