Saint Seiya - The Live Action Film

First published in 1986, Saint Seiya, also known as "Knights of the Zodiac", established itself as a cornerstone of the shonen genre, aimed primarily at teenagers. This series, freely drawing inspiration from various mythologies — mainly Greco-Roman — tells the epic of Seiya, a young knight trained to protect the reincarnation of Athena, known as Saori Kido.

Despite a few brilliant moments, the "Knights of the Zodiac" film sacrifices the authenticity and identity of the manga in favor of a young adult narrative devoid of originality. The director partially attempts to recreate the manga's mythology, but only the prologue manages to accomplish this successfully. The rest of the film wanders through a repetitive, worn-out formula, failing to pay tribute to the series' legacy.

The "Knights of the Zodiac" film mercifully avoids excessive fan-service and resists the temptation to parade the manga's iconic characters to distract from its shortcomings. It prefers to focus on a cautious introduction of its universe, even avoiding a dive into the Sanctuary arc. Unfortunately, the plots and characters remain underdeveloped, leaving secondary characters devoid of narrative substance and depriving the audience of any form of empathy toward them.

Tomasz Baginski demonstrates his skill in staging action scenes, delivering occasionally striking sequences and refreshing fight choreographies. However, the overuse of slow-motion and rotating visual effects diminishes the cinematic experience, leaving viewers with a feeling of sensory overload.

In short, the new cinematic adaptation of Saint Seiya, "Knights of the Zodiac", directed by Tomasz Baginski, disappoints fans by sacrificing the very essence of the manga in favor of an insipid and unoriginal narrative. The film strives to recreate the beloved universe of the Knights of the Zodiac, but loses itself in a story lacking charm or depth. Despite some visually impressive moments, the film fails to capture the magic and soul of the original work, leaving viewers unsatisfied and condemning this adaptation to obscurity.