《聖鬥士星矢》自1980年代問世以來，全球累計漫畫銷量已突破5,000萬冊，是日本少年漫畫中極少數「海外影響力遠大於本土」的代表性作品之一。特別是在法國與拉丁美洲，其文化地位甚至接近國民級經典，這種現象並非偶然，而是多重歷史、文化與市場條件交織的結果。

首先，在文化與題材層面，《聖鬥士星矢》與歐洲及拉丁文化圈具有極高的契合度。作品核心大量引用希臘神話、奧林匹斯諸神、命運觀與英雄悲劇色彩，並將黃道十二星座轉化為「黃金聖鬥士」這一清晰而具象的象徵系統。對法國、義大利、西班牙等深受古典文明教育影響的國家而言，這並非陌生或抽象的設定，而是一種可立即產生共鳴的敘事語言。拉丁美洲同樣長期受歐洲文化影響，加上天主教文化中對「犧牲、救贖、宿命」的接受度，使《聖鬥士》那種為信念燃燒生命的小宇宙精神，特別容易被情感性強烈的觀眾所認同。相較之下，這種高度古典、帶有悲壯色彩的英雄敘事，在日本國內反而顯得略為沉重，與當時逐漸走向輕快、娛樂性更強的少年漫畫潮流形成對比。

其次，動畫播映策略與周邊商品的同步推廣，對海外成功起到決定性作用。1980 至1990年代，《聖鬥士星矢》動畫在法國、巴西、墨西哥等地以黃金時段播出，成為一整個世代的共同童年記憶。在法國，作品不僅長期佔據收視榜前列，甚至在某些時期的人氣一度壓過《七龍珠》。在巴西，動畫的成功與玩具市場緊密結合，當地的玩具公司大量引進並本地化聖衣玩具，使角色與聖衣設計深植人心，進一步反哺漫畫、雜誌與相關出版物的銷量。這種「動畫—玩具—漫畫」三位一體的推廣模式，使《聖鬥士》在海外形成穩定且長壽的商業循環，而非短暫熱潮。

相對而言，日本本土市場的競爭環境對《聖鬥士星矢》並不友善。它所處的黃金年代，正是《七龍珠》、《幽遊白書》、《灌籃高手》等現象級作品接連登場的時期。這些作品在節奏、角色塑造與時代感上更符合日本少年讀者的快速變化口味，使《聖鬥士》在國內逐漸被視為上一世代的代表作。即便後續持續推出官方授權衍生作品，如《冥王神話 The Lost Canvas》、《Episode G》系列或不同形式的動畫重啟，本土人氣仍難以回到當年在《週刊少年Jump》連載初期的統治地位，更多是以「經典名作」的姿態被回顧與消費。

此外，各地區市場發展的不平衡，也進一步拉大海外與日本之間的影響力差距。巴西與法國至今仍是《聖鬥士星矢》最穩定的市場之一，漫畫多次再版，甚至成為當地出版次數最多的日本漫畫之一，相關展覽、紀念活動與新作消息往往能引發主流媒體關注。反觀北美市場，該作卻未能成功扎根。由於引進時間過晚，加上當年動畫在地化時進行大量剪輯與修改，包括刪除血腥場面、弱化死亡描寫、改動對白與角色性格，導致作品原本強烈的悲壯感與宿命感被削弱，最終未能在北美觀眾心中建立清晰而深刻的品牌形象。

綜合來看，《聖鬥士星矢》的全球銷量結構，實際上映照出一個有趣的現象：它在文化語境與情感表達上，反而比在誕生地日本，更早、更深地找到「理解它的觀眾」。這也使它成為日本漫畫史上一個極具研究價值的案例——一部在海外真正完成「本土化神話重生」的作品，而非單純的輸出型娛樂商品。

Saint Seiya, since its debut in the 1980s, has achieved cumulative global manga sales exceeding 50 million copies, making it one of the few Japanese shōnen manga whose overseas influence surpasses its domestic impact. Its status in countries like France and Latin America is even comparable to that of a national cultural phenomenon. This remarkable success is the result of multiple historical, cultural, and market factors.

Firstly, in terms of cultural and thematic resonance, Saint Seiya aligns closely with European and Latin American cultural contexts. The series heavily draws on Greek mythology, the Olympian gods, fate-driven narratives, and heroism, while transforming the twelve zodiac signs into the tangible concept of the "Gold Saints." For countries such as France, Italy, and Spain—where classical education and ancient mythology are familiar—this was not an abstract setting but a narrative language that immediately resonated with readers. Similarly, in Latin America, long influenced by European culture and Catholic traditions emphasizing sacrifice, redemption, and destiny, the “small cosmos” spirit of burning one’s life for belief struck a deeply emotional chord. In contrast, in Japan, this classical, tragic style of heroism was somewhat heavy compared to the more lighthearted and entertainment-focused trends of contemporary shōnen manga.

Secondly, the success of the anime and merchandising strategy was decisive for overseas popularity. During the 1980s and 1990s, Saint Seiya aired in prime time in countries like France, Brazil, and Mexico, becoming a formative part of a generation’s childhood. In France, it consistently ranked among the top-viewed programs, and at times even surpassed Dragon Ball in popularity. In Brazil, the anime’s success was tightly linked to toys, with local company importing and localizing Saint Cloth figures, making the characters and their armors iconic. This “anime-toy-manga” synergy created a sustainable commercial cycle overseas rather than a short-lived craze.

In contrast, the domestic Japanese market was highly competitive. Saint Seiya’s golden age coincided with the rise of other landmark works such as Dragon Ball, Yu Yu Hakusho, and Slam Dunk, which better aligned with Japanese readers’ changing tastes in pacing and character design. Consequently, Saint Seiya gradually became regarded as a work of the previous generation. Even with official spin-offs and adaptations like The Lost Canvas or Episode G, domestic popularity never returned to its initial dominance in Weekly Shōnen Jump, being appreciated more as a classic rather than a contemporary hit.

Regional market differences also contributed to the gap in impact between overseas and Japan. France and Brazil remain two of the most stable markets for Saint Seiya, with frequent reprints, exhibitions, commemorative events, and media coverage for new releases. By contrast, the North American market did not embrace the series. Late introduction and heavy localization—removing graphic scenes, softening depictions of death, and altering dialogue and character traits—diluted the story’s original tragic and heroic elements, preventing the series from establishing a strong and enduring brand image.

Overall, the global sales structure of Saint Seiya highlights an interesting phenomenon: the series found an audience that truly understood it sooner and more profoundly abroad than in its birthplace. It stands as a highly valuable case in the history of Japanese manga—a work that achieved a “localized mythic rebirth” overseas rather than merely serving as an exported entertainment product.