The Saint Seiya franchise is rich in various great spin-offs. Saint Seiya: Meiou Iden - Dark Wing is another one of them and, frankly, it might be one of my favorite spin-offs due to its originality without losing that classic Saint Seiya atmosphere. One thing that I'd like to mention before moving onto this review- this review is spoiler-free. It does not reveal specific plot points, specific characters (other than some of the main ones that were referred to in a general way) or twists; instead, it assumes the reader is either familiar with the general premise of Dark Wing (check out the synopsis), or hasa basic understanding of the classic Saint Seiya tropes that have been around for decades in this franchise. My goal is to give a review that can be read and enjoyed by both those already familiar with this manga and those who are thinking about picking it up, WITHOUT spoiling the experience for anyone.

Moving back to Dark Wing, when I heard about this manga for the first time, I was quite surprised. One of the news mentioned a Saint Seiya spin-off with isekai elements that would be primarily focused on Specters. As someone who is not a fan of isekai in general, I was perhaps not utterly skeptical, but rather partially worried, and partially genuinely curious what kind of a story will emerge from that kind of a mix (especially when it was meant to show something fairly new, I mean a Specters-centered plot). Luckily, the isekai elements are done well and in an original way, blending well into the Saint Seiya universe and its principles and trying to be different from those "typical isekai tropes" you can see in a lot of manga and anime. What's more, it also has slice of life elements - another type of stuff I'm not into, and yet, I enjoyed every slice of life moment that this series offered. They are also done well and with respect to the original story's atmosphere. And they work surprisingly well, given that we meet a lot of Specters along the way and see them outside of a fight, living their everyday life as students of the International Private University of the Graad Foundation.

So far, I've enjoyed the whole story. It's interesting, has believable and satisfying twists, and features a lot of subtle references to the original series that a lot of veteran fans will surely notice, but that don't dominate the whole plot in a way that it'd confuse the new fans. Speaking of the latter group, Dark Wing is a nice way to start your adventure with Saint Seiya if you don't want to, no matter the reason, to pick up the original story or other spin-offs that might be good as entry points. Its pacing is handled well, so there is no problem with, say, action moments being too fast-paced, or slice of life moments being too slow. Everything is well balanced. The story doesn't take too long to advance further, but doesn't stay in one moment too long for the sake of "calming down after a very dynamic moment" either. Overall, I like the way Dark Wing is directed as a manga.

As I highlighted before, one of the most refreshing aspects of Dark Wing is seeing the story primarily from the perspective of Hades' Specters rather than the usual "good side", I mean the Saints of Athena. It adds more potential to the plot and its characters, and also offers a look at the whole battle between the forces of Hades and Athena from the point of view of the other side of the conflict; through the eyes of those who had been presented mostly as enemies aka the "evil side" for most of the time in the Saint Seiya franchise. Especially when the readers can explore a more human side of them, as I mentioned earlier.

As for characters, they are good. They are well-defined, they have their goals, dreams, fears... Their progression is satisfying, their reactions are realistic and even relatable. They might have one or two traits typical for their counterparts from other spin-offs in a few cases, but in general they remain distinctive and original.

When it comes to the art style, I like it. It is a little bit different than other spin-offs, but it makes it fresh and unique on its own. By no means it takes anything away from it. Characters look good, armors are beautiful and detailed, sceneries and landscapes look great. Action scenes are well-drawn. Some of them, I dare say, might be one of my favorite takes on how certain techniques are presented.

In short, Dark Wing is a really positive surprise in how well it combines the classic Saint Seiya tropes with new ideas, making it pleasant to read and good for all kinds of fans. Will it stay like this? I don't know, but so far I've been enjoying its story, characters, and the way it explores various philosophical dilemmas that one might have when reading something that's about mortals, deities, fate. I recommend reading it! It is proof that you can implement fresh ideas into an old, well-known franchise without making it lose its soul.