Aiolia and Titans
Overview
Saint Seiya Episode G (聖闘士星矢EPISODE・G, Seinto Seiya Episōdo Jī) is an ongoing shōnen manga written and illustrated by Megumu Okada. A side-story and a derivative work of Masami Kurumada's Saint Seiya, it first started being serialized in the monthly magazine Champion Red on 19th January 2003 and was later compiled into volumes by Akita Shoten, with the first being published on 19th June 2003.
The story is set in 1979-1980, five years before the events of the original Saint Seiya manga (1985-1990) and seven years after the death of the Sagittarius Gold Saint Aiolos (1972), the brother of Episode G's main character. It takes place in a fictional universe where the Greek gods cyclically reincarnate into the world, often waging war on each other for dominance, and depicts 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 the Earth from the recently awakened Titan gods.
Saint Seiya Episode G has been translated into various other languages by publishers from around the world, where it was well received, but not without controversy regarding its differences to Saint Seiya. It has been criticized as a "manga in slow motion": during battles, a single hit at the speed of light can often require several pages. Also, the over-detailed drawings by Megumu Okada sometimes make it difficult to distinguish between characters and backgound.
Saint Seiya Episode G it has never been published in English.
Note: in the manga Episode G there are some details, some elements that are not consistent with the original Saint Seiya.
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.
List of chapters
Legend:
- Ch. = Chapter (first number is volume, second is chapter)
- P. = Pages
- Co. = Continuity order; first digit is the arc number, second digit is the chapter number
Special gaiden chapters
At the beginning of each tankobon is a special "gaiden chapter". Initially, these chapters were short side stories, but later on they became just a sort of "introduction summary" of the tankobon itself. The table below lists the Gaiden Chapters independent from the main storyline. They are all set a short time before 1973, the year when Sagittarius Aiolos brought the infant Athena away from the Sanctuary and disappeared.
| Co. | Ch. | Title | Main character | P. | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | The sacred war (聖戦編 Seisen hen) | Aries Shion | 8 | color |
| 2 | 2 | Saga's story (サガ編 Saga hen) | Gemini Saga | 9 | color |
| 3 | 4 | Aiolos (アイオロス編 Aiolosu hen) | Sagittarius Aiolos | 27 | b/w |
| 4 | 5 | Golden wings (黄金ノ翼 Ōgon no tsubasa) | Sagittarius Aiolos | 8 | color |
| 5 | 0 | Prologue: The one who searches (探求セシ者 Tankyū seshi mono) 1. The one who declares the start (始マリヲ告ゲル者 Hajimari o tsugeru mono) 2. The one chosen to be the Lion (獅子ニ選バレシ者 Shishi ni erabareshimono) 3. The one who wavers (タユタウ者 Tayutau mono) Final: The one who returns from the waters of chaos (渾沌ノ水カラ還ル者 Konton no mizu kara kaeru mono) Epilogue: The one who commands to search (探求ヲ命ズル者 Tankyū o meizuru mono) |
Sagittarius Aiolos | 104 | b/w |
| 6 | 6 | The one who does not believe in destiny (運命ヲ信ジヌ者 Unmei o shinjinu mono) |
Sagittarius Aiolos | 24 | b/w |
| 7 | 9 | Those of the deep (深キ者ドモ Fuki mono domo) | Sea Dragon Kanon | 8 | b/w |
- Special Chapter 1: The Holy War (8 pages)
At the end of the previous Holy War, Aries Shion defeats the last Specters. He then meets Libra Doko, who says that the cosmos of the dead Saints will reincarnate in the next generation of Saints.
- Special Chapter 2: Saga (10 pages)
Gemini Saga fights a group of evil ghosts who invaded his House. The last ghosts asks him: "Who are you", but Saga is unable to find an answer.
- Special Chapter 4: Aiolos (26 pages)
Sagittarius Aiolos fights the giant Typhon near Sicily and saves a young boy, named Cliff O'Kents.
- Special Chapter 5: Golden wings (8 pages)
Sagittarius Aiolos fights a band of warriors devoted to the Egyptian sun goddess Apophis. This story is a prologue to Aiolos-Hen.
- Special Aiolos-hen (96 pages)
The works to build the dam of Assuan (Egypt) revealed a very ancient tomb. The Sanctuary sends Sagittarius Aiolos to investigate. He finds that Ichor fills the tomb and Egyptian deities and creatures are coming back to life. After he wins against Apophis, he leaves the tomb together with a child Leo Aiolia and the archaeologist Miko Hasegawa. The ichor is the godly blood of Pontos, who comes back to life and start plotting against Athena's Sanctuary.
- Special Chapter 6: He who does not believe in destiny (24 pages)
Galan tried to steal Athena's ichor. He is caught and imprisoned. The penalty is to fight to death against a Gold Saint. Galan asks to fight his friend and trainer Sagittarius Aiolos. In the battle he loses an eye and an arm, but his life is spared.
- Special Chapter 9: The man of the abyss (8 pages)
Kanon had been imprisoned by his brother Gemini Saga. He gets free through a secret passage to the sea bottom. There, he releases Poseidon, he dons the Sea Dragon scale and starts plotting against Athena's Sanctuary.
- The Great Prologue (12 pages)
In 1973, Gemini Saga tries to kill the infant Athena, but the goddess is saved by Sagittarius Aiolos.
Part I: the Sanctuary
| Ch. | Title | Saint | Opponent | P. | Co. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01-01 | The Great Prologue | Sagittarius Aiolos | Gemini Saga | 14 | 1.1 |
| 01-02 | The golden boy
|
Leo Aiolia (John Black) |
A renegade | 46 | 1.2 |
| 01-03 | The one who regrets (呻吟ウ者 Samayou mono) |
Leo Aiolia (Lithos) |
A living statue | 31 | 1.3 |
| 01-04 | The one who severs light (光 截ツ者 Hikari tatsu mono) |
Leo Aiolia | Galan | 39 | 1.4 |
| 06-00 | Gaiden 07: My own sanctuary (己ノアル地 Onore no aru chi) |
Leo Aiolia | - | 8 | 1.5 |
| 2. Hyperion and Iapetos arc | |||||
| 04-00 | Gaiden 03: Premonition (予兆 Yochō) |
- | Pontos | 5 | 2.1 |
| 01-05 02-06 02-07 02-08 |
Those who assemble (集ウ者 Tsudou mono) The one black as ebony (漆黒ノ者 Shikkoku no mono) The one who controls the winds (風ヲ従エル者 Kaze o shitagaeru mono) The one who breaks armors (骸ヲ破ル者 Mukuro o yaburu mono) |
Leo Aiolia | Hyperion | 167 | 2.2 |
| 02-09 03-10 03-11 03-12 |
The one who makes Cloths (殻ヲ造ル者 Kara o tsukuru mono) The one of Aries (牡羊ノ者 Ohitsuji no mono) The one who summons the underworld (異界ヲ呼ブ者 Ikai o yobu mono) The liberator (解キ放ツ者 Tokihanatsu no mono) |
Aries Mu (Eagle Marin) |
Iapetos A hekatonkheir |
180 | 2.3 |
| 03-13 | The just one
|
Capricornus Shura | Gemini Saga | 36 | 2.4 |
| 3. Minions of the Titans arc | |||||
| 04-14 04-15 04-16 04-17 |
The giant ones
|
Cancer Death Mask Leo Aiolia Eagle Marin |
Blue Flame Crimson Lava |
156 | 3.1 |
| 05-18 05-19 |
Those who act in concert
|
Leo Aiolia | King Minos The Minotaur |
90 | 3.2 |
| 05-20 | The one who inherits
|
Lynx Retsu Triangle Noesis |
Euryale | 44 | 3.3 |
| 4. Koios arc | |||||
| 05-21 06-22 06-23 |
The one who stipulates destiny
|
Leo Aiolia | Koios | 136 | 4.1 |
| 06-24 | The one who enters the territory of the gods
|
Virgo Shaka | Black Thunder White Wind |
42 | 4.2 |
| 06-25 07-26 |
The one engraved in myth
|
Scorpius Milo | Hector | 88 | 4.3 |
| 5. Creios arc | |||||
| 07-00 07-27 07-28 07-29 |
Gaiden 08: Shining cut (輝ケル刃 Kagayakeru yaiba) Those whose emblem shines (紋章ヲ燈ス者 Monshō o tomosu mono) The one who cuts stars (星ヲ断ツ者 Hoshi o tatsu mono) The one who received the sacred sword (聖剣ヲ賜ウ者 Seiken o tamau mono) |
Capricornus Shura | Kreios Grey Blade |
138 | 5.1 |
| 6. Chronos Cosmo arc | |||||
| 08-30 08-31 08-32 08-33 |
The one who stands in the way
|
Gemini Saga Leo Aiolia |
Chronos | 174 | 6.1 |
| 09-00 09-34 09-35 |
Gaiden 10: The one who goes fast (疾駆スル者 Shikku suru mono) The one who convicts (断罪セシ者 Danzai seshi mono) The one who possesses great strength (剛力ナル者 Gōriki naru mono) |
Taurus Aldebaran (Leo Aiolia) (Capricornus Shura) |
Themis Rhea Rhea's Pythons Rhea's Hydra |
94 | 6.2 |
| 7. Okeanos arc | |||||
| 09-36 09-37 10-38 |
The one who creates flow
|
Aquarius Camus (Ophiuchus Shaina) (Lynx Retsu) |
Okeanos (Sabretooth tigers) |
130 | 7.1 |
Part II: the Tartarus
- This section is a stub.
In the second part of the series, three events change drastically the direction of the plot. First, all the Titans are freed from their prisons in the Tartarus. Second, as soon as he freed them all, Pontos suddenly leaves the Titans and reveals (to the reader only) his true allegiance to Gaea. Third, the Titans change strategy: they stop attacking the Sanctuary and the Gold Saint; instead, they kidnap Lithos, thus forcing the Gold Saints to come in the Tartarus to continue the holy war.
Only seven Gold Saints enter the Tartarus: Leo Aiolia, Virgo Shaka, Capricornus Shura, Aquarius Camus, Pisces Aphrodite, Taurus Aldebaran and Scorpius Milo. Quick list of the battles:
- Pisces Aphrodite VS. Ruby Iron (giant)
- Leo Aiolia & Virgo Shaka VS. Iapetos & Themis (with Black Planet)
- Capricornus Shura VS. Kreios (with Shield Planet)
- Aquarius Camus VS. Rhea & her fire salamander
- Leo Aiolia VS. Koios (with Spark Planet)
- Leo Aiolia VS. Hyperion (with Black Sun)
Part III: the final battle
- This section is a stub.
In the last part of the series, extreme events change drastically the direction of the plot. First, the Gold Saints manage to meet and save Lithos Crysallis. Second, now all the eleven Titans either are dead or they changed side to follow Pontos and Gaea. Chronos is left alone to face six Gold Saints.
The series ending is open: Pontos and the other followers of Gaea leave the scene to complete the liberation of the Goddess their mother. Another series should follow to tell the battle between Athena and Gaea.
List of characters
Followers of Athena
- The twelve Gold Saints
Sort the table by "opponents" to see the relevance of each character in the series.
| Gold Saint | Opponents |
|---|---|
| Aries Mu | 1: Iapetos |
| Taurus Aldebaran | 2: Rhea, Pythons &, Hydra, Jade Armour |
| Gemini Saga | 1: Chronos |
| Cancer Death Mask | 1: Blue Flame |
| Leo Aiolia | 9: Chronos, Pontos, Hyperion, Iapetos, Koios, Themis, Crimson Lava, King Minos, The Minotaur |
| Virgo Shaka | 5: Iapetos, Themis, Black Thunder, White Wind, Amber Beast |
| Libra Dohko | 0: (cameos only) |
| Scorpius Milo | 2: Pearl Dragon, Hector |
| Sagittarius Aiolos | 0: (deceased; flashbacks only) |
| Capricornus Shura | 3: Kreios, Grey Blade, Jade Armour |
| Aquarius Camus | 3: Okeanos, Rhea & Salamander, Pearl Dragon |
| Pisces Aphrodite | 1: Ruby Iron |
- New Saint characters
- Triangle Noesis, Silver Saint
- Lynx Retsu, Bronze Saint
- Old Saint characters
- Others
Followers of Chronos
- The twelve Titans
Sorted in the same order as they were defeated. At the end of the series, some of the surviving Titans betrayed Chronos and became followers of Gea.
- Dimension Iapetos, defeated by Virgo Shaka and Leo Aiolia
- Themis, defeated by Virgo Shaka and Leo Aiolia
- Galaxy Kreios, defeated by Capricornus Shura
- Dark Lightning Koios, defeated by Leo Aiolia
- Ebony Hyperion, defeated by Leo Aiolia
- Chronos, defeated by Leo Aiolia
- Rhea, petrified by the followers of Gaea
- Phoebe (unknown fate)
- Theia (unknown fate)
- Current Okeanos, follower of Gaea
- Mnemosyne, follower of Gaea
- Tethys, follower of Gaea
- The nine Giants
Sorted in the same order as they were defeated.
- Phoinikeos Rhuax (Crimson Lava), defeated by Leo Aiolia
- Kyanos Pyrokus (Blue Flame), defeated by Cancer Death Mask
- Melas Bronte (Black Thunder), defeated by Virgo Shaka
- Leukotes Anemos (White Wind), defeated by Virgo Shaka
- Phaios Spathe (Grey Blade), defeated by Capricornus Shura
- Anthrakma Zugylos (Ruby Iron), defeated by Pisces Aphrodite
- Nefritis Hoplisma (Jade Armour), defeated by Taurus Aldebaran and Capricornus Shura
- Elektron Teru (Amber Beast), defeated by Virgo Shaka
- Margarites Drakon (Pearl Dragon), defeated by Scorpius Milo and Aquarius Camus
- The creatures
- Hecatonchires, summoned by Iapetos
- King Minos
- The Minotaur
- Euryale
- Hector
- Sabretooth tigers
- Other followers of the Titans
- Eurybia, wife of Koios and daughter of Pontos
- Atlas (titan) (cameo only; allegiance not confirmed)
Followers of Gaea
- Gaea
- Pontos
- Prometheus
- "Hope" (real name unknown)
Traitor Titans:
- Mnemosyne, goddess of memory, one of the wives of Zeus
- Current Okeanos, god of the oceans, husband of Tethys
- Tethys, goddess of the continents, wife of Okeanos
Characters of the Gaiden Chapters
Followers of Athena or related to them:
- Cliff O'Kents
- Miko Hasegawa
Enemies:
Gallery
Gold Saints
Gold Cloth
Other Characters
Deities
Gigas
Creatures
