Saint Seiya: The Lost Canvas



A Prequel to the original Saint Seiya, The Lost Canvas is set in the 18th century and tells the story of the previous Holy War between Hades and Athena.

Tenma, a young orphan growing up in Italy, and his friends Alone and Sasha, find themselves caught up in the war. Sasha is the earthly incarnation of Athena, while Alone is possessed by Hades. Tenma goes on to become the Pegasus Saint and try to save his friends from the ongoing war.

The series has been made into an OVA series. Crunchyroll.com is now legally featuring the series (subbed) for free with the second season being simulcasted.

A-C
""I've taken a good look at you. My eyes can see everything about my opponents: their strengths, their flaws, their habits, even the source of their power.""
 * A Child Shall Lead Them: Sasha, Athena reincarnated, is only fourteen. Alone is just one year older.
 * A Magic Contract Comes with a Kiss: Pandora and Alone.
 * Absolute Cleavage: Crane Yuzuriha.
 * Absurdly Sharp Blade: Capricorn El Cid's signature move Excalibur, Alone/Hades's sword.
 * Abusive Parents:
 * Action Girl: Crane Yuzuriha and Behemoth Violate fit this trope very nicely.
 * Action Mom:
 * Adaptation Dye Job: Thanatos's hair went from silver in the manga to black in the anime, Celintha's hair went from pale brown to light blue.
 * Adaptation Expansion: Teshirogi herself suggests and creates new scenes for the anime version, usually things she had no time to explore in manga version or additional backstory.
 * Advancing Boss of Doom: Griffin Minos making his way towards the Sanctuary.
 * Affably Evil: Hypnos, despite being a Manipulative Bastard, is perfectly smooth and polite.
 * All There in the Manual: Some details about Athena's past life, Hades's past vessel, Cheshire's battle moves and official division within the Specter army... all revealed via DVD/Blu-Ray booklet.
 * Ambiguously Brown: Cait Sith Cheshire, Defteros.
 * An Arm and a Leg:,  ,.
 * An Axe to Grind: Minotaur Gordon. Metaphorically.
 * An Ice Person: Aquarius Degel, Krest.
 * Antagonist Title: Although not a character name, even if the Lost Canvas is almost a sentient entity.
 * Anyone Can Die: Especially true for those who never read the original.
 * The Archer: Sagittarius Sisyphus.
 * Art Initiates Life: A cruel inversion with Alone: Everything he paints dies. His eventual goal is to paint the entire Universe and destroy it.
 * Awesomeness By Analysis: Leo Regulus. Nothing escapes him.


 * Back From the Dead:.
 * Backstory: Libra Dohko and Aries Shion, this was your life!
 * Bad Habits: Hypnos usually disguises himself as a priest. He's posing as one when introduced.
 * Badass Boast: Cancer Manigoldo claims he's "the kind of man even Gods need to watch out for".
 * Badass Bookworm: Aquarius Degel, Balron René.
 * Badass Cape: All the Gold Saints with a badass wind to blow it in some cool way.
 * Badass Grandpa: Hakurei and Sage, on so many different levels.
 * Badass Long Robe: Sage, Hypnos, Thanatos, Alone.
 * Barrier Maiden: Before the rosary that seals the Specters' souls is created, Athena herself sustains a barrier that prevents them to be resurrected.
 * Battle Aura: Cosmo energy is depicted as something similar to fire.
 * Purple: Pretty much everyone from Hades's side.
 * Battle in the Center of the Mind:
 * Battle in the Rain: Dohko and Kagaho's last face-off.
 * Dohko's first battle in the series also happens under rainfall.
 * Berserk Button:
 * Big Bad Wannabe:  talked tough and seemed unstoppable. He had a brilliant Evil Plan, equal parts Rage Against the Heavens and For the Evulz, until someone with the skills and the capacity to stand up to him finally came along, that is. After that, it was just a slow and steady Villainous Breakdown for him.
 * Big Good: Athena.
 * Bittersweet Ending:
 * Bizarrchitecture: Lost Canvas. Fair enough, since it's a gigantic materialized painting.
 * Blessed with Suck: Alone is said to be the man with purest soul; that's precisely what makes him the perfect body for Hades' reincarnation. Ouch.
 * Also, Kardia and his overheating heart, Albafica and his poisonous blood and in a rare villian example: Basilisk Sylphid.
 * Blind Seer: Asmita
 * Blood Knight: Cancer Manigoldo, Scorpio Kardia; Gemini Defteros and Gemini Aspros to a lesser degree.
 * Blood Magic: Divine blood, used for many kinds of magic. It can grant you a ridiculously large lifespan (albeit with a De-Power) can turn you into a Physical God when injected into your veins (as long as you don't die), it can instantly upgrade your Power Armor...
 * Bloody Murder: Albafica.
 * Brainwashed and Crazy:
 * Broad Strokes: There are only a few similarities between this and Kurumada's own story taking place during the same time. However, a few do spring up, such as both versions of the Garuda Specter having the name Suikyo.
 * Broke Your Arm Punching Out Cthulhu: Because few victories come without cost.
 * Broken Pedestal:
 * Brought Down to Normal:
 * Cain and Abel: Sasha and Alone are the main example.
 * Similarly,
 * Calling Your Attacks: Almost everyone does it.
 * Came Back Wrong: Wyvern Radamanthys.
 * The Cavalry:
 * Co-Dragons: Hypnos, Thanatos and Pandora.
 * Cold Flames: Cancer Manigoldo's Ignis Fatuus.
 * Combat Sadomasochist: Scorpio Kardia because he knows he's Living on Borrowed Time anyway.
 * Combat Tentacles: Alraune Queen.
 * Combination Attack:.
 * Conveniently Orphans: Almost everyone, justified since it's the 18th century Europe.
 * Couldn't Find a Pen: The "True Red" found by Alone/Hades.
 * Creepy Cathedral: Forest Cathedral, the Big Bad's headquarters on Earth.
 * Creepy Centipedes: Yato faces a monstrous (and talking) one in the Forest of the Dead.
 * Creepy Crossdresser: Nasu Veronica, Phantasos.
 * Creepy Twins: Hypnos/Thanatos. One can materialize anything he imagines to toy with his victims; the other can murder people from another dimension by simply wishing it. Hansel and Gretel seem harmless compared to them...
 * Creepy Crossdresser: Nasu Veronica, Phantasos.
 * Creepy Twins: Hypnos/Thanatos. One can materialize anything he imagines to toy with his victims; the other can murder people from another dimension by simply wishing it. Hansel and Gretel seem harmless compared to them...


 * Curb Stomp Battle:
 * Subverted. Recent chapters

D-F

 * Dangerous Forbidden Technique:
 * Dark and Troubled Past: Tenma, Manigoldo, Regulus, Yuzuriha, even Pandora.
 * Dark Is Evil: Hades and his Specters.
 * Dark-Skinned Blond: Gemini Deuteros (albeit with blue hair), who originally thought to be because he spent several years in an island wearing little more than a loincloth, was confirmed as the former when childhood flashbacks do show him as a Dark-Skinned Blunette while in the Sanctuary.
 * Cait Sith Cheshire, although with white hair.
 * The Dark Side: Alone.
 * Dead Little Brother :.
 * Crane Yuzuriha's younger brother, Tokusa.
 * Deadly Upgrade: Scorpio Kardia's most powerful version of his signature attack, Katakaio Antares, falls in this category..
 * Leo Regulus' Zodiac Clamation.
 * Death by Flashback: Common with most of the Gold Saints. Flashback, does something awesome, dies, rinse and repeat.
 * Death Seeker:.
 * Determinator: Tenma is reaching Seiya's level during his fight against.
 * Did You Just Punch Out Cthulhu?: Several instances, like the fight between Manigoldo and Thanatos.
 * Did You Just Scam Cthulhu?: Pope Sage and Thanatos.
 * Died Standing Up: Wyvern Radamanthys.
 * Disability Superpower: Averted with El Cid, he was still able to use Excalibur even after getting his forearm cut off
 * Disney Death:
 * Dude in Distress: Amazingly, Athena may need defending, but she never really gets kidnapped. Tenma is taken to one of Alone's fortresses when in a near-death state and trapped in the underworld. He's chained up and told that Alone wants Tenma by his side and wants him to become a high-ranking member of his army.
 * Don't Look Back: The prime rule for those who enter the sea of clouds in the Lost Canvas. Some just can't resist...
 * Dressing as the Enemy:
 * Driven to Suicide:
 * , as he thought he was a burden for his older brother.
 * Dwindling Party: On both Athena and Hades side.
 * Eldritch Location: Lost Canvas.
 * Enemy Mine: Although one side isn't aware of it.
 * Everybody Hates Hades: Played straight, and how.
 * Evil Counterpart: Pandora, being Hades's representative and commanding the Specters, is a sort of Evil Counterpart to Athena's Pope. She can also be seen as an Evil Counterpart to Athena herself.
 * Evil-Detecting Dog: Pandora, who scares off all of the animals surrounding Alone off the moment she shows up.
 * Evil Plan:
 * The Evil Prince: Hades's previous Soul Jar was said to be a young prince by Teshirogi.
 * Evil Twin: Gemini Aspros.
 * Expy: Most of the Saints look just like their future incarnations from the original Manga, down to their signature moves and even their roles. However, personality-wise, it's a different story.
 * Eye Scream: Sagittarius Sisyphus and Taurus Rasgado.
 * Face Heel Turn: Alone, in a major way kicked off by a gigantic Kick the Dog moment.
 * Faceless Goons: The Skeleton soldiers.
 * Fan Disservice: Behemoth Violate, who is actually a rather attractive girl, until you look at the rest of her body, which is covered in hundred of scars although mileage may vary on this one.
 * Fighting From the Inside: Subverted with Alone, when
 * Five-Bad Band
 * The Big Bad - Alone
 * The Bigger Bad - Hades
 * The Dragon - Pandora, Hypnos and Thanatos qualify as Co-Dragons
 * The Evil Genius - Hypnos
 * The Brute - Thanatos
 * The Dark Chick - Pandora
 * Floating Continent: Lost Canvas.
 * Foe Yay: Much more so than in the original, actually. See the entry for a nice long list.
 * For the Lulz:
 * Foregone Conclusion: It's known from the original Manga that
 * Ended up somewhat subverted as
 * Freudian Excuse: Pandora.
 * Friend to All Living Things: Alone, taking to extremes in the OVA adaptation, when rabbits, squirrels, foxes, deer and even a bear all come out to stand by him as he's painting.
 * Leo Ilias was also this.
 * Fridge Brilliance: Explaining Youma's time manipulation powers and fondness of younger brothers as due to being
 * Fusion Dance
 * Fusion Dance

G-I

 * Gender Bender: Phantasos.
 * Genius Bruiser: Leo Regulus
 * Get a Hold of Yourself, Man!: Yato to Tenma.
 * The Greatest Story Never Told: Almost!
 * Grim Up North: Bluegard.
 * Go Out with a Smile:
 * And
 * Ham-to-Ham Combat:.
 * Handicapped Badass: Many.
 * Heel Face Turn:
 * Hellish Pupils: Leo Regulus. One of the good alignment examples.
 * Heroes Prefer Swords: Dohko wields the Libra Sword to fight Minotaur Gordon and his axe arm.
 * Heroic RROD:
 * Heroic Sacrifice: Lots. The entire time. It's quicker to list the Saints that HAVEN'T died this way than the Saints who have (who are )
 * Hidden Agenda Villain: Bennu Kagaho. He's with
 * Mephistopheles Youma.
 * Ho Yay: For the fangirls, this is just added fuel for their Dohko/Shion fanfics! It doesn't help that every single Expy got very, very pretty.
 * Minos keeping praising Albafica's beauty or Veronica with Manigoldo.
 * Dohko/Kagaho's fight has some.
 * Radamanthys/Regulus on the front cover of Chapter 200 as well as during their fight.
 * Alone/Hades with Tenma too especially at the moment when he takes Tenma's head in his hands very close to him as if to give him a kiss. This goes Up to Eleven in the latest chapters (past 212).
 * Hoist by His Own Petard:
 * Hope Sprouts Eternal:
 * Hot-Blooded: Tenma, just like his successor, Seiya. And still The Hero.
 * Hot Shounen Mom: Tenma's mother, Partita.
 * Human Popsicle:
 * Hurting Hero: Tenma.
 * I Am Not Right-Handed: Scorpio Kardia pulls this on his fight against Rhadamanthys. Literally.
 * I Am Your Opponent: Griffin Minos to Pisces Albafica, then later Pisces Albafica to Griffin Minos; Taurus Aldebaran to Bennu Kagaho; Scorpio Kardia to Wyvern Rhadamanthys; Sagittarius Sisyphus to Garuda Aiacos; Libra Dohko to Bennu Kagaho, at the temple of terra; and finally Gemini Aspros to Mephistopheles Youma.
 * I Know You're In There Somewhere:
 * Impaled with Extreme Prejudice: Lots of corpses lie beneath the stone bridge in Jamir, impaled by giant rock Spikes of Doom, and the Specters who fight Virgo Asmita there suffer the same fate. Just like the trope image.
 * impales with a fist coated in Shock and Awe and rips off his heart.
 * ultimately defeats with a Power Fist that pierces through his body.
 * Implacable Man:
 * Incurable Cough of Death:.
 * Ineffectual Loner: So many, but specially, Bennu Kagaho.
 * Insane Troll Logic: Alone's justifications. Living means suffering :: Living is bad :: If you're not alive, you won't suffer :: Death is salvation from suffering.
 * Incurable Cough of Death:.
 * Ineffectual Loner: So many, but specially, Bennu Kagaho.
 * Insane Troll Logic: Alone's justifications. Living means suffering :: Living is bad :: If you're not alive, you won't suffer :: Death is salvation from suffering.

J-L

 * Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Cancer Manigoldo.
 * Played with Albafica in his backstory.
 * Virgo Asmita absolutely qualifies.
 * Karma Houdini:.
 * Kick the Dog: Pandora literally kicks (or rather psychically lashes out) at the puppy Alone had adopted in her first appearance.
 * Kill'Em All: The series is really known for having minimal plot armor.
 * It doesn't look good, does it?
 * Kill It with Fire : Bennu Kagaho's main form of attack.
 * Killed Off for Real : See Kill'Em All.
 * Knight in Sour Armor: Arguably, Alone.
 * Les Yay: Phantasos, in female form, licking Yuzuriha's face.
 * Light Is Not Good: The Lost Canvas itself. It basically depicts a whole lot of angels, which
 * Lightning Bruiser: Taurus Rasgado, the fastest Saint.
 * Living on Borrowed Time:.
 * Living Weapon :.
 * Lotus Eater Machine:
 * Lovable Coward: Cait Sith Cheshire.
 * Love Makes You Evil: Alone.
 * Luke, I Am Your Father: Mephistopheles Youma to
 * Luke, I Am Your Father: Mephistopheles Youma to

M-O

 * Magic Countdown: Alone's Star Clock, keeping track of how much time is left before he finishes the Lost Canvas.
 * Make Me Wanna Shout: Mandrake Fiodor's technique, Strange Shrill. A variation of it since it is projected from a mask encrusted on his armor.
 * Man of Wealth and Taste: Mephistopheles Youma, rather than wear a surplice, he wears a tuxedo, top hat included.
 * Manipulative Bastard: Hypnos, Youma.
 * Marionette Motion: This is Griffin Minos's power, "Cosmic Marionation".
 * Meaningful Name: Alone
 * And, technically, Regulus and Aldebaran. They're stars in the Leo and Taurus constellations. Kardia counts as well.
 * As do Sasha, Tenma, Asperos, Defteros, Manigoldo, Asmita, Sisyphus, El Cid, Albafica... in fact, almost all relevant characters have meaningful names, including, obviously, the ones directly based on mythological figures. This is a trend in both the original Saint Seiya series and its spin-offs.
 * Meditation Powerup: Virgo Asmita.
 * Mega Manning: Leo Regulus's signature ability.
 * Mind Rape: Often, from such varied sources as Alone, Virgo Asmita (a master in the art of) and Nasu Veronica.
 * Moment Killer: Hakurei has just.
 * Monstrosity Equals Weakness: On the Specter side. Usually, the big and menacing ones are quite weak, while the smaller and more handsome ones are the real threat.
 * Motive Rant: Youma gets one when he reveals his true nature to ... which is then swiftly deflated when it's pointed out how pathetic he really is.
 * Ms. Fanservice: Yuzuriha, Pandora, Violate, Partita... take your pick.
 * Mythology Gag: No pun intended. The whole Lost Canvas is victim of it with characters who are the exact physical clones of their 200 years later counterparts (albeit drawn in a different art style and with personality differences). When Albafica's covered with Royal Demon Roses the path to the Sanctuary is reminiscent to what Aphrodite did behind his temple to prevent any Bronze Saint from reaching the Pope's place.
 * Noble Demon: Bennu Kagaho and Harpy Valentine,.
 * Obfuscating Disability: Virgo Asmita's blindness.
 * Off with His Head: Alraune Queen's preferred method of killing.
 * Ominous Latin Chanting: Veronica singing Psalm 23.
 * Ominous Pipe Organ: Veronica plays one while manipulating the corpses of children.
 * One-Hit Kill: A hell lot of the signature moves are designed to be this.
 * One-Winged Angel: After being humiliated by, Mephistopheles Youma revealed his true nature as
 * Only Mostly Dead: It happens to Tenma early on, thanks to a highly unlikely bulletproof vest.
 * Asmita does come back as a ghost at one point :)
 * Only in It For the Money: Acheron Charon simply does the job he's paid to. And he really does the job, even if it's for enemies.
 * The Only One Allowed to Defeat You - The rivalry between Bennu Kagaho and Libra Dohko seems to be heading to this conclusion.
 * OOC Is Serious Business: Youma is always in a good mood and making fun of everybody else, even when he's being a Complete Monster... when he isn't cheery, run away really fast.
 * Orcus on His Throne: Alone, although he knows he could thwart he heroes' advance through the Lost Canvas if he wished. He simply wants them to come all the way and suffer as much as possible before facing him.
 * OOC Is Serious Business: Youma is always in a good mood and making fun of everybody else, even when he's being a Complete Monster... when he isn't cheery, run away really fast.
 * Orcus on His Throne: Alone, although he knows he could thwart he heroes' advance through the Lost Canvas if he wished. He simply wants them to come all the way and suffer as much as possible before facing him.

P-R

 * Paint It Black: After his Face Heel Turn Alone's hair turns black. This happened to Gemini Asperos, too.
 * Pervert Dad:
 * Petal Power: Albafica.
 * Physical God: after being blessed with Hades's blood.
 * Playing with Fire: Manigoldo, Kagaho.
 * Please Wake Up: Yato to Tenma after the Holy War's first battle in Italy.
 * Poisonous Person: Albafica, Sylphid.
 * The Pollyanna: Alone is a male example, and a perfect example of what happens when a Pollyanna is corrupted (that is to say, nothing good).
 * And then in some fucked up inversion of Heroic Resolve
 * Power Makes Your Hair Grow: Happens to Sasha
 * The Power of Blood: Athena, Albafica.
 * The Problem with Fighting Death: Hades may have lost all the previous Holy Wars, but he's taken revenge on all of Athena's saints by trapping their souls in the frozen ninth layer.
 * Punch-Punch-Punch Uh-Oh: Deep Niobe to Pisces Albafica and Bennu Kagaho to Taurus Aldebaran. Interesting since this trope is usually reserved for the heroes instead of the villains.
 * Pure Is Not Good:
 * Pyrrhic Victory: By the series final, you can count the number of survivers on two hands.
 * Race Against the Clock: Athena's Saints must go through the Lost Canvas and defeat Alone before the end of the Magic Countdown (see entry above).
 * Rain of Arrows: One of Sagittarius Sisyphus's techniques consists on a rain of light arrows.
 * Rapid-Fire Fisticuffs: Pegasus Tenma, Leo Regulus.
 * Rapunzel Hair: Partita, Pandora, Hakurei, and Athena.
 * Rasputinian Death:
 * Redemption Equals Death:
 * The Reveal:
 * Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies:

S-U

 * Sacrificial Lambs: Cerberus, Auriga and Sagitta.
 * Sacrificial Lion:.
 * Scarf of Asskicking: Yuzuriha's scarf.
 * Scary Shiny Glasses: Hypnos. Think he's a villain?
 * Scenery Gorn: The Underworld, with a waterfall of blood and all.
 * Scenery Porn: Loads, but Atlantis takes the cake.
 * Sealed Evil in a Can: Poseidon.
 * Shock and Awe: Pandora's signature attack.
 * Show Some Leg: Crane Yuzuriha, Lady Pandora,.
 * Sibling Yin-Yang: Aspros and Defteros.
 * Sink or Swim Mentor: Defteros to Tenma.
 * Something About a Rose: Pisces Albafica
 * Sorting Algorithm of Evil: Averted. The difficulty of the enemies varies ranging from simply strong Specters like Kagaho, the three Judges, Thanatos and Hypnos. In fact, a good deal of energy is put forth into defeating Thanatos and Hypnos, Hades's Dragons before they even finish off the Judges!
 * Soul Jar:
 * Spanner in the Works: Mephistopheles Youma didn't take into account
 * Spell My Name with an "S": Is it Hasgard or Rasgado, anyway? Alone or Aroon? Aron? Bob?
 * Spikes of Doom: All over the place in Jamir.
 * Start of Darkness: Gemini Aspros and Defteros when
 * The Stoic: Hades, fully awakened.
 * Stoic Spectacles: Aquarius Degel, whenever he's reading.
 * Stupid Good: Taurus Rasgado.
 * Technicolor Fire: Kagaho's "black" flames, Manigoldo's blue flames.
 * Tears of Blood: People from Hades's army weep blood.
 * Theme Twin Naming: Mostly subverted. You have Sage and Hakurei, Thanatos and Hypnos. The only thing in common between Aspros and Defteros is the three last letters.
 * Three Amigos: Tenma, Yato and Yuzuriha.
 * And also Tenma, Sasha and Alone.
 * Tragic Villain: Pandora.
 * Trailers Always Spoil:
 * Trauma Conga Line: Alone, Sasha, Tenma,
 * The Unfavourite: While Aspros was loved and respected by everyone in the Sanctuary, his younger twin Defteros was treated with utter disdain and hostility. Apparently, said treatment is based on an old lore, which claims thats an older Gemini twin shall be born under an auspicious star, while the younger one shall bring disgrace and chaos.
 * Unperson: In the backstory,.
 * Unperson: In the backstory,.

V-Z
""That Specter is... a woman? Well, I won't be bothered. She's a soldier and a powerful enemy, nothing else matters.""
 * The Very Definitely Final Dungeon: Lost Canvas itself.
 * Villainous Breakdown:
 * Villains Out Shopping: Hypnos is occasionally seen calmly having tea and enjoying the view from a balcony in the Forest Cathedral. He and Thanatos also seem to be fond of playing chess.
 * Vitriolic Best Buds: Tenma and Yato.
 * What Beautiful Eyes!: Teshirogi seems to take this to consideration a bit too much.
 * Pandora even mentions that Alone's eyes are beautiful and lively, although full of soul-crushing sadness.
 * Whip It Good: Balron René's weapon of choice.
 * Whole-Episode Flashback:
 * The Worf Effect: Subverted, when the 18th century Aldebaran goes down killing numerous Specters, including one who nobody else present had a chance against.
 * Would Hit a Girl: Leo Regulus has no problems in physically fighting Behemoth Violate.


 * You Killed My Father: Leo Regulus, who is avenging his father Ilias, dead at the hands of Wyvern Rhadamanthys.
 * Your Princess Is in Another Castle:
 * Zettai Ryouiki: Yuzuriha