Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac - Battle Sanctuary

Having a bad start is always negative for any product's future, especially when we are talking about animated reboot of such iconic and popular series as Saint Seiya. CGI reboot had such start. Sexist decision to turn the least macho character into a woman, bizarre or simply bad modifications done to the lore and its arcs... There were many problems mostly in the first half of CGI Knights of the Zodiac from 2019. They were discussed among fans a lot of times, so no need to expand upon them here. The situation was dire to the point that many people simply lost hope in CGI ... KotZ. Luckily, Battle for Sanctuary proved that with enough effort you can try to fix the situation and end up with something good for both old fans and people new to the franchise.

I decided to divide the very core of this review, unlike other reviews I've written, into three sections, each one about different aspect of this show. Whole text will be free from spoilers.

Story:
Battle for Sanctuary starts at the exact moment the first season ended. Saori (Sienna) was struck with mysterious golden arrow and Bronze Saints (Knights) need to head out for new adventure - the eponymous battle for Sanctuary.
While the anime from 2019 was criticized for too many changes done to such holy ground as established content from canon arcs, Battle for Sanctuary's creators chose more timid route and sticked more to the source material, but without completely casting away artistic freedom or elements that had been introduced in the previous season. The last point was important to me, because whether changes done to the original story were good or bad, they happened and retconing anime early on would've been really bad idea ruining the consistency of this anime as a whole. Luckily, presented story was faithful to the manga at its core, with fillers not affecting said core, and with some anime-original elements from the previous cour being subtly reminded here or there.

Art, animation and direction:
As for visuals, while they represented similar quality to what we had seen in season 1, I think they looked slightly prettier in Battle for Sanctuary. Perhaps it's because of how gorgeous Gold Saints looked like? I can't really tell if Gold Cloths' charm was the case here, but I felt Battle for Sanctuary's visuals were better, even if only a little, than what we could see in the first season.
I noticed far more improvements in animation's quality. Action sequences looked more dynamic and more polished in general; static sequences, while not as rich in action as fighting scenes (obviously), were done well and felt natural.
Animation is one thing, but improved direction is what allowed to fully flesh out potential of these improvements. Heck, while there were still re-used sequences with Saints performing their attacks, they were used less frequently and in most of cases fit the moment in which they appeared, instead of feeling as if they were there only to make each episode last long enough.

Music and sound:
I say it's safe to say that audio neither improved nor worsened in this season. Good music themes, nicely done sound profiles of attacks or transitions between scenes. Were they better than in the original anime series from 1986-1989? I say no, but they fit into atmosphere presented by CGI show nevertheless.

Saint Seiya is about humans making miracles. Battle for Sanctuary's first 12 episodes are surely not the end of this story. Will conclusion of iconic Sanctuary arc done in CGI format be good to the point many fans might say "Battle for Sanctuary has redeemed CGI Saint Seiya"? I can't tell, but surely I have fingers crossed for creators of this anime to continue walking the road they paved in this cour.

Note: My personal rating is 5/10, but it is only because I am familiar with the source material and its anime adaptation. That's why I compared Battle for Sanctuary with manga and old anime, and such approach affected my personal rating. However, if I were to look at it from anime only fan's point of view, I'd definitely give higher rating to this anime. That's why my final critical rating is 6/10.
Whether you are anime only viewer or not, I recommend checking out this show.

No spoilers so go ahead

After seeing the 12 chapters I can say that it has potential unlike the first season, someone will tell me but if you said that about the first season, I know that it still has that potential, but unfortunately we are not its target audience, if not for the new generations, but it corrects many things from the first, but others persist, such as the soundtrack that keeps failing.
The plot of the prophecy of athena no longer feels forced, they expand it mainly because it is a danger, thank god it does not come out or mention bander grad as they ... remembered it was the weakest point of the first season with plot holes as to why ikki was allied/still unresolved).
They develop the characters more. Its epic moments improved, it no longer feels as forced as the first part, all summarized in the saga of the silver saints, it is more entertaining, this adaptation continues to adapt characters, events that only came out of the manga, especially from other media, let's remember that it is another universe, the classic manganime that we still have has not taken us away so enjoy this version and hopefully soon the second part, above all we hope that this version of this alternate universe of saint seiya continues to improve (please take it that way it will be more bearable and It won't be shocking) because remember that it is a new generation audience.
Readers who saw my post of the first season, yes I know what I said, I know that the first part is a suitcase but I wanted new people to see the adaptation, if you don't want to read the manga, see the adaptations .. ..

I initially avoided the first season of Knights of the Zodiac (Saint Seiya) because I felt the whole concept was unnecessary, and the negative reviews solidified my lack of interest. However, a few weeks ago, I was scrolling through reddit and noticed some positive posts about Season 2, which persuaded me to give it a shot.

Honestly, it's not a bad show at all. Overall, it's probably the best attempt at remaking the original Saint Seiya. However, one thing kept bugging me throughout the remake: I wasn’t feeling as invested in the story or the characters. The show lacked the authenticity and awe that the ... original Saint Seiya consistently delivered, even on rewatching.

One of my favourite episodes of the original series is the Shaka arc (episodes 56–58). I love how Shaka, with his exaggerated sense of superiority and divinity, embodies the show's grandiosity. His powers and backstory, drawn from Tibetan Buddhism (the most esoteric form of Buddhism), intertwine these mystical elements with his character and abilities in a way that feels otherworldly.

To my surprise and delight, the Shaka episodes in Knights of the Zodiac are almost direct adaptations of the original anime (though I apologise if both versions are actually faithful to the manga, which I haven’t read). Since I enjoyed the original so much, I thought this was a good decision, as these episodes didn’t require much alteration.

However, watching these episodes helped me understand what was missing from Knights of the Zodiac.

"Why Knights of the Zodiac Is Good but Lacks Impact"

If I had to describe Saint Seiya in one word, it would be camp.

For those unfamiliar with the term, camp refers to something deliberately exaggerated, theatrical, and extravagantly flamboyant in style.

Saint Seiya never thrived on its plot—most fans would agree on that. What made it stand out was how over-the-top the armour designs, abilities, and lore were. The visuals were exaggerated, flamboyant, and surreal, while the tone was dramatic and theatrical. Every aspect of Saint Seiya—from the opening to the ending, the music, dialogue, references, animation, and composition—was tied together in a way that embraced this camp aesthetic. The result was a cohesive experience that managed to keep viewers invested, even as the story constantly pushed the boundaries of the absurd.

Knights of the Zodiac, however, lacks these elements. Partly, this is due to its CGI animation, which gives it a more sober and "realistic" feel, but the producers' creative choices also play a role.

The original Saint Seiya soundtrack is, frankly, iconic. Like Sailor Moon, Saint Seiya relied heavily on its music to set the tone and amplify the show’s distinctive style. Knights of the Zodiac, like Sailor Moon Crystal, deviates from the original score, opting instead for music and sound effects that, to me, lack the flavour, originality, and style needed to support a show that is, at its core, camp.

Shaka’s episode is an excellent frame of reference here. Compare the opening of each version and how Virgo's house is presented to the Saints (and to us, the viewers) upon entering.

In my opinion, the 80s anime offers a much more dramatic atmosphere. The whimsical, fantastical outdoor setting as the Saints enter Virgo’s house (in contrast to the more generic mountain landscape of Knights of the Zodiac) is elevated by the orchestral strings, which convey a sense of awe and divinity, making it feel as though the Saints are entering a form of "heaven." This ties in beautifully with Shaka's myth of being a "living god." On the other hand, Knights of the Zodiac opts for no music, relying instead on nature sounds and a subtle effect to signal Shaka’s cosmos. The effect is eerie, but it lacks the grandeur of the original.

I also appreciated how the 80s version used a gong sound as the Saints approached Shaka, giving his revelation a campy, almost theatrical vibe, as he is bathed in golden light—a clear nod to his god-like status. In contrast, Knights of the Zodiac depicts Shaka floating on a lotus flower, which, while visually interesting, makes him seem far more ordinary in comparison.

I don’t think the choices made in Knights of the Zodiac are bad, but they reflect a more grounded, sober approach that doesn’t fully capture the tone of Saint Seiya. At its core, Saint Seiya is dramatic and camp. Characters wearing outlandish armour, attacking at the speed of light, creating insane illusions, opening dimensions, and battling gods simply don’t mesh well with a more realistic tone and style. The grounded approach directly contrasts with the story’s inherent absurdity and theatricality.

"Conclusion"

While Knights of the Zodiac does a commendable job as a remake, I think there’s a fundamental misunderstanding of what made the original manga and anime so beloved. My feeling is that, because this remake was created primarily with Western audiences in mind, the producers assumed the camp aesthetic of Saint Seiya wouldn’t appeal to modern Western viewers. While I understand this perspective, it ignores the fact that the original was popular in the West—its failure in English-speaking countries was more due to a poor, censored adaptation, not an issue with the source material itself.

Additionally, Western audiences do appreciate camp, as evidenced by the success of shows like Jojo's Bizarre Adventure and Kill la Kill. The producers seemed to forget that making a show visually, musically, and tonally sober, while keeping the original plot (which relies heavily on drama and theatrics), exposes the weakest aspects of Saint Seiya.

The result is a good show, but one that lacks a distinct visual and musical identity—and, consequently, a show with a weak story that fails to fully engage the audience.