📖 Saint Seiya (Knights of the Zodiac): telling the vintage figures from the Myth Cloth line

Saint Seiya figures, known in France as Les Chevaliers du Zodiaque, fall into several lines that differ greatly in era, size and price. Mixing them up is the first source of mistakes when buying or reselling. This guide helps you tell the 1980s vintage figures from the more recent Myth Cloth lines. I found no reliable source on counterfeits of this line, so the guide concentrates on identification.

1. The two main families

• The "vintage" figures: between 1986 (the date of the first manga editions) and 1988, Bandai Japan produced collectible Saint Seiya figures aimed at children. This line is called the Saint Cloth Series, often nicknamed "the Vintages".
• The Myth Cloth (Saint Cloth Myth): a later line of collector figures, heir to the vintages. Its success led Bandai to stop the Saint Cloth Series.
• In France, Myth Cloth figures have been available since early 2005 through Bandai France, then through the distributor Cosmic. Bandai France aimed them at children aged 8 and over.

2. Do not mix up similar lines

• Many lines coexist under the Saint Seiya name: Myth Cloth, Myth Cloth EX, Myth Cloth OCE (Original Color Edition), Myth Cloth Appendix, Gashapon, Agaruma, Figuarts Zero, DD Panoramation and Crown Cloth, among others.
• Current Myth Cloth EX figures stand about 16 to 17 cm tall and come with interchangeable hands and armour parts, which has nothing to do with the small 1986 to 1988 vintages.
• Always specify the line in your records: the same armour (Pegasus, Dragon, Cygnus…) exists in several lines, with very different values.

3. Identifying a vintage figure

• Listings describe the vintages as figures of about 12 cm, in metal and plastic, stamped Bandai and dated 1987 or 1988.
• The country of manufacture varies: some listings cite Taiwan, others mention Bandai Hong Kong, Bandai Japan or Bandai France. Note this mention, as it is part of the variants.
• Record the character (for example Aquarius Camus or Cancer), the year, the Bandai mention and the country, then compare with photos of known examples.
• Some sets from the period are also sought after, such as the 1987 Colosseum of the Knights of the Zodiac, offered "complete" in listings: check that all the pieces are there.

4. Checking condition and completeness

• For a vintage as for a Myth Cloth, look at the armour pieces, accessories, spare hands and box: a complete example sells far better than a loose figure.
• Listings of sealed boxes show very high prices for some rare characters, but an asking price is not a sale price: compare several completed sales.
• An opened box or an opening sticker on the packaging should be stated and lowers the value.

⚠️ Watch out for

• Some listings offer vintage Saint Seiya "bootlegs", which shows that copies circulate. I found no reliable source describing how to recognise them: always compare with photos of several known examples before paying a lot.
• A price far below completed sales for a sought-after character should raise a flag.
• Do not rely on a listing title alone: sellers often mix "vintage", "Myth Cloth" and "Bandai" for items that are not worth the same.

Sources : EverybodyWiki (Myth Cloth : histoire de la gamme, vintages) · Coleka (gammes de figurines Saint Seiya) · Exemple d'annonce : figurine vintage 1988, Bandai, 12 cm · Leboncoin (exemples d'annonces Saint Seiya, dont le Colisée de 1987)

Updated on Oct 6, 2026. These pointers are indicative and do not replace an expert's opinion: for a valuable piece, have it appraised.