Saint Seiya: Dark Wing Vol. 1
I am not immune to nostalgia. 
Easily my worst trait. So, keep that in mind as you read this.
I didn’t need any more convincing to check out Saint Seiya: Dark Wing, it’s already Saint Seiya, it’s going to be great.
As an aging anime nerd, I watched the original DIC dub of Saint Seiya when it came to the United States… about 20 years after the original production concluded. The aesthetic is immediately recognizable as an anime from the mid to late eighties. I found it fascinating to watch as a kid, and I was so surprised that this franchise is actually still going. Maybe not in a regulated production kind of way, but every few years, something new contributing to the universe shows up, like the awful movie adaptation from 2023.
I say this to give the series some context; it is very difficult to summarize this universe because it is so long-lived. The most concise way I can put it is this: the Saints are 5 chosen ones – boys who wear sacred armor that are based on constellations, sworn to defend the earth from being taken over by competing gods.
It’s… a lot. And if you’re also into Greek and Roman mythology… uh, you’ll recognize a lot of names, but this series is not based on any of those stories, it is not a re-telling of those legends; it’s more along the lines of appropriation than anything else. Personally, I enjoy the surrealism of it all.
Set in high school, students’ fates are revealed as chosen ones, sworn enemies, divine figures, and all in the service of the battle of the gods. Our protagonist, Soichiro, goes on a school trip to the Mediterranean, but the ship is attacked and sinks into the sea as he tries to save his crush. But Soichiro is revived as one of the dreaded Judges of the Underworld, under the command of Hades. He is pitted against his twin brother, Sojiro, who is reincarnated as the Gold Saint of Gemini.
Dark Wing consists of 4 volumes in total. It is not-quite-linear, relies on dream logic, and honestly, I appreciate its updated setting of the modern world. The linework is clean and detail-oriented when it is called for—these pages have some very elaborate backgrounds when the backgrounds actually show up. It is delightfully nostalgic to look at; fans of the old Gundam Wing manga will recognize these 90s pattern and texture overlays. And maybe the best part of it all is the re-working of popular 80s design elements into a more modern aesthetic (those feathered up-do’s, I mean…).
I do want to be clear: I loved this next installment of the series, but I am fairly certain that a newcomer to this franchise is not going to know what’s going on if this is the first Saint Seiya book they pick up. It’s a good read if you’re willing to just let the story happen, wash over you as the reader. The mythic themes of destiny and fate and rising to challenges never get old for me.
It pains me to say it, but I don’t think this spin-off makes for a great addition to your library collection. If you can link it to some of the more foundational works in the franchise, I think that would be best. But, on its own, even with all four volumes, I’m not sure this is the way to go.
Saint Seiya: Dark Wing Vol. 1
By Masami Kurumada and Kenji Saito
Art by Shinshu Ueda
Titan, 2025
ISBN: 9781787747180
NFNT Age Recommendation: Middle Grade (7-11), Teen (13-16)
Creator Representation:Â Japanese,
Character Representation:Â Japanese,
