Saint Seiya Heaven Chapter: Overture
Saint Seiya Heaven Chapter: Overture (聖闘士星矢 天界編 序奏 〜overture〜, Seinto Seiya Tenkai-hen Josō 〜overture〜?) is a 2004 animated film adaptation of the anime and manga series Saint Seiya. Directed by Shigeyasu Yamauchi and written by Michiko Yokote and Akatsuki Yamatoya, the film was first released in Japanese theaters on February 14, 2004.
After Masami Kurumada started writing and drawing the manga Saint Seiya: Next Dimension in 2006, Tenkai-Hen Josō ceased being part of the canon of the mythology of Saint Seiya, except for the segments where Seiya is in a coma due to the curse of Hades's sword.
Plot
After the bloody battle against Hades, goddess Athena's Saints are still recovering when they find themselves face to face with their newest and most formidable foe: the dreadful goddess Artemis, accompanied by her Angels. Artemis replaces Athena as the Earth guardian deity and takes over the Sanctuary, turning Athena's Saints into her servants.
Upon invading the Sanctuary, the Bronze Saints learn that Athena was banished by Artemis and decide to fight the moon goddess in order to rescue their true goddess and free the Earth from Artemis's ominous control.
The movie focuses mostly on Seiya and Athena, as the other Bronze Saints are not seen as much; they only appear during their respective fights with the other Angels, and briefly towards the end. However, Eagle Marin also appears, as do Ophiuchus Shaina, Unicorn Jabu, and Hydra Ichi, though the latter 3 are just cameos.
The movie also has a very ambiguous ending, with many plot points and danglers unresolved.
New characters
- Artemis (アルテミス, Arutemisu?)
- Voiced by: Yurika Hino
- The film's main antagonist. Worried about Athena's closeness to the human beings, Artemis descends to Earth in order to take over her sister's place. Athena surrenders the Earth to Artemis, who takes the Sanctuary and Athena's Saints to herself. Whenever the moon goddess appears, the day becomes night and the moon shines brighter than the sun; Artemis can levitate, distort reality and she is also an archer.
- Apollo (アポロン, Aporon?)
- Voiced by: Kazuhiro Yamaji
- Minor antagonist. During the final showdown, he protects Artemis from Seiya's Pegasus Meteor Fist and takes over the battle. He is said to be more powerful than either Athena and Artemis.
Angels
The Angels (天闘士, Enjeru?) are the chosen warriors of the Olympian Gods. Their armors are named Glory (天衣, Gurōrī?). They are also some of most powerful foes Athena's Bronze Saints have ever faced. The Cloths of Seiya, Shiryū and Hyōga are all more or less destroyed in their respective battles against the Angels.
- Icarus (イカロス, Ikarosu?)
- Voiced by: Hikaru Midorikawa, Fumiko Inoue (as a child)
- The only human among the angels. Though never stated he is apparently the leader of the angels and the closest and trusted servant of Artemis as Seiya is the same to Athena. He turns out to be Tōma (斗馬?), the long lost brother of Marin, he gives up his humanity to serve Artemis in order to be powerful like a god. However, by the end of the movie, he sacrifices himself to protect Athena. He attacks with gold spears and electric charges. His finishing move is "Highest Altitude". He is supposed to have the same stats and attributes as Seiya, as they are the same size and share the same birthday. However, while formidable, he is not match for Seiya once Hades' curse on Seiya is lifted. He was mentioned by Shaina in the original manga series, although his name was not revealed.
- Based on Icarus, son of Daidalos; he flew too near the sun with wax-attached wings, then he fell into the sea and drowned.
- Odysseus (オデュッセウス, Odyusseusu?)
- Voiced by: Hiroki Takahashi
- Arguably the strongest of the angels. He attacks with Energy Spheres and absorbs energy attacks, and he can redirect or combine them with his own power to make a reverse attack. He is defeated by both Hyōga and Shiryū. Much of the fight initially happens off-screen; Seiya, after regaining the Pegasus Cloth, stumbles upon Shiryū and Hyōga, who have already taken quite a beating from Odysseus. Odysseus has also smashed their cloths off-screen. Seiya then also takes a vicious beating from Odysseus, and like his fellow Bronze Saints also has his cloth shattered as well. However, Shiryū and Hyōga are able to energize their Cosmos and finally (though just barely) kill Odysseus with a combined attack.
- Odysseus (Ulysses): King of Ithaca; husband of Penelope; wandered ten years after fall of Troy before arriving home.
- Theseus (テセウス, Teseusu?)
- Voiced by: Toshiyuki Morikawa
- He uses wings to attack. Arguably the weakest of the 3 Angels, his finishing move is a Solar Beam. He tends to fly more than the other Angels, and is the first of the Angels to be defeated, by both Shun and Ikki. Unlike Odysseus, he does not or is unable to shatter Ikki and Shun's Bronze Cloths. Although Ikki's attack is the one that finishes him off, Ikki would not have been able to achieve the victory without Shun's help, as Shun distracts Theseus using the 'Nebula Chain' and 'Nebula Storm' attacks.
- Named after Theseus, son of Aegeus; slew Minotaur; married and deserted Ariadne; later married Phaedra.
References
External links