The new anime by Studio MADHOUSE, Orb: On the Movements of the Earth, had a dual-episode premiere on Saturday, showcasing what might possibly be an early Anime of the Season candidate. The Fall 2024 lineup is undoubtedly stacked with many great series, including Trillion Game, which is another series animated by Madhouse that’s from the creator of Dr. Stone, Riichiro Inagaki. But let’s dive into why Orb stood out to me far and above the rest for many reasons. (Warning: light spoilers ahead)
The Artwork is Captivating
One thing a production really needs to hammer home when dealing with an anime that’s rooted in astronomy is to make the night sky as gorgeous as humanly possible, and that’s exactly what Art Director Yasutoshi Kawai and Photography Director Akane Fushihara brought to the table. Is it any surprise, especially given the fact that Fushihara was also the director of photography for Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End?
Every single scene under the starry sky was like seeing realistic photos of it in real-time. The portrayal of the Milky Way’s view of the Galactic Center was downright beautiful. At times, I was so focused on the sky trying to find constellations that I almost missed out on what was being said.
A detail that I loved was that the series premiere also made sure to point out why the night sky may or may not be as visible during certain situations…and actually showed it! When Rafal was told that when the Moon isn’t shining bright in the sky, the stars and the rest of the galaxy are much easier to see at night. Then, in episode two Rafal is walking along a path with the moon full and bright as can be, dimming out everything else in the background around it.
That’s a level of detail I appreciated to the fullest as someone who appreciates astronomy. When we take a look around the surroundings back on Earth where the story takes place, the artwork around the town itself is also magnificently done. There’s care in the details of the stones of the bridges and the wattle and daub of homes and restaurants that makes it feel as if you’re right there alongside the characters too. But this is just getting into one of the many things about the series premiere that was executed without fault.
Exposition
I’d argue with anyone willing that the exposition in the story of Orb: On the Movements of the Earth was the best of any other anime this season. Dan Da Dan undoubtedly had the most thrilling and series such as Blue Box and 365 Days to the Wedding may have given fans the most heartwarming starts, but overall? I’m taking Orb: On the Movements of the Earth and here’s why.
The introduction of an established antagonist was wonderfully done. The character of Novak, voiced by none other than Kenjiro Tsuda, was not only the first antagonist introduced, but he was the first character that was. We got a taste of just how sick and twisted Novak was before even getting a grasp of who the main character, Rafal, is. I’ll spare readers the brutal details. Just know that the production for Orb: On the Movements of the Earth didn’t shy away from some moments that might make people turn away from the screen.
Even more so, Novak and Rafal already had their first encounter just two episodes in. A former mercenary turned strong arm of the church hunting down scientists, in this case astronomers, no matter their age? And we got that in just the first two episodes of the story? Of the dozen anime I’ve watched so far, nothing was this intricately established. And the best part? It didn’t feel rushed or forced in any way.
On another exposition note, Hubert’s unfortunate situation was an unnerving way of showing how dangerous this world is for people like him and Rafal. Any indication of material that went against scripture was punishable by jail the first and death the second. Even the teacher threatened Kohanski when joking about science, and even Rafal himself when he said he was going to study astronomy instead of theology at the university.
So not only did we get a strongly established setting thanks to the first two episodes in the form of well-crafted exposition and artwork, but the details in the history of it all were something I appreciated, even if some of them put the “fiction” in historical fiction.
The History
The history within Orb: On the Movements of the Earth was right on the money in some ways and inaccurate in others and that’s okay with people like me. I can understand how historical inaccuracies could be a problem for historians trying to enjoy the series given the fact Netflix promotes this series as a historic anime when it should be historical fiction. So with that being said, here’s what I loved in terms of its history and science.
For the first part, scientists being jailed and/or burned at the stake is highly accurate. Galileo Galilei is the obvious “home arrest” testament to this debate for heresy charges, but also in 1600, astronomer and philosopher Giordano Bruno considered the martyr of science, had both his tongue imprisoned and then burned at the stake, methods of torture and punishment showcased in Orb: On the Movements of the Earth.
So these were undoubtedly methods used to silence those that went against scripture. Granted, the time period for these persecutions isn’t necessarily accurate to the 15th century the series is supposedly set in. But I’ll leave that discussion for another article that will be coming soon (stay tuned). What I did love about Orb is the discussion of heliocentrism and Rafal bringing up Ptolemy.
Rafal’s discussion with Hubert felt like I was watching two scholars pitch their ideas of the universe. Even when Rafal was being naive, he never scolded Rafal for believing what he did. In fact, he even understood and praised Rafal for his notes. Then when Rafal was pitched with the idea that the Earth is rotating, it took him a minute to come around to it and, as someone who puts reason above feeling, he finally came to the idea that the Earth is rotating around the Sun.
In turn, it kickstarts his research into heliocentrism and gives him a purpose to go full-send into his studies despite the persecution from the church that he may face. And don’t worry historians, I understand some historical timeline problems with this too. Again, that’s for a soon-to-come article. But it doesn’t take away from the fact that heliocentrism is what kickstarts Rafal’s desire to learn more.
In fact, I loved how Rafal originally brushed off the idea of heliocentrism not only with just a laugh and a “no chance”, but he rebutted with what he himself concluded about the cosmos. The premiere of Orb: On the Movements of the Earth did a perfect job showcasing just how aspiring astronomers once thought until something more complex and factual came along the way, even including the existence of a god in the midst of all the theories as well.
Orb: On the Movements of the Earth Production
There were also little things from a production side, not just the artwork that I appreciated. For example, take the moment Rafal saw a burning for, what we know, the first time. He turned away after looking one of the victims in the eye, a feeling that normal kids his age should have with such a grotesque sight. The scene induced a panicky and nauseating feeling when seeing such a sight. The production sold it extremely well.
Another is when Rafal was in his quarters at his desk. The blue of the moonlit night sky on one side of his face while the orange glowing on the other from the candlelight at his desk was a nice touch. It’s nothing of real substance, but seeing the two contrasting colors coming from natural environments rather than forced special effects or lighting was a nice touch that I thought symbolized his character as an astronomer, even if that wasn’t the intention.
One last, underrated aspect that I enjoyed about the premiere of Orb: On the Movements of the Earth was the soundtrack composed by Kensuke Ushio, who also composed the soundtrack for other anime such as DanDaDan, Chainsaw Man, Space Dandy, Heavenly Delusion, and more.
It wasn’t anything mind blowing or had some sort of Sawano drop at times, but it flowed so well the setting and theme of the anime that at times my mind was drowned out in both the music and visuals. It enhanced the selling point of astronomy within the context of the story.
Orb: On the Movements of the Earth Wrap-Up
This premiere was also a great way of showcasing that there were, indeed, people like Rafal and Hubert who underwent a life of fear due to their study of the stars. They, themselves, aren’t real historical figures, but they were undoubtedly inspired by ones that were. Orb: On the Movements of the Earth is much more than an entrancing look to the stars.
It’s an anime that doesn’t take its main elements lightly nor shy away from the violence and brutality surrounding history. Going forward, knowing this anime will more than likely adapt the full manga (8 volumes) within its 25 episodes, I’m excited to know that we’re (probably) receiving the full story in one season.
Episode 1 rating: 10/10
Episode 2 rating: 9.5/10
If you enjoyed the season premiere of Orb: On the Movements of the Earth then be sure to vote for it in our weekly poll! Episode 3 of Orb: On the Movements of the Earth will be released on Saturday, October 12. Netflix is streaming Orb: On the Movements of the Earth with English subtitles.
Screenshots via Netflix
©️ Uoto / Shogakukan / “Orb: On the Movements of the Earth” Production Committee