Arata: The Legend

Arata Hinohara (日ノ原 革, Hinohara Arata)

Voiced by: Nobuhiko Okamoto[2]

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)

Voiced by: Ayahi Takagaki[2]

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, Kikuri)

Voiced by: Hibiku Yamamura[2]

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, Kadowaki Masato)

Voiced by: Ryohei Kimura[2]

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, Kannagi)

Voiced by: Yuki Ono[2]

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, Mikusa)

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.

Arata (アラタ, Arata)

Voiced by: Yoshitsugu Matsuoka[2]

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, Oribe Imina)

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)

Voiced by: Akira Ishida[2]

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.

Written and illustrated by Yuu Watase, Arata: The Legend started in the 2008 44th issue of Shogakukan's Weekly Shōnen Sunday magazine, released on October 1, 2008.[3][4] In January 2014, Watase announced that the series was heading toward its climax.[5] The same month, Watase also posted on her personal blog about negative experiences with a former editor for her series.[6] Watase put the series on hiatus on February 26, 2014,[7] and in July of the same year she announced on her blog that the series would resume the publication in fall, specifically, she intended to aim for October,[8] however, in October, she announced on her Twitter that the series would resume next year.[9] In May 2015, Watase announced that Arata: The Legend would return in June of the same year,[10] although, it came back in the 32nd issue of Weekly Shōnen Sunday, released on July 8, 2015.[11][12] The latest chapter was released on August 26, 2015, and the manga has been on hiatus since then.[13][14] In May 2018, Watase posted on Twitter that she was trying to resume the manga that year, adding as well that she was still recovering from depression.[15] In July 2020, Watase stated that she was working to resume the series in Weekly Shōnen Sunday.[16] In December 2020, Watase reveled that she had planned the rest of the series' remaining plot.[17] Shogakukan has collected its chapters into individual tankōbon volumes. The first volume was published on January 16, 2009.[18] As of September 18, 2015, twenty-four volumes have been published.[19] Shogakukan also re-released the series in a 2-in-1 volume remastered edition, which includes the original color page chapters from the magazine and various other modifications.[20] Twelve volumes were released from July 18, 2013 to November 18, 2019.[21][22]

In North America, the manga was licensed for English language release by Viz Media in 2009.[23] Viz Media published the first volume on March 9, 2010.[24] As of August 9, 2016, twenty-four volumes have been released.[25]

In December 2012, Weekly Shōnen Sunday announced that the manga would receive an anime television series adaptation.[26] The 12-episode series is produced by Satelight and Korean studio JM Animation, and was broadcast on TV Tokyo from April 9 to July 1, 2013.[27][28] The opening theme is "Genesis Aria", performed by Sphere, and the ending theme is "The Misfit Go", performed by Oldcodex.[2] The series was streamed by Crunchyroll in the United States and Canada.[29]