If you dismissed Saint Seiya as "too old" or "too repetitive," do yourself a favor. Step into The Lost Canvas . Just keep a box of tissues nearby. The Gold Saints are waiting, and they are going to break your heart.

If you have ever wished for a mature, emotional, visually stunning, and narratively tight story set in the universe of the Saints, this is the hidden gem you need to put at the top of your watch/read list. Released in 2006 as a manga by Shiori Teshirogi (with story oversight by original creator Masami Kurumada), The Lost Canvas is a prequel. But forget what you know about prequels that feel like unnecessary filler.

Enter Saint Seiya: The Lost Canvas .

In a small town in 18th-century Italy, two orphans, Tenma and Alone, share a dream of protecting each other. Tenma is spirited away to the Sanctuary in Greece to train as the Pegasus Saint. Alone, a gentle and gifted painter, stays behind.