It took me some time to get back on the Saint Seiya reviews, but later is better than never.

So, welcome the the fifth episode or if you want, The Rose Garden. Or Deadly Roses. Or Poison Rose, how is actually named. I think this one of the best episodes to date. Well, its strange that I consider an episode in which Tenma barely appears to be the best Lost Canvas episode until now. Cant say why, I think is like those Naruto episodes which focus on other characters. As long as Naruto isn’t there to spoil it, its great. Not so disastrous in Tenma’s case but I see some little resemblances.

‘’Saint Seiya, we’re calling out for you, Saint Seiya help us to come through!’’ YAY!

There is not much story in this episode to begin with, so all I have to do is practically to describe the battle and the techniques used by the combatants. Is like war journalism. Sort of. Spoilers ahead!

Last time, Minos and his goons were about to unleash an attack on the Sanctuary and Tenma was trying to escape from the Underworld. And while ill skip what Tenma and the other are doing because they just talk bullshit, let’s concentrate on Minos and the attack on the Sanctuary. Minos of the Tenki Star Griffin is one of the strongest specters from Hades army. His fighting technique is based on the manipulation of his adversaries, with strings, like a puppet master. Strings that are being released from his hands. And once Minos has caught you, he will break all your bones. Seeing him going like a storm through the ranks of the Saints looks like he has no worthy adversary. Well, at least for this episode.

But their run towards the Sanctuary is blocked by a strange red rose field who just appears in front of them. Is a beautiful and romantic view. The rose petals flowing in the wind, the smell… until two specters horribly die poisoned after stepping on the roses. They just die spitting their guts out. On a stone column in the middle of the rose field stands Albafica, Gold Saint of Pisces. One of the 12 Gold Saints that are guarding the12th Zodiac Temple, the last temple before the pope’s temple. Albafica, we are explained, is all poisonous. His whole body and his blood is fiddled with poison.

And then Minos makes a real gay remark, like…Wow! He is so beautiful. Referring to Albafica of course. I think Japanese writers are uncertain of their sexual orientation or they are just totally awkward towards anything related to women, since a huge percent of Japanese men do no even want to date or have sex with women. Its true, google for it. Or, read THIS. Ouch.

But lets concentrate on the screen and not behind it.

A Specter with green armor, one called Niobe belonging to the Rhadamanthys (I would try to explain what about this name but is to complicated, I got lost in Wikipedia reading about it) tries to defeat Albafica by emitting a strong toxic scent (no, he doesn’t fart) that succeeds to annihilate the strong poison of the roses. However, Albafica is able to absorb this toxic vapour in his own body and kill Niobe with a powerful attack called Crimson Thorn. This attack transforms his blood in poisonous needles erupting from the ground and Niobe soon follows his fellow Specters into nothingness.

‘’I will fight you myself’’

Next, Minos himself steps into the fight. First, he blows away all the demon roses with his Gigantic Feather Flap, an atatck based on wind. Second, he catches Albafica with his string technique. He is obviously envious on the beauty of his adversary (here we go THAT WAY again) so he puts him to smash his own face. No more pretty boy Albafica. Soon, Minos decides that Albafica’s eyes are too defiant so he decides to pull one out. The result? None. Alfabica decides to break up his arm that to be subdued by Minos. Such great is the sacrifice spirit of the Golden Saints and their determination.

Well, this episode isn’t a killer in story development or revealing, but it has a great fight (read ”rose fight”). The Specters, and especially their leaders appear to be more powerful than their Saint counterparts, so I’m very intrigued to see how much they will advance towards the Sanctuary. Ill notice again the crisp clear animation, one of the best I have seen in anime series. Tenma and his buddies are still stuck in the Underworld, which looks a little deserted. I mean, c’mon, give us some monsters!

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