Orient (manga)

Orient is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Shinobu Ohtaka. It was serialized in Kodansha's Weekly Shōnen Magazine from May 2018 to January 2021 and later transferred to Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine, where it ran from February 2021 to October 2024, with its chapters collected in 22 volumes. Kodansha USA licensed the manga for English release in North America. A 24-episode anime television series adaptation by A.C.G.T aired from January to September 2022.

WWW pocket.shonenmagazine.com...𝕏 orient_magazine

Plot

The story revolves around a fifteen-year-old boy named Musashi and takes place during Japan's Sengoku period. At the time, Japan is ruled by Oni, and Bushi are considered taboo. Musashi is blending in as a miner along with others, who are brainwashed into thinking that the demons are their saviors and fed lies about the samurai being evil. However, Musashi knows the truth. He wants to confront the demons with his certain special power.

Media

Manga

Orient, written and illustrated by Shinobu Ohtaka, was serialized in Kodansha's Weekly Shōnen Magazine from May 30, 2018, to January 6, 2021. The manga was then transferred to Kodansha's Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine on February 9, 2021, and finished on October 9, 2024. Kodansha collected its chapters in 22 volumes, released from August 17, 2018, to November 8, 2024.
In March 2020, Kodansha USA announced the acquisition of the manga for English language digital release, with the first volume being released on April 7, 2020. Kodansha USA also announced the print release of the manga starting on January 26, 2021.

Anime

On January 4, 2021, it was announced that the series will receive an anime television series adaptation. The series is animated by A.C.G.T and directed by Tetsuya Yanagisawa, with Mariko Kunisawa handling the scripts, Takahiro Kishida designing the characters, and Hideyuki Fukasawa composing the series' music. It aired from January 6 to March 24, 2022, on TV Tokyo and AT-X. Da-ice performed the series' opening theme song "Break Out", while Wataru Hatano performed the series' ending theme song "Naniiro." Crunchyroll streamed the series outside of Asia. Medialink licensed the series in Southeast Asia and South Asia; they released it on Ani-One Ultra YouTube channel for membership subscribers, iQIYI and Animax Asia. On January 13, 2022, Crunchyroll announced that the series will receive an English dub, which premiered on February 23.
At the end of the twelfth episode, a second cour was announced, which aired from July 12 to September 27, 2022. The opening theme song is "Break it down" by Sōta Hanamura from Da-ice and Lil' Fang from Faky, while the ending theme song is "Irochigai no Itotaba" by Gakuto Kajiwara.

Reception

Rebecca Silverman of Anime News Network, gave the first volume 3½ out of five stars. Silverman praised the series for its iconography, adding that the demons are drawn with the same symbols and styling seen in Buddhist imagery, like bodhisattva with horns, fangs, and talons. She added that Ohtaka's art improved with the series and appreciated her departure from the "boob jokes" presented in her earlier works, making the series feel "less juvenile while still being good for middle grade readers". Silverman concluded: "in the shounen action line, this is looking like a safe bet". Faye Hopper of the same website, gave the first volume 2½ out of five stars. Hopper praised the series' art, but criticized it for its execution and pacing, adding: "New characters appear out of nowhere and are not given proper introductions, character arcs are not meaningfully advanced, and any potential tension is lost in how the characters don't face meaningful consequences for their actions. It is a mess." Hopper concluded: "a final impression is just as important as an introductory one. And sadly, at the end of the day, Orient just does not keep up its momentum".