Gundam’s creator, Yoshiyuki Tomino, is famous due to his revolutionary work that has continued to exert its influence on the anime industry. This a great man who has seen many impressive works and thought nothing much of them. Until he saw a manga series that stunned and impacted him.
This series is Orb: On the Movements of the Earth. It is a historical fiction series that thrives in the space between history and existential complexities. Tomino is disappointed with the anime (which is undoubtedly a hidden and underrated gem).
This is because he does not believe that the anime lived up to its full potential. The focus of the story was to set off a spark in the minds of the viewers, which the manga was able to convey. But the adaptation itself failed to completely elucidate upon its essence.
Gundam creator’s criticism of Orb
Although the anime and manga industries are often connected, it needs to be known that there are a lot more people who consume anime as a media than those who read manga.
Unless it is of a popular series that has not been animated yet, like the newest chapters of One Piece, when it comes to manga that have not been adapted, there are few that read them.
Orb: On the Movements of the Earth is a thought-provoking series set in 15th-century Europe, where questioning authority meant risking execution. Many of us remember history classes where we were told for a long time that people believed that the universe circled the Earth.
When astronomers argued that the Earth circled around the Sun, they were defamed, forced to retract their statements, or convicted of heresy (Copernicus), Orb follows a similar rendition through fiction.
The story follows Rafal, a scholar drawn into the dangerous pursuit of heliocentrism. It is a story about man’s hunger for knowledge and the endless pursuit of the truth. It is one of the fundamental reasons that humanity has been able to progress and advance.
A brilliant exploration of science, religion, and humanity
The anime is based on Uoto’s award-winning manga (which many might not have heard about before it got adapted) and doesn’t offer a simple journey where science over dogma is proved. Instead presents knowledge as an inheritance passed down in blood, sweat, and tears.
Much like Vinland Saga and Attack on Titan, Orb tells a story of perseverance against overwhelming oppression. It is also unique to the extent that there are very few anime similar to it. Its protagonists don’t fight actual Titans but with hegemons of the society they live in.
The realization that you might have to risk your life to further the progress of mankind and that you are willing to do it lets the viewers take a peek into the mindset of unity and togetherness. To be part of a bigger cause and contribute is the noblest of ideals.
Yet such an intellectual work was not properly adapted, as Tomino says. But what if even the extent to which it has been faithful is a massive leap? The anime is extremely impactful and takes a different route from the usual isekai or fantasy anime, propounding the truths of the world and the cosmos.
There is little doubt that Orb will go on to be an extremely acclaimed series, with the likes of Vinland Saga and Attack on Titan.
Gundam is available for streaming on Prime Video. Orb: On the Movements of the Earth is available for streaming on Netflix.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
