See also: Andromeda Shaun (Netflix Series)
Andromeda Shun (アンドロメダ星座の瞬 Andoromeda no Shun), also known as Shun, literally meaning 'twinkle, instant', is one of the Bronze Saints. He is arguably one of the strongest in the series, although his gentle disposition and kind nature tend to prevent him from using his true power, unless he is forced to do so.
Shun is also the younger brother of Phoenix Ikki, a fellow Bronze Saint. Shun has the purest soul in his era and is the "Chosen One". Whether or not he is a reincarnation of a previous vessel of Hades is unknown, but Tenma implied that Shun and Alone are similar in Next Dimension.
Appearance[]
Shun is considered to be a very handsome young man. During the Galaxian Wars in the coliseum, the female spectators cheered for Shun during his match against Unicorn Jabu, saying that he was beautiful. Various of Shun's opponents have also made remarks about his appearance: Perseus Algol calling him "handsome little boy" and Pisces Aphrodite later referring to him as a "pretty boy." It is evident that his features are inspired by his guardian constellation, Andromeda, who was praised for her beauty in Greek Mythology.
In the manga, Shun's hair is brown with slightly reddish tone and his eyes are blue. When he is possessed by Hades, his hair turns black, his skin becomes paler, and the eyes change to a lighter shade. In the anime adaptation, his hair and eyes color were modified to green to generate a better color balance. While he was possessed by Hades, his hair turns to a reddish shade instead of black.
When is not wearing his armor, Shun wears a green T-shirt and white overalls pants with suspenders and black shoes. During his training, he is seen wearing an attire similar to Seiya's training gear in Greece except Shun's has blue tones and darker blue shoulder pads with classic Greek sandals, matching the same dark hue. In Omega, Shun has red suspenders on his usual overalls pants and wears a long-sleeved black shirt underneath.
In Next Dimension, Tenma, the Pegasus Saint of the XVIII century, states that Shun looks similar to Alone— the reincarnation of Hades of that century.
Personality[]
Shun is a pacifist, and the most reluctant of the Bronze Saints when a situation must be resolved by violence. He is a merciful soul by nature, and a firm believer in solving problems without causing bloodshed. This creates a sharp contrast between himself and the rest of the Saints: Whereas the others will not hesitate to battle when the situation demands it, Shun only allows himself to fight if it's an absolute necessity, or when his almost endless patience wears out. When this is the case, Shun can become an extremely skilled and deadly fighter.
His kindness also lets Charon abandon the attack and his sorrow distracts Lune unintentionally so Kanon can mind control Lune. Shun is shown as a competent and tough, if unwilling, fighter and opponent. In 'Sanctuary', he manages to hold his own against Gemini Saga, and even manages to kill Pisces Aphrodite, both of them Gold Saints.
He is the second of the Bronze Saints to achieve his God Cloth. Though he may be adverse to fighting, he will fight when he is required to, and is just as powerful or skilled as any of the other main Bronze Saints.
Biography[]
Early years[]
Shun as a baby
Shun and his brother Ikki, are two of the many children of the billionaire Mitsumasa Kido whose children he gathered in an attempt to turn them into Saints of Athena. (In the anime, this familial relation with Mitsumasa is omitted). As a child, Shun avoided fighting and seemed much more sensitive than the other boys brought by Kido, being protected by his brother whenever necessary.
At the beginning of his training, Shun repeatedly faltered, but with the help of Chameleon June, his training partner, he was able to find the strength to overcome his brother's lack. In order to participate in the "Sacrifice of Andromeda," the final challenge to conquer the sacred Cloth, Shun defeated his opponent, showing that he learned correctly the teachings of his master.
Later, Shun was chained to a few cliffs at the edge of the sea. He would have to concentrate and free himself before the tide rose completely and drowned him. Unlike the other saints, in order to conquer his Cloth, Shun did not use the force, but the affection he held for his estranged brother. After passing through the Andromeda Sacrifice, Shun gets his Cloth and leaves for Japan hoping to find his brother.
Galaxian Wars[]
In the Galaxian Wars, Shun is matched against Unicorn Jabu. Initially, Jabu underestimates the power of Shun's chain and attacks him on all sides, but Andromeda's chains hit him at all times, leaving the Unicorn Cloth badly damaged. The only reason for Shun's involvement was the desire to find his brother again. After this, he encounters a diabolical side of Phoenix Ikki, and joins Pegasus Seiya, Dragon Shiryu and Cygnus Hyoga in search of the Sagittarius Gold Cloth stolen by Ikki. Later, they recover the human side of Ikki.
After discovering that Saori is Athena and deciding to rebel against the corrupted Sanctuary, while Shun was preparing to go to the airport where he expected his friends and is interrupted by Chameleon June, who appears at the Kido mansion with the intention of stopping him. She talks about the destruction of the island of Andromeda, and after frustrated attempts in attacking Shun, she decides to take off the mask showing her face, crying, saying that she did not want Shun to die, but Shun replied that it was his duty as a Saint to go to the Sanctuary and risk his own life.
Sanctuary[]
Aldebaran knocks Shun, Shiryu and Hyoga unconscious. Seiya awakens his Seventh Sense for a second, being able to overcome the defense of Taurus Aldebaran and break the right horn of the Taurus Cloth, a challenge offered by the Gold Saint to let him pass. After Seiya's fight against Aldebaran came to an end, Shun, Hyoga and Shiryu woke up, but only Seiya was allowed to pass through the Bull Temple, as Seiya managed to break one of the Taurus Armor's horns. Then Shun, Shiryu and Hyoga attack together Aldebaran leaving his arm frozen. After that, Aldebaran lets the other Saints pass by his temple. By distrusting the true intentions of the Grand Pope, Aldebaran does not take his fight to the last consequences, making it a training for the Bronze Saints. Aldebaran, however, warned them not to underestimate the power of the Gold Saints, for their differences in powers are great.
In the Temple of Gemini, the Bronze Saints are perplexed by the illusions of the Gemini Saga and so Hyoga and Shun went one way, while Seiya and Shiryu followed each other. Andromeda wakes his Seventh Sense for few seconds, escaping of the Another Dimension again and managing to reach Gemini Saga that controlled the armor in a very distant hall, making the illusion disappear. When Shun retracts his Nebula Chain, he finds it tangled with a beaded rosary-like necklace. Shun notices the positive and negative energy of the cosmos emanating from the temple and says that this can be the source of all the evil behind this battle. After leaving the third temple, Shun realizes that Hyoga's cosmos has disappeared completely in one of the temples ahead.
After Seiya and Shiryu attempt to attack Virgo Shaka, without success, Shun attempts to attack Shaka with his Andromeda Chain. However, the chain was immobilized and repelled by the cosmos of Shaka and Shun almost lost his head when being hanged by its own chain. Soon after, Shaka knocks them out easily with his secret Divine Surrender blow. Shun, Shiryu and Seiya just wake up in time to witness Phoenix Ikki's sacrifice. Despite mourning the supposed death of his brother, Shun promises to Ikki that he will continue to fight like a man to the end. After Ikki's sacrifice at the Virgo temple, Shun, Seiya, and Shiryu arrive at the Temple of Libra and encounter Hyoga's body imprisoned in the Freezing Coffin from Aquarius Camus, but his hearts still beat. After Shiryu releases Cygnus Hyoga from the Freezing Coffin with the Sword of Libra (sent by the Elder Master), Shun says he will save Hyoga, and asks Shiryu and Seiya to move on. Shun raises his cosmo-energy to the maximum, warming the Cygnus Saint's body that was frozen and his heart about to stop beating, but the great effort of his cosmos ended up making the Andromeda Saint faint.
Shun and Seiya are the only survivors. In the stairwells between the temples of Aquarius and Pisces, Shun tells Seiya that he would like to face the Gold Saint of the last temple alone, regardless of who it was. At that moment, Pisces Aphrodite appears and introduces himself to Seiya and Shun. Pegasus follows in the direction of the room of the Grand Pope passing by Aphrodite without any difficulties, however, ends up being knocked down by the Royal Demon Roses in the way. Shun fights Aphrodite, and after an extensive fight, defeats him with his most powerful blow, the Nebula Storm, revealing his true power and avenging the death of his master, Cepheus Albiore. Shun, however, ends up succumbing to Aphrodite's Bloody Rose and has no more strength to reach Seiya, fainting soon after, and apologizes to Pegasus for not being able to help him. Later his cloth is repaired by Shaka's blood and along with the other bronze saints, Shun is taken to recover from the fight at Saori's hospital of the foundation.
Poseidon[]
Shun confronts Marina General Io of Scylla, where he shows the various possibilities of defending his current, from which he simply created six new forms of defense on the basis of an "improvisation" and killing him unintentionally.
Further on, he faces Siren Sorento, defeating him, but instead of killing Sorento he can give up fighting by imprisoning him with his most powerful technique, Nebulous Storm, because Shun believed that Sorento had a good heart. Later, Shun helps Athena and the other Bronze Saints against Poseidon, even with its exhausted body and cosmos.
Hades[]
Shun in Hades's control
In one of the biggest plot twists of the series, Shun is revealed to be the human incarnation of Hades, God of the Underworld, in the same way Saori Kido is Athena, Goddess of War and Wisdom, and Julian Solo is Poseidon, Lord of the Seas. Although Shun himself was initially unaware of this fact, the soul of Hades became dominant once Shun lost the childhood pendant that bound his body with the god's, and Hades' soul was united with Shun's body during the close encounter in Hades' throne room after the death of the Lyra Saint.
Hades, whilst possessing Shun, raises a staff up into the air
Not long after, Hades, in possession of Shun's body, is confronted by Shun's older brother, Phoenix Ikki. Ikki believed that Shun's soul was still inside somewhere, and he was soon proven correct. With one hand strangling his own body (and thus, Hades'), Shun urged Ikki to mercilessly destroy him while the opportunity was fresh. Ikki was moved by Shun's willingness to sacrifice himself, as it proved that he truly was born to be the Saint of Andromeda.
However, Ikki hesitated at the last second and was unable to follow through. Shun lost his grip, and Hades quickly regained the upper hand. Hades reclaimed the Saint's body once more and the Phoenix was swiftly dealt with.
Eventually, it took the boiling blood of Athena herself and the goddess' encouragement to give Shun the strength to separate Hades from his body once and for all. When Shun awoke in Seiya's arms moments later, he once again donned the Andromeda Cloth and was ready to return to action.
Saint Seiya: Next Dimension[]
Shun has survived the destruction of the Underworld and Elysium, and appears in the Sanctuary where are Athena and Seiya (the latter with the sword of Hades in his chest like in the movie) Athena and Shun go in search of Artemis, goddess of Moon, sister of Athena, for help to Seiya, which in three days, his heart will be pierced by the sword of Hades. Along with Saori come to Olympus where he has a hearing with Artemis, who claims that the acts committed by Athena provoke the wrath of the Gods. Then, with the guidance of Hecate arrive with Cronos, the God of Time, who send Athena and Shun the past 200 years.
Shun falls in the Sanctuary Colosseum, where he is attacked by guards that quickly repels his Nebular Chain until Tenma, the Pegasus Saint of this era, appears to stop them. Tenma with Seiya, just as Tenma found him like his friend Alone, and begin to fight, but the superiority of Andromeda makes the combat to end soon.
- Aries House
Both come to the White Ram Temple where Aries Shion does not let go, instantly ramming his glass wall. Knowing the situation that he is a Saint from the future, Shion lets him order to help in Athena, who was turned into baby Cronos, from the clutches of the Pope and Pisces Cardinale.
- Taurus House
Finally, he and Tenma reach the Temple of Taurus, where Ox, the Gold Saints defender waits to stop them. In this house are slowed by Ox initially, but then agrees to let this happen. Gemini HouseModifier Arriving at the house of Gemini, decide to separate, Tenma takes the path to the left, but on entering is the true gentleman of Gemini, Abel. It uses its other dimension but is rescued by Shun who decides to return to rescue Tenma. Abel strikes again but is interrupted by Suikyo latter replies that they escape into the temple of Cancer lest they die. ecapando already comes with the temple Shun giant crab. Cancer HouseModifier Tenma and Shun, Cancer Deathtoll encounter who try locking them in coffins and uses Omerta, the legendary coffin, then comes Suikyo Gemini Victim of trying to kill two bronze and faces with them, and smote them, Tenma later with Shun Cancer enclose their own special coffin and head to the temple of Leo. It reveals that the teacher wanted to help them Tenma escaped both times we were faced with these last golden saints and not even being a saint of Athena, but goes to get his head for personal reasons. After leaving the house both saints Cancer, Tenma asks Shun to follow him as he recovers coughing and spitting up blood.
- Leo House
In the fifth house of Leo, Shun makes the acquaintance of the gold saint of Leo named Leo Kaiser and his friend Goldie (a huge lion wearing armor). Shun tells Kaiser that he must continue for the sake of Athena, but the gold saint who has orders not to let anyone pass, does not believe his words and orders Goldie to attack Shun however that the bronze saint is able to tame. Amazed of what happened, Kaiser then shows him unconscious Suikyo, Shun who earlier had defeated the gold saint, to make them desist from pursuing, but Shun intends to reach by Athena at any cost, and attacks the gold saint several times with his chain which fights back with punches thrown at the speed of light, shortly after the fifth house also comes Tenma. After the battle between Kaiser and Goldie against a group of Specter, the gold saint decides to go Tenma and Shun continuing so to the 6th house.
- Virgo House
Close to home of Virgo, Shun and Tenma see fall two comets, Shun perceive in them the cosmos of Dragon Shiryū and Cygnus Hyōga. Within the Sixth House, Shun assisted in the savage fight between the spirit of Virgo Shaka and the spirit of Virgo Shijima. At the end of the terrifying duel, Shaka declares that Shun will be the new Gold Saint of the Virgin in the future.
Non-canonical anime episodes[]
- Differences between manga and anime
- The anime has its own timeline and is not considered canon.
Shun is portrayed rather weak in the first 4 movies and the anime-only 'Asgard' arc: In almost every fight scene, he is almost always defeated, and needs his brother Ikki to rescue him (except against Mizar Zeta Syd, the on- time Shun defeated a foe in either of the first 4 movies or the 'Asgard' anime-only story). This has led to a misconception among certain fans that Shun is a 'weakling', but it is important to remember that these stories were not written by Masami Kurumada and therefore are not canonical and are out of Kurumada's true continuity and plot.
Asgard arc[]
Shun confronts Mime of Benetnasch, but he is defeated, despite coming to wound the God Warrior with his Nebula Storm. Fact is that he failed to defeat Mime by not wanting to naturally defeat him, due to the neutral form of Mime behaving without actually offering a reason to be defeated.
Ikki arrives and defeats Mime n and asks for Shun to move on. Shun does, finding Shido from Mizar, whom he defeats, this time with success with his most powerful technique. After that, he is shot down by Bado de Alcor even with the support of Shaina and happens to watch the new confrontation of Ikki, who defeats the shadow of Mizar. At the end of this Saga, Siegfried fights Doube, but is defeated, and helps Seiya to defeat him, as well as save Athena.
Eris and Heated Battle of the Gods[]
Shun along with the other Bronze Knights accepts the challenge of Eris. He confronts Orpheus of Harp and is defeated being saved by his brother. In the end he sees the destruction of the Sanctuary of Eris.
Legend of Crimson Youth and Warriors of the Final Holy Battle[]
Shun goes to Asgard along with Saori, Seiya and Shiryu to look for Hyoga. There he stands as Saori's protector. Shun confronts Ur and is defeated but saved by Ikki after his brother defeats Rung. The two are hanging on a cliff. Shun defends Seiya of Durval and after the defeat of the Priest, he sees the Tree of the Universe being born in the place of the statue of Odin.
Heaven Chapter: Overture[]
Shun fights against the celestial angel Theseus, even using the best blows, all are repelled and blocked, leaving the Knight with no exits to win. When all seemed lost, his brother Ikki of Phoenix comes to help, but is also easily overcome by the angel, who throws them in a place similar to a small lake. In this place, they find a great statue, where were the souls of the Golden Knights sealed by to rebel against the gods. Encouraged by them, they both decide to fight together and form an unbeatable duo, the combination of Nebula Storm and the Phoenix Bird completely destroys the celestial angel.
Saint Seiya Omega[]
Main Article: Andromeda Shun (Omega)
Conception and creation[]
Left original version and his adapted anime version on the right
As Masami Kurumada uses the revered Osamu Tezuka's Star System technique, (a stable cast of characters which play a a different or similar role in the author's various works, sometimes with the same personality and sometimes with an entirely new one), he gave Shun's appearance to Ai Daichi, a main character in the manga Aoi Tori no Shinwa, a manga that Kurumada wrote and drew years after Saint Seiya.
Also, Kurumada designed Shun closely resembling Jindai Naoto, from Otoko Zaka, the manga he wrote and drew one year before Saint Seiya. And even more, Shun also resembles Kirikaze, from Fuuma no Kojiro, also a manga Kurumada wrote and drew several years before Saint Seiya.
Kirikaze from Fuuma no Kojiro
Kurumada explained in interviews that he gave the Andromeda Cloth the same color that identifies the Andromeda Nebula found in the constellation of the same name.
As Masami Kurumada was a practitioner of the martial arts in his youth, he used his knowledge about traditional Japanese martial arts weapons in his concept for Shun. The Chains of the Andromeda Cloth, were a formidable weapon, perfectly suited for both defense and offense, sharing these traits with the traditional Manriki-gusari, a chain-based weapon used in Japanese martial arts.
List of opponents[]
In the original manga, Shun won 60% of his battles, i.e. 6 battles out of 10 (battles labeled as "unfair" are not considered).
| As the Saint of Andromeda | ||
|---|---|---|
| Opponent | Result | Notes |
| Unicorn Jabu | Victory | Andromeda's victory was almost certain. Phoenix interrupted the battle and attacked both; he managed to knock out Unicorn, but not Andromeda. |
| Black Cygnus | Draw | Andromeda was at disadvantage. Hyoga Cygnus and three Black Saints interrupted the battle. |
| Black Andromeda | Victory | Black Andromeda received the death blow from Canes Venatici Asterion. |
| Phoenix Ikki | Unfair | 4 against 1: Pegasus + Dragon + Cygnus + Andromeda VS. Phoenix; Andromeda was knocked out. |
| Cerberus Dante | Victory | Phoenix was the initial opponent of Cerberus, but he withdrew and left the battle to Andromeda. |
| Perseus Algol | Defeat | Andromeda was petrified; he recovered after Perseus' death. |
| Pisces Aphrodite | Victory | - |
| Scylla Io | Victory | - |
| Lyumnades Casa | Defeat | Andromeda was saved by the intervention of Phoenix. |
| Siren Sorrento | Victory | - |
| Poseidon | Unfair | 6 against 1: Sagittarius Seiya + Aquarius Hyoga + Libra Shiryu + Ophiuchus + Andromeda + Phoenix VS. Poseidon. Andromeda was knocked out. |
| Acheron Charon | Draw | 2 against 1: Pegasus + Andromeda VS. Acheron |
| As the Saint of God-Andromeda | ||
| Opponent | Result | Notes |
| Hypnos | Unfair | 3 against 1: God-Dragon + God-Cygnus + God-Andromeda VS. Hypnos. Andromeda was knocked out. |
Powers and Abilities[]
Andromeda Shun is a Saint, a warrior trained to channel their Cosmos for enhanced physical abilities. He possesses increased strength, speed, agility, and reflexes, which are further amplified by his Andromeda Cloth. The Andromeda Cloth allows him to channel his Cosmos into the constellation, enhancing his power and enabling cosmic energy attacks and electrical shocks. Andromeda Shun, is a Bronze Saint known for his superhuman strength, speed, durability etc. He possesses a powerful Cosmos, allowing him to utilize various techniques, including Nebula Chain and Nebula Storm. By increasing his Cosmo which he channels, he's able to enhance his strength, speed, and agility, enabling him to perform powerful attacks and feats of endurance. His Andromeda Cloth armor further amplifies his power, allowing him to create cosmic energy blasts and use healing techniques for himself, sense others, and even access the Underworld through his 8th sense. He also has upgrades to his cloth, such as those granted by the Gold Saints and Athena herself' increasing his own power in the process with he puts them on.
- Cosmos: Cosmos is the power source, inner essence of a Saint, allowing for superhuman strength, speed, energy blasts and durability etc. Saints harness this form of energy known as Cosmos, which functions as the source of their extraordinary abilities. Cosmos is described as a "mini-universe" within each character, and its manipulation allows for a variety of powers.
- 7th Sense: The 7th sense, or Miraculosity, is a heightened state of Cosmos energy that allows the user to tap into the true potential of their divine power. It enables the user to perform actions that defy the natural laws of the universe, such as manipulating space-time, creating a Big Bang etc.
- 8th Sense (Afterlife): This sense grants control over the soul and body in the spirit realm, enabling resurrection.
- 9th Sense: The 9th Sense is Godhood, in otherwords Divinity' is the "Supreme Virtue", and the sense that separates a god from lower beings. To awaken such sense, a mortal must reach true enlightenment, of the likes of which rarely ever happened after the age of myth.
- Strength: Shun is capable of great physical strength, allowing him to lift and move heavy objects and deliver powerful punches, making him a formidable combatant' able to shatter highly strong materials. He also possesses incredible strength in his legs too, as shown by his ability to deliver powerful kicks. and can increase significantly with training with his own willpower which is also a key factor in his strength and growth. He pushes his limits and strives to become stronger when needed.
- Speed: He possesses impressive speed, allowing him to move quickly and evade attacks. Which goes from Mach 10, supersonic to light-speed by burning his cosmos infinitely and depending on which cloth he wears at the same time.
- Durability: Andromeda Shun's durability in Saint Seiya is notable, his training has given him a high level of durability, allowing him to withstand significant damage. He's able to endure significant damage, including attacks from Gold Saints and other powerful opponents. His ability to survive is due to his strong cosmos and the Andromeda Cloth's protection as well. His durability is further enhanced by which type of Cloth he wears and his ability to burn his Cosmo through training.
- Flight: Andromeda Shun also has the ability to fly, through his enhanced speed and control of his Cosmo energy' which is flight-like movement: While not technically flying, Shun's incredible speed and energy allows him to create a levitating barrier that allows him to actually propel himself by running on the energy he creates using his own cosmos' rather than running on an invisible surface. This is particularly evident in the Hades arc, where Shun and other Saints fly both within the Underworld and towards Elysion; which can seem like running on the air with a fluidity and grace that can resemble flight-like movement and even potentially reach into and fly through space as well, this is by leveraging his speed and control of Cosmo energy. And with his God Cloth he can also fly regularly and between dimensions too.
- Protective Barrier: When facing the dangers of harsh environments' such as space, underwater etc. they can use their Cosmo energy, which fuels their abilities, to create a protective barrier around themselves, shielding them from harmful conditions, such being able to breathe in space and underwater' without needing Earth's oxygen supply.
- Energy Projection: Energy Projection refers to the ability to emit concentrated bursts of energy, often for offensive purposes. This can manifest in different forms, including energy beams, blasts, or other attacks that rely on harnessing one's Cosmos, Saints have shown the ability to compress and project their attacks. This includes techniques that can be destructive in nature or capable of manipulating atomic structure. Many characters are capable of compressing their cosmos energy and projecting it as powerful blasts or beams during combat. This aspect of their abilities can significantly affect their opponents, making energy blasts a common feature in battles. For instance, characters can unleash focused attacks that can rival or surpass significant cosmic threats. In summary, all Saints can utilize Energy Projection as a component of their abilities, thanks to their mastery of Cosmo, which allows them to perform a wide range of energy-based attacks and defense's’ throughout the series. This capacity places them within the realm of characters from similar series that rely on energy manipulation as a critical component of their power sets.
- Energy Manipulation: Saints can use energy manipulation through their unique power system known as “Cosmos,” which allows for various extraordinary abilities and techniques. It’s the fundamental energy source used, enabling them to perform powerful feats in combat. It is related to the concept of the universe and the energy inherent in all living beings. The Saints, “burn” or unleash their Cosmo to achieve superhuman abilities, often referred to as energy manipulation.
- Energy Control: Saints can utilize "Energy Control" through their ability to manipulate "Cosmo," which is the fundamental energy source in the series.
- Energy Absorption: Cloths worn by the Saints have the capability to absorb light and energy from attacks. This function allows the Saints to mitigate some damage from their opponents, essentially providing a form of defensive energy absorption during combat situations. Saints can also use Energy Absorption independently without their Cloths, relying on their inherent Cosmos, while their capabilities can be enhanced when wearing them too. In summary, Saints can hold and potentially use absorbed powers without their Cloths, the permanence of these enhancements largely hinges on their mastery of Cosmo. Simply put, they might not reach their full potential without their Cloths, and the abilities they try to absorb might not yield consistent or permanent benefits without considerable training and experience in managing their Cosmos. Overall, while there are avenues for power absorption and enhancement, the narrative emphasizes the necessity of understanding and controlling one's inner power for effective use, regardless of whether they are wearing their Cloths or not.
- God Cloth: He can also awaken the Andromeda God Cloth, requiring infinite Cosmos and further enhancing his abilities.
- Intelligence and Adaptability: Andromeda Shun is a character known for his intelligence and strategic thinking, as well as his physical prowess. He demonstrates a unique ability to control his Cosmos and channel it through the Andromeda Cloth, allowing him to perform powerful cosmic energy attacks and heal himself. Additionally, he also exhibits a deep understanding of people and their motivations, making him a valuable mediator and strategist; possessing a natural instinct for understanding people and their emotions, making him a valuable ally in the group.
Andromeda Shun's atomic destruction capabilities come from his Cosmos, the fundamental energy source, which he uses to unleash powerful attacks and feats. These attacks include the Nebula Stream and the Nebula Storm, which demonstrate the ability to break down matter at the atomic level. His abilities stem from his Cosmos, which allows him to manipulate subatomic particles; a destructive force capable of pulverizing anything made of atoms, including stars. This power is heightened when Shun ignites his Seventh Sense giving him more power; known as Atomic Destruction, is a manifestation of his Cosmos, the life force of the universe. It's described as a destructive force capable of pulverizing anything made of atoms, including stars' matter at a fundamental level. The Atomic Destruction attack is powerful enough to potentially damage or destroy entire constellations or even the stars themselves; Cosmic and Atomic Destruction:
- Cosmo is presented as a destructive power that can be used to destroy atoms.
- Users can manipulate Cosmo to create various effects, including feats that demonstrate atomic-level destruction.
- Cosmo is not just about brute force; it can also be used for more subtle manipulations of matter and energy.
Andromeda Shun possesses significant healing abilities thanks to his powerful cosmos, which allows him to regenerate wounds and even heal himself from severe injuries, including those that would normally require extensive medical intervention. His cosmos has self-healing properties, and he has been shown to heal himself from various injuries, such as a broken leg. Moreover, his cosmos can also be used to heal others. Here's a more detailed look at his healing powers:
- Self-Healing: Shun's cosmos has restorative powers, allowing him to heal himself from various injuries, including those inflicted by strong opponents.
- Regeneration: His cosmos can regenerate damaged molecules, effectively healing wounds and injuries.
- Enhanced Healing: As Shun's cosmos develops, particularly with the unlocking of the 7th and 8th senses, his healing abilities become even more potent.
- Healing others: Shun's cosmos has been used to heal others, showcasing its versatility and power.
- Physical and Spiritual Healing: His cosmos can heal not only physical wounds but also spiritual damage, as seen when he heals others with his cosmos too.
To fight, Shun normally relies on the Andromeda chain, as he does not want to use his full power because he does not want to kill the opponents. During the Sanctuary Arc, Shun awoke the 7th sense in his fights against the Gold Saints but from his teacher's perspective, he'd awoken to this sense of cosmos long before that battle. As he's more than a capable fighter even without his bronze cloth. Although a reluctant fighter, Shun is one of Kurumada's characters with the larger technique arsenals at his disposal.
His known techniques are:
- Nebula Chain: The Andromeda Saint's signature technique which allows him to manipulate the chains of his Cloth however he pleases. At the most basic, the Nebula Chain is a straight-forward attack where the chains rapidly slice and wrap themselves around the enemy. This attack can be improved by using the Thunder Wave of the chain.
- Rolling Defense: A simple defensive technique that utilizes Shun's chains in one of two ways: he will either twirl the chains around himself to create a barrier or set them on the ground to mimic a circular web; this was later named the Circle Defense. In web mode, the chains construct a distance between himself and the opponent and will discharge energy volts or simply slash the enemy if they attempt to enter the field.
- Thunder Wave: An advanced offensive technique utilized through the square segment of the Andromeda Cloth's chains. It has two main means of function: first is to strike at enemies with an electrified current of burning cosmo running through its spear point, increasing overall offensive power compared to the simple offensive/defensive activities of the Nebula Chains. And second is the ultimate heat seeking effect, where the triangular headed chain feels out for its desired target from anywhere and anytime to strike. Even from across dimensions.
- Great Capture: A technique that twists the chains to paralyze, capture, or immobilize foes. Shun also uses other ways of capturing opponents with Boomerang Shoot, Spiral Duct, etc.
- Nebula Stream: A defensive attack that links directly to Shun's Cosmo. It entangles the foe with streams of the Andromeda cosmos in an attempt to paralyze them. As Shun becomes more determined to use his true power, the stream will eventually transfigure into the Nebula Storm technique.
- Nebula Storm: By the time Shun has chosen to execute it, his Cloth and chains are abandoned (either voluntarily or destroyed by his opponent) to allow him full access to his cosmos. The attack is dispelled as a single burst from the summit of Shun's Cosmo. Because of its extreme destructive nature, Shun will only use it as a last resort.
See also: Powers and Abilities
Cloth[]
Main Article: Andromeda Cloth
The Gold Cloth of Virgo[]
Shun after receiving the temporary powers of Virgo Cloth
As Shun was born under the astrological constellation of Virgo, he has the privilege of donning that Gold Cloth in times of crisis. This was shown when he and his fellow Bronze Saints (also wearing Gold Cloths each) battled the god of Death, Thanatos.
Shun, like the rest of the Bronze Saints, did not have time to use his Gold Cloth or launch any attacks while wearing it, as Thanatos attacked all the Bronze Saints immediately upon their receiving of the Gold Cloths. Thanatos, with one strike, was able to shatter all 5 Gold Cloths that were present, an event which was unprecedented. Later in Next Dimension, Shaka designed Shun as heir of the Virgo Gold Cloth.
Notes[]
- Changes in the Andromeda Bronze Cloth throughout the story:
- After the inner war at the 12 Zodiac Temples, Gold Saint Virgo Shaka (Taurus Aldebaran in the anime) revived the Andromeda Cloth using his own blood. Aries Mu then forged a new one for the Bronze Saint.
- The former Pope Shion (the Aries Saint of XVIII c.) revives the thorn Cloth using Athena's blood during the beginning of the Emperor Hades arc ~Into the Underworld~.
- At the final chapters Shun burned his Cosmo to protect his older brother Ikki from a certain fatal blow of the God of Sleep Hypnos, his Andromeda Cloth revived once again but as a God Cloth. This new Cloth is now a full plate golden armor equipped with wings and a divine aura. In the anime, the God Cloth is light pink.
- Shun makes a cameo in Saintia Shō.
Gallery[]
- See Gallery
References[]
Saint Seiya, Volume 13.
| Saints | ||
|---|---|---|
| Types | Bronze Saints • Silver Saints • Gold Saints • Steel Saints • Black Saints • Caraib Ghost Saints • Corona Saints • Pegasus Saints • Resurrected Saints • Saintias • Unknown Saints | |