Saint Seiya: Episode G

Saint Seiya: Episode G) is a shounen manga, written and illustrated by Megumu Okada. A spin-off of Masami Kurumada's Saint Seiya, it started being serialized in the monthly magazine Champion Red on December 19, 2002. In 2011, it moved to the Champion Red Ichigo magazine, where it ran until the final chapter was published, on June 19, 2013. The series was compiled into 21 volumes by Akita Shoten, with the first being published on June 19, 2003, and the last on August 8, 2013.

The plot of Episode G takes place in a fictional universe where the Greek gods cyclically reincarnate and wage war on each other for the dominance of Earth. The story is set in 1979–1980, five years before the events of the Saint Seiya manga and seven years after the death of Sagittarius Aiolos, the brother of the main character, Leo Aiolia. It follows the battle of the Gold Saints, warriors with superhuman powers who fight for Peace and Justice in the name of the Goddess Athena, to protect Earth from the recently awakened Titans.

Saint Seiya: Episode G has yet to be published in English, though it has been translated into various other languages by publishers from around the world. Overall, the series was well received, but not without controversy regarding its differences to Saint Seiya. It has been criticized for its art style and pace, as a single hit at the speed of light can often take up several pages.

The manga was followed by two sequels: Saint Seiya: Episode G - Assassin (2014–2019) and Saint Seiya: Episode G - Requiem (2020–present), both equally authored by Megumu Okada.

Plot
The story of Saint Seiya Episode.G is set in 1979, six years before the events of Masami Kurumada's Saint Seiya (1985), in the same fictional world in which the Greek gods cyclically reincarnate to dispute dominion of Earth. The story revolves around Athena's Saints, humans with superhuman powers who are devoted to the goddess of War, Athena, and whose duty is to protect the world from evil. The protagonist is the Leo Gold Saint Aiolia, who is mistrusted by the rest of the Saints because of the seemingly traitorous actions of his brother Aiolos in the past. In turn, he holds a grudge against the Saints as a whole, and against the elite order of the Gold Saints in particular.

While the Pope, the leader of the Saints, sends Aiolia on mission after mission to prove his loyalty, evil forces manifest that threaten to destroy Sanctuary, the home of the Saints. A modern-day Titanomachy begins as the Titans, ancient gods with a desire for revenge on the Olympian gods, attack Sanctuary to retrieve the "Megas Drepanon", the weapon into which Zeus had sealed their King Kronos in the age of mythology. Their first assault is thwarted by Aiolia, who subsequently gains the attention of the Titans as the "man of the evil omen" who is destined to free their King. With the Titans once again roaming the Earth, all kinds of ancient monsters that the Saints have to deal with are also resurrected worldwide. Meanwhile, the Titans gather their forces to strike at Sanctuary a second time. In the course of their next assault, Kronos is inadvertently released from Zeus's lightning seal by Aiolia's own lightning-based technique, but the god appears to be amnesiac. The Titans determine that it was Aiolia's attack that was responsible for this condition and that the Leo Saint might hold the means to fix it as well. They retreat to their base at the Time Labyrinth and kidnap Aiolia's servant Lithos to lure him there. Aiolia does not hesitate to go to Lithos's aid and, together with five other Gold Saints, initiates a series of battles in which the Titans fall one by one.

Throughout these battles, the primordial god Pontos, who first released the Titans from their imprisonment in Tartarus and initially claimed that he wished to help Kronos, reveals his true intentions, stating that he only revived the Titans as part of a larger plan and has been playing them in order to awaken his true mistress, Gaia, and help her take control of the Earth, destroying gods and humans alike in the process.

Manga
There are two editions of volumes 1–17, a normal edition and a special one that features different covers and added goodies, such as postcards, pins, a coin key holder, a day planner, tarot cards, a T-shirt, puzzles, calendars, a pass case and a key chain.

Volumes also include a special chapter, usually in color. Initially, these chapters were short side stories, depicting events related to, but outside of the series's plot. In later volumes, they became brief recaps of the events of the previous volume. The list below describes the events of the special chapters that are independent from the main storyline.


 * Special chapter 1 – The Holy War
 * Aries Shion and Libra Dohko stand among their fallen companions as the sole survivors of the Holy War and contemplate the future generation of Saints.


 * Special chapter 2 – Saga's story
 * Gemini Saga fights a group of evil spirits who have invaded his House, while haunted by his uncertain sense of identity.


 * Special chapter 3 – Omens
 * Pontos and Ebony Hyperion observe from afar, as Leo Aiolia defeats the Egyptian god Anubis.


 * Special chapter 4 – Aiolos
 * Sagittarius Aiolos fights the giant Typhon near Sicily, Italy, saving the young Cliff O'Kents.


 * Special chapter 5 – Golden wings
 * In Egypt, Sagittarius Aiolos defeats a group of Apophis's soldiers.


 * Special chapter 6 – The one who does not believe in destiny
 * After attempting to steal Athena's sacred blood, Galan is sentenced to fight Sagittarius Aiolos. He loses an eye and an arm in battle, but his life is spared.


 * Special chapter 7 – My own sanctuary
 * A domestic scene at the House of Leo, with Leo Aiolia, Lithos and Galan.


 * Special chapter 8 – Shining cut
 * Capricorn Shura defeats a group of the Titans' followers in Grevena, Greece.


 * Special chapter 9 – Those from the deep
 * After breaking free from Cape Sounion, Kanon releases Poseidon. He dons the Sea Dragon Scales and starts plotting against Sanctuary.


 * Special chapter 10 – The one who goes fast
 * After a brief interlude on Jamir, Taurus Aldebaran hurries back to Sanctuary, to help defend it from the Titans.


 * Special chapter 11 – The one who stands at the limit
 * Pisces Aphrodite receives orders from Gemini Saga to seal the entrance to the Titan's world with his roses.


 * Special chapter 12 – The one who moves around time
 * An amnesiac Kronos ponders his purpose, as he contemplates the giant hourglass at the center of his palace.

Drama CDs
Voice actors:
 * Hiro Shimono, as Leo Aiolia
 * Hikaru Midorikawa, as Aquarius Camus
 * Kōji Yusa, as Galan
 * Chiwa Saitō, as Lithos
 * Kōsuke Okano, as Okeanos
 * Hiroki Yasumoto, as Pontos