# Orb: On the Movements of the Earth

Orb: On the Movements of the Earth (Japanese: チ。―地球の運動について―, Hepburn: Chi: Chikyū no Undō ni Tsuite) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Uoto [ja]. It was serialized in Shogakukan's seinen manga magazine Weekly Big Comic Spirits from September 2020 to April 2022, with its chapters collected in eight tankōbon volumes. A 25-episode anime television series adaptation produced by Madhouse aired from October 2024 to March 2025.

## Plot

In 15th century Europe, the Church had a powerful control on the dissemination of information, and opposition from its official doctrine could be considered as heresy and be tried by the inquisitors. Rafal, a child prodigy with an interest in astronomy, lives his life as a model student at a school ran by his adoptive father Potocki, who tries to convince him to study theology at the university. One day, Rafal was forced by Hubert, a scholar branded as a heretic, to assist him in his research about "the movements of the Earth". Initially skeptical, Rafal soon accepts the validity of Hubert's heliocentric model after doing his own calculations. The research, which was kept secret, was soon put into jeopardy when a visiting inquisitor named Nowak discovered his sketches showing the heliocentric model. Hubert gave Rafal a pendant and covered for Rafal and was arrested and later executed for heresy. Rafal continued the research under secrecy, but was confronted by Potocki, who discovered his research and pleads him to stop, citing his own past troubles as a researcher on the same topic. Despite this, Rafal continues, and Potocki reports him to Nowak, who arrested Rafal shortly. Since Rafal is a first-time offender and acknowledging his bright future, protocol dictates that he will be free once he recants his heresy. However, Rafal did not denounce his research at his inquisition trial and as a result was sentenced for execution. That night, Nowak confronts Rafal, asking him why he would risk his future for his research. Rafal commits suicide by ingesting poppy seeds he smuggled inside; his body was later burned at stake.
Ten years later, duelists Oczy and Gras were assigned to guard a heretic during transportation together with Nowak. At a pub, Gras reveals to Oczy his pastime: recording the location of Mars every night, who he noticed is crossing the night sky in a predictable manner. He expects that Mars will complete its revolution that night. However, with no discernible reason, Mars appears to move back and eventually loops around, much to the disappointment of Gras, who expects a clear pattern. While transporting the heretic, the heretic reveals the location of a box containing research about the night sky. The heretic then proceeds to comfront Nowak and tells the two to go look for the box, dying in the process. Oczy and Gras soon tracked down the box; they debated on what to do with it, and settled to first seek help at a nearby town where a demoted priest named Badeni lives. While outside the town, they traverses a bridge that unexpectedly collapses, killing Gras in the process. Alone, Oczy decides to continue and met Badeni at the local church. Badeni agreed to inspect the contents of the box on the condition that Oczy continues Gras' astronomical observations. The two found the box at night, and Badeni finds the contents to be about heliocentrism, a heresy, but still proceeds with the research. Finding it incomplete, he decides to post a problem at the public boards across the town with the goal of finding a collaborator. They found a girl, Jolenta, a research assistant for a scholar. Jolanta agrees to cooperate and introduces them to Piast, a well-known scholar and long-time researcher of the Ptolemaic model. After Oczy observes Venus waxing, Piast agrees to give the group access to his records, but dies soon afterwards after contemplating on the correctness of his own research. Using Piast's records, Badeni finishes the theory. Oczy reveals to Badeni that he starts to write a diary. Meanwhile, Piast's notes are found and was wrongly attributed to Badeni and Oczy, prompting an investigation by Nowak. The two soon learned that Jolenta is Nowak's daughter at a pub, where they meet Nowak as well. That night, Nowak paid a visit to the two, and eventually arrested them after seeing a pendant that reminded Nowak of an earlier convict in his career. At the inquisition chamber, Nowak, together with two trainees, tortures Badeni and Oczy to divulge the information of the research. Badeni cooperates in the end and points to the location of the box; even so, they are both executed by hanging. Meanwhile, a rival priest named Antoni attempts to get Jolenta convicted as well. However, Jolenta was freed by a sympathetic inquisitor, who was killed for disobeying orders and falsely presented the body to Nowak as the body of his heretic daughter, much to Nowak's distraught. News of the conviction and death of Badeni has reached his local parish, where a fellow priest named Grabowski discovered that Badeni had written the entirety of Oczy's diary on the heads of local vagabonds in exchange of guaranteed food.
Twenty-five years later, Schmidt, the captain of the Heretic Liberation Force, retrieves Oczy's book under Jolanta's orders, but is forced to leave it in an abandoned village. Draka, a Romani, comes across the book and, seeing an opportunity to profit, burns it, forcing Schmidt to take her along. Draka, in exchange for being allowed to use their closely guarded novel technology, the printing press, recites the contents of the book to Jolanta. When the group is found by the inquisitors lead by a middle-aged Nowak, Jolanta stays behind; blowing herself up with detonations. Draka, Schmidt, and the rest of the group reconvenes at another camp during the ensuing explosion where they began publishing their book with a printing press, only to be betrayed by one of their own who gave their position away to Nowak and the inquisitors. In a desparate gambit, Schmidt and the remainder of the Heretic Liberation Force sacrifice themselves bidding time for Draka to reach Antoni's church; the latter now a Bishop who briefly became acquainted with Draka. Upon being challenged by Draka with the validity of heliocentrism's blasphemous claim, Antoni is convinced to publish and profit from it given the changing times and the church's waning influence. However, Nowak reaches the two, kills Antoni and burns down the church in an act of arson meant to demonize the cause of heliocentrism. Draka is dealt a lethal blow to her side, but turns the blade onto Nowak and fatally injures him before escaping the burning church. In his final moments, Nowak speaks with a hallucination of Rafal and is met with realization that he had been the villian of heliocentrism all along; he then openly prays to God for his daughter's salvation into Heaven before dying on the spot. Draka also succumbs to her injury but manages to send out a letter via Antoni's carrier pigeon.

## Characters
### Part 1
#### Rafal (ラファウ, Rafau)

    Voiced by: Maaya Sakamoto
    A young prodigy who skipped a grade and entered university at the age of 12. Rafal has always excelled by making rational decisions. However, his interest was piqued by the beauty of the heliocentric theory, leading him to delve into extensive research on the subject. His eventual suicide to evade persecution is what drives the plot forward.

#### Nowak (ノヴァク, Novaku)

    Voiced by: Kenjiro Tsuda
    An inquisitor who lacks a specific ideology, but believes it is his duty to protect the peace of the world, including his daughter, even if it means resorting to cruel actions.

#### Hubert (フベルト, Fuberuto)

    Voiced by: Show Hayami
    A heretic is imprisoned for his forbidden research. In order to be released and continue his work, he feigned a change of heart. However, after meeting Rafal, Hubert revealed the truth about his research; the heliocentric theory.

#### Potocki (ポトツキ, Pototsuki)

    Voiced by: Kōichi Makishima [ja]
    Rafal's foster father was the one who asked him to give up studying astronomy and instead focus on theology when he entered university.

### Part 2
#### Oczy (オクジー, Okujī)

    Voiced by: Katsuyuki Konishi
    A champion fighter with excellent eyesight, but a fear of looking at the sky. His mindset is overwhelmingly negative, with no expectations for the world and a desire to reach heaven as soon as possible.

#### Gras (グラス, Gurasu)

    Voiced by: Minoru Shiraishi
    Oczy's comrade. Unlike with Oczy, his outlook is overwhelmingly positive even in times of despair, which he attributes to his fascination with Mars.

#### Badeni (バデーニ, Badēni)

    Voiced by: Yuichi Nakamura
    A monk sets out on a quest to find the "best moment of his life". In his pursuit of knowledge, he disregards the rules of the church, leading to his eyes being burned and his subsequent banishment to a rural village.

#### Jolenta (ヨレンタ, Yorenta)

    Voiced by: Saya Hitomi [ja], Toa Yukinari (adult)
    A research assistant in the field of astronomy, she was accepted into a facility led by a renowned cosmologist. However, she is currently feeling disheartened as she is not given the opportunity to conduct research to her full potential due to her gender. She is revealed to be Nowak's daughter, and she is unaware that Nowak is an inquisitor.

#### Kolbe (コルベ, Korube)

    Voiced by: Nobunaga Shimazaki
    Jolenta's colleague. As women are looked down on, he publishes Jolenta's research on her behalf.

#### Count Piast (ピャスト伯, Pyasuto Haku)

    Voiced by: Shinya Fukumatsu, Daisuke Namikawa (young)
    An astronomer who leads the research group Jolenta belongs to. Despite being a believer in geocentrism, he has devoted his life to learning the truth about the universe.

#### Antoni (アントニ)

    Voiced by: Satoshi Mikami
    A bishop who is an arrogant and devoted member of the church. He views Nowak's inquisition as threatening to the church's future as unlike with Nowak, he is willing to adapt to changes.

### Part 3
#### Draka (ドゥラカ, Duraka)

    Voiced by: Miyuri Shimabukuro
    The daughter of a nomadic tribe, this talented woman has made a significant contribution to the development of her village. Her strong belief in "earning money until her worries disappear" stems from her personal experience of losing her father at a young age.

#### Schmidt (シュミット, Shumitto)

    Voiced by: Satoshi Hino
    The captain of the Heresy Liberation Squad is a naturalist who seeks to revive a god that has been corrupted by human morality. Currently, his focus is on weakening the orthodox faction of the C Church.

#### Dhruv (ドゥルーヴ, Durūvu)

    Voiced by: Tomomichi Nishimura
    Draka's uncle. He raises Draka as her only blood relative left after her father's death. While he teaches Draka to live with conviction, he will do anything to survive.

### Final part
#### Albert Brudzewski (アルベルト・ブルゼフスキ, Aruberuto Buruzefusuki)

    Voiced by: Shōya Ishige, Atsumi Tanezaki (young)
    A young man works at a bakery, where he assists with various tasks. He used to have a passion for learning, but after a particular incident, he lost his interest in academics.

## Media
### Manga

Written and illustrated by Uoto [ja], Orb: On the Movements of the Earth was serialized in Shogakukan's seinen manga magazine Weekly Big Comic Spirits from September 14, 2020, to April 18, 2022. Shogakukan collected its chapters in eight tankōbon, released from December 11, 2020, to June 30, 2022.
Seven Seas Entertainment has licensed the manga for English publication, releasing the manga in a 2-in-1 omnibus edition.

#### Volumes

| No. | Original release date | Original ISBN | English release date | English ISBN |
| 1 | December 11, 2020 | 978-4-09-860778-5 | November 21, 2023 | 979-8-88843-262-4 |
| 2 | January 12, 2021 | 978-4-09-860801-0 | November 21, 2023 | 979-8-88843-262-4 |
| 3 | March 30, 2021 | 978-4-09-860878-2 | March 19, 2024 | 979-8-88843-341-6 |
| 4 | June 30, 2021 | 978-4-09-861071-6 | March 19, 2024 | 979-8-88843-341-6 |
| 5 | September 30, 2021 | 978-4-09-861146-1 | August 20, 2024 | 979-8-88843-581-6 |
| 6 | December 28, 2021 | 978-4-09-861206-2 | August 20, 2024 | 979-8-88843-581-6 |
| 7 | March 30, 2022 | 978-4-09-861260-4 | December 17, 2024 | 979-8-88843-582-3 |
| 8 | June 30, 2022 | 978-4-09-861317-5 | December 17, 2024 | 979-8-88843-582-3 |

### Anime

In June 2022, an anime adaptation produced by Madhouse was announced. It was later revealed to be a television series directed by Kenichi Shimizu and written by Shingo Irie, with Masanori Shino designing the characters, and Kensuke Ushio composing the music. The series aired for 25 episodes from October 5, 2024, to March 15, 2025, on NHK General. The opening theme song is "Kaijū" (怪獣, 'Monster'), performed by Sakanaction, while the first ending theme song is "Aporia" (アポリア), and the second ending theme song is "Hebi" (へび, 'Serpent'), both performed by Yorushika. Netflix licensed the series for worldwide simulcast.

#### Episodes

| No. | Title | Directed by | Storyboard by | Original release date |
| 1 | "Heliocentrism. How About That?" Transliteration: "Chidōsetsu, to Demo Yobō ka" (Japanese: 『地動説』、とでも呼ぼうか) | Kotono Watanabe | Kenichi Shimizu | October 5, 2024 (2024-10-5) |
| 2 | "And Now... I'm Going to Move the Earth" Transliteration: "Ima Kara, Chikyū o Ugokasu" (Japanese: 今から、地球を動かす) | Hiromichi Matano | Kenichi Shimizu | October 5, 2024 (2024-10-5) |
| 3 | "I... Believe in Heliocentrism" Transliteration: "Boku wa, Chidōsetsu o Shinjitemasu" (Japanese: 僕は、地動説を信じてます) | Masato Miyoshi | Kenichi Shimizu | October 12, 2024 (2024-10-12) |
| 4 | "The Fact That This World is Far More Beautiful Than Heaven" Transliteration: "Kono Chikyuu wa, Tengoku Nanka Yori mo Utsukushii" (Japanese: この地球は、天国なんかよりも美しい) | Asami Kawano | Hiroshi Kōjina | October 19, 2024 (2024-10-19) |
| 5 | "Even If I Die... This World Will Continue" Transliteration: "Watashi ga Shindemo Kono Sekai wa Tsuzuku" (Japanese: 私が死んでもこの世界は続く) | Masato Miyoshi | Junichi Sakata | October 26, 2024 (2024-10-26) |
| 6 | "Move… The World" Transliteration: "Sekai o, Ugokase" (Japanese: 世界を、動かせ) | Kotono Watanabe | TBA | November 2, 2024 (2024-11-2) |
| 7 | "Matters of the Truth" Transliteration: "Shinri no Tamenara" (Japanese: 真理のためなら) | Hiroki Mori | Koji Sawai | November 9, 2024 (2024-11-9) |
| 8 | "We Must Become Icarus" Transliteration: "Ikarosu ni Naraneba" (Japanese: イカロスにならねば) | Kotono Watanabe | Kotono Watanabe | November 16, 2024 (2024-11-16) |
| 9 | "This is What It Means... To Learn Something, I Think" Transliteration: "Kitto Sore ga, Nanika o Shiru to iu Kotoda" (Japanese: きっとそれが、何かを知るということだ) | Asami Kawano | Asami Kawano | November 23, 2024 (2024-11-23) |
| 10 | "Truth" Transliteration: "Chi" (Japanese: 『知』) | Hiromichi Matano | Kenichi Shimizu | November 30, 2024 (2024-11-30) |
| 11 | "Terror" Transliteration: "Chi" (Japanese: 『血』) | Masatoyo Takada | Masatoyo Takada | December 7, 2024 (2024-12-7) |
| 12 | "Heliocentrism is My Faith" Transliteration: "Ore wa, Chidōsetsu o Shinkō Shi Teru" (Japanese: 俺は、地動説を信仰してる) | Asami Kawano | Kenichi Shimizu | December 14, 2024 (2024-12-14) |
| 13 | "Freedom" Transliteration: "Jiyū o" (Japanese: 『自由』を) | Masateru Matsumura | Kenichi Shimizu | December 21, 2024 (2024-12-21) |
| 14 | "Tonight's Sky..." Transliteration: "Kyō no Kono Sora wa" (Japanese: 今日のこの空は) | Kotono Watanabe | Kotono Watanabe | December 28, 2024 (2024-12-28) |
| 15 | "Is it... My Turn?" Transliteration: "Watashi no, Banna no Ka?" (Japanese: 私の、番なのか？) | Masato Miyoshi | Koji Sawai | January 4, 2025 (2025-1-4) |
| 16 | "It's Time to Begin the Operation" Transliteration: "Kōdō o Kaishi Suru" (Japanese: 行動を開始する) | Asami Kawano | Asami Kawano | January 11, 2025 (2025-1-11) |
| 17 | "I Could Make a Lot of Money with This Book... Maybe" Transliteration: "Kono Hon de Dai Kasegi Dekiru, Kamo" (Japanese: この本で大稼ぎできる、かも) | Hiromichi Matano | Koji Sawai | January 18, 2025 (2025-1-18) |
| 18 | "To Liberate Information" Transliteration: "Jōhō o Kaihō Suru" (Japanese: 情報を解放する) | Mitsuyuki Masuhara | Koji Sawai | January 25, 2025 (2025-1-25) |
| 19 | "Wandering is How You Find What's Right" Transliteration: "Mayoi no Naka ni Rinri ga Aru" (Japanese: 迷いの中に倫理がある) | Hiroki Mori | Kotono Watanabe | February 1, 2025 (2025-2-1) |
| 20 | "I Love Heliocentrism" Transliteration: "Watashi wa, Chidōsetsu o Aishite Iru" (Japanese: 私は、地動説を愛している) | Unknown | TBA | February 8, 2025 (2025-2-8) |
| 21 | "The Times Are Changing" Transliteration: "Jidai wa Kawaru" (Japanese: 時代は変わる) | Unknown | TBA | February 15, 2025 (2025-2-15) |
| 22 | "Neither of You Will be Known to History" Transliteration: "Kimi-ra wa Rekishi no Tōjō Jinbutsu Janai" (Japanese: 君らは歴史の登場人物じゃない) | TBA | TBA | February 22, 2025 (2025-2-22) |
| 23 | "Comrades" Transliteration: "Onaji Jidai o Tsukutta Nakama" (Japanese: 同じ時代を作った仲間) | TBA | TBA | March 1, 2025 (2025-3-1) |
| 24 | "Thaumazein" Transliteration: "Taumazein o" (Japanese: タウマゼインを) | TBA | TBA | March 8, 2025 (2025-3-8) |
| 25 | "Question" (Japanese: ?) | TBA | TBA | March 15, 2025 (2025-3-15) |

### Other

The manga was featured in the music video for Amazarashi's song "1.0" on March 30, 2022, with the video showing lyrics using letterpress printing on art from the series. It was also featured in the music video for Amazarashi's song "Cassiopeia Mooring" (カシオピア係留所, Kashiopia Keiryū-sho), released on June 30, 2022, with characters from the series and their dialogue being projected onto the planetarium of the Itabashi Science and Education Museum in Tokyo.

## Reception

The manga was recommended by manga artists Hitoshi Iwaaki and Shin Takahashi. Chi was nominated for the 14th Manga Taishō in 2021 and placed second with 67 points; it was nominated for the 15th edition in 2022 and placed fifth with 59 points. It was nominated for the Next Manga Award in 2021 and placed tenth in the print category. The series ranked 37th on the 2021 "Book of the Year" list by Da Vinci magazine; it ranked 21st on the 2022 list. It ranked second on Takarajimasha's Kono Manga ga Sugoi! 2022 list of best manga for male readers. It won the Mandō Kobayashi Manga Grand Prix 2021, created by comedian and manga enthusiast Kendo Kobayashi. The manga was nominated for the 67th Shogakukan Manga Award in the general category in 2021; it was also nominated for the 68th edition in the same category in 2022. The series ranked fifth on the Nationwide Bookstore Employees' Recommended Comics of 2022. The manga was nominated for the 46th Kodansha Manga Award in the general category in 2022. The series won the 26th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize in 2022. The manga won the 54th Seiun Award in the Best Comic category in 2023.