Orb: On the Movements of the Earth (チ. ―地球の運動について―) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Uoto. It was serialized in Shogakukan's manga magazine Weekly Big Comic Spirits from September 2020 to April 2022, with its chapters collected in eight volumes. Set in 15th-century Europe, the series follows the dangerous journeys of scholars who risk their lives to pursue research on the forbidden heliocentric theory.
A 25-episode anime television series adaptation produced by Madhouse aired from October 2024 to March 2025.
By February 2025, the manga had over 5 million copies in circulation.
Plot
In 15th-century Europe, the Church tightly controls information, and dissent from its doctrine is heresy, punishable by death. Rafal, a child prodigy with a passion for astronomy, is raised by his adoptive father, Potocki, who urges him to study theology. However, Rafal's life changes when he is coerced by Hubert, a heretic scholar, into assisting with research on the Earth's movements. Initially skeptical, Rafal confirms the heliocentric model through his own calculations. Their secret work is discovered by Inquisitor Nowak, who finds Rafal's sketches. Hubert sacrifices himself, giving Rafal a pendant and taking the blame, leading to his execution. Rafal continues the research in secret but is confronted by Potocki, who warns him of the dangers, citing his own past struggles. When Rafal refuses to stop, Potocki reports him to Nowak. At his trial, Rafal refuses to recant and is