The Black Saints (also known as Ankoku Saints in the anime adaptation, ankoku being a Japanese word for darkness) were former Saints who were stripped from their title and Cloth for using their strength for personal gain, turning to a life of crime and violence.
Those renegade Saints used the Death Queen Island as a home base, and managed to produce copies of Athena's Cloths, but as they lacked the knowledge and the permission of the Goddess, those Black Cloths are somewhat inferior to the original Cloths, being easily shattered by a blow of a Bronze Saint.
Although theroetically there is a Black Saint counterpart for each one of the 88 constellations, Kurumada featured prominently only four in his manga, the dark equivalents of the protagonists: Black Pegasus (ブラックペガサス／暗黒ペガサス Burakku Pegasasu/Ankoku Pegasasu?), Black Andromeda (ブラックアンドロメダ／暗黒アンドロメダ Burakku Andoromeda/Ankoku Andoromeda?), Black Dragon (ブラックドラゴン／暗黒ドラゴン Burakku Doragon/Ankoku Doragon?) and Black Swan (ブラックスワン／暗黒スワン Burakku Suwan/Ankoku Suwan?).
They were regarded as the most powerful among the Black Saints and were collectively known as The Black Four (暗黒四天王／暗黒四天王 Ankoku shiten'nō/Burakku Fō?). Their Cloths and techniques are counterparts to the ones from Pegasus Seiya, Dragon Shiryū, Andromeda Shun and Cygnus Hyōga. Although there is only one counterpart of each Cloth, in the manga the Black Dragon Saint has a blind brother that helps him to fight.
The four Black Saints were commanded by Jango until he was defeated and banished by Ikki in the manga (in the anime, Jango appeared at a far later point in the story). They were commanded by Ikki to attack the Bronze Saints and recover the hull of the Sagittarius Gold Cloth. However, they are defeated by their equivalents, and in the manga they are later killed by the Silver Saints, who were meant to kill the Bronze Saints, but mistook them due to an illusion created by Aries Mu.
Additionally, there are also several Black Phoenix Saints, who refer to themselves as Ikki's shadows, although in the anime one of them appears as the strongest one (Black Phoenix).
In the anime, after Ikki's departure from the island, Jango assumed the leadership of the Black Saints, until the Phoenix returned and killed him. After that, the Order of the Black Saints seems to be terminated.
20th Century[]
- Black Pegasus
- Black Dragon
- Black Dragon's Brother
- Black Swan
- Black Andromeda
- The Black Phoenix
- Jango
- Black Whale
Anime-only[]
Game Only[]
Saint Seiya Online:[]
- Black Wolf
- Black Hydra
- Black Unicorn
- Black Chameleon
18th Century (Lost Canvas)[]
21st Century (Netflix's Series Knights of the Zodiac)[]
- Black Knights
- Cassios
- Vander Graad
Gallery[]
| Godless Saints | ||
|---|---|---|
| Black Saints | ||
| Leaders | Jango • Phoenix Ikki | |
| Black Four | Black Swan • Black Pegasus • Black Andromeda • Black Dragon | |
| Others | Guilty • Esmeralda • Black Dragon's Brother • Black Phoenix Ritahoa | |
| Locations | Death Queen Island | |
| Caraib Ghost Saints | ||
| Leader | Geist | |
| Geist Saints | Dolphin Saint • Sea Serpent Saint • Jellyfish Saint | |
| Saints | ||
|---|---|---|
| Types | Bronze Saints • Silver Saints • Gold Saints • Steel Saints • Black Saints • Caraib Ghost Saints • Corona Saints • Pegasus Saints • Resurrected Saints • Saintias • Unknown Saints | |
| Berserkers of Ares | ||
|---|---|---|
| Main Deity | Ares | |
| Commanders | Phobos • Deimos • Enyo • Anteros | |
| Battalions | Flame • Fire • Fear • Disaster | |
| Flame Battalion (TThe Lost Canvas - The Myth of Hades) |
Jamadhar Hema • Bhuj Kókalo • Unnamed flame berserkers | |
| Affiliates | Black Saints | |
| Locations | Phantom Arena | |