[MANGA] Orange by Takano Ichigo

[13infamyss]

Ahhhhhh T______T Another manga that just sucks me right in. T_____TIt's soo good, you guys. Definitely must read!




Plot:
16 year old Naho receives a letter from her 27 year old self. It tells her the events that will happen in the future and the things she must do to prevent some things from happening. She finds it unthinkable at first and thinks someone is pulling a prank on her until she reads on further. The letter says there will be a newcomer in class named Naruse Kakeru and that he will be assigned to sit right next to him. A moment later their teacher is introducing a new student to them and he ends up sitting next to her! Curious as how this all happens, she reads more and it tells her that she and her friends will invite Kakeru to hang out after school. The letter specifically asks to take that invitation back as that will be the most regrettable action she will have to bear all through her life a decade later. She, however, never has the chance and courage to ask him not to hang out with him, and so things are going to go spiraling down from there on.

The story is mostly about 27 year old Naho asking her 16 year old self to change what she can change in that year to prevent her most regret in the present time. She had a lot of "what ifs" and "if only" and this is what she plans to do. "If only I was more courageous, this wouldn't have happened." "What if I told Kakeru what I really had in mind, would things change between us now?" "If only I told him how I really felt....."
The story, despite the fantasy-like plot, is mostly slice-of-life, high school romance. If you're into Ao Haru Ride or We Were There, then I suggest you check this out too. It has that same heart tugged you get from reading those manga. It's so deep and you just can't help but read more chapters after the first one. I swear it won't be a waste of your time.

Volumes: 5 (Complete) https://www.mangaupdates.com/series.html?id=74907

Anime Episodes: Upcoming

Published by: Seven Seas 

*has a live action film

Now onto my spoilers! Make sure you read all through Chapter 14 first before reading my spoiler, alright?! xDD
OMG.... I seriously don't know who to root for. My heart was at first all for Kakeru, but then after I got to that part where Suwa tells Naho that he got a letter too. OMG!!!! T____T I am so torn. Let's not forget to mention about that part where the 27 year old Suwa tells his 16 year old self that he has to let go of his jealousy and Naho to save Kakeru!!! OMG WHAT A GUY!!! Honestly! Suwa reminds me a whole lot of Takeuchi from We Were There. Both of them are just soo nice and will do anything for the woman they love. Honestly, 27 year old Suwa! How can you tell your 16 year old self to calm his horses down when he knew in the future he would marry the woman he had loved all his life!!!!!! That there was actually a hope in the unrequited love he had. Then again, he did mention that Naho was never the same again since Kakeru left and yknow I swear, Suwa is just down right the best guy here okk. Both the 27 and 16 year old Suwa. I love them both. 
Anyways I don't know. I don't really think I am rooting for Kakeru and Naho. I mean it's nice to have sweet first love, but yknow first loves don't always mean your last love. I think.... I think the 27 year old Naho just wants to live and move on with life with no regrets and what ifs. If there was a way to save that person who is dearly special to her, she'd do it a heartbeat, but not necessarily meant she wanted to be together with him. I think she just wants some closure to that relationship that ended just like that. She never had the chance to say goodbye nor had she said what she really wanted to say to Kakeru. And that was what eating her up for years. Plus, she had a baby with Suwa. I think their relationship 10 years later went deeper than just "marrying out of pity".
I still don't get that parallel/alternate universe idea that was introduced in the story though. Would it change the future or not? 










 

[13infamyss]

Chapter 16 
T____T
The future is definitely changing. 
I think I heard my heart crack at the end of the chapter.

I am seriously torn between Kakeru and Suwa. The part at the end where Suwa sees Kakeru giving her a kiss and he smiled at the end. Gosh, so painful. He's such a man. He can still smile despite seeing that T___T Kakeru is obviously as important as Naho to him. I liked how their message to Kakeru was  done in relay too. 

siiiigh the pain of having to wait another month to read this awesome manga.

[13infamyss]

quite late discussing, but Chapter 17. Another tearjerker.
I think it's official! I am rooting for Suwa, the awesome. Seriously. There's no way you can't fall for this guy. Best second guy ever..... and then Mamura from Hirunaka no Ryuusei next =D). I'm glad that in this chapter we also got to hear what Naho really felt about Suwa. She does love Suwa! awwwww. I was very happy to hear that he wasn't the rebound guy for Naho and that Naho eventually got over her feelings for Kakeru. She has a lot of regrets, yes, but definitely not one of them was marrying Suwa and having family with him  
Suwa is now trying to change the past by not going to the shrine and fess his feelings up for Naho! Auuugh! But yknow I feel like, Suwa's gonna be there anyways. He can't stand knowing Naho will be left all by herself at the shrine once her and Kakeru fights over something. 
Can't wait to read Chapter 18. 

[13infamyss]

Chapter 18 T_____T

 

Every chapter is just way too overwhelming, but I still keep wanting more. T____T

 

Suwa decided not to confess his feeling. Why are you so nice? You break my heart everytime. And the future is definitely changing. It didn't matter that they were in the parallel world. I was bit in tears in the scene where Hagita was talking about how other people's lives were changing too as a result of them saving Kakeru. A photo of Suwa, Naho, and their baby flashed before Suwa's eyes. And I break down just like that. It was on his mind all this time - he knew that not telling Naho his feelings could mean that his marriage and child with Naho might not exist in the future. But he was willing to sacrifice all that (his future child, no less!) for Kakeru. LIKE OMG! Why are you such a beautiful man. Kakeru, if you onlu knew how much they are sacrificing for you. If you only knew....

 

Orange will end at vol 5 this year. So there's only 4-5  chapters left. Wow, I thought there was more to the story. I can't believe the mangaka is ending it so soon. I hope it won't be rushed, as I feel like there's still more to tell in the story. And please I want my Naho-Suwa-babySuwa ending.

[13infamyss]

SUPER GREAT NEWS! I am sooo ecstatic about this and can't wait for next year!

 

 

Seven Seas Licenses Shōjo Time-Travel Romance Manga Orange

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2015-04-30/seven-seas-licenses-shojo-time-travel-romance-manga-orange/.87699

 

 

Ahhh~ finally a physical release of such a beautiful series. I was seriously scared no one was going to pick this up, despite how popular this is, since Crunchyroll licensed this digitally. I'm sooo glad one of the American publishers has taken a leap of faith in Orange!!!!! It will be released in Jan and May of 2016 in omnibus format. Hopefully they will include colourful pages of the volume covers they aren't gonna use as covers. I seriously loved that cover of Suwa, Naho, and their baby:

 

[13infamyss]

Orange has ended!!!!! xDD

 

Very very happy with the ending. Suwa and Naho ended up together and Kakeru is alive. I like how they just became "somebody you used to know". 10 years later, it's obvious that all of them lost contact of one another and the reason they all met up was to celebrate Kakeru's death anniversary. In my 26 years walks of life, I realized you cannot be forever friends with all the people you knew growing up. I had a lot of best friends growing up and we ended up now being strangers. I mean we still keep in touch on fb or whatever, but if you don't share the same circle (ie, you don't go to school with them anymore or work together with them, live close to them) you'll basically feel that distance between you growing over time. So even with Kakeru alive, Naho still chose Suwa and had a kid with him, while Kakeru was just some guy she once knew and loved. Very realistic, I'd say. 

[lee-chan]

Orange has ended!!!!! xDD

 

Very very happy with the ending. Suwa and Naho ended up together and Kakeru is alive. I like how they just became "somebody you used to know". 10 years later, it's obvious that all of them lost contact of one another and the reason they all met up was to celebrate Kakeru's death anniversary. In my 26 years walks of life, I realized you cannot be forever friends with all the people you knew growing up. I had a lot of best friends growing up and we ended up now being strangers. I mean we still keep in touch on fb or whatever, but if you don't share the same circle (ie, you don't go to school with them anymore or work together with them, live close to them) you'll basically feel that distance between you growing over time. So even with Kakeru alive, Naho still chose Suwa and had a kid with him, while Kakeru was just some guy she once knew and loved. Very realistic, I'd say. 

It finally ended! I realize what you have said is right. Although I badly wanted the two main cast together, the author gave it a more realistic approach. 

I also can't wait for the movie next month! Tao Tsuchiya and Kento Yamazaki 

[13infamyss]

On 11/3/2015 at 11:12 PM, lee-chan said:

It finally ended! I realize what you have said is right. Although I badly wanted the two main cast together, the author gave it a more realistic approach. 

I also can't wait for the movie next month! Tao Tsuchiya and Kento Yamazaki 

 

I liked Kakeru and Naho together as well - they reminded me so much of the characters from my favourite manga (Bokura Ga Ita), but the more I wished for them to be together, the more my heart broke for Suwa (he was such a resemblance of Take from Bokura Ga Ita). The only difference between Suwa and Take (and why I was pro-Suwa, not pro-Take) was that Naho had eventually reciprocated Suwa's feelings and I was touched at the fact that they didn't marry to get over Kakeru. Rather because Naho had fallen for Suwa despite her strong feelings for Kakeru. Time healed her eventually. Her regrets stemmed from wishing she could have done more for Kakeru - never about marrying another guy for all the wrong reasons. After learning why she married him, I was full on supporting Naho and Suwa;)

 

It's great to know this series is getting a live-action movie! Can't wait to see that on DVD.

[lee-chan]

On 12/27/2015 at 0:48 PM, 13infamyss said:

 

I liked Kakeru and Naho together as well - they reminded me so much of the characters from my favourite manga (Bokura Ga Ita), but the more I wished for them to be together, the more my heart broke for Suwa (he was such a resemblance of Take from Bokura Ga Ita). The only difference between Suwa and Take (and why I was pro-Suwa, not pro-Take) was that Naho had eventually reciprocated Suwa's feelings and I was touched at the fact that they didn't marry to get over Kakeru. Rather because Naho had fallen for Suwa despite her strong feelings for Kakeru. Time healed her eventually. Her regrets stemmed from wishing she could have done more for Kakeru - never about marrying another guy for all the wrong reasons. After learning why she married him, I was full on supporting Naho and Suwa;)

 

It's great to know this series is getting a live-action movie! Can't wait to see that on DVD.

Well said! 

I believe time does really heal. It's a good manga, something different for once. Made me cry a lot too.

[Saki Yuuki]

Could someone please recap. So overall, was it that even if they tried to change everything, kakeru was bound to die? And not make it to the future? I was extremely confused since they avoided the whole suicide and truck/bike accident and that one scene where he said he was happy to be alive, and how they even made time capsules. What hapen? Am I missing something.

[13infamyss]

10 hours ago, Saki Yuuki said:

Could someone please recap. So overall, was it that even if they tried to change everything, kakeru was bound to die? And not make it to the future? I was extremely confused since they avoided the whole suicide and truck/bike accident and that one scene where he said he was happy to be alive, and how they even made time capsules. What hapen? Am I missing something.

 

They call it parallel world/alternate universe (Marvels/DC Comics have alot of alternate universe versions). In an alternate universe, they were able to save Kakeru and the group was able to fix the "regrets" they have carried for more than ten years. Their regrets were hoping they could have done more for Kakeru and had understood his pain, hesitations, and inner struggles better.

As explained by 27-year-old Hagita on page 18 chapter 22, they can save Kakeru in an alternate universe, but they'll never see him again as that universe will split off. The real world will have to remain the same (you can't ever change your past - in their real world, Kakeru is still not with them. But they don't have regrets anymore since they know somewhere out there, Kakeru lives). The last scene where Naho, Suwa, and the baby walked passed the adult Kakeru proved that he lived, but a beautiful twist happened! Kakeru did live in their world. He just became a stranger to them due to the law of universe, but his presence was still felt by Naho (she looked back and wondered about him as he walked further away)

I hope that makes more sense now? :)) If not, ask away, I`ll try my best to answer it in my own understanding.

++++

I had to read the last chapter again, so I could explain it better and OMG! Kakeru wondered about the parallel world and perhaps there's a kind of world where Naho and Suwa married each other. Suwa became flustered and said no way, but he wish there was one like that. And sweet Naho gave a bright smile and agreed to his wish! OMG. Take her in any parallel worlds and Naho will still like Suwa in the end. 

[Saki Yuuki]

Thank you so much! I understand it completely now, but still extremely upset about how kakeru was now a stranger to them ;-; even if he lived. This manga hit me hard, but yeah, I'm happy with ending. 

 

:'( Even though I really wished Kakeru and Naho at least glanced at each in the last chapter, and I'm going to be honest. I cried in this manga, I don't know why but I cried.

[13infamyss]

On 1/16/2016 at 8:31 PM, Saki Yuuki said:

Thank you so much! I understand it completely now, but still extremely upset about how kakeru was now a stranger to them ;-; even if he lived. This manga hit me hard, but yeah, I'm happy with ending. 

 

:'( Even though I really wished Kakeru and Naho at least glanced at each in the last chapter, and I'm going to be honest. I cried in this manga, I don't know why but I cried.

 

No problem! Glad to be of help! Definitely one of the best manga I've read out there (And I`ve read aloooooooot!)  Some parts of the chapters here made me cry too. Looking forward to another work of this mangaka.

[13infamyss]

Orange is soooo popular!!!!!!! 

Now it's getting its own Anime version. Woo-hoo!

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2016-02-16/ichigo-takano-sci-fi-romance-manga-orange-gets-tv-anime-this-summer/.98755

 

[stayle]

Hello, I have finished the manga ! And wow so much emotions I feel so bad for Kakeru :'( at the end. Thank you 13infamyss for your precision for the ending. I still got a lot of questions I didn't understand ^^ can you help me ?

We saw Kakeru at the end lived (on another parralel as you said), after Kakeru says '' Thank you for saving me'' why Naho walks the opposite side than Kakeru ? After all, Naho says '' I will save you again and again ? What mean this ? Kakeru is already saved on the other world? I thought at the end, Kakeru, Naho and their band will be together  ! But still as you said, its not the real world. So my question is was she with Kakeru in the other world (im confused when I saw Naho run the opposite side from Kakeru way). Moreover, I'm so sad to know Kakeru can't be with Naho in the real world even if they saved him from the past  ! My couple Naho Kakeru  ! But atleast, it's more realist to know we can't change the past and that everything is going as planned ! I wish Naho and Kakeru will be happy forever ^^.

I'm so happy an anime will be come for this masterpiece who makes me cry like a little kid, thank you Takano Ichigo. But also I hope the end of the anime will be different than the manga, why not ? Alternative end with Naho and Kakeru will be great at all  ! I can't wait until July , so excited !

I will buy the 5 volumes next months, when the volume 5 will be release ^^. I can't pass this manga, must be in my bedroom  !

 

[13infamyss]

3 hours ago, stayle said:

1) We saw Kakeru at the end lived (on another parralel as you said), after Kakeru says '' Thank you for saving me'' why Naho walks the opposite side than Kakeru ? After all, Naho says '' I will save you again and again ? What mean this ?

2) So my question is was she with Kakeru in the other world (im confused when I saw Naho run the opposite side from Kakeru way).

 

1) The full quote on Naho's narration is this: "If you ever cry alone again, or even if the day comes when you find just living to be painful, then I promise, I`ll save you again and again."

In my interpretation, this is just Naho's saying, if she were to repeat that moment, or if in the future Kakeru finds himself alone again, she will try her very best to save him again. She will do that in a heartbeat.

2) In my opinion, it's open ended. We are left to imagine what happens in the alternative world where Kakeru lives and has had the chance to grow with them. Perhaps, in the alternative world, Kakeru and Naho are together. Or maybe whether Kakeru lives or not, Naho is meant to marry Suwa. I think the mangaka has left us to decide which path we would take for Naho.

Also what do you mean by "Naho run the opposite side from Kakeru way"? Could you let me know the page number?

Did you mean this scene?

This is the real world scene with 27 year old Naho and Kakeru who randomly walked past each other. The next page, you can see she is with her family. She looked back because she felt his familiarity presence. But again, they've become strangers now.

++++

Hopefully those answered your questions. If you still have more questions, ask away! I`ll gladly try to answer them for you to my best understanding 

I`m soo looking forward to the anime too. It`ll make me cry for sure. I haven't even seen the movie yet. Hopefully it will be out soon?

 

[stayle]

Thank you very much for answering me  ! I understand a lot better know.

So, they have got 2 worlds ? One real world and one alternative parallel world? But in the manga, I thought Kakeru can't be exist in the real world, that why Naho was happier knows Kakeru live somewhere in a other world. Atleast, I'm happy, the mangaka let us to choose the way we can decide for Naho that is good , a alternative end we can decide .

Yeah it's that scene, if Kakeru lives in the real world, why Naho no longer recognize Kakeru when he passes next to her? Why they've become strangers now ? I can't understand this part ^^.

Hopefully for the anime make an alternative end please , for the film live, I think we need to wait a few months, maybe release at May :).

[13infamyss]

2 hours ago, stayle said:

1) So, they have got 2 worlds ? One real world and one alternative parallel world? But in the manga, I thought Kakeru can't be exist in the real world, that why Naho was happier knows Kakeru live somewhere in a other world. .

2) Yeah it's that scene, if Kakeru lives in the real world, why Naho no longer recognize Kakeru when he passes next to her? Why they've become strangers now ? I can't understand this part ^^.

 

1) Not just two. In my opinion, there are a lot of alternate universe that exist. For example: check this out http://marvel.com/news/comics/23216/welcome_to_spider-verse_10_alternate_reality_spider-men In this article, there are at least 10 different parallel worlds of Spider Man. In one of the parallel words, he was a superstar wrestler and actor. Compared to the real world where he is an ordinary freelance photographer. 

2) Naho doesn't recognize him anymore because in their world Kakeru is still dead. They sent those letters back to an alternate universe where they were still in high school, and where Kakeru was still alive and could be saved. 

Have you read Fushigi Yugi? Or watched the anime?

I hope this isn't much of a spoiler, but Tamahome, a character in a book, is the love interest of Miaka. Miaka exists in the real world. After they defeated their enemy and Miaka had done her duty as the priestess in the book, she was sent back to the real world where Tamahome did not exist. She was saddened by their star-crossed lovers' fate, but little did she know Tamahome did exist in her world! In her world, he is named Taka, but Taka doesn't have memories of his life as Tamahome.

So this is my theory, Tamahome is in the alternative universe, and Taka is in the real world. Both have existed all this time, but they didn't know they were the same person until Keisuke, Miaka's brother, ran into him on one fateful day. 

And this is what, I believe, happened in Kakeru in Orange. Both the 16 and 27 year old exist all this time, however, Kakeru, in the real world, won't have recollection of his alternate life. The fact still remains that he now only exists in his love ones' memories, in the real world. Perhaps his name might not even be Kakeru in the real world, like Taka.

In Fushigi Yugi, Miaka recognizes Taka because Tamahome didn't die in the alternate universe. She just thought that they couldn't be together since they were from different worlds. And this is why, I believe, Naho doesn't recognize him anymore, but can only feel his familiar presence. He is still dead no matter what. Did you see her tear up at the last scene? I believe, his presence was that strong to her that it made her tear up. Naho must have felt he had known this guy for such a long time. It felt like he was someone she hadn't seen in a long time, but had finally crossed paths with her once again. She might not know or remember their encounter, but she was glad to run into him again, hence the smile at the end. That's how interpreted the last scene.

Hope that makes more sense?  

[stayle]

Thank you for your answer :). Yeah that makes more sense ^^, I didn't watch Fushigi Yugi but I still understand what do you mean with your answer :).

But it's different in Orange than Fushigi, noramally Kakeru was dead in the real life, but when the young past Naho save him he still exist in the real world she changes the futur, that why the old 27 Naho can't remember Kakeru because she knew he was dead.

Well, a really nice manga at all I will buy the 5 volume in March when the 5 will be release.

Awaiting the Anime and hope they will make an another alternative end.

 

[13infamyss]

1 hour ago, stayle said:

But it's different in Orange than Fushigi, noramally Kakeru was dead in the real life, but when the young past Naho save him he still exist in the real world she changes the futur, that why the old 27 Naho can't remember Kakeru because she knew he was dead.

Well, a really nice manga at all I will buy the 5 volume in March when the 5 will be release.

 

Yes, you got it! Because Naho and her friends successfully saved Kakeru the second time around, the future was changed. Just like Hagita explained, if they changed the future,the parallel world would split up. In the real world, Kakeru is still dead. However because they were able to save him in the past, they hoped somewhere out there Kakeru is breathing and very much alive. (Noteworthy: Their future selves did not know they successfully saved him. They wrote those letters in the hopes that their younger selves could do something for Kakeru.) So there's no way their 27-year-old selves know that the future had changed - rather they hope the future was changed. 

So I see the ending this way: Eventually the alternate and real universe had crossed over. Kakeru is alive and living in the real world because the past has changed. He is living in the real world where he still remains a memory in his love ones. There is "parallel" coincidences going on. He`ll remain a memory in Naho and everyone else, as the law of universe states that you can't bring back the dead alive. But somewhere out there, he's very much alive and living a new life - a life where he is happy and content. 

This parallel world/alternate universe is very mind boggling. It's very sci-fi-ish. Imagine, somewhere out there, there is someone like you living a different life than what you have right now.

+++

In North America, where I live, the first 3 volumes of the manga have been released. It was in omnibus format. The last two volumes will come out in May. So can't wait ;))