The latest installment in the sprawling Saint Seiya universe has reached its conclusion. Saint Seiya: The Lost Canvas – The Myth of Hades Bangai-hen, a spin-off manga, ended its run with the April 2026 issue of Akita Shoten’s Monthly Champion RED magazine, released on .
The final issue features a cover depicting Tenma, Saori, and Alone smiling amidst falling cherry blossoms, a visual motif seemingly chosen to mark the series’ farewell. A special die-cut “Cosmos” sticker, illustrated by series artist Shiori Teshirogi, is included as a bonus with the magazine.
The Lost Canvas, a popular spin-off exploring side stories not covered in the main Saint Seiya storyline or its other extensions, concludes with this final chapter. The magazine also features a cover showcasing Saint Seiya: Saintia Sho Memories, a continuation of the Saintia Sho series, which began releasing its first volumes on the same day.
Saintia Sho Memories focuses on the sealed Pegasus Saintia, described as a “cursed Saint Cloth” in ancient lore. The story follows Shoko’s sister, Kyoko, as she is drawn to a mysterious location. The April issue of Monthly Champion RED also includes new chapters of “Dungeon Meshi” (Dungeon Present 5 Years, I Decided to Challenge a Dungeon at 15) and “Kusa ka Shi ka ~Haishinkoku no Onnatachi~” (Wife or Death ~Women of the Fallen Country~).
Beyond the manga, the issue includes a special feature commemorating the 40th anniversary of Saint Seiya. This takes the form of an extensive interview with Fujimura Shishin, a researcher specializing in ancient Greece, exploring the historical and mythological foundations of the series. Fujimura’s passion for both ancient Greece and the Saint Seiya franchise is highlighted.
The April 2026 issue of Monthly Champion RED, featuring the conclusion of The Lost Canvas Bangai-hen, is available for a special price of 900 yen (including tax).
Saint Seiya: The Lost Canvas occupies a unique position within the franchise’s complex timeline. As noted by CBR, the series functions as a prequel, unfolding 243 years before the events of the original Saint Seiya manga. This placement in the 18th-century European setting provides a distinctive backdrop for the narrative, offering a different flavor than the more familiar mythological landscapes of the main series.
The spin-off’s popularity, as evidenced by its 8.27 rating on MyAnimeList, demonstrates a strong fan base for Teshirogi’s interpretation of the Saint Seiya universe. The series, originally published in Weekly Shōnen Champion from , concluded its initial run on , with a total of 25 volumes. Subsequent iterations, including The Lost Canvas Gaiden (16 volumes) and the now-concluded Bangai-hen, have continued to expand upon the world and characters introduced in the original series.
The broader Saint Seiya franchise has seen numerous spin-offs over the years, as cataloged by MyAnimeList.net. These include Saint Seiya Episode G, Saintia Sho, and Soul of Gold, each offering a different perspective on the Saint Seiya mythos. The placement of these spin-offs relative to each other and the original series is a point of interest for fans, with some, like those on Reddit, debating which spin-off represents the pinnacle of the franchise.
The completion of The Lost Canvas Bangai-hen marks the end of a significant chapter in the Saint Seiya saga, leaving fans to contemplate the legacy of Teshirogi’s work and the future direction of the franchise. The inclusion of new content like Saintia Sho Memories suggests that the universe of Saint Seiya will continue to evolve and captivate audiences for years to come.
