Arata: The Legend English Sub & Dub

About Arata: The Legend

If you are hunting for a new adventure series, Arata: The Legend (アラタ カンガタリ ~革神語~) deserves a look (2013). The setup goes like this. At its core: Every 30 years, a new princess is chosen from the Hime family to serve the Hayagami. The time has come again, but over these past years, records state not a single female has been born, save for one, the 15-year-old Arata.

From there, the only problem is, Arata is actually a male! Compelled to disguise himself and take the place of the princess candidate until a formal one can be found, he attends the festival only to witness the current princess, Kokuri-hime, murdered, and his own life is forfeit as well. As he runs for his life, Kannagi of the 12 convinces everyone that Arata is the one who has murdered the princess instead, and now everyone in the Imperial Court is after his head!

As an adventure title, exploration, new locations and a steady sense of momentum drive the story. Voice work is led by Nobuhiko Okamoto as Arata Hinohara and Ayahi Takagaki as Kotoha. Think of it as a pick for anyone who enjoys travel-the-world storytelling. At 12 episodes in total, it is easy to plan a viewing schedule.

Production & Appeal

Production sits with Satelight and JM animation, which means the visual identity of Arata: The Legend follows that studio's craft. Because it leans on adventure, exploration, new locations and a steady sense of momentum drive the story. With a 5.9/10 score, it is more of a niche pick than a universal crowd-pleaser. Voice casting, including Nobuhiko Okamoto as Arata Hinohara, adds to the appeal for fans who follow seiyuu. It aired in 2013, which makes it easy to place in the wider anime calendar.