Overview

Orange is a Japanese science-fiction manga written and illustrated by Ichigo Takano. The story centers on Naho Takamiya, a second-year high-school student in Matsumoto, Nagano, who receives letters apparently written by her future self. The letters warn her about choices she will regret and ask her to support Kakeru Naruse, a new transfer student whose mother dies by suicide shortly after his arrival at school. The narrative combines school romance, speculative time travel, parallel futures, and an extended exploration of guilt, depression, bereavement, friendship, and suicide prevention. The series began serialization in Shueisha's Bessatsu Margaret in 2012 before moving to Futabasha's Monthly Action in 2013. Its demographic position is unusual: it was initially associated with shōjo manga but also developed a substantial seinen readership. The serialization concluded in 2015, while later material expanded the story through a spin-off and the film Orange: Future. The manga was collected in seven Japanese volumes by 2022, with the later volumes incorporating material connected to the animated and theatrical adaptations. In North America, Seven Seas Entertainment issued the series in two omnibus editions, and the work was also made available through Crunchyroll Manga. The central dramatic device is the existence of multiple possible futures. In the future described by Naho's letters, Kakeru dies by suicide, and Naho and her friends live with the knowledge that they failed to intervene. In the present timeline, Naho gradually follows the letters while also learning to act on her own feelings rather than merely obeying instructions. Hiroto Suwa, Naho's close friend, eventually reveals that he has received a letter from his own future self. Other members of the group also receive letters, creating a collective effort to keep Kakeru alive. The story treats their intervention as the creation of a parallel future rather than a simple erasure of the original one. Orange became a multimedia property. A Japanese live-action film was released in December 2015, followed by a television anime that premiered in July 2016. Orange: Future, an anime theatrical film, opened in Japan in November 2016 and retold much of the story from Suwa's perspective while adding original material. The franchise has also received international licensing and dubbing. Critical responses have generally praised its emotional premise, visual presentation, and ensemble cast, while some reviewers have questioned the passive characterization of its protagonists and the mechanics of its time-travel explanation. The manga received award nominations and achieved notable chart performance, including a New York Times manga bestseller placement for its second English omnibus.

History

Ichigo Takano created Orange as a coming-of-age story built around a speculative premise: a teenager receives written warnings from her future self and must decide whether to follow them. Serialization began in Shueisha's Bessatsu Margaret in March 2012. The early publication established the core group of Naho Takamiya, Kakeru Naruse, Hiroto Suwa, Takako Chino, Saku Hagita, and Azusa Murasaka, as well as the story's tension between an apparently fixed future and the possibility of changing it. The manga changed publishers and magazines in 2013, moving to Futabasha's Monthly Action. Shueisha initially published two collected volumes, which Futabasha later republished. The main serialization ended in August 2015, and the fifth volume followed later that year. Subsequent collected material expanded the property beyond the original run. A sixth volume included material associated with Orange: Future and the Suwa Hiroto spin-off, while a seventh and final volume was subsequently announced. By April 2022, the Japanese edition had reached seven volumes. The story follows Naho as she receives letters describing future regrets, especially the failure to help Kakeru after his mother's suicide. Kakeru's grief and self-blame lead to depression and a planned suicide that his friends eventually prevent. The other members of the group receive comparable letters from their future selves, turning the plot from an individual romance into a collective act of care. Suwa's role is particularly important: in one future he marries Naho, but he understands that she loves Kakeru and chooses to help create a future in which Kakeru survives, even at the cost of his own expected relationship. Orange was adapted into a live-action Japanese film released on December 12, 2015. A television anime produced by Telecom Animation Film premiered in July 2016, with Hiroshi Hamasaki and Naomi Nakayama directing, Yuko Kakihara supervising series scripts, Nobuteru Yuki designing characters, and Hiroaki Tsutsumi composing the music. Orange: Future followed as a theatrical anime film on November 18, 2016. It combined a retelling from Suwa's perspective with newly written material by Takano. Internationally, Seven Seas Entertainment licensed the manga in North America and released it in two omnibus editions. Crunchyroll also carried the manga digitally, while the anime received international streaming and English-dub distribution. The property attracted critical attention for its moving treatment of friendship and loss, although reviewers also noted that suicide and bereavement can make the work difficult for some readers. Sales and chart results included strong placements for several Japanese volumes, while the second English omnibus reached the top of The New York Times manga bestseller list in June 2016.

2022
Seven-volume collected edition
[1]Orange (manga)en.wikipedia.org
The series is reported as having seven collected Japanese volumes by April.
2016
Television anime premieres
[1]Orange (manga)en.wikipedia.org
The anime adaptation begins airing in Japan in July.
2016
Orange: Future announced and released
[1]Orange (manga)en.wikipedia.org
The theatrical anime film premieres in Japan on November 18.
2015
Main manga serialization concludes
[1]Orange (manga)en.wikipedia.org
The principal manga run ends in August, with the fifth collected volume released later in the year.
2015
Live-action film adaptation
[1]Orange (manga)en.wikipedia.org
The live-action film opens in Japan on December 12.
2013
Publication moves to Monthly Action
[1]Orange (manga)en.wikipedia.org
The series transfers to Futabasha's Monthly Action.
2012
Serialization begins
[1]Orange (manga)en.wikipedia.org
Orange begins serialization in Shueisha's Bessatsu Margaret.

Products and positioning

Emotionally driven Japanese science-fiction and romance manga that uses time travel to examine friendship, responsibility, grief, and suicide prevention.

Manga · 2012
Orange manga
The original science-fiction romance manga follows Naho Takamiya and her friends as they respond to letters from their future selves. The letters reveal that Kakeru Naruse is at risk of dying by suicide, and the group works to support him and alter the course of events. The series was serialized from 2012 to 2015 and later expanded through additional collected material.
Licensed print manga
Orange omnibus editions
Seven Seas Entertainment published the English-language North American edition in two omnibus books. The edition brought the complete principal story to English readers in a consolidated format and received favorable critical reviews, while also addressing themes that some reviewers regarded as emotionally difficult.
Live-action film · 2015
Orange live-action film
Directed by Kojiro Hashimoto and written by Arisa Kaneko, the Japanese film adaptation stars Tao Tsuchiya as Naho and Kento Yamazaki as Kakeru. It adapts the manga's central relationship and the friends' attempt to prevent Kakeru's death.
Television anime · 2016
Orange television anime
Produced by Telecom Animation Film, the television adaptation aired from July 2016. Hiroshi Hamasaki and Naomi Nakayama directed, Yuko Kakihara handled series composition, Nobuteru Yuki designed the characters, and Hiroaki Tsutsumi composed the music.
Anime theatrical film · 2016
Orange: Future
Orange: Future retells the principal story partly from Hiroto Suwa's perspective and adds an original story written by Ichigo Takano. The film premiered in Japanese cinemas on November 18, 2016.
Spin-off manga · 2016
Orange: Suwa Hiroto
This spin-off explores Suwa's position in the story and his decision to support Naho and Kakeru despite the future relationship he expects to have with Naho. It began serialization in Monthly Action in March 2016.

Brand decisions

2016
Television anime adaptationProduct launch
Background
The story was adapted for television after the live-action release.
Action taken
A thirteen-episode-style television anime project began airing in Japan in July 2016.
Aftermath
The anime expanded Orange's international audience through licensed streaming and English-language distribution.
Source
2016
Orange: Future theatrical expansionProduct launch
Background
The television anime concluded with an announcement of a related theatrical project.
Action taken
Orange: Future premiered in Japanese theaters, combining a Suwa-centered retelling with original material.
Aftermath
The film provided an additional perspective on the story and extended the franchise beyond the television adaptation.
Source
2015
Release of live-action adaptationProduct launch
Background
The manga's popularity led to a Japanese film adaptation.
Action taken
A live-action film directed by Kojiro Hashimoto was released on December 12.
Aftermath
The property expanded from manga into a broader screen franchise.
Source
2013
Move to a different manga magazineStrategy
Background
After beginning in Bessatsu Margaret, the series continued under Futabasha's Monthly Action.
Action taken
Publication was transferred to the new magazine, where the series continued through its conclusion.
Aftermath
The change enabled the manga to continue beyond its initial Shueisha publication, followed by later collected editions and adaptations.
Source

Recent events

2024
Orange receives a further Eisner Award nomination[1]Orange (manga)en.wikipedia.org
Other
The series was nominated in the Best Graphic Album—Reprint category.
2024
Orange Romania integrates its fixed and mobile operations[2]Orange Romania integrates its fixed and mobile operationsorange.ro
Other
Orange Romania announced the integration of Orange Romania Communications into Orange Romania, consolidating the group's Romanian fixed and mobile activities under one operating structure.
2023
Orange Romania makes 5G services available in additional Romanian locations[3]Orange Romania makes 5G services available in additional Romanian locationsorange.ro
Product generation · Other
Orange continued the commercial expansion of its 5G network and related mobile services in Romania as part of its network-development program.
2021
Orange Romania completes acquisition of Telekom Romania Communications fixed business[4]Orange Romania completes acquisition of Telekom Romania Communications fixed businessorange.com
M&A
Orange Romania completed the transaction to acquire the fixed telecommunications activities of Telekom Romania Communications, expanding its fixed-network, broadband and television capabilities.
2017
Orange receives Eisner Award nomination[1]Orange (manga)en.wikipedia.org
Other
The series was nominated for Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Asia.
2016
Orange anime television series premieres[1]Orange (manga)en.wikipedia.org
Product launch
The television anime adaptation began airing in Japan in July 2016 and was distributed internationally through licensed platforms.
2016
Orange: Future anime film opens in Japan[1]Orange (manga)en.wikipedia.org
Product launch
The theatrical anime film retold the story partly through Suwa's viewpoint and included an original continuation-related story.
2015
Live-action Orange film released in Japan[1]Orange (manga)en.wikipedia.org
Product launch
A live-action adaptation starring Tao Tsuchiya and Kento Yamazaki premiered in Japan.
2013
Orange serialization moves to Monthly Action[1]Orange (manga)en.wikipedia.org
Other
The manga moved from Bessatsu Margaret to Futabasha's Monthly Action.
2012
Orange manga begins serialization in Bessatsu Margaret[1]Orange (manga)en.wikipedia.org
Product launch
Ichigo Takano's series began publication in Shueisha's Bessatsu Margaret magazine.

Overview

History

Products and positioning

Brand decisions

Recent events

Related entries

Sources41 sources