Saint Seiya : Saintia Shō
16 volumes · Chimaki Kusakabe
Synopsis
Until now, Saint Seiya featured few female warriors in the foreground. Saintia Shō corrects this by showcasing the Saintia — Athena's personal bodyguards, female Knights whose existence was barely mentioned in the original series.
Shoko, an ordinary high school girl, sees her life turned upside down when her older sister Kyoko — the Swan Saintia — is possessed by Eris, goddess of Discord. To save her, Shoko becomes a Saintia and joins the guard of Saori Kido / Athena. She discovers a world of battles, sacrifices and solidarity among warriors that the Bronze Saints had not revealed.
Taking place in parallel with the Sanctuary saga, Saintia Shō offers an unprecedented look at events the reader thinks they already know — what was happening on the Saintia side while Seiya was crossing the Twelve Houses. The work inspired an anime adaptation in 2018.
Narrative Structure
Kyoko's possession, Shoko's awakening, discovery of the Saintia. The Golden Apple and Eris's servants put Athena's new warriors to the test.
In parallel with Seiya's crossing of the Twelve Houses, the Saintia live their own version of this crisis — the Sanctuary's backstage seen from the inside.
After the Sanctuary saga, Eris reveals her true ambitions. Saintia Shō becomes its own story, with its own stakes. Kyoko's fate is decided here.
Ares enters the scene. The Saintia's last battle — Shoko and Kyoko reunited for the first time since the beginning — closes the fraternal circle opened in volume 1.
The 16 Volumes
Key Characters
Saintia Shō overlaps chronologically with the Sanctuary saga. Reading the original series is recommended to fully appreciate the parallels and references. The two narratives respond and complement each other — but Saintia Shō can also be read alone as a story of sisterly love and solidarity among warriors.