OVA
Description
A character description for Dohko di Libra from the anime Saint Seiya: The Lost Canvas follows.
In the events of The Lost Canvas, which takes place in the 18th century during the previous Holy War against Hades, Dohko is a young man of 18 years and serves as the Gold Saint of the Libra constellation. He is of Chinese nationality and trained at the Five Elder Peaks of Lushan. At this point in his life, Dohko has recently been promoted from the rank of Bronze Saint to the prestigious position of Gold Saint on the eve of the war's outbreak. He stands as one of the two most prominent warriors in the Sanctuary alongside his close friend, Aries Shion.
The personality Dohko exhibits in The Lost Canvas differs notably from the wise and aged master seen in the original series. Here, he is depicted as a young man who shows signs of slight rashness and immaturity. He possesses a vivid and rather impulsive nature, often acting on his instincts rather than strict adherence to rules. Despite this, he holds deep respect for his fellow Saints and becomes fiercely protective, even furious, when his comrades are in danger. In such heated moments, he has a tendency to act without fully considering the consequences. While he is a serious and responsible individual at his core, his temperamental side emerges prominently when it comes to defending his disciple, Tenma of Pegasus, or his best friend, Shion. This youthful passion, tempered by a growing strategic mind, defines his actions throughout the war.
Dohko's primary motivation is the protection of humanity and the defeat of the specter army of Hades. Unlike the more reserved authority figures in the Sanctuary, he is direct and proactive, willing to disobey direct orders if he believes it will help save lives or turn the tide of battle. His role in the story is pivotal from the beginning. He is the one who discovers the young Tenma in an Italian village, saving his life from a mudslide and immediately recognizing his immense potential. Dohko takes it upon himself to guide Tenma, offering him the path to become a Saint of Athena and acting as his initial mentor, developing a relationship where he sees Tenma more as a younger brother than a simple student.
Throughout the narrative, Dohko serves as a front-line warrior, directly engaging the forces of Hades. He confronts the god Hades himself within his own cathedral, getting pierced by the deity's sword while helping Tenma and his friends escape. After recovering from his wounds, he is entrusted with the critical mission of reviving Athena's divine Cloth. He battles through powerful specters, including Minotauros Gordon, Alraune Queen, and Basilisk Sylphid, before engaging in a profound and bloody battle with Bennu Kagaho. It is during this duel that Dohko willingly allows his divine blood to spill onto Athena's statue, successfully triggering the resurrection of the goddess's Cloth.
Key relationships heavily define Dohko's character. His bond with Aries Shion is one of profound friendship and mutual trust, as they are comrades who fight side-by-side and confide in each other, with Dohko often relying on Shion for guidance. His relationship with Tenma is that of a mentor who acts as an older brother, having discovered him and taken responsibility for his growth as a Saint. Furthermore, his battles often serve to reveal his compassionate nature, as he attempts to understand his enemies, such as when he looks into Kagaho's memories to discover the source of his spiritual pain, hoping to bring him back to the path of virtue.
Throughout The Lost Canvas, Dohko undergoes significant development, transitioning from a somewhat impulsive youth to a warrior who fully comprehends the weight of his duty. At the conclusion of the Holy War, after Hades is defeated, Athena approaches Dohko and entrusts him with a monumental responsibility. She bestows upon him the divine gift known as the Misopethamenos. This ability grants him incredible longevity by dramatically slowing his aging process, reducing his heartbeats per year to that of a normal person per day. As the sole survivor tasked with this mission alongside Shion, Dohko is charged with guarding the sealed souls of the 108 specters in Lushan for the next 243 years, acting as the harbinger for the next Holy War. This moment marks his transformation from an eager young combatant into the wise, ancient master who will one day train the next generation of Saints, including Dragon Shiryu.
As a Gold Saint, Dohko possesses immense power, having mastered the Seventh Sense which allows him to move and punch at the speed of light. His techniques are all named after his training ground and take the form of azure dragons. Notable among these are the Rozan Hyakuryu Ha (Mount Lu Hundred Dragons Force), which unleashes countless dragon-shaped energy blasts from both hands. He also wields the Rozan Shoryuha (Rising Dragon Force), a powerful uppercut-like attack, and the suicidal Rozan Koryuha (Enraged Dragon Force), an explosion of cosmos that sends both user and victim flying into the atmosphere to be burned by friction. He is also the only Gold Saint authorized to use the twelve weapons of the Libra Cloth, which include swords, spears, and shields, to be distributed among the other Saints only when absolutely necessary. During his training in a mystical realm known as the Fairyland, he also achieved the state of Shinra Bansho, manifesting his inner energy as the form of a Fierce Tiger and learning to control Natural Energy over phenomena such as wind and lightning.
In the events of The Lost Canvas, which takes place in the 18th century during the previous Holy War against Hades, Dohko is a young man of 18 years and serves as the Gold Saint of the Libra constellation. He is of Chinese nationality and trained at the Five Elder Peaks of Lushan. At this point in his life, Dohko has recently been promoted from the rank of Bronze Saint to the prestigious position of Gold Saint on the eve of the war's outbreak. He stands as one of the two most prominent warriors in the Sanctuary alongside his close friend, Aries Shion.
The personality Dohko exhibits in The Lost Canvas differs notably from the wise and aged master seen in the original series. Here, he is depicted as a young man who shows signs of slight rashness and immaturity. He possesses a vivid and rather impulsive nature, often acting on his instincts rather than strict adherence to rules. Despite this, he holds deep respect for his fellow Saints and becomes fiercely protective, even furious, when his comrades are in danger. In such heated moments, he has a tendency to act without fully considering the consequences. While he is a serious and responsible individual at his core, his temperamental side emerges prominently when it comes to defending his disciple, Tenma of Pegasus, or his best friend, Shion. This youthful passion, tempered by a growing strategic mind, defines his actions throughout the war.
Dohko's primary motivation is the protection of humanity and the defeat of the specter army of Hades. Unlike the more reserved authority figures in the Sanctuary, he is direct and proactive, willing to disobey direct orders if he believes it will help save lives or turn the tide of battle. His role in the story is pivotal from the beginning. He is the one who discovers the young Tenma in an Italian village, saving his life from a mudslide and immediately recognizing his immense potential. Dohko takes it upon himself to guide Tenma, offering him the path to become a Saint of Athena and acting as his initial mentor, developing a relationship where he sees Tenma more as a younger brother than a simple student.
Throughout the narrative, Dohko serves as a front-line warrior, directly engaging the forces of Hades. He confronts the god Hades himself within his own cathedral, getting pierced by the deity's sword while helping Tenma and his friends escape. After recovering from his wounds, he is entrusted with the critical mission of reviving Athena's divine Cloth. He battles through powerful specters, including Minotauros Gordon, Alraune Queen, and Basilisk Sylphid, before engaging in a profound and bloody battle with Bennu Kagaho. It is during this duel that Dohko willingly allows his divine blood to spill onto Athena's statue, successfully triggering the resurrection of the goddess's Cloth.
Key relationships heavily define Dohko's character. His bond with Aries Shion is one of profound friendship and mutual trust, as they are comrades who fight side-by-side and confide in each other, with Dohko often relying on Shion for guidance. His relationship with Tenma is that of a mentor who acts as an older brother, having discovered him and taken responsibility for his growth as a Saint. Furthermore, his battles often serve to reveal his compassionate nature, as he attempts to understand his enemies, such as when he looks into Kagaho's memories to discover the source of his spiritual pain, hoping to bring him back to the path of virtue.
Throughout The Lost Canvas, Dohko undergoes significant development, transitioning from a somewhat impulsive youth to a warrior who fully comprehends the weight of his duty. At the conclusion of the Holy War, after Hades is defeated, Athena approaches Dohko and entrusts him with a monumental responsibility. She bestows upon him the divine gift known as the Misopethamenos. This ability grants him incredible longevity by dramatically slowing his aging process, reducing his heartbeats per year to that of a normal person per day. As the sole survivor tasked with this mission alongside Shion, Dohko is charged with guarding the sealed souls of the 108 specters in Lushan for the next 243 years, acting as the harbinger for the next Holy War. This moment marks his transformation from an eager young combatant into the wise, ancient master who will one day train the next generation of Saints, including Dragon Shiryu.
As a Gold Saint, Dohko possesses immense power, having mastered the Seventh Sense which allows him to move and punch at the speed of light. His techniques are all named after his training ground and take the form of azure dragons. Notable among these are the Rozan Hyakuryu Ha (Mount Lu Hundred Dragons Force), which unleashes countless dragon-shaped energy blasts from both hands. He also wields the Rozan Shoryuha (Rising Dragon Force), a powerful uppercut-like attack, and the suicidal Rozan Koryuha (Enraged Dragon Force), an explosion of cosmos that sends both user and victim flying into the atmosphere to be burned by friction. He is also the only Gold Saint authorized to use the twelve weapons of the Libra Cloth, which include swords, spears, and shields, to be distributed among the other Saints only when absolutely necessary. During his training in a mystical realm known as the Fairyland, he also achieved the state of Shinra Bansho, manifesting his inner energy as the form of a Fierce Tiger and learning to control Natural Energy over phenomena such as wind and lightning.