Hydra Ichi (海ヘビ星座（ヒドラ）の市, Hidora-seiza no Ichi) is one of the Bronze Saints of Athena.
Chronology (86)
Childhood
Ichi is one of the 100 orphans that were brought into Graude Foundation to fulfill a project -- to be trained into becoming future saints for the goddess Athena. Only 10 of the children survived the entire process, and they grew up to become bronze saints.
In the original manga, it is was revealed that all 100 orphans were actually half brothers, with their father being Mitsumasa Kido, the man they have grown to despise for tearing them from their happy homes.
After some time living and training at the orphanage, the orphans were selected to different places all over the world and sent by Mitsumasa Kido to train and bring back the saint cloth in order to protect his foster granddaughter, Saori.
Ichi went to train at Finland where he managed to get the Hydra Bronze Cloth after six years.
Galaxian Wars Arc
Ichi defeated by Hyoga
Sanctuary Arc
After his loss he returned to Finland to train. He later came back with the other bronze saints Ban, Geki, Nachi and Jabu and headed to the Sanctuary to save Tatsumi and the comatose Athena. They stayed there until Saga's defeat.
Asgard Arc
Poseidon Arc
Ichi remained stationed in Sanctuary to guard his goddess from any upcoming menaces. About a month from the struggle in Sanctuary, the god Poseidon was revived and unleashed tsunamis and torrents of water across the world. Athena went to negotiate with him but was held hostage instead, but to her aid came the Bronze Saints that had fought in Sanctuary. Seiya, Shiryu, Shun, Hyoga and Ikki were able to defeat the sea god and rescue Athena. Ichi was ordered to remain in Sanctuary during the whole ordeal and could only watch
Chronology (OVAs Hades)
The reason for the stand by order was that the God of the Underworld, Hades was about to be revived. Ichi was among the first to notice the god's return, when he and Nachi was on patrol one night in Sanctuary. Ichi cried tears of joy that Athena had survived her ordeal with Poseidon, and blessed her for it. They suddenly discovered tow guards that had been mutilated, and the culprit turned out to be one of Hades' Specters. But these were not real Specters as they were revived Saints. Ichi tried to attack one but fell right through it, declaring it was a Ghost. Unicorn Jabu showed up shortly afterward and eliminated the ghosts. The Saints that had died in the previous battle of Sanctuary had come back to invade Sanctuary as well. Although Ichi and the others remained patrolling the borders, the invasion was eventually stopped when the invading Specters were defeated and Athena faked her own death to sneak into the Underworld.
Chronology (Heaven Chapter)
Chronology (Omega)
Main article: Hydra Ichi (Omega)
Powers and Cloth
The Hydra cloth is based on the Greek mythological monster, Hydra. But due to its minor power it currently only has one head. Yet it is Ichi's main and only know form of attack and defense.
According to him, poisonous claws come from every part of his cloth: the target hit by them becomes paralyzed and slowly dies.
Once they hit the target, the claws come out of the cloth, but new claws grow very fast, giving an infinite supply - exactly as the mythological monster, who if any of the heads were removed, two would grow in its place.
The Anime version differs slightly from the manga original, were as a pelvis armor and leg armor has been added.
The Hydra Cloth represents the constellation Hydra, which is associated to the myth of the Lernaean Hydra, from Greek mythology.
Predecessor and successor
Predecessor
Successor
Notes
- The kanji for his name, 市, means city or town in Japanese, so it's very likely that Masami Kurumada only used it phonetically, without an intended or implicit meaning.
- When speaking, Ichi always laughs, both in manga and anime.
- His hair color is Black in the manga, while White in the Anime.
