This article includes spoilers for the manga
“Saint Seiya: Next Dimension.” Reader discretion is advised.
After almost two decades of publication, the manga
“ Saint
Seiya: Next Dimension ”, a direct sequel to the acclaimed
franchise, has finally reached its conclusion. However, the outcome has
left many of the fans who followed the series faithfully over the years
dissatisfied . The story culminates in controversial fashion, where
Apollo arrives at the temple of Artemis and triggers a series of events that
have deeply divided the community.
At the close of the plot, Apollo proclaims that
Saori will be corrupted and transformed into a celestial servant for 3,000
years, threatening to destroy the entire sanctuary and eliminate all the
Saints. Saori, renouncing her divinity, seeks to save humanity alongside Seiya,
triggering Apollo's wrath. Ultimately, both are sent back to the human
world with their memories erased, while Saori faces an emotional epilogue in
ruins.
This outcome has evoked strong reactions among fans,
some comparing it to the film “ Saint Seiya: Tenkai-hen Josou ”,
released two decades ago. The film, which was originally intended to be
a direct sequel to the Hades saga, received mixed reviews and was removed from
the official chronology due to disagreements with the original creator, Masami
Kurumada. Despite radical changes in the cast and production team, it
failed to garner the expected success or Kurumada's approval.
Community comments have reflected disappointment and
confusion about these endings that seem to repeat themselves after so
long. Some fans express frustration at what they perceive as a poorly
executed ending and question the narrative direction taken by Kurumada. Others,
nostalgic for the original series, feel that the sequel did not live up to the
expectations that had been built up for years.
The future of the franchise now looks uncertain,
with many waiting for answers about possible continuations or alternative
projects. Meanwhile, the legacy of “Saint Seiya” continues to resonate
in the anime community, with ongoing debates about the impact and relevance of
its extensive saga.
- « So,
all that for the same ending as the movie? ».
- « Much
worse executed in my opinion. The film continued directly from Hades,
which ended with the death of one of the three main gods. The punishment
is better contextualized; "In Next Dimension it seems random,
especially after everything from the 17th century apparently never
happened ."
- « My
ass waiting 20 years to see Shaina in the Ophiuchus armor:
- « Tenkai
Overture ended with Seiya beating Apollo and fighting him until his last
breath. Next Dimension ended with Seiya bowing to Apollo like a dog and
then erasing his memory after he JUST woke up from a coma What the hell,
man? ».
- « Wait,
did Saint Seiya just finish? haha Because that would be funny ».
- « Horrible
ending. I hated it ".
- « Honestly,
20 years ago, when I saw the movie, I thought it was a good ending and I
still think that. Seiya raises the cosmos of him and shows Apollo that he
is powerful enough as the gods for a second. The gods then forgive them
and allow them to return to their normal lives. I never liked Next
Dimension, Lost Canvas was much better (I think it's the best Saint Seiya
story overall). Sure this ending seems more open to doing more, but we
really don't know; Kuramada is already 70 years old and has spent the last
20 years leaving history in the exact same place as 20 years ago xd.
Finally, it's fun to see people having exactly the same amount of hope as
they did 20 years ago .
- « If
it doesn't have a sequel, it will be a terrible ending (not to mention the
worst). Let's wait for the announcement that the leakers indicate will be
soon, and we hope to have a new arc and not just a myth costume announced.
Also, it's cool how 'Re-rise of Poseidon' fits perfectly with this ending,
and the void of who will defend the earth, and how Poseidon and Hades have
an interest in the earth and humanity not being destroyed. I know that
only Kuramada's work is canon, but it would be nice if it were too .
- " What
a poorly done ending ."
- « It's
surprising how much better 'Tenkai Hen Overture' executed all of these
concepts. Even if it was an incomplete version from a narrative point of
view. It works much better from a contextual point of view. The whole
movie builds from what happens in Hades and that ending and it's so
shocking and satisfying. Kurumada leaves too many loose ends so this never
feels like a shocking event, Next Dimension led to nothing and it's clear
that it was just filler with some shocking events that could have been
condensed into much less than 118 chapters. As a side note, I think this
gives us a very interesting insight into why Tenkai Hen turned out the way
it did. If what little we're seeing of Kurumada's original concepts here,
the film team was always working with a flawed premise that they always
had to fill in with things that made sense with how Hades ended .
- « Yes,
can you imagine if we are now 20 years old trying to recover their
memories? ».
- « Tenkai
Overture did not receive a sequel not only because Kurumada did not like
it, but also because it was a failure at the box office in Japan. From
what I've heard, back in the 90s I was thinking about making a Zeus,
Cronus and Uranus trilogy that would have started with the 5 main
characters climbing Olympus. The thing about making them lose their memory
and giving Apollo an important role could be something he thought about
once Toei proposed continuing the Hades Saga with movies .
- « I
suppose if Kurumada were to make a sequel, it would be easy to give them
their memories back thanks to some kind of deus ex machina, but I don't
understand his focus on resetting things that way. I mean, it's not even a
theme throughout the series, those characters never wanted to return to a
more traditional lifestyle (we even witnessed a what-if-Shiryu scenario
did exactly that). No… I really don't understand it .
- « And
20 years later, once again when I returned to the end of Tenkai Overture.
Terrible. So what's the difference in the end between ND and Tenkai
Overture, only Touma and the angels died? Was it worth making it non-canon
and wasting 20 years with a 90% filler manga? ».
- « Saori
is a shame like Athena. Now the Earth is unprotected forever? Or when
Saori dies, will Athena be reincarnated as a goddess again? ».
- « Kurumada
gave an interview in 2003 that made clear his intentions with this ending,
although he said that the film's production screwed up. He basically says
that in the end all the Saints have their memories erased, which he says
opens up new opportunities for adventures or whatever. I'm pretty sure he
already has the whole latest saga in his head, but I guess it won't happen
haha... He also says that the pendant worn by Marin and Toma in the movie
was vitally important to the story of heaven, but was not used by the
producers, so he could come back… Anyway, I think he will focus on turning
Next Dimension into an anime and screw the rest . »
- « This
is like a Game of Thrones finale… a lot for nothing .»
- « Absolutely
horrible. Next Dimension didn't need to exist. I remember being so excited
for it in the first few chapters, but it's just a series of unfulfilled
potential. A shame ".
- « It's
the longest scam in anime history... 20 fucking years! ».
Source: Reddit
