Virgo Shaka

Virgo Shaka (のシャカ) is one of the Gold Saints, the most serene and one of the strongest.

Personality and background
Although Gemini Saga and Leo Aiolia were the first Gold Saints introduced by Masami Kurumada in his manga, Virgo Shaka was the first one he showed fully revealing his status as Gold Saint and wearing his Gold Cloth, in the chapter 18, contained in vol. 5.

Shaka is one of the twelve Gold Saints and the reincarnation of Buddha. As the guardian of the Temple of Virgo along the path of Sanctuary, Shaka has played a pivotal role chiefly in the battle between Athena and the Pope in the Sanctuary arc, and also in the Hades arc. He is referred to many times on the story as the "the man who is almost a god" due to his immense power and is also considered the only Gold Saint that has full control over the Araya Shiki (8th sense). He is supposed to be Buddha's reincarnation.

Shaka alone of all saints occupies the rarefied spot between God and man, but living between two worlds has its blessings as well as curses. As a Bodhisattva, and endowed with the most powerful cosmos of all the saints, Shaka well deserves his reputation as the man closest to God. Even as a child in India, Shaka was precocious and communed with Buddha himself, a scene recounted in the flashbacks moments before Shaka's death in the Twin Sala's Garden. Shaka went daily to meditate and pray, Buddha finally answers him and notes that for someone whose life has just begun, he had been unusually sensitive to sufferings and mortality of human life. Seeing pain and death as reflected in the Ganges gives the boy Shaka enough despair, if not a crisis of faith. Buddha replies that life comes with stages and that as there is suffering there is also pain, Shaka asks then, what is the purpose of life if, in the end death takes it all. The answer was that death is not the end, and should he embrace that precept, he would be known as "The closest man to god". With esoteric learning and training, Shaka eventually became powerful enough to don the Gold Cloth of Virgo, which he wore even as a boy in the manga, and wise enough to rise above human passions and attachments. For most of his life, he would look on human feelings with a mix of pity and compassion without being bound to them, with charity but not always with love. Detachment seems to be Shaka's answer to the poignant questions raised by human life, and he is seeing humanity from the point of God rather than living the experience. He would be disabused of this attitude in his encounter with Ikki. In the end, Shaka would have to remember that he is a man, as well, and return to whence he came. After the battle in the 12 temples he still maintains a cool attitude and, prefers to fight only if there is a reason as shown in soul of gold. The size of his heart cannot be measured because he will act on his own justice and reality that he thinks befits himself.

Saint Seiya: Episode G

 * Titans Attack

He first appears in a conversation with the Pope about the behavior of Sagittarius Aiolos ( Episode G ). Later when Galan Aiolia's squire is being controlled by Pontos and tries to kill him, Shaka appears in the Leo House telling Aiolia that he must kill Galán. Then Shaka is the first of the Gold Saints in Sunagein Crusos reach the gold saints meeting. When Phoinikeos Rhuax (Crimson Lava) invades the Sanctuary, is Shaka who stops him but Cancer Deathmask ( G ) orders him to let it go to his temple.


 * Sealing of mythological beasts

The awakening of the cosmos of the Titans brings the awakening of the beasts of Greek mythology worldwide so Shaka tells the Pope his idea to blow? cosmos and full power to seal all the monsters. To exploit the cosmos, Shaka must meditate for a period of time which will be completely helpless. To not be killed, sent to Leo Aiolia to protect him, and this remains a fight with Kronos risking his own life to save the Holy Virgo. After the fight was over, had been killed by Aioria Giants Melas Bronte and Leukotes Anemos (White Wind not for the timely appearance of Shaka that kills with Demon Pacifier.


 * Dimension of the Titans

When Aiolia Pontos is fighting in the Labyrinth of Cronos, Shaka along with Aldebaran, Shura, Milo and Camus are teleported by Mu to help Aiolia. It is here where Aiolia and Shaka have an uphill battle with Lapetus and Themis. After several battles, Shaka gives much of his cosmos to Aioria to get him recovered from his wounds so he can keep fighting. Later, Shaka faces and defeat only one of the warriors guardians of Cronos, who was made of the entire planet lives' cosmos. After that, Shaka meets with other Gold Saints in the Labyrinth, trying to help Aiolia in his fight against Hyperion, but Leo Aiolia refuses all help and decides to fight by himself. Shura intervene in the fight against Cronos, King of the Titans, who calls his three companions, making his stars rotate and show their true form: Nefritishoplisma, Electronteru and Megaritesdracon. In order to fight against them, the Saints are divided in groups of two people each one. In the first group, it was supposed Aiolia fight in companionship with Shaka, but Virgo Shaka asks him to rest and promises Aiolia to defeat their opponent. In the fight, ElektronTeru (Amber Beast) tells to Shaka that he is like Icarus, with his flight he challenged the gods and caused the wrath of Apollo. As a response, Aiolia replies to the beast that he is not a god, but in fact he is a monster out of tartar and for that reason they must be killed. Then Shaka attacks The Amber Beast in a short distance but he gets protected. Aioria is surprised that despite the great defense Khan Shaka he was wounded by the beast. The beast attacks him three times, two of those attacks are elude by Shaka, but apparently not the third one, and regained Aiolia cosmos to feel and think that Virgo needs help but Shaka asked to trust him. Shaka will give to the beast the divine punishment but it takes its dunamis and launched a major attack that makes Aioria theme by Shaka. Shaka opens his eyes reaching enlightenment and his The Treasures of Heaven ends with the beast.

Saint Seiya (1986), chapter III: Hades
During the Hades chapter, when Saga, Shura, and Camus, who had previously died in a civil war within the ranks of the Saints, returned from the dead. Saga, Shura and Camus had sworn their allegiance to Hades, the God of the Underworld, promising to help Hades defeat Athena and invade the Sanctuary in exchange for a chance to return to the land of the living. Since many of the Saints had died during that civil war, Shaka was one of the few remaining defenders of the Sanctuary when Saga, Shura and Camus attacked. Shaka used illusions to entangle the trio in Cancer Temple. When Saga found that their expedient actions were useless he launched his cosmos to bomb Virgo Temple directly but Shaka used Demon Pacifier to attack Cancer Temple too. Shaka alone urged his dead comrades to drop their allegiance to Hades and return to the Underworld where they belonged, as fallen soldiers of Athena rather than betrayers of their cause. When the true spectres invaded the 12 temples of Sanctuary they came to Virgo Temple, Shaka's technique Tenkūhaja Chimimōryō, showing the faces of Fudō Myoō and Buddha, frightens the specters. Then, it was Shaka who ultimately rid the Sanctuary of their presence and their infestation with his Demon Pacifier technique and used his beads to seal them so that they will not be revived.

Now that there weren't anymore Spectres to follow Saga, Camus and Shura, he asked them their true intentions. Saga only replies that they came back to life by pledging loyalty to Hades and to obtain the head of Athena (Saori). Saddened by this reply, Shaka conducts them to the Twin Sala Trees garden at the side of his temple. The four engage each other in direct battle. However, as the battle continues, Shaka realizes that the real enemy is in fact Hades himself, using fallen gold saints to do his bidding, and that he must confront him in by entering the underworld. He then uses his The Treasures of Heavens to disable their senses, and urges them to use the forbidden technique that was sealed by Athena many centuries ago, Athena Exclamation, with a power similar to that of the Big Bang itself. Shura and Camus hesitate, for they will be branded lower than beasts. Saga encourages his fellow Gold Saints to remember their purpose and goal. Then Camus realizes the trio never need to sacrifice one of them to acting kamikaze. Shura awakens that they were dead and all were long gone, all those misjudgments were merely the prejudices from mundane standpoints. Saga remembers the trio again they'll be using it for Athena and all. When Shaka is about to take their last senses, the trio decide to use the Athena Exclamation to blast all to fall into void.

The Gold Saint of Virgo and the garden are consumed by the immense destructive force of the Athena Exclamation attack. "Sala trees' flowers have withered..." said Shaka, but the Sala trees, their flowers and the beads still remain. With his physical body completely obliterated by the banned attack, Shaka's spirit returns to Earth one last time and uses his blood to write a final message on the flower petals, sending them to the goddess Athena herself (Arayashiki). Overwhelmed by tears, the 3 fallen Gold Saints weep over the loss of their comrade. Shura decides to help Shaka achieve Nirvana and finally put an end to his suffering by assisting him in his suicide. Shura screams his apologies to Shaka, but he sees that Shaka's body begins to fade away into dust, seemingly dead from the Athena Exclamation. It seems to be playing act for the inspecting Hades but according to origin and episode G these fights between Gold Saints were actuated by the darkness of Sanctuary, past dispute and old hatred between some of them until the time of breaking Wailing Wall. Hopefully Shaka can go to the Hell with 8th sense.

Later on on the Hades arc, it is revealed that Shaka and Athena are still, indeed, alive: they are shown making their way towards Hades' realm. He had staged his own death at the hands of Saga, Camus, and Shura, in order to enter the underworld undetected, similarily to Athena having Saga stab her with the golden dagger. Shaka eventually located Hades and confronted the Greek God alone, threatening to kill Hades by himself. Just when Shaka was about to attack Hades he was stopped by Athena. Athena forbade him to attack Hades, since he was inside Andromeda Shun's body. Shaka threw Pandora's weapon toward Hades but was stopped by Athena as well. After both the gods disappeared, Shaka prevented Seiya from attacking the Wailing Wall and tried to sacrifice himself to open the way to the Elysium, but since he didn't have enough power alone Libra Dohko stops him, this was only granted after all the Twelve Gold Saints reunited and used their own lives

Saint Seiya: Next Dimension
Shaka appears in the Virgo House of XVIII Century, later we learn that it is the result of persistent thought of Andromeda Cloth. Tenma and Shun entered in the 6th house, are affected by the deadly barrier of Virgo Shijima (4 ports of buddha), but their help comes in the spirit of Virgo Shaka that comes from "cloth" of Andromeda. The spirit of Shijima place to protect the house of the virgin at this point launches the most powerful technique of the virgin, the Tenbu Hōrin, but also the spirit of Shaka fights back using the Tenbu Hōrin. Shijima at this point use "Ungyō"(the sound from the end of universe), but Shaka is using "Agyō"(the light symbol of the birth of the universe), the clash between the two powers triggers an endless battle. Shun intervenes is blocking the duel. Shijima and Shaka realize they are on the same side, Shaka asks Shijima to release Tenma and Shun from the 6th house, revealing also that Shun will be his successor, heir to the gold cloth of the virgin. The spirit of Shaka then returns to Nirvana.
 * Shaka vs Shijima

Shinjima told after that Shaka was probably the most powerful Virgo Saint from the mythological era.

Techniques and abilities
Shaka's most striking characteristic is the ease and grace with which he defeats his enemies. Shaka fights in consummate form, with just a flick of wrist and the barest hint of athleticism. The economy of movements stands in stark contrast with the blood, sweat and toil of other warriors. The Buddhist-inspired mudras (poses) struck by Shaka is probably intended to display an inhuman discipline, intensity and nerve all under a gesture of grace. When he strikes, the enemy sees his glittering form against a breathtaking view of fantastic worlds and places within the Buddhist tradition; such illusions are a part of his technique in confusing and defeating opponents using something akin to psychological warfare.

Shaka's approach usually aims at paralysis, not just physical, but mental as well. His moves seem immaterial partly because he plays mind games by conjuring illusions, as dueling with Shaka is much more a battle of will than mere fist-swinging. He targets the five human senses (sight, touch, taste, smell and hearing) to cripple the adversary's body in combat. Yet, he ultimately aims to disintegrate the adversary's consciousness and the mind's control over the body.


 * Tenbu Hōrin (The Treasures of Heavens) (天舞寶輪) is the epitome of this approach and Shaka's ultimate strike against an opponent. It traps the opponent into a matrix of illusions (normally Buddhist in nature), and destroys him through five stages. Each stage obliterates one of the opponent's five human senses cumulatively. And if that's not enough, as it was the case for Ikki, Shaka can remove the opponent's sixth sense, effectively shutting down the brain.

Shaka also has the rare ability to attack the enemy and defend himself at the same time. This two-sided fighting style often turns the weapons and techniques of an adversary against himself. When the Bronze saints invaded the House of Virgo, Shaka rebounded the attacks on him (and also their damages) to their originators. This aspect of Shaka's combat, doing unto others what they have done to him, is almost divine, as within minutes the three standing Bronze Saints (Shun, Seiya and Shiryū) are thrown on all fours and remain so for the rest of the confrontation with Shaka. Shaka's eyes are normally shut in order to strengthen his Cosmos energy. Shaka is also said to be the only one of the Gold Saints that not only masters the 7th sense, but also the 8th sense. Shaka has shown enough telekinetic power to even control his enemies' weapons and to transport his body to an alternate dimension when Phoenix Ikki attempted to obliterate him by blowing himself up. He strengthens his Cosmo energy by depriving himself of his eyesight. When he opens his eyes, the stored strength is then released.

He is so powerful that he is able to survive a full power blast from Athena's Exclamation by Saga, Camus, and Shura, though this was likely due to his acquisition of the 8th Sense. Though at first he was believed to be dead, it turned out that he let himself get hit so he could enter the underworld. His mental power is also formidable, since Ikki's mental attacks were completely ineffective but were returned to the original caster. He often casts illusions to deceive his enemies.


 * Om (ॐ): Expands his Cosmo energy, allowing him to use the full extent of his power.


 * Kān (カーン Kān, literally the Hindu chant "Hāṃ"): A defensive technique that creates a barrier that encircles Shaka's body. This technique's defence is great enough that Shaka could take full power attacks from Saga, Camus and Shura simultaneously with only a single cut being dealt to him.


 * Tenpōrin'in (転法輪印 Tenpōrin'in, literally means "Dharmacakra Mudra"): Erases any doubts in his mind that could refrain him during the fight, it also calms his mind and mental boundaries and limitations are completely erased allowing his mental abilities (memory, calculation, learning, creativity, etc.) to be completely unrestricted or subject to blockage, knowing what he needs to do and how he needs to do it. This exponentially enhances his integration of knowledge and wisdom (Usually receiving it from buddha's spirit himself). While meditating on any given scenario, he can structure it in more than a single interpretation, all of this allowing him the ability to deduce information not easily seen and/or realizing very important deciding factors that the enemy usually takes for granted and that usually spells defeat for them.


 * Tenma Kōfuku (天魔降伏 Tenma Kōfuku, literally meaning "Demon Pacifier"): Expands his Cosmos in a huge blast with the essence of the Buddhist lotus and 'Death on a pale horse' which is ridden by a girl, one strong enough to destroy a large part of the Cancer Temple. If Shaka launches this technique with his eyes closed, it is as powerful as Aiolia's Lightning Plasma, but if Shaka launches this technique with his eyes open, it becomes as destructive as Saga's Galaxian Explosion. A full power Tenma Kofuku is shown to be capable of destroying the Cancer Temple and Mu even questioned if Saga, Camus and Shura had been simultaneously killed by it.


 * Rikudō Rinne (六道輪廻 Rikudō Rinne, literally "Transmigration to the Six Paths" or "Six Samsāras"Of which he is the guardian): A technique in which Shaka sends the spirit or soul of his opponent to one of the six Dharma's rebirth realms. These realms are, as described by Kurumada:
 * Gakikai (The Realm of the Preta)
 * Jinkai (The Realm of Humans)
 * Jigokukai (The Realm of Hell)
 * Chikushōkai (The Realm of Beasts)
 * Shurakai (The Realm of the Warring Asura)
 * Tenkai (The Realm of Heaven)

Interestingly enough, Kurumada presents the Buddhist realms of reincarnation as separate planes of existence from those found in the Hades arc of his manga, which he derived from Dante Alighieri's conception of the underworld. The Tenkai is considered the worst realm to be sent as mentioned by Shaka.


 * Tenkū Haja Chimimōryō (天空覇邪魑魅魍魎 Tenkū Haja Chimimōryō, literally means "Heaven Supremacy on Evil Spirits of Rivers and Mountains): Shaka summons minor spirits and sends them against enemies to devour his soul or spirit.


 * Tenbu Hōrin (天舞寶輪 Tenbu Hōrin, literalmente significa "Treasures of Heavens"): Shaka's most powerful move, it is an offensive and defensive combined technique. Vairocana is showing his gesture inside Mandala pattern. It not only traps and defangs Shaka's victims, but also deprives and wipes out their five senses through Dai Ikkan/Nikan/Sankan/Yonkan/Gokan Hakudatsu (literally means "Removal of the 1st/2nd/3rd/4th/5th senses"). Essentially reduces Shaka's victims to living corpses by stopping the main functions of the brain that allows the body to think, also called the 6th sense. The offensive power of this attack is so destructive that it can easily destroy the cloth of the opponent. Whoever is affected by this technique, can not attack or flee.


 * Agyō: When Shaka opens his eyes, he releases a light and power similar to that unleashed during the beginning of the universe. When Agyō collided with Ungyō, infinite universes were born and died in the process.

Cloth, constellation and Temple
Shaka's guardian constellation is Virgo, and his Gold Cloth represents it and its associated myth: Astraea, daughter of Zeus and Themis or of Eos and Astraeus, she was the personification of justice.

After the fight against Saga, Shura and Camus, his Cloth was completely destroyed. However, he could attain the Eight Sense and reach the Underworld as a living being, along with his Cloth.

The temple he guarded was known both in manga and the anime adaptation as ShōjoKyū, "The Temple of the Maiden".

Predecessors and successors
Main Article: Virgo Shijima

Mains Articles:
 * Virgo Shun
 * Virgo Fudō
 * Virgo Asmita

In Masami Kurumada's current Saint Seiya work, Saint Seiya: The Next Dimension(canon sequel to the manga Saint Seiya), the Virgo Saint in the 18th century was known as Virgo Shijima (乙女座のシジマ, Barugo no Shijima). The Virgo Saint is slated to appear in February 2009, and like his successor "Shaka", he is called "the man who is almost a god", and also "the silent man".