Arata: The Legend

Arata: The Legend (アラタカンガタリ 〜革神語〜, Arata Kangatari) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yuu Watase. It began serialization in Weekly Shōnen Sunday in October 2008. Its individual chapters has been compiled into twenty-four tankōbon volumes as of September 2015.

Arata: The Legend
Japanese cover of the first manga volume
アラタカンガタリ 〜革神語〜
(Arata Kangatari)
GenreAdventure, fantasy[1]
Manga
Written byYuu Watase
Published byShogakukan
English publisher
ImprintShōnen Sunday Comics
MagazineWeekly Shōnen Sunday
DemographicShōnen
Original runOctober 15, 2008 – present
Volumes24
Anime television series
Directed by
  • Woo Hyun Park (chief)
  • Kenji Yasuda
Written byMayori Sekijima
Music byKow Otani
Studio
Licensed by
Original networkTV Tokyo, TVA, TVO, AT-X
Original run April 9, 2013 – July 1, 2013
Episodes12

An anime television series adaptation produced by Satelight and Korean studio JM Animation aired from April to July 2013.

Plot

Arata of another world called Amawakuni (天和国, Amawakuni) and Arata Hinohara of modern-day Japan switch places. An illusion hides the switch from people of both worlds, and Hinohara and Arata pass as each other.

Kannagi, a wielder of special sword-spirits called Hayagami (劍神, Hayagami), has led eleven other wielders against their ruler Princess Kikuri and framed Arata, the sole witness. The Imperial Court convicts Arata and exiles him to Gatoya Island, but due to the switch, Hinohara goes in Arata's place.

Kotoha, Arata's childhood friend, accompanies Hinohara and gives him Tsukuyo, a Hayagami that Hinohara activated before his trial. She also gives him a charm (ミチヒノタマ, Michihi no Tama), through which he and Arata communicate. Barely alive, Kikuri also speaks to Hinohara through the charm and tasks him with restoring order to Amawakuni. Hinohara escapes Gatoya, learns to use Tsukuyo, and gains allies, including Kannagi. As he defeats the other rebels, Hinohara learns Masato Kadowaki, a bully from his past in modern-day Japan, has followed in his footsteps. After switching places with Harunawa, one of the mysterious Six Shinshō, Kadowaki activates a Hayagami of his own, Orochi, and faces Hinohara in multiple fights. Along the way, Hinohara and Kotoha grow close, and their relationship complicated when Kotoha discovers Hinohara's true identity and when he loses control of his growing power and hurts her.

In modern-day Japan, Arata adjusts to high school and befriends Imina Oribe. Imina, a woman from Kikuri's clan who winded up lost on Earth fifteen years prior, is the true heir. Harunawa, who passes as Kadowaki, plots to kill Imina and end Kikuri's line. Arata and Imina search for information in prophecies on how to foil the Six Shinshō's ambition to rule both Amawakuni and Earth. Harunawa attacks the school and infects the city to augment his powers. Imina counters the outbreak with her Amatsuriki abilities, unique to women of her clan, to protect Arata and the Hinohara family.

Characters

In Amawakuni
Arata Hinohara (日ノ原 革, Hinohara Arata)
Voiced by: Nobuhiko Okamoto
A high schooler from Japan, he switches places with an Arata of Amawakuni. Shortly after, he becomes a Shō, one chosen to wield the Hayagami Tsukuyo, the god of light, in the form of a sword. He promises Princess Kikuri to help restore her power. Falls in love with Kotoha along the way.
Kotoha (コトハ, Kotoha)
Voiced by: Ayahi Takagaki
Kotoha is Arata's childhood friend who has healing powers and accompanies Hinohara. Like almost everyone else in Awamakuni, she thinks that Hinohara is Arata who lost his memories but later learns his true identity. She is the first person to believe in Hinohara and falls in love with him.
Princess Kikuri (キクリ, Kikuri)
Voiced by: Hibiku Yamamura
The only woman of the Hime Clan in Amawakuni, Kikuri has led the Twelve Shinshō, wielders of elemental deities, and ruled for sixty years. The Twelve's rebellion has left her weakened; only the Amatsuriki, a power unique to the women of her clan, keeps her alive. She tasks Hinohara with restoring order.
Masato Kadowaki (門脇 将人, Kadowaki Masato)
Voiced by: Ryohei Kimura
The major antagonist of the series. A friend-turned-bully of Hinohara, he notices that Arata and Hinohara are completely different, switches places with Harunawa, and also arrives in Amawakuni. Wielding the Hayagami Orochi, the god of darkness, in the form of a spear, he seeks to hunt Hinohara and prove himself superior.
Kannagi (カンナギ, Kannagi)
Voiced by: Yuki Ono
One of the Twelve Shinshō, he wields the Hayagami Homura, the god of fire. He leads the coup against Kikuri so that the Shinshō can use their Hayagami without limitations and frames Arata. At first, he leads the manhunt for Arata but later joins Hinohara to get revenge on fellow Shinshō Akachi for killing all his Zokushō (vassals) and stealing his Hayagami.
Mikusa (ミクサ, Mikusa)
A strong warrior, Mikusa had been found near Kando Forest by Kikuri and adopted into the Hime Clan fifteen years ago, meaning she's switched places with Imina and is Japanese.

On Earth
Arata (アラタ, Arata)
Voiced by: Yoshitsugu Matsuoka
Arata from Amawakuni takes Hinohara's place in modern Japan. While adjusting to high school, he communicates with Hinohara through charms Kotoha had given them. He and Imina Oribe, who came to Earth from Amawakuni fifteen years prior, search for prophecies that tell them how to foil the Six Shinshō, who want to dominate both worlds. In the manga, Arata uses an odd cellphone strap infused with Amatsuriki, a power unique to the women of Kikuri's clan, to fight Harunawa, one of the Six, on Earth. Arata looks to avenge his clan and protect Imina.
Imina Oribe (織部 実名, Oribe Imina)
Arata's schoolmate, who resembles Kotoha and can see Arata's true form. Fifteen years ago, Harunawa killed the women of Hime clan. Imina escaped by switching places with Mikusa and has lived in Japan ever since. As the only other woman of the Hime clan, she is Kikuri's heir. Arata and Imina have a close bond, since both feel out of place in Japan, upon discovering they both are from Amawakuni. Arata tries to persuade her to return with him. They care for one another, and Imina considers herself Arata's protector. As the series progresses, Imina gains full access to her Amatsuriki.
Harunawa (ハルナワ, Harunawa)
Voiced by: Akira Ishida
Harunawa is the coldest member of the Six Shō, wielders of Hayagami of the six senses. He wields the Hayagami Bakuto, the god of touch. Harunawa switches with Kadowaki. Fifteen years prior, he took advantage of Kikuri's visit to her dying mother to kill the Hime Clan's women to end Kikuri's line.

Media

Manga
Main article: List of Arata: The Legend chapters

Written and illustrated by Yuu Watase, chapters of Arata: The Legend have been serialized in Shogakukan's Weekly Shōnen Sunday magazine since October 15, 2008.[2] Shogakukan has collected its chapters into individual tankōbon volumes. The first volume was published on January 16, 2009.[3] As of September 18, 2015, twenty-four volumes have been published.[4]

In North America, the manga has been licensed for English language released by Viz Media.

Anime

An anime television series adaptation produced by Satelight and Korean studio JM Animation aired from April 9, 2013 to July 1, 2013.[5]

Reception

Rebecca Bundy of Anime News Network gave the first volume an overall B+ for "Great art and character designs; plus, Watase's ability to create interesting lore is as sharp as ever." She also noted, however, that the "Pathetic, cowardly main character makes everything involving him painful to read."[6] Deb Aoki of About.com notes that the plot is "fairly formulaic fantasy fare that's just a bit too predictable to offer fans something truly fresh and new" but that the series has her "hooked."[7] Todd Douglass of Blogcritics.org says that the first volume is "strongly recommended," despite some reservations.[8] Christopher Nadolsk of Mania.com says that the first volume offers "an entertaining and eye-pleasing escapist fantasy read."[9]

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References
  1. "Official Website for Arata: The Legend". Viz Media. Retrieved October 26, 2017.
  2. 週刊少年サンデー 2008年 表示号数44. Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  3. アラタカンガタリ〜革神語〜 1 [Arata: The Legend 1] (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Retrieved February 25, 2010.
  4. アラタカンガタリ〜革神語〜 24 [Arata: The Legend 24] (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
  5. "Arata: The Legend Gets TV Anime". Anime News Network. Retrieved 8 March 2013.
  6. "Arata: The Legend GN 1". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on 11 March 2010. Retrieved April 19, 2010.
  7. "Arata The Legend Volume 1 Manga Review". About.com. Retrieved April 19, 2010.
  8. "Manga Review: Arata The Legend - Volume 1 by Yuu Watase - Page 2". Blogcritics.org. Archived from the original on April 14, 2013. Retrieved April 19, 2010.
  9. Nadolski, Christopher (April 15, 2010). "Arata: The Legend Vol. #01". Mania. Demand Media. Archived from the original on April 5, 2012. Retrieved April 19, 2010.
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