Orb: Medieval Science Battles Church in Fall's Top Anime

Orb: On the Movements of the Earth

Indeed, you have learned about the heliocentric and geocentric models at school during history or geography periods growing up. Considering the time we live in, it’s unthinkable that, at some point, people actually believed that the Sun revolved around the Earth, and anyone who said otherwise would face brutal and unfair punishments. For most scientists and their contemporaries, life should have been a constant struggle, yet their contributions have led to a world increasingly grounded in logical evidence and science. To pay homage to them and their incredible intellectual capabilities, many forms of media have captured their lives and experiences, and anime is no exception.

“Orb: On the Movements of the Earth,” also known as “Chi. Chikyuu no Undou ni Tsuite,” is a 25-episode TV anime series that began airing on the 5th of October 2024 and is still ongoing. It is a Fall 2024 series produced by Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Shogakukan, NHK Enterprises, and SKY Perfect Pictures and brought to life by Studio Madhouse. It features the genre of drama alongside the theme of history, being targeted at the Seinen demographic. Each episode runs for 25 minutes and received a rating of R-17+ for its violence and profanity.

The series is based on the manga of the same name (“About the Movement of the Earth”), which released a total of 8 volumes from the 14th of September 2020 till the 18th of April 2022. It was serialized in Big Comic Spirits and is the work of author and artist Uoto. In 2022, the series won the Grand Prize at the 26th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize awards, advancing to the Award Winning category. It was also nominated for the 15th Manga Taisho Award and the 46th Kodansha Manga Awards in the General category during the same year. It moved onto rank second in the 2022 Kono Manga ga Sugoi! for the Male Readers Division and won the Best Comic at the 54th Seiun Awards in 2023. Its success allowed it to be published in English via Seven Seas Entertainment in the form of 2-in-1 omnibus volumes from the 21st of November 2023 till the 17th of December 2024. Additionally, it was released in Italian via Dynit from the 20th of January 2023 till the 22nd of March 2024.

The story is centered around a twelve-year-old prodigy named Rafal, a boy who strongly believes in living life rationally. This lifestyle has earned him much praise and respect from the society of his time, as he is not one to be led astray by his emotions and whims. As such, he makes a public statement about his intentions to study the academic field of theology, the very subject that was held in the highest regard back in the early 15th century and within the borders of Poland. But destiny had other plans for him, as a fateful encounter with a mysterious and peculiar man ends up upending Rafal's entire life, igniting within him a highly illogical wish to pursue his true passion: astronomy. He deviates even further from societal ideologies, determined to demonstrate the beauty and rationality of heliocentrism, a theory that asserts the Earth revolves around the Sun, not the other way around.

This particular belief is considered incredibly heretical in the society he lives in, though, especially because the then-powerful Church actually promoted geocentrism instead, which states that the Sun revolves around the Earth, demarcating it as the sole truth of their universe. Worse, anyone who does not align their thoughts and beliefs with the Church's, let alone go against it, will face unimaginably harsh consequences. However young, Rafal is determined to do accurate calculations and build theories based on facts. He is always looking for proof of the heliocentric model of the universe. But the biggest challenge of all is conducting his “heretical” research in a discreet manner because if he is found out, there’s no doubt that he will meet the same brutal fate as other scientists on the same path.

“Orb: On the Movements of the Earth” is truly a unique series that some might even claim is not really an anime. It is completely different from what most anime is like nowadays and works as a superb release from the tropes we’ve seen a million times. First off, the tale takes place in 15th-century Europe and comes with many historical themes attached, where a very different type of battle is fought: a battle of truth and science, where characters strive to prove the realities of the universe while facing a myriad of societal challenges. The challenges include but are not limited to, the looming danger of prosecution from the all-powerful Church and its relentless inquisitors, but our main character is determined to at least leave behind sturdy footnotes for future generations to follow and keep alive the legacy of collective human knowledge in the never-ending search for the truth of the universe.

The plot itself is very different from most anime, and the author is very clear on what story they want to be told. Not even one moment of screen time is wasted on useless monologues, flashbacks, and explanations, as the show expects its viewers to be mature and fairly knowledgeable. Do not expect them to give you all the details and information front-and-center, because it is necessary for you to put the pieces together yourself and they only lay the groundwork to that end. If you are prepared to focus and apply critical thinking, you can decipher the motivations, goals, behavior, and actions of the characters.

The narrative relies on the atmosphere that it builds around the characters because you just feel the tension rising alongside the stakes of each moment. The pacing is superb; it makes the 24-minute episodes feel like 5 minutes or less because of just how intriguing and engaging all the conversations are; no dialogue is wasted here. This expert execution and balanced rhythm of the plot really draw you in and make it difficult to leave halfway through. Also, when it comes to the setting, note that they have taken certain elements from late Medieval Europe, so please don’t consider this a deep dive into accurate European history. But at the same time, this is not 100% fiction either, because it does portray certain elements of the real history surrounding the heliocentric model’s theory and inquisition. Thus, they cleverly never state where exactly this story is taking place, so accept it as part fiction and enjoy everything it has to offer.

Prepare yourself to encounter exceptional characters, form strong bonds with them, and bid them farewell. The author’s character creation and development are simply incredible, but just because they’re good doesn't mean they’ll survive. Of course, there are plenty of shows where major characters die, but they do so alongside emotional flashbacks and/or monologues that really bring the tears out. Most of the time, these deaths hold great significance and one of the more common tropes is for it to fuel the development of the MC, so attentive viewers would usually see it coming. But none of that happens here, because Orb is more than prepared to gut you where it hurts most when you least expect it. Most of the characters are written in a very compelling way and I grew attached to ones I didn’t care about at first, so killing them idiotically would be a disservice to them. But their deaths are written masterfully here, bringing with it great emotional and narrative impacts that increase the tension and stakes eleven more. Also be prepared to meet new characters even as past ones die, all of them well-written and by no means useless. Plot armor is simply non-existent here, so best be ready for all the unexpected tragedies and twists that you likely won’t see coming no matter how much attention you pay.

The Art and Animation department, as expected by Madhouse, is simply unique and beautiful, but do not expect groundbreaking levels of visual presentation here. The art style reminded me of Vinland Saga, dark and gritty, devoid of many bright flashing colors; this represents the show's overall atmosphere perfectly, as it is serious and full of tension. But I must gaze at the sheer brilliance of the skies painted in this show; they are mesmerizingly beautiful and mystical! Meanwhile, the show doesn't feature any overused anime archetypes or cute girls and guys. Instead, the show presents us with character designs that evoke the essence of medieval Poland, each unique and perfectly placed. There isn’t any amazing animation here because it doesn’t need it; this is not an action series. Even if the cover artwork throws you off, I ask that you abide by the 3-episode rule and give it a chance. Why? Because there’s a high chance you’ll be hooked, and the anime truly deserves it. The backgrounds are well done as well, realistic, dark, and somber as they are. Because this tale takes place before the discovery of electricity, they have paid great attention to detail, including the lighting. This is a department you’ll accept and love over time, especially considering the story and characters it envelops.

There’s not much to say in the Music and Sound department. The opening theme is "Kaijuu" by Sakanaction, and the ending themes are "Aporia" and "Hebi" by Yorushika, both of which are great pieces that perfectly reflect the show’s vibe. The expert dialogue overshadows everything else, making the OSTs decent at best. It did most of the heavy lifting, so kudos to the voice actors for their realistic and grounded performances. Overall, “Orb: On the Movements of the Earth” is a great show that deserves more love and recognition. I recommend this show if you want a break from the usual anime tropes. The quality of the story and characters is simply on another level, with so much thought and effort put into every aspect about them. So please give this “Anime” a chance; I’m fairly certain you won’t regret it!