Most of you probably already know that Nobuo Yamada, the singer known for performing the first opening theme song for Saint Seiya, passed away a few days ago. You've probably heard it at some point in your life, either in the original language or dubbed into your native language. It's no secret how much of an impact Saint Seiya had, and still has, on the world of anime. Here in Latin America, for example, it was a huge hit in the 90s and was part of the beginning of the widespread popularization of Japanese anime in this region.
For me, Saint Seiya is not the best anime I've ever seen, but it is the one that has had the most influence on me. Thanks to it, I became much more interested in learning about other anime and also in learning about Greek mythology, which is rich in culture and myths. When I was a child, seeing characters dressed in armor inspired by constellations was completely crazy. I think that from then on, many of us had the fantasy of being dressed in the armor of our zodiac sign (laughs).
Returning to the central theme of the post, I want to mention the curious fact that the first time I heard “Pegasus Fantasy” was in the Latin American Spanish translation, as that was the version broadcast on the open television channels that aired Saint Seiya, or “Knights of the Zodiac,” as it is mostly known in this part of the world. And well, I must say that the Latin American Spanish version is nothing to be sneezed at; it's a song I know from start to finish, and it was very well performed by Mauren Mendo.
It was in the early 2000s, with the arrival of the internet in our homes, that I discovered Nobuo Yamada's original version. My first impression was a little strange, perhaps because I was used to something else, but over time it became my favorite, to the point that I also learned it in Japanese, and it is now the only song I can sing in that language. I had the opportunity to visit the world's largest Saint Seiya museum, located in the city of Lima, where I was able to see a lot of musical material from the anime, with Nob obviously standing out. There is a photograph and a record signed by him, as well as cassettes from the 1980s, including Pegasus Fantasy, among other important songs.
As a fan of this opening, I recorded a bass cover last year to share with the Hive Open Mic music community. I remember having a lot of fun in the process, as it was an honor and a responsibility for me to perform such an iconic song on my bass. I'll leave my performance below in case you'd like to see it.
So, with this post, I want to highlight the importance of “Pegasus Fantasy,” a song that opened one of the greatest global phenomena, Saint Seiya, and which, beyond tastes and preferences, I firmly believe it is the best opening theme in history. The excellent heavy metal and Nobuo Yamada's magnificent voice merged to create a musical gem that will be heard forever in many corners of the world.
