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With a number of popular anime being part of fans’ watchlists, a few hidden gems get lost in the shuffle. Orb: On the Movements of the Earth is one such anime that has been somewhat criminally underrated. Even though it was released back in October 2024, this 25-episode anime television adaptation of Uoto’s historical manga has since been largely overlooked by fans and critics.

Rafal in a still from Orb: On the Movements of the Earth anime | Credit: Madhouse

But what makes this anime so underrated? The answer is pretty simple: it’s the stunning art style, great historical themes, and obviously a great story. Not to forget the beautiful visual storytelling adding another layer of intrigue to the show. Despite all this, Orb did not receive enough attention, and has been quite far away from anime fans’ radar.

Why Orb: On the Movements of the Earth anime is criminally underrated?...

Every once in a long while, when you’re probably thinking that creativity in the anime industry has died off, and it’s always the same cycle of similar stories with a few minor changes, a series like Orb: On the Movements of the Earth comes along! And you know what? This is the type of story that more people should be aware of and at least give a try because no one wants to miss out on peak, right?

Rafal from Orb: On the Movements of the Earth | Credits: Studio Madhouse

Last year, 2024, was maybe the year of Dandadan or Re: Zero, and everyone seemed to be talking about only them. After all, it’s understandable because they already had pre-existing hype surrounding them even before their release. But Orb just hits different because it’s the kind of story that wouldn’t typically have a massive fan following,...

Anime fans are known for their dedication and wholehearted support when it comes to their favorite series. But it seems like the Vinland Saga enthusiasts want to take it a step further.

Thorfinn (young) from Vinland Saga [Credit: Wit Studio]

They wish to show their respect, love, and reverence for the work by permanently inking the art of Vinland Saga onto their bodies. Fans have started to get inked portraits of beloved characters like Thorfin and Askeladd or the cool-looking Norse symbols.

The creator’s genuine concern for his fans

To see one’s work get immortalized in such a way is something that rarely happens, but Yukimura does not let this get to his head. Although he appreciates the gesture and is grateful for the love towards his show from people across the world, he is concerned about the long-term consequences of ink on one’s skin.

These include massive...

Shigeki Awai, one of the foremost animators and directors of Japan’s massive anime industry unfortunately passed away on March 19th, 2025. Awai was 71 at the time, and he left behind a legacy of hundreds of the industry’s most famous anime series to his name.

Shigeki Awai contributed to Naruto: Shippuden | Credits: Studio Pierrot

From industry headliners like Naruto, One Punch Man, Boruto, Black Clover, Attack on Titan, and many more, Awai has left his impression on pretty much every series anime fans have come to appreciate over the years.

Interestingly, what many don’t know is that he also helped create an anime that remains to this day one of the most underappreciated series in the industry. When honestly it should have been talked about much, much more.

Shigeki Awai helped create Bungo Stray Dogs into the shonen mammoth it turned out to be

Kafka Asagiri and Sango Harukawa...

Attack on Titan and Vinland Saga are two of the most popular seinen series in the history of the anime industry. As such, frequent comparisons between them aren’t really unheard of.

Mikasa and Eren from Attack on Titan Season 2 | Credits: Wit Studio

Especially since both shows depict a storyline rife with battles, betrayal, despair and the ultimate test of the human will in a world of adversaries. However, there is another series that’s making the rounds these days that’s making people take a second look. That is, of course, Orb: On the Movements of the Earth.

Interestingly, if the reviews are anything to go by, it is evident that it’s not Attack on Titan that should be compared with Vinland Saga, but Orb: On the Movements of the Earth.

Orb: On the Movements of the Earth proved that Vinland Saga’s comparison should be with this...

Did Solo Leveling surpass One Piece and Demon Slayer?(Photo Credit –YouTube)

Solo Leveling has taken the anime world by storm since its global release on Crunchyroll in 2024. With its gripping premise set in a world where humanity’s survival depends on hunters ranked by strength, the series instantly captured audiences and became one of the year’s most talked-about anime.

Now, with the arrival of its second season, Solo Leveling has achieved yet another incredible milestone. It has surpassed two of the most iconic anime series to claim the title of Crunchyroll’s most-rated anime.

‘Solo Leveling’ has now surpassed ‘One Piece’ to become the Most-popular Anime on @Crunchyroll!

Right after the broadcast of the final 25th episode of the TV anime Orb: On the Movements of the Earth in Japan on March 16, Japanese rock band Sakanaction released a music video for the anime's opening theme song, “Kaiju” on their official YouTube channel . Yusuka Tanaka , who has worked on six previous music videos for the band, served as director again. It features the band's vocalist and guitarist Ichiro Yamaguchi wandering through a dimly lit passageway while carefully holding an object that appears to be an egg, depicting a world of unique visual beauty and alien tension. The video reached one million views within 16 hours since its release, and it has now over 1.7 million views as of this written. Sakanaction "Kaiju" Music Video Orb: On the Movements of the Earth Creditless Opening Video "Kaiju" released digitally on February 20, ranking number on Oricon's weekly digital single charts in its first week.

“Orb: On the Movements of the Earth” is one of the best new anime of the past couple of years. This is a drama about the pursuit of knowledge and the resilience of human curiosity in the face of persecution, about how hard it is to kill ideas, and the sacrifices that lead to scientific breakthroughs. The show is set in 15th century Europe at a time of inquisition, a time when heretics are burned at the stake and it is essentially forbidden to look at the stars. You see, the church seems particularly keen on killing a silly little theory that the Earth orbits the sun.

One thing that makes the show unique is its lack of a protagonist. Instead, the show changes focus to follow several people across many decades, each being introduced to the Heliocentrism theory and becoming incapable of dropping the thought of doing research to prove it.

As a groundbreaking series, Gundam completely shaped the course of the mecha genre for decades. Yoshiyuki Tomino brilliantly portrayed war, humanity and society through the characters and received acclaim for his work. He praised his contemporaries for their offbeat work, but there are exceptions.

A Mobile Suit from the 1979 series Gundam | Credit: Nippon Sunrise

Recently, Tomino seemed rather disappointed with a modern anime which made waves on the Internet. Orb, in particular, didn’t seem to pique his interest and he gave his reasons as well. But that won’t dim the series’ significance in splendidly portraying the age-old science versus religion debate.

Gundam creator Yoshiyuki Tomino’s thoughts on Orb anime

The 70s and 80s were some pivotal years for the anime industry. This is true for Gundam and other series that paved the way for cyberpunk and mecha genre. These were a trailblazer in the manner with which they questioned the societal conventions.

The mention of Eric Kripke’s Supernatural and the term ‘cult classic’ in the same sentence wouldn’t surprise anyone, as that’s simply how one can describe the show’s massive popularity and dedicated fanbase. Fans know every detail of the 15-seasons-long show, from the characters’ special moments to their craziest adventures against the supernatural.

However, even such fans might not have heard of Supernatural: The Animation. Released for the first time in 2011, Supernatural: The Animation is an anime series based on the beloved 2006 show.

Sam Winchester in Supernatural: The Animation | Credits: Studio Madhouse

The anime was animated and produced by the highly regarded Studio Madhouse, which makes its obscurity all the more bizarre. Supernatural anime has too many great things to offer, which makes it deserving of more attention from fans.

An introduction to Supernatural: The Animation and its greatness

Supernatural: The Animation is the story of Sam and Dean Winchester,...

Last week, the anime adaptation of Orb: On the Movements of the Earth introduced the character of Albert. The young baker, voiced by Shoya Ishige, is one of many characters caught between their desire for knowledge and the pressures of the Medieval belief system. In the next episode, we will meet Albert in his youth—voiced by Atsumi Tanezaki. Tanezaki has made a name for herself in the world of anime, voicing such memorable characters as Anya Forger in Spy x Family and Frieren in Frieren: Beyond Journey's End . In episode 24, she will appear as the younger version of Albert, showing us the time in his youth when he turned away from curiosity. Albert (young) / Atsumi Tanezaki Related: Orb: On the Movements of the Earth Anime Casts Shoya Ishige Uoto began the original Orb: On the Movements of the Earth manga series in Weekly Big Comic Spirits in 2020, where it...

Netflix has now revealed its most-watched anime for the second half of 2024, which sees the first seasons of Dandadan and Jujutsu Kaisen duke it out with Demon Slayer Season 4.

Netflix recently released its latest What We Watched: A Netflix Engagement Report, which compiles viewership data from July to December 2024, revealing that Dandadan Season 1 was by far its most popular anime during that period. The series racked up 96.5 million hours viewed, which, divided by its total 4-hour and 55-minute runtime, equated to 19.6 million views. When ranked by hours watched, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba: Hashira Training Arc placed second over Jujutsu Kaisen Season 1; Demon Slayer's fourth season had 51.1 million hours watched or 12.9 million equivalent views (given its short 3-hour 58-minute runtime), while Jujutsu Kaisen Season 1 (24 episodes -- 9 hours and 30 minutes) had 76.9 million hours watched or 8.1 million views. Readers can check out Netflix's full top 15 most-watched anime series between July and December 2024 below.

Japanese rock band Yorushika , consisting of composer n-buna and vocalist suis , released a music video for their latest digital song "Hebi" ("Snake") on their official YouTube channel . Following the first ending theme "Aporia" also by them, the song has been featured as the second ending theme for the TV anime Orb: On the Movements of the Earth since its 16th episode aired in Japan on January 11. Yorushika "Hebi" Music Video The song is inspired by a passage from the Tang Dynasty poet Yuan Zhen's “Thoughts on Parting,” which describes a snake's desire for knowledge as it awakens from sleep in the spring and crawls outside to learn about the world. The music video was directed by Miyo Sato , an animation artist who collaborated with Yorushika for the first time on this video. She said, "When I heard the song 'Hebi' and learned the meaning of the Wu Mountain in the lyrics,...

Historical drama Orb: On the Movements of the Earth will welcome a new cast member in the upcoming 23rd episode, with Shoya Ishige joining the role of Albert Brudzewski. Fans may know Ishige from roles including Wakana Gojo in My Dress-Up Darling and Gaku in Trillion Game . Albert. His role in Orb is a young baker who used to love learning but has suppressed his curiosity due to a "certain incident." Related: Sakanaction Streams Orb: On the Movements of the Earth Anime Opening Song Collab Music Video Uoto began the original Orb: On the Movements of the Earth manga series in Weekly Big Comic Spirits in 2020, with eight volumes released in Japan to date. The TV anime adaptation premiered on Nhk General TV in Japan on October 5, 2024. Kenichi Shimizu ( Parasyte -the maxim- ) directs Orb: On the Movements of Earth at studio Madhouse, with series composition by Shingo Irie ( Nyaight of...

The anime adaptation of Uoto’s Chi: Chikyū no Undō ni Tsuite (Orb: On the Movements of the Earth) has some exciting updates. The show recently announced that Shōya Ishige will join the cast as Albert Brudzewski, a young baker who lost his passion for learning after a traumatic event. He’ll first appear in episode 23, which airs on Saturday.

The anime began airing on October 5 on Nhk General, with the first two episodes releasing together. It will have 25 episodes in total, airing over two seasons. The episodes are also available for streaming on Netflix and Abema after their TV broadcast.

The show features a talented voice cast, including Maaya Sakamoto as Rafal, Kenjirō Tsuda as Novak, Shō Hayami as Hubert, and several others. Kenichi Shimizu is directing the series, with Shingo Irie handling the scripts and Masanori Shino designing the characters.

Music is composed by Kensuke Ushio. The opening theme,...

Abema, one of Japan’s leading streaming platforms, has released its annual anime rankings for 2024, revealing the most-watched and most-commented titles of the year.

The rankings, based on viewing data collected from Jan 1 to Dec 31, 2024, highlight the trends that shaped anime viewership on the platform.

The streaming service released two key rankings: the Annual View Count Ranking, which measures average views per episode, and the Annual Comment Count Ranking, which tracks fan interactions during broadcasts.

Oshi No Ko Dominates Streaming Charts for Second Year

For the second year in a row, Oshi No Ko secured the No. 1 spot in Abema’s Annual Views Ranking, with its second season continuing the success of its predecessor.

The second season recorded the highest weekly viewership in Abema’s anime history.

The full Annual View Count Ranking for 2024 is as follows:

Oshi No Ko Season 2 Crayon Shin-chan (Movie) Demon Slayer: Hashira Training Arc (TV...

There has been a massive increase in the anime scene in the past few decades as it continues to amass global fame and repute. In the vast landscape of anime, where numerous masterpiece series within the many genres keep vying for attention from the viewers, there is a disadvantage as well.

Rafal getting threatened | Credits: Madhouse

In each season, there are some anime that get lost in the incredible number of anime that gush in, it is easy, even for true masterpieces, to slip under the radar of the fans. These are the hidden and underrated anime, and one such hidden gem is Orb: On the Movements of the Earth.

A thought-provoking narrative that has been hidden away

The anime has a profound narrative and many compelling characters, but this series remains criminally underrated since many viewers and anime fans seem to be unaware of the brilliance it has and...

Netflix is fully committed to taking over the world of anime, much like it's already done with mainstream TV. The past few years have seen the streamer release the acclaimed video game adaptations Cyberpunk: Edgerunners and Castlevania, and the end of 2024 has brought with it one of the most bonkers new anime to-date in Dandadan. The streamer is also in the middle of releasing the criminally underrated Orb: On the Movements of the Earth, and the second season of My Happy Marriage is also currently releasing weekly. Netflix's next big swing in the anime world takes them to the action genre, in a John Wick-style action comedy that could be the big hit of 2025... Sakamoto Days.

Sakamoto Days premieres on Netflix on January 11. Based on the manga by Yuto Suzuki, the anime follows former hitman Taro Sakamoto, who is unwillingly forced out of retirement (sound familiar?). Despite trying to live a quiet,...

A popular magazine in Japan recently announced the results of the bi-annual "National Treasure Level-Handsome Men" survey. Takeo Otsuka, who voices Aquamarine from Oshi no Ko and Jinshi from The Apothecary Diaries, has officially earned the title of Japan's most handsome voice actor for the latter half of 2024.

Per Oricon, the aforementioned magazine is ViVi, a monthly fashion magazine with a target demographic of women aged 17-27. Sitting at the top of ViVi's Top 10 "most handsome men" rankings is Otsuka, who narrowly defeated Nobuhiko Okomoto, best known for his role as Katsuki Bakugo from My Hero Academia. The third-place winner is Nobunaga Shimazaki, the star of CloverWorks' popular martial arts-focused drama, Wind Breaker. The full list of winners, ranked from most to least popular, are listed below.

Related "If She Were Still Alive": Oshi no Ko Creator Reveals Ai Hoshino's Would-Be Future Career

A major fashion magazine reveals a...

After four years off the air, Fire Force Season 3 is coming in hot on Crunchyroll in Spring 2025, with the streaming platform revealing the anime series' exciting new main trailer, teaser visual, and staff at Ccxp.

The highly awaited Fire Force Season 3 revealed a new trailer at Ccxp in Brazil. Via a press release, Crunchyroll announced its simulcast acquisition; the first cour will air in April 2025, followed by its second in January 2026. Season 3 will be the final season of the anime. Readers can check out the new trailer, visual and staff information below.

Related Attack on Titan: The Last Attack Gets Major Update With Worldwide Theatrical Reveal

Mappa's highly anticipated Attack on Titan: The Last Attack omnibus anime film gets a release window across several territories globally.

Fire Force Season 3 Gets New Trailer Ahead of April 2025 Crunchyroll Release

Director Tatsuma Minamikawa returns to direct Fire Force Season 3 after taking over...

Orb: On the Movements of the Earth is well into its second chapter, introducing a new group of curious researchers to its radical view of the universe. In this week's episode, Satoshi Mikami joins the cast as Antoni, the latest player in this new chapter. Mikami's past roles include Byakuya Ishigami in Dr. Stone and Fanzell Kruger in Black Clover . His new character, Antoni, is a bishop's son who is critical of the church's current policies and dislikes the inquisitor Nowak. He will make his entrance in episode 11, scheduled for this weekend. Related: Orb: On the Movements of the Earth Anime Gets Special Exhibition in March Related: Orb: On the Movements of the Earth Anime Contemplates the Cosmos in Creditless Opening Video The TV anime Orb: On the Movements of the Earth premiered in Japan, October 5, 2024. The first two episodes broadcast consecutively on Nhk General TV in Japan on the premiere day.

Following Crunchyroll's acquisition in 2021, parent company Sony is reportedly in talks to acquire the Japanese conglomerate Kadokawa, most famous for publishing franchises such as Sword Art Online and Re:Zero.

Reuters broke the news on Nov. 19 that Sony was in acquisition talks with the massive Japanese production and publishing giant Kadokawa. The discussions are ongoing, but a deal could be signed in as little as the next few weeks. Reuters adds that Sony declined to comment, while Kadokawa also stated it could not comment. Sony already holds a 1.93% stake in Kadokawa and 14.09% in its FromSoftware gaming company.

Related A 54-Year-Old Anime Combat Classic Heads to Streaming for the First Time in U.S. History

After decades of waiting, a foundational combat sports anime is finally being made available to American audiences in full for the first time.

Crunchyroll's Sony Poised to Gain Further Control Over the Anime, Light...

Next spring, fans of Orb: On the Movements of the Earth can immerse themselves in the worldview of this fall's sleeper hit. A new exhibition coming in March will focus on both the anime series and the historical paradigm shift that inspired its story. Titled Orb: On the Movements of the Earth -an act of planet- , the exhibition will be held at the The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation (also known as the Miraikan) in Tokyo. Related: Orb: On the Movements of the Earth Anime Welcomes Daisuke Namikawa as Young Piast In addition to video and photo spots with imagery from the anime, the exhibition will host information on the shift from geocentric theory (the belief that the Earth was at the center of the universe) to heliocentric theory (the belief that the Earth revolved around the sun). There will also be an exhibition on observational technology. Orb:...

The Orb: On the Movements of the Earth anime continues to adapt Uoto’s manga of the same name each week. For the eighth episode of the series, set to air in Japan on November 16, the official accounts for the anime announced that voice actor Daisuke Namikawa (Ulquiorra Cifer in Bleach ) will be joining the cast as young Count Piast, pictured above. Shinya Fukumatsu continues to voice the older version of the character. Related: Orb: On the Movements of the Earth Anime Contemplates the Cosmos in Creditless Opening Video The TV anime Orb: On the Movements of the Earth premiered in Japan on October 5, 2024. On the premiere day, the first two episodes were broadcast consecutively on Nhk General TV in Japan. And after each episode airs, it will also stream worldwide on Netflix. Uoto's manga was serialized in Shogakukan's Weekly Big Comic Spirits from September 2020 to April 2022 for eight collected volumes.

The Orb: On the Movements of the Earth anime continues to adapt Uoto’s manga of the same name each week. For the eighth episode of the series, set to air in Japan on November 16, the official accounts for the anime announced that voice actor Daisuke Namikawa (Ulquiorra Cifer in Bleach ) will be joining the cast as young Count Piast, pictured above. Shinya Fukumatsu continues to voice the older version of the character. Related: Orb: On the Movements of the Earth Anime Contemplates the Cosmos in Creditless Opening Video The TV anime Orb: On the Movements of the Earth premiered in Japan on October 5, 2024. On the premiere day, the first two episodes were broadcast consecutively on Nhk General TV in Japan. And after each episode airs, it will also stream worldwide on Netflix. Uoto's manga was serialized in Shogakukan's Weekly Big Comic Spirits from September 2020 to April 2022 for eight collected volumes.

Amid the great animes from Fall of 2024, Orb: On the Movements of the Earth is definitely one of the most underrated ones streaming on Netflix, being overshadowed by popular series like Ranma 1/2 and Blue Box. The anime produced by Madhouse is an adaptation of the critically acclaimed manga by Uoto, nominated for multiple awards and winner of the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize in 2022 against highly appraised works like Jojolion and Oshi no Ko. However, Orb has flown under the radar of many Western fans because of its historical setting.

Contrastingly, Orb: On the Movements of the Earth is proving its potential to reach the audience in Japan, standing out among other series not only because of its premise about the heliocentric model, with an original take on the conflict between Polish astronomers and the Inquisition, which isnt everyones cup of tea, but by captivating viewers with its deeper message about human curiosity,...

Orb: On the Movements of the Earth is getting medieval this season, exploring humanity's growing (and allegedly dangerous) understanding of astronomy. As the series continues, a creditless version of the opening sequence has been released, showing off both the beauty and the terror of this new anime. Check it out, set to "Kaijuu" by Sakanaction: Related: Yorushika Shares Orb: On the Movements of the Earth Anime Ending Song Music Video The TV anime Orb: On the Movements of the Earth premiered in Japan, October 5, 202. The first two episodes broadcast consecutively on Nhk General TV in Japan on the premiere day. And after each episode airs, it will also stream worldwide on Netflix. Uoto's manga was serialized in Shogakukan's Weekly Big Comic Spirits from September 2020 to April 2022, for a total of eight collected volumes. Seven Seas Entertainment publishes an official English version of the manga and describes the story as such: In fifteenth-century Europe,...

Japanese rock band Yorushika , consisting of composer n-buna and vocalist suis , released a music video for their latest digital song "Aporia" on their official YouTube channel today. The song was released digitally on October 7 and is now featured as the ending theme for the TV anime adaptation of Uoto's historical manga Orb: On the Movements of the Earth . Yorushika "Aporia" Music Video n-buna describes the process of creating this song on the band''s official X (formerly Twitter): "The day before composing Aporia, I bought a classical mandolin because I wanted to know a new sound. The next day, I played it for the first time in the studio and recorded until the chorus of the song, improvising as I went along. This song compares endless desire to know to a balloon. So, I hope that that primitive feeling of the instrument I was touching for the first time...

Before the start of broadcast in Japan today on October 5, the official website for the TV anime adaptation of Uoto's historical manga Orb: On the Movements of the Earth confirmed that the anime will run for two consecutive cours with a total of 25 episodes. The site also released a key visual featuring the protagonist Rafal observing the stars, and Badeni, Jolenta, and Oczy looking up at the same star-filled sky. The site describes it: "They are all from different backgrounds, ages, genders, and occupations. The visual expresses the grand and passionate story of this work, in which people who are fascinated by the beauty of the geocentric theory and who put their lives and beliefs on the line to prove it." Key visual Related: Orb: On the Movements of the Earth Anime Releases Main Trailer The TV anime Orb: On the Movements of the Earth is set to premiere in Japan,...

The new TV shows and movies arriving on Netflix in October 2024 see the streaming platform offering a plethora of titles across a diverse range of genres. Netflix emerged as one of the first major streaming services, helping to reshape how people watch content. From there, their library grew to include Netflix Original programming as well as many licensed movies and TV shows. With an already extensive library of content, Netflix is adding new titles each month with some highly-anticipated new additions in October 2024.

September 2024 was a big month for Netflix, marked by some talked-about original content. The Perfect Couple emerged as the latest engrossing murder mystery series while the thriller Rebel Ridge became a surprise hit for Netflix. October 2024 is another exciting month for Netflix users, with a number of popular shows returning with new seasons, like Outer Banks, Heartstopper, and The Diplomat, providing a wide variety of viewing options for Netflix users.

The upcoming Orb: On the Movements of the Earth TV anime made a surprise announcement today over who will be performing the opening theme song to the anime adaptation of Uoto’s manga. In their first ever anime song, Japanese rock band sakanaction will be performing the single with front man Ichiro Yamaguchi returning to the band for the first time in two years due to health reasons. Related: Orb: On the Movements of the Earth Anime Releases 1st Trailer, Announces October 2024 Premiere Studio Madhouse is producing the animation for Orb: On the Movements of the Earth . Specific staff members are yet to be announced. Uoto's Orb: On the Movements of the Earth manga was serialized in Shogakukan's Weekly Big Comic Spirits from September 2020 to April 2022, for a total of eight volumes. Seven Seas Entertainment publishes an official English version of the manga and describes the story as such: In fifteenth-century Europe,...