Aquarius Stronger Than Virgo? Leo the Weakest? What Was the Deal With That 37-Year-Old Saint Seiya Board Game?
The Mysterious 1988 Saint Seiya Board Game
In August 1988, Shueisha released a special Saint Seiya supplement called COSMO SPECIAL. This collector’s item not only contained rare materials like The Great Holy War Chronicle and Saint Seiya Encyclopedia, but also included a DIY board game for fans to cut out and play.
A Simple Dice Game With Controversial Stats
The game itself was straightforward – a simple dice-rolling mechanic. What made it fascinating were the character stats assigned to each Saint, which sparked endless debates among fans. While credited to Masami Kurumada, the creator’s actual involvement remains questionable given his notorious habit of inconsistent power scaling throughout the manga.
The Gold Saints Tier List That Shocked Fans
The game’s data focused primarily on the Zodiac Temple arc, with brief mentions of the Poseidon arc. Let’s examine the most eyebrow-raising rankings:
Top Tier (110)
- Libra Dohko: Highest in special techniques and defense
- Sagittarius Aiolos: Superior speed and attack power
These two legendary Saints appropriately topped the charts, though neither had fully demonstrated their capabilities in the manga at that point.
The Aquarius Anomaly (102)
Here’s where things get interesting. Aquarius Camus scored higher than Virgo Shaka (100), despite Shaka being considered one of the most powerful Gold Saints. This unexpected ranking remains one of the game’s biggest mysteries.
Leo’s Shocking Placement (88)
Leo Aiolia found himself near the bottom of the Gold Saints, possibly due to his mind-controlled state during the Zodiac arc. This remains one of the most controversial placements.
Silver and Bronze Saints: More Head-Scratching Choices
The rankings grew even more peculiar as we moved down the tiers:
Silver Saints Surprises
- Perseus Algol (50), who nearly defeated the Bronze Saints early on
- Phoenix Ikki (42), the strongest Bronze Saint, ranked below many Silvers
Bronze Saints Logic
Pegasus Seiya (38) and Dragon Shiryu (37) received reasonable scores, while Cygnus Hyoga (36) might have been penalized for his prolonged “nap” during the Zodiac arc.
Final Thoughts: Game Balance vs. Canon
This board game clearly prioritized gameplay balance over strict adherence to manga canon. With Poseidon himself scoring only 100 (equal to Shaka and below Camus), it’s evident the creators took creative liberties. While the rankings may infuriate purists, they make for fascinating “what if” scenarios that still spark debates decades later.
Which Saint’s ranking surprised you the most? Share your thoughts on these controversial power levels!
