The Sanctuary

Saint Seiya — Arc 1 · 73 episodes · 1986–1987

Saint Seiya — Le Sanctuaire

Introduction

The Sanctuary is the heart of the Saint Seiya universe — a mythical place located in Greece, birthplace of Athena's Knights. It is here that the warriors train, that the armors are forged and kept, and that the Grand Pope leads the Order of Knights in Athena's place.

But the Sanctuary has fallen under the grip of an impostor: Saga of Gemini, a Gold Knight corrupted by the evil half of his soul, has murdered the true Grand Pope and usurped his throne for 13 years. His mission: kill Athena before she regains awareness of her divine identity.

The 12 Houses of the Zodiac

The Sanctuary is organized into 12 sacred houses, each associated with a sign of the zodiac and guarded by a Gold Knight — the most powerful warriors in the world. To reach Athena, Seiya and his companions must cross each of these houses in just 12 hours, or the goddess will perish.

Aries

House of Aries

Mu

Taurus

House of Taurus

Aldebaran

Gemini

House of Gemini

Saga / Kanon

Cancer

House of Cancer

Deathmask

Leo

House of Leo

Aiolia

Virgo

House of Virgo

Shaka

Libra

House of Libra

Dohko

Scorpio

House of Scorpio

Milo

Sagittarius

House of Sagittarius

Aiolos

Capricorn

House of Capricorn

Shura

Aquarius

House of Aquarius

Camus

Pisces

House of Pisces

Aphrodite

Saint Seiya — Les 12 Maisons

Available episodes

Episode 1
Episode 1
Legends of a New Era

Seiya wins the Bronze Cloth of Pegasus by defeating Cassios in Greece, before being challenged by the formidable Shaina.

Episode 2
Episode 2
Burn! The Pegasus Meteor Punch!

Seiya returns to Japan and takes part in the first elimination rounds of the Galactic Tournament organized by Princess Saori Kido.

Episode 3
Episode 3
Hyoga, the Ice Warrior

Hyoga, the Cygnus Saint from Siberia, makes his entrance in the Tournament, revealing a cosmos of ice of absolute coldness.

Episode 4
Episode 4
The Invincible Fist and the Dragon Shield

Shiryu, the Dragon Saint trained on Mount Lu Shan, demonstrates a legendary mastery of his fist and his shield at the Tournament.

Episode 5
Episode 5
Miraculous Resurrection and Cosmic Friendship

A desperate battle reveals that the bonds uniting the young Saints are themselves a source of cosmos of rare purity.

Episode 6
Episode 6
The Return of the Phoenix

Ikki of the Phoenix makes a terrifying entrance in the Tournament, his cosmos of hatred forged on Death Island crushing everything in its path.

Episode 7
Episode 7
The Phoenix's Revenge

Ikki turns against the corrupt organizers of the Tournament to punish them for having turned him into a monster through their cruelty.

Episode 8
Episode 8
The Battle for the Gold Cloth

The Bronze Knights unite for the first time against the common threat that Ikki represents for them and for the Gold Armor.

Episode 9
Episode 9
The Black Saints Appear

Black Saints, wearing dark copies of the Bronze armors, land on orders from the Sanctuary to eliminate Seiya.

Episode 10
Episode 10
Dragon in the Graveyard of Saints

Shiryu, isolated in a Saints' graveyard, must face several Black Saints alone in hostile territory.

Episode 11
Episode 11
Seiya vs. the Black Pegasus

Seiya comes face to face with his own dark double — a Saint wearing a copy of the Pegasus armor.

Episode 12
Episode 12
The Nebula Chain of Friendship

Shun and his Nebula Chain become the last line of defense against the Black Saints who threaten his friends.

Episode 13
Episode 13
The Dragon's Duel

The final face-off between Dragon Shiryu and the Black Dragon Saint reveals the truth about the authentic armor and its sacred water power.

Episode 14
Episode 14
The Demon's Defeat

With the enemy vanquished, a period of apparent calm settles in — but each victory only opens the door to a new threat.

Episode 15
Episode 15
The Phoenix's Secret Revealed

The truth behind the Phoenix's mask is revealed: Ikki and Seiya share a blood bond that no one suspected.

Episode 16
Episode 16
Docrates' Ferocious Attack

Docrates, the Grand Pope's colossal servant, launches a brutal offensive against Saori and her Bronze protectors.

Episode 17
Episode 17
To the Rescue! Saori's Crisis

The crisis worsens — Saori is kidnapped and Seiya must race against time in a desperate quest.

Episode 18
Episode 18
Great Fury! The Caribbean Ghost Saints

In the Caribbean, Ghost Saints operate in the shadows to eliminate the Bronze Knights far from Japan.

Episode 19
Episode 19
Life or Death! Bloody Battle on the Island of Spirits

On a haunted island, Seiya risks his life in a clash of titans to protect innocents and prove a Knight's worth.

Episode 20
Episode 20
Shaina's Attack

Shaina counterattacks with new ferocity, her conflicted feelings for Seiya transforming into a devastating rage.

Episode 21
Episode 21
Catastrophe! Aurora Confrontation

Hyoga finds himself trapped in an icy confrontation that brings into play the secrets of his Nordic past and the mysteries of his mother.

Episode 22
Episode 22
Rebirth of Flames! The Indestructible Ikki

Ikki rises from the ashes once again, his resurrection confirming that the Phoenix can never know a final defeat.

Episode 23
Episode 23
Silver Saint! Noble Assassin

A Silver Saint, a noble and solitary assassin, receives the mission to eliminate the Bronze Knights on behalf of the Sanctuary.

Episode 24
Episode 24
Fly Pegasus! Like a Comet

Seiya rushes toward the Sanctuary like a comet, determined to save Saori no matter the cost.

Episode 25
Episode 25
Fight! Under Athena's Orders

Under Athena's own orders, the Bronze Knights find a reason to fight that transcends their own survival.

Episode 26
Episode 26
Friend or Foe! The Steel Saints

The mysterious Steel Saints join the adventure, bringing a new technological dimension to the world of mystical armors.

Episode 27
Episode 27
Seiya Petrified! The Medusa Shield

Seiya is turned to stone by the ancient curse of the Medusa Shield — his friends must act without him for the first time.

Episode 28
Episode 28
Dragon! Sacrifice of the Fist

Shiryu makes the heroic decision to sacrifice his own fist to break the curse imprisoning Seiya in stone.

Episode 29
Episode 29
Kidnapped! An Army of Ravens Attacks Saori

Saori is kidnapped by an army of ravens in a bold attack that strips the Knights of their ward and their reason for living.

Episode 30
Episode 30
Burn Brightly! The Cosmos of Love

The cosmos of love burns more intensely than ever, uniting the Bronze Knights in a common quest of disarming purity.

Episode 31
Episode 31
Demonic Illusion! The Border Between Life and Death

A demonic illusion plunges Seiya into a space between life and death where his deepest certainties are called into question.

Episode 32
Episode 32
The Island of the Death Queen

Death Queen Island explodes in an apocalyptic battle leaving deep scars on all the combatants present.

Episode 33
Episode 33
Fight! The Dragon's Tears of Light

Shiryu, eyes in tears, fights a battle where every blow is both a prayer and a promise to protect those he loves.

Episode 34
Episode 34
Farewell, Friend! Rest in Peace

A companion falls — the first true sacrifice in the war against the corrupt forces of Athena's Sanctuary.

Episode 35
Episode 35
Deadly Journey! Open the Dragon's Eyes

Shiryu agrees to face total darkness to regain his sight and the power it brings in a journey to the edge of nothingness.

Episode 36
Episode 36
Incredible! Facing the Twelve Gold Cloths

The Bronze Knights find themselves facing the twelve Gold Armors, symbols of the absolute power of Athena's Sanctuary.

Episode 37
Episode 37
The Mask Cries! Love or Death

The Silver Knight's mask hides a secret oscillating between love and death — an impossible dilemma between mission and feeling.

Episode 38
Episode 38
Fight! Gold Saint

A Gold Knight reveals for the first time a fraction of his true power, establishing the abyss separating the Bronze Saints from the elite.

Episode 39
Episode 39
Speed of Light! The Strike Surpasses the Speed of Sound

A duel transcending ordinary physical laws proves that Saints do not fight with their muscles but with their cosmos.

Episode 40
Episode 40
Forward! Our Departure

The departure for the Sanctuary is decided — a march of no return toward the twelve Houses of the Zodiac guarded by the Gold Knights.

Episode 41
Episode 41
The Great Sanctuary Battle! Athena's Greatest Crisis

The great battle of the Sanctuary begins — Saori is poisoned by a golden arrow and has only twelve hours to live.

Episode 42
Episode 42
Ultimate Cosmos! The Seven Senses

The Seven Senses are revealed as the fundamental truth behind the Knights' power — a state of consciousness that transcends human limits.

Episode 43
Episode 43
Big Bang! Battle of the Golden Taurus House

Aldebaran of Taurus demonstrates a terrifying power — his horns can shatter a mountain, his cosmos crush space itself.

Episode 44
Episode 44
Gemini House! Labyrinth of Light and Darkness

Saga of Gemini reveals his dual face in a labyrinth between dimensions — saint and demon coexisting in the same miraculous body.

Episode 45
Episode 45
Terror! Adrift in Another Dimension

Trapped between dimensions by the Gemini's power, Seiya and his companions struggle against growing disorientation and despair.

Episode 46
Episode 46
Call! Nebula Chain of Attack and Defense

Shun's Nebula Chain becomes both offensive weapon and protective net in the Cancer House filled with deadly traps.

Episode 47
Episode 47
Farewell Hyoga! Sleep, Noble Warrior

Cygnus Hyoga closes his eyes in the snow — a farewell to the world of the living that breaks the hearts of all who accompanied him.

Episode 48
Episode 48
Dragon! Reborn from the Land of the Dead

Shiryu's resurrection from the land of the dead is a miracle made possible by the absolute purity of his cosmos.

Episode 49
Episode 49
Love! Shunrei's Prayer

In the snow of Mount Lu Shan, Shunrei prays with all the force of her love for Shiryu to find the way back.

Episode 50
Episode 50
Burn, Dragon! Shiryu's Enraged Cosmos

Shiryu returned from the dead unleashes his Dragon cosmos in a sacred rage to help his companions still engaged in the Houses.

Episode 51
Episode 51
Why! The Gold Lion Has Bared His Fangs

The Gold Lion bares his fangs in an apparent betrayal that sows confusion among Knights already exhausted from previous battles.

Episode 52
Episode 52
Ares! The Legend of the Demonic Fist

The legend of Ares' demonic fist hides a truth about the very origins of the corruption gnawing at the Sanctuary for decades.

Episode 53
Episode 53
What a Man! Cassios Dies for Love

Cassios, Seiya's rival from the very first episode, performs his ultimate sacrifice in a stunning and unexpected act of redemption.

Episode 54
Episode 54
Ikki! The Flaming Wings of the Phoenix

The Phoenix's burning wings soar over the Aries House in one of the most spectacular battles of the Gold Houses crossing.

Episode 55
Episode 55
Bonds of Friendship! Athena's Call

The bonds of friendship between all the Bronze Knights resonate like a cosmic call that transcends distances and individual battles.

Episode 56
Episode 56
Shaka! The Man Closest to God

Virgo Shaka reveals a combat serenity beyond all comprehension — confronting his universal consciousness is a trial of an unprecedented nature.

Episode 57
Episode 57
The Terror of the Void! Shaka Opens His Eyes

Shaka opens his eyes for the first time — and it is terror. His closed eyes represented his compassion; open, they symbolize his judgment.

Episode 58
Episode 58
Heroic! Ikki Dissolves in Friendship

Ikki dissolves into cosmic light to save his friends — a sacrifice proving that the Phoenix can also win by disappearing.

Episode 59
Episode 59
Return, Swan! Life, Death and Love

Swan resurrects in the Aquarius House — love and death clash in a battle where human emotions prove their cosmic superiority.

Episode 60
Episode 60
Hyoga's Resurrection! At the Risk of My Life

Hyoga's resurrection at the risk of everything reveals the bottomless depth of the bonds between these warriors who wound each other as much as they save each other.

Episode 61
Episode 61
Surrender or Die! These Wings Are at Their Limits

The Swan's wings reach their absolute limits in a desperate battle against time and the power of a relentless Gold Knight.

Episode 62
Episode 62
Forward Hyoga! The Noble Warrior

Hyoga advances quietly toward his next battle, his serene resolve that of someone who has made peace with his own mortality.

Episode 63
Episode 63
Resound! The Gold Cloths of the Sanctuary

The Gold Cloths resonate mystically to greet the Knights who deserve them — a symbiosis between the living armor and its rightful bearer.

Episode 64
Episode 64
Young Men! I Entrust Athena to You

Libra Dohko, the oldest of the still-living Gold Knights, solemnly entrusts Athena to the young Bronze Knights.

Episode 65
Episode 65
The Screaming Sacred Sword! Shura vs. Dragon

Shura's Excalibur clashes with the Dragon Shield in a legendary duel of armaments between tradition and excellence.

Episode 66
Episode 66
Ah Shiryu! You Were Lost Among the Stars

Shiryu is lost among the stars sacrificing his position to defeat Shura, dragging both warriors into space.

Episode 67
Episode 67
Farewell! My Teacher, My Friend

Dohko's death is a cosmic grief weighing on Shiryu's shoulders — losing one's master is losing a part of oneself.

Episode 68
Episode 68
Warrior of Beauty! Aphrodite

Pisces Aphrodite reveals that death can take the most seductive form — his poisoned roses are the symbol of this deadly beauty.

Episode 69
Episode 69
Demon Rose! The Sweet Scent of Death

The Demon Rose tempts Shun in an olfactory trap of deadly beauty, exploiting his artistic sensitivity to draw him toward his own destruction.

Episode 70
Episode 70
Serene! Shun's Last Smile

Shun's last smile before falling is the most painful and purest image of the entire Sanctuary saga.

Episode 71
Episode 71
The Fire Clock Extinguished! The Grand Pope's Invitation

The Grand Pope reveals his true intentions in an invitation to a final confrontation that unveils the tragedy behind his corruption.

Episode 72
Episode 72
Beyond the Death of Friends

Beyond the grief of all who have fallen, Seiya continues to advance — his cosmos transcends sadness to become a weapon of pure light.

Episode 73
Episode 73
Thank You, Friends! By Athena's Will

The final gathering of the Bronze Knights at the Grand Pope's temple marks the apotheosis of the long Sanctuary saga.

Key moments

The poisoned arrow

Athena is wounded by a golden arrow fired by the Grand Pope. Without the antidote — the Sagittarius shield — she will die in 12 hours. The Bronze Knights storm the Sanctuary in a race against time.

The sacrifice of the Gold Knights

Approaching Elysion, 12 Gold Knights — acknowledging their mistake — burn their last Cosmos to shatter the Wall of Lamentation and allow Seiya to face Saga. This sacrifice is one of the most moving moments in the series.

The revelation of Saga

The revelation that the Grand Pope is Saga — and that his luminous half weeps for his crimes — transforms what seemed like a simple villain into one of the most tragic characters in the series.

Information

Title

Saint Seiya — Sanctuary Arc

Studio

Tōei Animation

Episodes

73 (ep. 1–73)

Broadcast

October 1986 – January 1988

Type

TV Series

Antagonist

Saga of Gemini