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. It started serialization in Shogakukan's shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Sunday in October 2008. Its chapters were collected in 24 volumes, while a Remaster edition started in July 2013, with 17 volumes published as of May 2023. After a nearly six-year hiatus that began in August 2015, the series resumed publication, with republished chapters in May 2021 and all-new chapters started publishing in July of the same year; the series finished in Weekly Shōnen Sunday in April 2022 and was transferred to the Sunday Webry website in May of the same year. In May 2021, it was announced that the edition would stop publishing and the series will only continue with the Remaster edition. The series finished in November 2023. In North America, the manga is licensed for English release by Viz Media. 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. An illusion hides the switch from people of both worlds, and Hinohara and Arata pass as each other. Kannagi, a wielder of special sword-spirits called Hayagami (劍神), has led eleven other wielders against their ruler Princess Kikuri and framed Arata, the sole witness. The Imperial Court convicts Arata and exiles him to Gatoya Island, but due to the switch, Hinohara goes in Arata's place.

Kotoha, Arata's childhood friend, accompanies Hinohara and gives him Tsukuyo, a Hayagami that Hinohara activated before his trial. She also gives him a charm Michihi no Tama (ミチヒノタマ), through which he and Arata communicate. Barely alive, Kikuri also speaks to Hinohara through the charm and tasks him with restoring order to Amawakuni. Hinohara escapes Gatoya, learns to use Tsukuyo, and gains allies, including Kannagi. As he defeats the other rebels, Hinohara learns Masato Kadowaki, a bully from his past in modern-day Japan, has followed in his footsteps. After switching places with Harunawa, one of the mysterious Six Shinshō, Kadowaki activates a Hayagami of his own, Orochi, and faces Hinohara in multiple fights. Along the way, Hinohara and Kotoha grow close, and their relationship complicated when Kotoha discovers Hinohara's true identity and when he loses control of his growing power and hurts her.

In modern-day Japan, Arata adjusts to high school and befriends Imina Oribe. Imina, a woman from Kikuri's clan who winded up lost on Earth fifteen years prior, is the true heir. Harunawa, who passes as Kadowaki, plots to kill Imina and end Kikuri's line. Arata and Imina search for information in prophecies on how to foil the Six Shinshō's ambition to rule both Amawakuni and Earth. Harunawa attacks the school and infects the city to augment his powers. Imina counters the outbreak with her Amatsuriki abilities, unique to women of her clan, to protect Arata and the Hinohara family.

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.
 * 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.
 * 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.
 * 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)
 * The major antagonist of the series. 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.
 * The major antagonist of the series. 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.
 * 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's 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.
 * 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.
 * 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.

Manga
Written and illustrated by Yuu Watase, Arata: The Legend started in Shogakukan's manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Sunday on October 1, 2008. In January 2014, Watase announced that the series was heading toward its climax; that same month, Watase posted on her personal blog about negative experiences with a former editor for her series. After a chapter published on February 26 of the same year, Watase put the series on hiatus. The series resumed publication from July 8 to August 26, 2015,  before entering another hiatus. 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. In December 2020, Watase reveled that she had planned the series' remaining plot. Weekly Shōnen Sunday started republishing chapters on May 19, 2021, while all-new chapters started in the magazine on July 7 of the same year. The manga finished publication in the magazine on April 20, 2022, and transferred to Sunday Webry website on May 4 of the same year. In March 2023, it was announced that the series had entered its last arc; the series finished on November 1 of the same year.

Shogakukan collected its chapters in 24 volumes, published from January 16, 2009, to September 18, 2015. 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. The first volume was released on July 18, 2013. On May 14, 2021, Watase wrote on her blog that the edition would no longer continue, and the series will only continue with the Remaster edition. The eighteenth and last volume was released on December 18, 2023.

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

Anime
In December 2012, Weekly Shōnen Sunday announced that the manga would receive an anime television series adaptation. 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. The opening theme is "Genesis Aria", performed by Sphere, and the ending theme is "The Misfit Go", performed by Oldcodex. The series was streamed by Crunchyroll in the United States and Canada.

Reception
Rebecca Bundy of Anime News Network gave the first volume an overall B+ for "Great art and character designs; plus, Watase's ability to create interesting lore is as sharp as ever." She also noted, however, that the "[p]athetic, cowardly main character makes everything involving him painful to read." Deb Aoki of About.com noted that the plot is "fairly formulaic fantasy fare that's just a bit too predictable to offer fans something truly fresh and new" but that the series has her "hooked." Todd Douglass of Blogcritics.org wrote that the first volume is "strongly recommended," despite some reservations. Christopher Nadolsk of Mania.com said that the first volume offers "an entertaining and eye-pleasing escapist fantasy read."