Chi. Chikyuu no Undou ni Tsuite

Twelve-year-old prodigy Rafal believes in living rationally, so as to earn praise and respect from society while not being led astray by his emotions. To this end, he publicly states his intention to study theology—the academic field held in highest regard in early 15th century Poland. However, an encounter with a mysterious man upends Rafal's life, sparking an illogical desire to instead pursue his ion for astronomy.

Rafal is determined to prove the beauty and rationality of heliocentrism—the theory that the Earth revolves around the Sun. This belief is considered heretical by the powerful Church, which promotes geocentrism—the Sun revolving around the Earth—as the sole truth of the universe. Those whose beliefs do not align with the will of the Church suffer unfathomably gruesome consequences.

In pursuit of evidence for a heliocentric model of the universe, Rafal grapples with obtaining precise calculations and building empirical theories. His greatest challenge, however, lies in conducting this research discreetly—lest he wish to meet the same fate as other heretics.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Rafal Main

Sakamoto, Maaya Japanese

Badeni Main

Nakamura, Yuuichi Japanese

Oczy Main

Konishi, Katsuyuki Japanese

Nowak Main

Tsuda, Kenjirou Japanese

Jolenta Main

Hitomi, Saya Japanese

Schmitt Main

Hino, Satoshi Japanese

Draka Main

Shimabukuro, Miyuri Japanese

Brudzewski, Albert Main

Ishige, Shouya Japanese

Hubert ing

Hayami, Show Japanese

Potocki ing

Makishima, Kouichi Japanese

Yamazaki, Yukari Producer

Okamoto, Junya Producer

Yoshida, Yuuki Producer

Osanai, Atsushi Producer

Reviews

Jun 4, 2025

Sidarif

Recommended

This anime is an absolute masterpiece — I honestly don’t have enough words to describe how powerful it is.

The story is filled with intense emotion, historical depth, and the sheer struggle of individuals trying to reveal the truth against all odds. The themes are heavy, the execution is brilliant, and every moment pulls you deeper into its world.

All the main characters in every chapter were so well-written and impactful. When they died, I found myself crying and, strangely, laughing through the pain — that's how deeply their emotions hit me. It’s rare to find an anime that can make you feel such a wide range ... of emotions at once.

Orb truly feels like a hidden gem, much like 91 Days, and it quickly became one of my all-time favorite anime. The art, atmosphere, and storytelling are top-tier.

If you're looking for something meaningful, mature, and unforgettable — Orb is a must-watch.

Reviewer’s Rating: 10

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Apr 11, 2025

duskwoven

Mixed Feelings

Well-written

Orb: On the Movements of the Earth is one of the most thought-provoking and visually gripping shows I’ve seen in a long time. Set in a reimagined medieval Europe, it weaves together the tension between religion and science, between blind faith and dangerous curiosity. It’s a story where the simple act of thinking differently could cost you your life and honestly, that alone made it stand out from everything else airing at the time.

The series doesn’t follow one protagonist but several, across multiple timelines, all connected by one idea: the pursuit of truth. Specifically, the heliocentric theory that the sun, not the Earth, is the ... center of the universe. Every episode hums with quiet dread. You watch people wrestle with fear, conviction, and the weight of systems designed to crush dissent. It’s slow, yes, but some episodes hit like a silent scream. You feel it in your chest.

And I truly ire its ambition. I love what it tries to be. But I won’t pretend the ending worked for me. It felt… unfinished. As if the story was building toward a revelation, a final burst of something grand or gut-wrenching only to stop mid-thought. The credits rolled, and I just sat there, blinking, waiting for more. I’ve seen people call it poetic and brave. And I get that. But I guess I wanted a moment that landed. I wanted the story to complete its sentence. It didn’t. So I’m left feeling torn: grateful for the journey, but unsatisfied by the silence at the end of the road.

Visually, though? It’s breathtaking. The art is dark, painterly, and rich like a Renaissance oil painting come to life. Even if the narrative didn’t fully work for me, the visuals alone are worth the experience. That said, I’ll be honest: it’s not my favorite art style. It’s more impressive than emotionally resonant, at least for me. But I can absolutely appreciate how perfectly it suits the tone. The direction, animation, and atmosphere are undeniably top-tier.

That said, there’s one very specific art choice that kinda bugged me: the way they depict bald heads. The transition between forehead and hair often looks unnatural, like there’s a sharp line cutting off where the hair begins instead of a gradual fade or subtle root texture. It almost makes the characters look like they’re wearing skin-colored caps or glued-on wigs. Given how detailed and painterly the rest of the art is, this stands out. Just a little shading or hair-root texture could’ve fixed it.

The sound design is equally stunning. Kensuke Ushio’s score haunts the background like a ghost subtle but overwhelming in the best ways. It lingers in the silence, swells in the stillness, and sometimes says more than the characters ever could. The voice acting, too, is phenomenal. There are moments, especially during intense monologues, where I could feel my skin crawl. Not from fear, but from sheer emotional pressure like the words were too heavy to say out loud.

As for the characters, the core figures are solid. One antagonist, in particular, goes through a transformation that’s fascinating to watch. But many of the side characters feel like flickers: they appear, burn bright for a moment, then vanish. There’s not always enough time to fully care. You understand their place in the story, but you don’t always feel their loss.

There are also moments where the show’s logic feels… inconsistent. A character preaches nonviolence and then leaves a trail of bodies. The Church is painted as brutally anti-science, yet there’s an elite college teaching astronomy? I’m not saying these contradictions ruin anything, but they do make you pause. They pull you out of the story, even if just for a second.

And yes, the pacing is glacial. If you’re not into dense philosophical dialogue or theological debates, this show might feel like a high school history lecture wearing an artsy mask. Some people jokingly called it “turbo nerd content,” and you know what? That’s valid. It demands your attention. It doesn’t guide you. It expects you to catch up.

There’s also been criticism from historical purists (especially a Polish reviewer I read) about how loosely the show treats figures like Copernicus. For me, it wasn’t a problem. It’s not pretending to be a documentary. It’s art. A dramatized reimagining. But it’s still something to be aware of. If you’re looking for historical accuracy, this isn’t it.

What struck me most, though, is how the show talks around science more than it talks about it. For a series centered on astronomy, there’s very little actual process or discovery. It’s more about the consequences of knowledge, not the joy of learning itself. And that felt like a missed opportunity. Still, despite all this, Orb left something in me. A strange ache. A quiet iration. A sadness that stories like this still need to be told. It’s not an easy watch nor enjoyable. But it means something.

Watch it if you love slow-burn historical drama, philosophical tension, and stories that don’t hold your hand. Skip it if you need action, closure, or emotional attachment to a single character. This isn’t an anime that tells. It asks. And whether or not you have the answers, it leaves you with a silence that feels almost sacred.

TL;DR:
Orb: The Movement of the Earth is slow, heavy, haunting, and unlike anything else that aired at the time. It dares to ask big questions, to stare directly into the cost of knowing, and to sit uncomfortably in the space where faith and reason clash. The visuals are stunning, the music chills, and the themes cut deep. But the ending feels abrupt, and the storytelling doesn’t always deliver emotional closure. It’s a series that either moves you deeply or puts you to sleep.

Thank you for reading.

Reviewer’s Rating: 6

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Mar 16, 2025

Worm_Death

Not Recommended

Funny

I want to try and condense my thoughts as much as possible, because as a ionate nerd of science, there's a lot to nitpick.
I can appreciate Orb existing, and I think with the current climate, it's more relevant than ever. However, to those of us who get behind the messaging of this anime, there is nothing to be gained. I agree and enjoy what the show is trying to say a lot. I love science and the joy of collaboration through centuries, the pursuit of knowledge, and the ability to question the status quo.

Despite how much I agree with those statements, this anime ... feels like the equivalent of someone talking your ear off about something you know too much about and absolutely don't need to be told. That's my main issue with this anime; it's not entertaining. There are no characters; they are talking pieces for different philosophical ideas. The vast majority of scenes are literally just characters A and B talking and talking and talking, not in any sort of interesting way. I would have a better time reading a textbook than watching this because the textbook doesn't try to hide behind a facade of being entertaining.
To the people who are deeply impacted by this anime, who needed to hear these important perspectives spelled out to them and certainly weren't going to go out of their way to find those opinions, this is great. Anime is a far less intimidating way to teach someone about philosophical perspectives, but again, for those of us who already agreed and knew these perspectives, there is nothing to be gained.

From a cinematic perspective, there is nothing here. The animation budget is clearly very cheap as, again, characters just stand around and talk, barely moving. Yet, the show tries to give the illusion that it's keeping up with the modern anime greats in quality, and the backgrounds look great. Kensuke Ushio brings a great dark and brooding soundtrack (if not a bit repetitive), and the first episode wasted the majority of the budget. Characters are far more expressive with excessive hand gestures and secondary actions, more well-planned and interesting camera work, etc. The characters themselves look extremely boring and bland.

I'll briefly say the actual science in this anime is oddly overlooked. Much time isn't spent on really discovering how astronomy works, to look at both heliocentrism and geocentrism and how these two models were really conceived. Heliostrism didn't just appear; it took more work and collaboration than this anime offers. They treat heliocentrism like some sort of underground movement when it wasn't. Much of our modern science was heavily scrutinized, but for every doubter, there were droves of ers who brought their own ideas to the mix. Maybe this idea could have been conveyed better if it wasn't such a well-documented scientific discovery. The anime really boils down to "what if it was like this actually," and then they do the flashy white screen eureka moment. Granted, I don't think everyone is going to find true, true scientific discovery to be as interesting, but certainly, for those of us who are deeply entrenched in science, it's a bit frustrating. Actual science is barely discussed and more time is spent with the characters "researching and writing" about what exactly? I don't know they barely talk about it. They hide the main focus of their studies from us because they're more worried about talking about philosophy than astronomy. Which is a shame since that's the whole topic the anime centers on.

The anime chose to be neither an entertaining story with philosophical influence nor a retelling of history. It's been left in this weird, boring limbo. Again, to those who aren't as involved in these sorts of circles, maybe you'll enjoy it, but it certainly wasn't for me from either a scientific or artistic/cinematic perspective.

Reviewer’s Rating: 5

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