BrandWikiReturn

Blue Orchestra

Blue Orchestra (青のオーケストラ) is a Japanese web manga series written and illustrated by Makoto Akui. It has been serialized in Shogakukan's Ura Sunday website and MangaONE app since April 2017. An anime television series adaptation produced by Nippon Animation aired from April to October 2023. A second season aired from October 2025 to March 2026.

By December 2021, the Blue Orchestra manga had over 3.3 million copies in circulation. In 2023, the manga won the 68th Shogakukan Manga Award for the category.

Plot

Hajime Aono, a boy who loved to play his violin and one who used to win many prizes in violin competitions, had greatly admired his father a professional violinist. After a bittersweet divorce of his parents, caused by headlines of his father's scandalous affair, Hajime swears to never touch the violin again. In his last year of middle school, Hajime comes across an aspiring violinist Ritsuko Akine, who loves to play in the infirmary. After meeting a few times, and Hajime showing interest in her 'horrible' playing skills, he is set up to teach her by a teacher. This teacher later pushes him to regain his talent by joining the orchestra club at a prestigious high school, which have won national competitions eight years in a row. Once persuaded, Hajime and Ritsuko manage to get accepted to this prestigious school after diligently studying. After his opening ceremony into high school where the orchestra club gave a performance, he has a look around the orchestra club along with Ritsuko where he meets Nao Saeki, a violin genius who has achieved the top score in many competitions and was admitted to the school purely on musical talent. From there on, they compete in their violin skills within the orchestra club.

Characters

  • Hajime Aono (青野 一)
  • [3]
  • Hajime's violin performances are performed by Ryota Higashi.[3]
  • Ritsuko Akine (秋音 律子)
  • [3]
  • Ritsuko's violin performances are performed by Yurie Yamada.[3]
  • Nao Saeki (佐伯 直)
  • [3]
  • Nao's violin performances are performed by Takuto Owari.[3]
  • Haru Kozakura (小桜 ハル)
  • [3]
  • Haru's violin performances are performed by Kyoko Ogawa.[3]
  • Ichirō Yamada (山田 一郎)
  • [3]
  • Ichirō's cello performances are performed by Harumi Sato.[3]
  • Shizuka Tachibana (立花 静)
  • [3]
  • Shizuka's violin performances are performed by Karen Kido.[3]
  • Yō Hatori (羽鳥 葉)
  • [3]
  • Yō's violin performances are performed by Tomotaka Seki.[3]
  • Sō Harada (原田 蒼)
  • [3]
  • Sō's violin performances are performed by María Dueñas.[3]
  • Ryūjin Aono (青野 龍仁)
  • [3]
  • Ryūjin's violin performances are performed by Hilary Hahn.[3]
  • Mari Tateishi (立石 真理)
  • [4]
  • Chika Yonezawa (米沢 千佳)
  • [4]
  • Osamu Shibata (柴田 修)
  • [4]
  • Hajime's mother (青野の母)
  • [4]
  • Takeda-sensei (武田先生)
  • [4]
  • Hiroaki Ayukawa (鮎川 広明)
  • [4]
  • Mizuki Machii (町井 美月)
  • [5]
  • Tsubasa Takahashi (高橋 翼)
  • [5]
  • Takami Kimura (木村 隆美)
  • [5]
  • Himeko Susono (裾野 姫子)
  • [5]
  • Kayo Takimoto (滝本 かよ)
  • [5]
  • Sanae Iida (飯田 早苗)
  • [5]
  • Tsutomu Kikuchi (菊池 努)
  • [5]
  • Yūsuke Sakuma (佐久間 優介)
  • Toshiki Tsutsui (筒井 俊樹)
  • Rika Tōgane (東金 梨香)

Media

Manga

Written and illustrated by Makoto Akui, Blue Orchestra started in Shogakukan's MangaONE app on April 25, 2017;[6] it also started in Shogakukan's Ura Sunday website a week later on May 2.[7] Shogakukan has collected its chapters into individual volumes. The first volume was released on July 19, 2017. As of April 10, 2026, 15 volumes have been released.

Elex Media Komputindo has licensed the manga in Indonesia since 2019.[8]

Volumes

Volumes

Anime

In April 2022, an anime television series adaptation was announced.[24][25] It is produced by Nippon Animation and directed by Seiji Kishi, with series composition by Yūko Kakihara, character designs handled by Kazuaki Morita, and violinist performances for the character Hajime Aono by Ryota Higashi.[26] The series aired from April 9 to October 8, 2023, on NHK Educational TV.[27] The opening theme song is "Cantabile", performed by Novelbright, while the ending theme song is "Yūsari no Canon" (夕さりのカノン), performed by Yuika.[28]

Following the final episode of the first season, a second season was announced to be in production.[29] The season aired from October 5, 2025, to March 1, 2026.[30][31][32] The opening theme song is "Amadeus" (アマデウス), performed by Galileo Galilei,[33] while the ending theme song is "Ao no Mahō" (青の魔法), performed by ChoQMay.[34]

Plus Media Networks Asia licensed the series in Southeast Asia for simulcast release on Aniplus Asia.[35][36]

Episodes

Season 1 (2023)

Season 2 (2025–2026)

Season 1 (2023)

Season 2 (2025–2026)

Episodes

Season 1 (2023)

Season 2 (2025–2026)

Season 1 (2023)

Season 2 (2025–2026)

Other media

A promotional video featuring Star Wars musical theme "The Imperial March", composed by John Williams, and including illustrations from the manga, was uploaded by Deutsche Grammophon's YouTube channel on May 4, 2022, to celebrate Star Wars Day and Williams' 90th birthday.[42][43]

Reception

By December 2021, the manga had over 3.3 million copies in circulation.[2] In 2023, Blue Orchestra won the 68th Shogakukan Manga Award in the category, along with Call of the Night.[44][45][46]

External links

References

  1. https://natalie.mu/comic/news/342919 Comic Natalie, Natasha, Inc, August 8, 2019, retrieved April 12, 2022^
  2. https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000005.000081571.html Mime Corporation, December 3, 2021, retrieved April 12, 2022^
  3. Crystalyn Hodgkins. Blue Orchestra TV Anime Reveals Main Cast, Visual, Promo Video Anime News Network, February 24, 2023, retrieved February 24, 2023^
  4. Kara Dennison. Blue Orchestra TV Anime Tunes up with Six New Cast Members Crunchyroll, April 6, 2023, retrieved April 6, 2023^
  5. Alex Mateo. Blue Orchestra TV Anime Reveals 7 More Cast Members Anime News Network, June 2, 2023, retrieved June 2, 2023^
  6. Makoto, Akui. April 25, 2017, retrieved April 12, 2022^
  7. http://urasunday.com/blueorchestra/index.html Ura Sunday, Shogakukan, retrieved April 12, 2022^
  8. Rafael Antonio Pineda. Elex Media Begins Releasing Makoto Akui's The Blue Orchestra Manga Anime News Network, July 8, 2019, retrieved April 6, 2023^
  9. https://natalie.mu/comic/news/241158 Comic Natalie, Natasha, Inc, July 19, 2017, retrieved April 12, 2022^
  10. https://natalie.mu/comic/news/255668 Comic Natalie, Natasha, Inc, November 10, 2017, retrieved April 12, 2022^
  11. https://natalie.mu/comic/news/281560 Comic Natalie, Natasha, Inc, May 11, 2018, retrieved April 12, 2022^
  12. https://natalie.mu/comic/news/299397 Comic Natalie, Natasha, Inc, September 12, 2018, retrieved April 12, 2022^
  13. https://natalie.mu/comic/news/316291 Comic Natalie, Natasha, Inc, January 18, 2019, retrieved April 12, 2022^
  14. https://natalie.mu/comic/news/342617 Comic Natalie, Natasha, Inc, August 8, 2019, retrieved April 12, 2022^
  15. https://natalie.mu/comic/news/378497 Comic Natalie, Natasha, Inc, May 12, 2020, retrieved April 12, 2022^
  16. https://natalie.mu/comic/news/395765 Comic Natalie, Natasha, Inc, September 11, 2020, retrieved April 12, 2022^
  17. https://natalie.mu/comic/news/424689 Comic Natalie, Natasha, Inc, April 19, 2021, retrieved April 12, 2022^
  18. https://natalie.mu/comic/news/474291 Comic Natalie, Natasha, Inc, April 19, 2022, retrieved May 9, 2022^
  19. https://natalie.mu/comic/news/518600 Comic Natalie, Natasha, Inc, March 31, 2023, retrieved April 3, 2023^
  20. https://natalie.mu/comic/news/613208 Comic Natalie, Natasha, Inc, March 12, 2025, retrieved March 11, 2025^
  21. https://natalie.mu/comic/news/642691 Comic Natalie, Natasha, Inc, October 17, 2025, retrieved October 17, 2025^
  22. https://natalie.mu/comic/news/658714 Comic Natalie, Natasha, Inc, February 19, 2026, retrieved February 19, 2026^
  23. https://natalie.mu/comic/news/667084 Comic Natalie, Natasha, Inc, April 10, 2026, retrieved April 9, 2026^
  24. Alex Mateo. Makoto Akui's Ao no Orchestra Manga Gets TV Anime (Updated) Anime News Network, April 11, 2022, retrieved April 12, 2022^
  25. https://natalie.mu/comic/news/473568 Comic Natalie, Natasha, Inc, April 12, 2022, retrieved April 12, 2022^
  26. https://natalie.mu/comic/news/498641 Comic Natalie, Natasha, Inc, October 23, 2022, retrieved October 23, 2022^
  27. Alex Mateo. Blue Orchestra Anime Premieres on April 9 Anime News Network, February 8, 2023, retrieved February 8, 2023^
  28. Crystalyn Hodgkins. Novelbright Performs Opening Theme for Blue Orchestra Anime Anime News Network, March 18, 2023, retrieved March 18, 2023^
  29. Crystalyn Hodgkins. Blue Orchestra Anime Gets 2nd Season Anime News Network, October 8, 2023, retrieved October 8, 2023^
  30. https://natalie.mu/comic/news/611366 Comic Natalie, Natasha, Inc, February 12, 2025, retrieved February 12, 2025^
  31. Joanna Cayanan. Blue Orchestra Anime's 2nd Season Premieres This Fall With 21 Episodes Anime News Network, February 12, 2025, retrieved February 13, 2025^
  32. Rafael Antonio Pineda. Blue Orchestra Season 2 Reveals New Visual, October 5 Premiere Anime News Network, September 1, 2025, retrieved September 1, 2025^
  33. Adriana Hazra. Galileo Galilei Band Performs Blue Orchestra Season 2's Opening Song Anime News Network, September 7, 2025, retrieved September 7, 2025^
  34. Egan Loo. Blue Orchestra Season 2's Promo Video Unveils More Cast, Theme Songs Anime News Network, September 21, 2025, retrieved September 21, 2025^
  35. Rafael Antonio Pineda. Aniplus Asia Airs Simulcast of Blue Orchestra Anime Anime News Network, April 3, 2023, retrieved April 6, 2023^
  36. Rafael Antonio Pineda. Aniplus Asia Airs Simulcast of Blue Orchestra 2nd Season, Licenses Hands off: Sawaranaide Kotesashi-kun? Anime News Network, October 3, 2025, retrieved October 3, 2025^
  37. Blue Orchestra Aniplus Asia, retrieved April 5, 2026^
  38. Sutōrī aooke-anime.com, retrieved April 9, 2023^
  39. https://www.nhk.jp/p/ts/3LMR2P87LQ/list/?pastOffset=30 NHK, retrieved October 7, 2023^
  40. Blue Orchestra Season 2 Aniplus Asia, 16 September 2025, retrieved 5 April 2026^
  41. Anime "Ao no Ōkesutora" www.web.nhk, retrieved October 5, 2025^
  42. https://www.billboard-japan.com/d_news/detail/111694/2 Billboard Japan, May 4, 2022, retrieved May 9, 2022^
  43. https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2233650/full/ Oricon News, May 4, 2022, retrieved May 9, 2022^
  44. Crystalyn Hodgkins. Chi, Blood on the Tracks, Sakamoto Days, More Nominated for 68th Shogakukan Manga Awards Anime News Network, December 2, 2022, retrieved December 2, 2022^
  45. Alex Mateo. Call of the Night, Blue Orchestra, Medalist, Ui×Kon Manga Win 68th Shogakukan Manga Awards Anime News Network, January 18, 2023, retrieved January 18, 2023^
  46. https://natalie.mu/comic/news/509357 Comic Natalie, Natasha, Inc, January 18, 2023, retrieved January 18, 2023^