Phoenix Ikki

Phoenix Ikki (鳳凰星座の一輝) is a character from the manga Saint Seiya, written and illustrated by Japanese mangaka Masami Kurumada, and later adapted to anime. Although he was introduced later than the other four main Bronze Saints, Ikki's role in the story is quite significant — he serves as the first antagonist in the series that the other Saints must defeat, as well as a powerful ally later in the series.

The Phoenix Saint


While Ikki is officially recognized as a Bronze Saint, his potential easily places him well above most Silver Saints, and his reputation as a powerhouse is common knowledge among his peers and fellow Bronze Saints. Even as a child, Ikki was known as the toughest kid of the 100 orphans, and would often defend his delicate younger brother Shun from other children. He could easily be recognized as the strongest Bronze Saint when it comes to raw power.

Ikki's personality is drastically different from his fellow Saints. He is almost the opposite of his younger brother — Shun is calm, soft, caring and very emotional, whereas Ikki is harsh, cold, aggressive, and very much of a loner, although his rough exterior conceals a truly compassionate and kind soul. Fellow Saint Wolf Nachi once pointed out that it was very hard to believe Ikki and Shun were related due to the extreme difference in their personalities.

As noted by Kanon in the 'Poseidon' arc and by Pandora in the 'Hades' arc, Ikki's Cosmo is unique to him — it is full of hatred, anger, incredible aggression and power, but it was still guided by his deep love and loyalty for his younger brother, his friends and loyalty to Athena. Although he dislikes teamwork, he comes to battle whenever Athena's Saints need his help, and is often seen coming in the nick of time to save his younger brother and friends from certain death. This tactic has always been exploited to their advantage, since the enemies are caught by surprise upon meeting/fighting him. He is a noble, complex and mature character, who never hesitates whenever it can be necessary to sacrifice his life for his friends. Ikki is hinted many times to be the most powerful Bronze Saint as he often pitted against the strongest enemies. Like the myth of the Phoenix, his power increases every time he is killed and resurrected. In his battle with Virgo Shaka, Ikki was able to awaken his 7th sense, which placed him in the ranks of Gold Saints in terms of power and skill. He also awakened the 8th sense, which allowed him to descend to the world of the dead without being subject to its laws. As a Saint, Ikki uses two techniques to dispose of his enemies; one deals physical damage, and the other destroys the mind of his foe.

Techniques
Ascension of the Phoenix's Wings (Houyoku Tensho): Ikki's most powerful blow. The wings of the Phoenix lead to a wind that throws away everything around her. While the other Bronze Saints were learning new techniques, Ikki kept Phoenix's Wings as his trump card until the end.

Phoenix Illusion Demonic Fist (Phoenix Houou Guenma-Ken): which is infamous for destroying the minds of its victims — the technique is dealt from either a single fist or a finger. Ikki concentrates his Cosmo into his fist to literally destroy his opponent's mind. Once used, It expands the hidden fears in people, turning them into terrible illusions that can destroy her mind. In addition to weakening and trapping an enemy in a powerful illusion (followed by instant death) this attack also serves to dwelve deep into an enemy's mind - as was the case when this attack was used on Gemini Kanon during his reign in the 'Poseidon' story arc and many other characters in the anime-only 'Asgard' arc.

Constellation and the immortal Phoenix Cloth


The Phoenix Cloth represents the constellation of Phoenix, which is associated to the immortal bird that is reborn from its ashes, found in folkore and mythologies of diverse cultures.

Ikki is connected to his Cloth and constellation in diverse ways. The Phoenix Cloth has the uncanny ability to reform from atoms if pulverized — an ability that not even Gold Cloths possess. Ikki himself can never truly die for good; while he can be killed, the constellation of the Phoenix grants him the power of resurrection. It is implied in the series that Ikki also receives a boost in strength from every revival as sometimes the Cloth evolves.

Unlike every other Cloths that require a massive amount of blood to repair, the Phoenix Cloth can regenerate as many times as it is destroyed without the need of outside aid. But just as the other Bronze Cloths had, the Phoenix Cloth, too, would come to evolve its design with each regeneration. The Phoenix Cloth has changed form three times in the anime adaptation.


 * Manga 1st change: When Shaka reforms it from dust after bringing Ikki back from an alternative plane of existence.


 * Anime 1st change: After the Battle of the Twelve Temples, his Phoenix Cloth took a new form empowered by the blood of Virgo Shaka.


 * 2nd change in both: When Ikki reappears in the Underworld to battle Garuda Aiacos during the Hades arc.


 * 3rd change in Both: When Ikki accidentally touched Athena's blood in the Elysion Fields, and along with Ikki's already heightened Cosmo, prompted the cloth to evolve into the Phoenix God Cloth.

In Saint Seiya: Next Dimension, in the same way as the other Bronze Cloths, the Phoenix Cloth has reverted back to its normal form, as the God Cloth effect has ceased.

The Gold Cloth of Leo
Being born under the sign of Leo, Ikki is allowed a fraction of power from that constellation. As a result, when the Bronze Saints are faced with a threat that requires the aid of a Gold Cloth, Ikki is granted the gift of donning the Leo Gold Cloth. This becomes evident when the Gold Cloth enveloped himself during the fight with Thanatos, the god of death.

Plot overview
In order to take revenge on Mitsumasa Kido, whom he thought forced him to endure a living hell during his days a a Saint apprentice, Ikki steals the Sagittarius Gold Cloth from the Graude Foundation and challenges the other Bronze Saints to fight him. After a long struggle, the Phoenix is eventually defeated by Pegasus Seiya, Andromeda Shun, Cygnus Hyōga, and Dragon Shiryū. In true form, forgetting his grudge, Ikki soon resurrects from death and began to assist the Bronze Saints in darting threats from Sanctuary. He later joins Athena in the battle against the Gold Saints in the effort to retake Sanctuary from Pope Arles.

In the 'Poseidon' arc, Ikki aids the Bronze Saints by defeating Lyumnades Caça and immediately battling Sea Dragon Kanon afterwards. Although he was unable to beat Kanon, Ikki was crucial in extracting valuable information from the Marina General that led to Athena's victory against Poseidon.

Ikki does not appear in the Hades arc until the Saints are well in their way in the Underworld. He managed to defeat Garuda Aiacos and then confronted Hades himself, who had gained possession of his younger brother's body. Ikki unsuccessfully attempted to rip the Greek deity out of Shun's body, and was punished for it with death. Of course, not even the god of the Underworld was able to keep him down, and Ikki eventually traveled to Elysion where he participated with the other Bronze Saints in the battle against Thanatos, Hypnos, and then Hades.

In Saint Seiya: Next Dimension
Ikki reappears in Saint Seiya: Next Dimension, Kurumada's current work and the canonical continuation of his manga. Ikki is reintroduced in the plot after Hades' death, during Athena's trek to Mount Olympus to meet her sister Artemis; Andromeda Shun is engaged in battle by Artemis' soldiers, the Satellites, and their commander LaScomoune. Shun manages to defeat the Satellites but not LaScomoune, who nearly took his life, if not for the intervention of Ikki. The Phoenix Saint protects his brother and defeats the commander of the Satellites, leaving the scene afterward.

Other media
Ikki appears in all of the Saint Seiya movies, always helping Andromeda Shun and using the same methods to defeat his opponents. In the Heaven Chapter ~Overture~ movie, Ikki was unable to defeat the Angel of Artemis until he fought with his younger brother and performed a combination of techniques to kill him. Later, he is seen with Shun going towards to the place where Seiya is fighting against Apollo. He would also appear in an image of Leo Aiolia in the sidestory Saint Seiya Episode G with the other Bronze Saints. Leo Aiolia and Scorpio Milo had in mind that those Bronze Saints will be the next generation and that they will be stronger than the Gold Saints.

Reception
In the section Right Turn Only! from Anime News Network, writer Liann Cooper noted that the fight between Ikki and Shun was a plot twist "skirmish". Mania Entertainment's Mark Thomas found Ikki to be one of the most interesting characters from the series having liked his early role as an antagonist and his subsequently appearances as a partner for the Bronze Saints. His powers were also praised by Thomas who noted "he is far too good for the Bronze Cloth", but was saddened with how he disappeared during his fight against Virgo Shaka.