Arata: The Legend

Arata: The Legend (アラタカンガタリ〜革神語〜) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yuu Watase. The series follows two boys, Arata, from the mystical world of Amawakuni, and Arata Hinohara, from modern Japan, who switch places. Framed for treason, Hinohara must master a sacred Hayagami sword to save Amawakuni from rebellion while evading his past bully, Kadowaki, now wielding dark power. Meanwhile, Arata befriends Imina, the true heir to Amawakuni's throne, as they uncover a plot to conquer both worlds.

Arata: The Legend started serialization in Shogakukan's manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Sunday in October 2008. The series went on hiatus in August 2015 and resumed publication with republished chapters in May 2021 and all-new chapters starting in July of that same year. It finished in Weekly Shōnen Sunday in April 2022 and was transferred to the Sunday Webry website in May of the same year, where it finished in November 2023. Its chapters were first collected in a 24-volume edition from January 2009 to September 2015, and a Remaster edition started in July 2013; after the hiatus, the subsequent chapters were only compiled in the latter edition, with the eighteenth and final volume published in December 2023. In North America, the manga is licensed for English release by Viz Media, with the 24 volumes of the edition published.

A 12-episode anime television series adaptation by Satelight and Korean studio JM Animation was broadcast on TV Tokyo from April to July 2013.

Plot

Arata of another world called Amawakuni (天和国) and Arata Hinohara of modern-day Japan switch places.

Characters

In Amawakuni

Arata Hinohara (日ノ原革)
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 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)
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)
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)
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)
A strong warrior, Mikusa had been found near Kando Forest by Kikuri and adopted into the Hime Clan fifteen years ago, meaning she has switched places with Imina and is Japanese.

On Earth

Arata (アラタ)
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)
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 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

Written and illustrated by Yuu Watase, Arata: The Legend started in Shogakukan's manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Sunday on October 1, 2008.[2][3] In January 2014, Watase announced that the series was heading toward its climax;[4] that same month, Watase posted on her personal blog about negative experiences with a former editor for her series.[5] After a chapter published on February 26 of the same year,[6] Watase put the series on hiatus. The series resumed publication from July 8 to August 26, 2015,[7][8][9] before entering another hiatus.[10] In May 2018, Watase posted on Twitter that she was trying to resume the manga that year, adding that she was still recovering from depression.[11] In December 2020, Watase reveled that she had planned the series' remaining plot.[12] Weekly Shōnen Sunday started republishing chapters on May 19, 2021,[13][14] while all-new chapters started in the magazine on July 7 of the same year.[15] The manga finished publication in the magazine on April 20, 2022, and transferred to the Sunday Webry website on May 4 of the same year.[16][17] The series finished on November 1, 2023.[18]

Shogakukan collected its chapters in 24 volumes, published from January 16, 2009, to September 18, 2015.[19][20] Shogakukan started re-releasing the series in a two-in-one volume edition, under the title Arata: The Legend – Remaster (アラタカンガタリ〜革神語〜リマスター版), which includes the original color page chapters from the magazine, corrections, additions, and various other modifications.[21] The first volume was released on July 18, 2013.[22] On May 14, 2021, Watase wrote on her blog that the edition would no longer continue, and the series would only continue with the Remaster edition.[23] The eighteenth and last volume was released on December 18, 2023.[24]

In North America, the manga was licensed for English release by Viz Media in 2009.[25] Viz Media published the 24 volumes of the edition from March 9, 2010,[26] to August 9, 2016.[27]

Anime

In December 2012, Weekly Shōnen Sunday announced that the manga would receive an anime television series adaptation.[28] The 12-episode series is produced by Satelight and Korean studio JM Animation, and was broadcast on TV Tokyo from April 8 to July 1, 2013.[29][30] The opening theme is "Genesis Aria", performed by Sphere, and the ending theme is "The Misfit Go", performed by Oldcodex.[31] The series was streamed by Crunchyroll in the United States and Canada.[32]