Remember the classic anime, "Saint Seiya"? It’s the tale of a bunch of youthful saint warriors fighting to protect the goddess Athena. While it’s chock-full of positives, there’s a major flaw that bugs a lot of fans – the existence of the Silver Saints.
In "Saint Seiya", Silver Saints are supposedly way more powerful than the Bronze Saints. But, in the battles, they often get defeated by the five Bronze Saints. Some of them are even weaker than the Bronze Saints. Apart from the legendary Orpheus of the Lyra constellation and the master of Shun of the Andromeda constellation, and a few female Silver Saints, the rest were wiped out by the five Bronze Saints. This contradiction makes the existence of the Silver Saints seem pretty useless and awkward.
Think about it, as the mid-level combatants in the sanctuary, the overall strength of the Silver Saints seems a bit low. I mean, the five newbie Bronze Saints almost wiped out an entire generation of Silver Saints. It makes you wonder if the Silver Saints really have a place in "Saint Seiya", or if they’re just on the same level as the cannon fodder.
The character development of the Silver Saints is also a problem. In the main story of "Saint Seiya", the Silver Saints’ images are mostly one-dimensional, lacking depth and complexity. They’re usually just portrayed as villains, without much independent consciousness or personality. They rarely have the sense of justice and the fighting spirit that saints should have. This villainous portrayal makes the existence of the Silver Saints seem very shallow.
So, it’s not an overstatement to say that the Silver Saints are one of the most unsuccessful elements in "Saint Seiya". Not only do they have issues in terms of overall strength and character development, but their existence is also quite awkward: they’re supposed to be the mid-level combatants in the sanctuary, yet they rarely show any sense of justice. This inherent villainous portrayal indirectly makes us, the readers, view the sanctuary as a stronghold of evil.
This also raises another question: are the Gold Saints, the top combatants in the sanctuary, also indifferent to the Silver Saints’ reckless actions and their (perish like cannon fodder)? Is the entire sanctuary so corrupt that everyone from the pope to the Gold Saints treats the Silver Saints as disposable, without any sense of identity as fellow saint warriors?
I remember discussing this with a friend who’s a huge "Saint Seiya" fan. He said, "It’s like the Silver Saints are just pawns in a big game. They’re supposed to be protectors of justice, but they’re treated like trash. It’s sad, really."
And that’s the thing about "Saint Seiya". It’s full of thrilling battles and dramatic moments, but it’s also a story about the quest for justice and the fight against oppression. The existence of the Silver Saints, with all their issues, kind of undermines that message. It’s like they’re a reminder that even in a world of heroes, there’s still a lot of darkness and injustice.
So, while "Saint Seiya" is a classic anime that many of us grew up with, it’s not without its flaws. The Silver Saints may be one of those flaws, but it’s also what makes the story more complex and thought-provoking. After all, every hero needs a villain, right?
