The World Is Still Beautiful
The World Is Still Beautiful is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by. It started with a one-shot published in Hakusensha's manga Hana to Yume in March 2009, which was followed by a second one in June of that same year and a third one in September 2011. It began a regular serialization in the same magazine in December 2011 and finished in May 2020; its chapters were collected in 25 volumes. A 12-episode anime television series adaptation by Pierrot aired on Nippon Television between April and June 2014.
Plot
Nike, the fourth princess of the Rain Dukedom, possesses the power to call forth the rain. She travels to the Sun Kingdom to marry Sun King Livius for the sake of her country, despite her own reluctance. She soon discovers that the King, who conquered the world in only three years after his ascendance to the throne, is still a child. Furthermore, for trivial reasons, he has demanded that Nike call forth the rain, and when she refuses, he has her thrown in jail. The story follows the two who, while at first are a married couple only in name, gradually begin to establish an emotional bond with one another.Characters
Main characters
;Nike Lemercier;Livius Orvinus Ifrikia / Livius I
;Neil
Sun Kingdom
;Bardwin Cecil Ifrikia / Bard;Sheila
;Ranra Sūnya Mikia
;Vordan Ratcliff Catesby
;Rani Aristes
;Jaina
;Miranda
;Carl
Rain Dukedom
;Tohara;Teteru Lemercier
;Iraha
;Mira Lemercier
;Nia Lemercier
;Kara Lemercier
;Kitora
;Aki
Others
;Amaluna Luirasael / LunaMedia
Manga
Written and illustrated by, The World Is Still Beautiful started with three one-shots published in Hakusensha's manga magazine Hana to Yume on March 5 and June 5, 2009, and September 5, 2011, respectively. It started its regular serialization in the magazine on December 20, 2011, and finished on May 20, 2020. Hakusensha collected its chapters in 25 volumes, released from December 20, 2011, to August 20, 2020.Volumes
Anime
A 12-episode anime television series adaptation, produced by Nippon Television, VAP, Hakusensha and Pierrot, aired on Nippon TV from April 6 to June 29, 2014. It was directed by Hajime Kamegaki, with handling series composition, Ichirō Uno designing the characters, and Kousuke Yamashita composing the music. The opening theme is "Beautiful World" by Joanna Koike, while the ending theme "Promise" and the insert song "Amefurashi no Uta: Beautiful Rain" performed by Rena Maeda. "Farewell Rain" in episode 12, sung by Nike's grandmother is performed by Chisa Yokoyama.In North America, the series was licensed by Sentai Filmworks, which released the series on home video format on October 6, 2015.