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NEWS: Netflix Debuts CG Knights of the Zodiac: Saint Seiya Anime's English-Dubbed Teaser

IceKirby wrote:

Has Shun been officially confirmed as a girl or is this just an assumption based on the voice and visual? I mean, I also thought that was the case, until Marin appeared with the mask. In the original work, female Saints must use a mask, and Shun is not using one here, so either they removed this rule for this adaptation or Shun is just more effeminate than ever.

It's confirmed. The show's story editor/head writer gave a pretty eye roll worthy reason:

Quote:

The big question: "Why change Andromeda?" This one is all on me. When we started developing this new updated series, we wanted to change very little. The core concepts of Saint Seiya that make it beloved are so strong. Most of it holds up well even thirty years later. The only thing that concerned me: the Bronze Knights with Pegasus Seiya are all dudes. Now the series has always had fantastic strong dynamic female characters, and it reflects in the tremendous number of women who are passionate about the Seiya manga and anime. Today the world has changed. Guys and girls working side-by-side is the default. We're USED to seeing it. Right or wrong, the audience could interpret an all-male team as us trying to make a STATEMENT about something. And maybe 30 years ago seeing women punching and kicking each other wasn't a thing. But today? Not the same.

https://twitter.com/eugeneson/status/1071608437606309888

I don't think Eugene realized that gender bending a character is very much a statement in its own right. Let alone it being the extremely effeminate one. Don't ask why Marin's still in a mask if lady saints are no biggie in this version.

IceKirby wrote:

Has Shun been officially confirmed as a girl or is this just an assumption based on the voice and visual? I mean, I also thought that was the case, until Marin appeared with the mask. In the original work, female Saints must use a mask, and Shun is not using one here, so either they removed this rule for this adaptation or Shun is just more effeminate than ever.

It's confirmed. The show's story editor/head writer gave a pretty eye roll worthy reason:

I don't think Eugene realized that gender bending a character is very much a statement in its own right. Let alone it being the extremely effeminate one. Don't ask why Marin's still in a mask if lady saints are no biggie in this version.

IceKirby wrote:

Has Shun been officially confirmed as a girl or is this just an assumption based on the voice and visual? I mean, I also thought that was the case, until Marin appeared with the mask. In the original work, female Saints must use a mask, and Shun is not using one here, so either they removed this rule for this adaptation or Shun is just more effeminate than ever.

It's confirmed. The show's story editor/head writer gave a pretty eye roll worthy reason:

Quote:

The big question: "Why change Andromeda?" This one is all on me. When we started developing this new updated series, we wanted to change very little. The core concepts of Saint Seiya that make it beloved are so strong. Most of it holds up well even thirty years later. The only thing that concerned me: the Bronze Knights with Pegasus Seiya are all dudes. Now the series has always had fantastic strong dynamic female characters, and it reflects in the tremendous number of women who are passionate about the Seiya manga and anime. Today the world has changed. Guys and girls working side-by-side is the default. We're USED to seeing it. Right or wrong, the audience could interpret an all-male team as us trying to make a STATEMENT about something. And maybe 30 years ago seeing women punching and kicking each other wasn't a thing. But today? Not the same.

https://twitter.com/eugeneson/status/1071608437606309888

I don't think Eugene realized that gender bending a character is very much a statement in its own right. Let alone it being the extremely effeminate one. Don't ask why Marin's still in a mask if lady saints are no biggie in this version.

I actually think Eugene Son gave a very thoughtful, and interesting response on Twitter. He goes through the reason why they felt they needed more female representation, and explains why he and his team believe that changing Shun into woman was the best option. He seems genuine in his responses, and he does seem like he simply wanted to have more female characters in the show.

Seriously guys, I get where most of you are coming from. I also understand how problematic changing an androgynous character into a woman can be, especially towards those who identify as LGBT. I am also aware that what made Shun popular was because he was a strong male who wasn't masculine. I get all that, but you have to understand that a lot of these decisions on TV shows are made with a lot of thought. None of these guys want to destroy you childhood or anything, they just want to make something people would like (or sell).

If you find it problematic, then express it to them in a kindly manner.

I think wanting to make one of the main characters a girl was a good thing, and I get his reasoning, I just think Shun was a terrible choice and they clearly didn't think about some of the implications of changing the least traditionally masculine member of the group into a woman. I don't think it came from a place of malice or ill intent reading his replies on twitter, but that doesn't mean it still isn't an ill conceived decision that could've been handled better

Aaronrules380 wrote:

I think wanting to make one of the main characters a girl was a good thing, and I get his reasoning, I just think Shun was a terrible choice and they clearly didn't think about some of the implications of changing the least traditionally masculine member of the group into a woman. I don't think it came from a place of malice or ill intent reading his replies on twitter, but that doesn't mean it still isn't an ill conceived decision that could've been handled better

See, I get that reason. I totally understand that reasoning, but he does go into detail of going through the other options. While I totally get how problematic it is turning Shun into a woman is, were the other options for more female representation any better? I guess they would have been less controversial, however I wouldn't say it would have been necessary better.

People will say that they chose the easy way out, but honestly don't know what I would've done in his place.

Make literally any other member of the main cast into a girl instead? Shun was literally the worst choice because he was the low hanging fruit in this scenario

Making Ikki a girl would've been a way better and more interesting choice, though I guess they might not want to do that since he's the villain of the first arc, so they'd be putting off the female main character until the second season, but Hyoga or Shiryuu could've worked and would've still been better choices. Hell, I'd be fine with female Seiya too, but I get that going in that direction with the lead might've been a bit too controversial

It's confirmed. The show's story editor/head writer gave a pretty eye roll worthy reason:

(statement)

Or Americans, for that matter.

Which seems kinda dumb considering America is the one place Saint Seiya never caught on. The Latino trailer is already way past the American one in views, and has a much worse downvote ratio than the US one. They take Saint Seiya very seriously down there and all the top rated comments are not amused in the slightest at all these changes

I mean...let's face it the original series looks kinda downright ugly at this point

Dude, you're wrong. They original series is one of the most well known, well drawn, animated and iconic of the last 30 or so years.