Which Saint Seiya Character Is Based On Greek Myth?

My take on this is a bit pedantic because I like tracing where Kurumada borrowed things from. If you want a straight line to classic Greek figures, the major gods are the obvious examples: Athena (Saori) is modeled on the goddess of wisdom and war, while Poseidon and Hades appear as the sea and underworld deities with their own arcs and followers in 'Saint Seiya'. Those arcs lean heavily on mythic themes and imagery.

But if you look at the knights themselves, many are based on constellations that come with Greek stories. Pegasus Seiya is the most famous: his whole iconography nods to the winged horse and the Bellerophon legend. Andromeda Shun is named for the chained princess rescued by Perseus, which intentionally gives his character vulnerability and nobility in the narrative. The series sprinkles in other myth-derived names and motifs — the Gold Saints echo zodiac creatures from Greek lore, and several side characters borrow names like Perseus or Orpheus in various adaptations, reminding you that Kurumada was mining a deep well of Hellenic myth.

So, pick your flavor: if you want a single, unmistakable name—Athena. If you want a whole roster steeped in myth, the Bronze and Gold Saints are full of constellation-based characters whose roots go back to Greek storytelling. It's a fun rabbit hole if you enjoy mythology and retro shonen together.

My shelves are full of battered VHS tapes and a couple of dog-eared manga volumes, so this question feels like asking which flavor of nostalgia I want today. The short truth is: lots of characters in 'Saint Seiya' are pulled straight from Greek myth or from the constellations born out of those myths. At the top of the list you've got Athena (Saori Kido) — literally the goddess figure around whom the whole series orbits — and then the big mythic gods who show up as antagonists or plot pillars: Poseidon and Hades. Those three are the clearest direct lifts from Greek mythology.

Beyond the gods, Masami Kurumada built most of his heroes and villains around constellations, and many constellations come with Greek myths attached. So Pegasus Seiya is named for Pegasus (think Bellerophon), Andromeda Shun evokes Andromeda’s tragic chain-and-rescue story, and Cygnus Hyoga draws on the swan imagery tied to Zeus and other myths. Even Phoenix Ikki is borrowing an ancient mythic bird that appears in Mediterranean stories, and the Gold Saints map to zodiac legends — Leo Aiolia (the Nemean lion vibes), Sagittarius and its centaur associations, Pisces Aphrodite borrowing a goddess name, and so on.

If you want one character to point to as ‘based on Greek myth,’ Athena is the clearest single pick. But honestly, the series is practically a Greek-myth remix: gods, heroic names, monsters, constellations — all stitched together into the armor-and-cosmic-power tapestry that made me—and a lot of friends—obsessively rewatch the 'Sanctuary', 'Poseidon', and 'Hades' arcs. If you’re curious, try rereading a chapter while looking up the original myths; it’s like finding little cross-references that make the fights even sweeter.

I still get excited saying the names: Athena, Poseidon, Hades — they're basically lifted from Greek myth and reworked for 'Saint Seiya'. If someone asks which character is based on Greek myth, Athena (Saori) is the cleanest example because she’s literally the goddess figure in the story. But the show’s whole conceit is constellation warriors, and many constellations are tied to Greek tales. So Pegasus Seiya (Pegasus/Bellerophon), Andromeda Shun (the chained princess), and even Gold Saints like Leo or Pisces borrow from mythic beasts and gods.

In short: Athena is the single most direct myth-based character, but the Bronze and Gold ranks are full of characters whose names and symbols come straight from Greek myths and constellations — that mythic backbone is what gives the series its epic, heroic flavor.