Blue Orchestra
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Blue Orchestra(Japanese: 青のオーケストラ, Hepburn: Ao no Ōkesutora) is a Japanese web manga series written and illustrated by Makoto Akui[ja]. It has been serialized in Shogakukan's Ura Sunday[ja] website and MangaONE[ja] app since April 2017. An anime television series adaptation produced by Nippon Animation aired from April to October 2023. A second season aired from October 2025 to March 2026.
By December 2021, the Blue Orchestra manga had over 3.3 million copies in circulation. In 2023, the manga won the 68th Shogakukan Manga Award for the shōnen category.
Plot
Hajime Aono, a boy who loved to play his violin and one who used to win many prizes in violin competitions, had greatly admired his father a professional violinist. After a bittersweet divorce of his parents, caused by headlines of his father's scandalous affair, Hajime swears to never touch the violin again. In his last year of middle school, Hajime comes across an aspiring violinist Ritsuko Akine, who loves to play in the infirmary. After meeting a few times, and Hajime showing interest in her 'horrible' playing skills, he is set up to teach her by a teacher. This teacher later pushes him to regain his talent by joining the orchestra club at a prestigious high school, which have won national competitions eight years in a row. Once persuaded, Hajime and Ritsuko manage to get accepted to this prestigious school after diligently studying. After his opening ceremony into high school where the orchestra club gave a performance, he has a look around the orchestra club along with Ritsuko where he meets Nao Saeki, a violin genius who has achieved the top score in many competitions and was admitted to the school purely on musical talent. From there on, they compete in their violin skills within the orchestra club.
Characters
Hajime Aono(青野 一, Aono Hajime)
Voiced by: Shōya Chiba
Hajime's violin performances are performed by Ryota Higashi.
Ritsuko Akine(秋音 律子, Akine Ritsuko)
Voiced by: Ai Kakuma
Ritsuko's violin performances are performed by Yurie Yamada.
Nao Saeki(佐伯 直, Saeki Nao)
Voiced by: Shimba Tsuchiya
Nao's violin performances are performed by Takuto Owari.
Haru Kozakura(小桜 ハル, Kozakura Haru)
Voiced by: Minako Satō[ja]
Haru's violin performances are performed by Kyoko Ogawa.
Ichirō Yamada(山田 一郎, Yamada Ichirō)
Voiced by: Makoto Furukawa
Ichirō's cello performances are performed by Harumi Sato.
Shizuka Tachibana(立花 静, Tachibana Shizuka)
Voiced by: Lynn
Shizuka's violin performances are performed by Karen Kido.
Yō Hatori(羽鳥 葉, Hatori Yō)
Voiced by: Shintarō Asanuma
Yō's violin performances are performed by Tomotaka Seki.
Sō Harada(原田 蒼, Harada Sō)
Voiced by: Junya Enoki
Sō's violin performances are performed by María Dueñas.
Ryūjin Aono(青野 龍仁, Aono Ryūjin)
Voiced by: Ryōtarō Okiayu
Ryūjin's violin performances are performed by Hilary Hahn.
Mari Tateishi(立石 真理, Tateishi Mari)
Voiced by: Konomi Kohara
Chika Yonezawa(米沢 千佳, Yonezawa Chika)
Voiced by: Kaori Maeda
Osamu Shibata(柴田 修, Shibata Osamu)
Voiced by: Jun Fukushima
Hajime's mother(青野の母, Aono no Haha)
Voiced by: Chiwa Saitō
Takeda-sensei(武田先生)
Voiced by: Hayato Kaneko[ja]
Hiroaki Ayukawa(鮎川 広明, Ayukawa Hiroaki)
Voiced by: Daisuke Ono
Mizuki Machii(町井 美月, Machii Mizuki)
Voiced by: Chika Anzai
Tsubasa Takahashi(高橋 翼, Takahashi Tsubasa)
Voiced by: Ruriko Aoki
Takami Kimura(木村 隆美, Kimura Takami)
Voiced by: Hisako Kanemoto
Himeko Susono(裾野 姫子, Susono Himeko)
Voiced by: Mai Kanazawa[ja]
Kayo Takimoto(滝本 かよ, Takimoto Kayo)
Voiced by: Mai Fuchigami
Sanae Iida(飯田 早苗, Iida Sanae)
Voiced by: Rumi Okubo
Tsutomu Kikuchi(菊池 努, Kikuchi Tsutomu)
Voiced by: Takahiro Mizushima
Yūsuke Sakuma(佐久間 優介, Sakuma Yūsuke)
Voiced by: Hiroshi Kamiya
Toshiki Tsutsui(筒井 俊樹, Tsutsui Toshiki)
Voiced by: Makoto Kaneko[ja]
Rika Tōgane(東金 梨香, Tōgane Rika)
Voiced by: Iori Saeki
Media
Manga
Written and illustrated by Makoto Akui[ja], Blue Orchestra started in Shogakukan's MangaONE[ja] app on April 25, 2017; it also started in Shogakukan's Ura Sunday[ja] website a week later on May 2. Shogakukan has collected its chapters into individual tankōbon volumes. The first volume was released on July 19, 2017. As of April 10, 2026, 15 volumes have been released.
Elex Media Komputindo has licensed the manga in Indonesia since 2019.
Volumes
| No. | Release date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | July 19, 2017 | 978-4-09-127744-2 |
| 2 | November 10, 2017 | 978-4-09-128019-0 |
| 3 | May 11, 2018 | 978-4-09-128295-8 |
| 4 | September 12, 2018 | 978-4-09-128517-1 |
| 5 | January 18, 2019 | 978-4-09-128757-1 |
| 6 | August 8, 2019 | 978-4-09-129378-7 |
| 7 | May 12, 2020 | 978-4-09-850113-7 |
| 8 | September 11, 2020 | 978-4-09-850239-4 |
| 9 | April 19, 2021 | 978-4-09-850506-7 |
| 10 | April 19, 2022 | 978-4-09-851078-8 |
| 11 | March 31, 2023 | 978-4-09-851759-6 |
| 12 | March 12, 2025 | 978-4-09-854033-4 |
| 13 | October 17, 2025 | 978-4-09-854284-0 |
| 14 | February 19, 2026 | 978-4-09-854428-8 |
| 15 | April 10, 2026 | 978-4-09-854516-2 |
Anime
In April 2022, an anime television series adaptation was announced. It is produced by Nippon Animation and directed by Seiji Kishi, with series composition by Yūko Kakihara[ja], character designs handled by Kazuaki Morita, and violinist performances for the character Hajime Aono by Ryota Higashi. The series aired from April 9 to October 8, 2023, on NHK Educational TV. The opening theme song is "Cantabile", performed by Novelbright, while the ending theme song is "Yūsari no Canon"(夕さりのカノン), performed by Yuika.
Following the final episode of the first season, a second season was announced to be in production. The season aired from October 5, 2025, to March 1, 2026. The opening theme song is "Amadeus"(アマデウス, Amadeusu), performed by Galileo Galilei, while the ending theme song is "Ao no Mahō"(青の魔法), performed by ChoQMay[ja].
Plus Media Networks Asia licensed the series in Southeast Asia for simulcast release on Aniplus Asia.
Episodes
Season 1 (2023)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Storyboarded by | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Hajime Aono" Transliteration: "Aono Hajime" (Japanese: 青野ハジメ) | Jinya Ichimura | Yūko Kakihara | Seiji Kishi, Kunpei Maeda & Takahiro Tanaka | April 9, 2023(2023-04-09) |
| 2 | 2 | "Ritsuko Akine" Transliteration: "Akine Ritsuko" (Japanese: 秋音律子) | Kunpei Maeda | Yūko Kakihara | Kunpei Maeda | April 16, 2023(2023-04-16) |
| 3 | 3 | "Umimaku High Orchestra Club" Transliteration: "Umimaku Kōkō Ōkesutora-bu" (Japanese: 海幕高校オーケストラ部) | Shigeki Awai | Yūko Kakihara | Jun Kamiya | April 23, 2023(2023-04-23) |
| 4 | 4 | "Nao Saeki" Transliteration: "Saeki Nao" (Japanese: 佐伯直) | Masanori Miyata | Yūko Kakihara | Takahiro Tanaka | April 30, 2023(2023-04-30) |
| 5 | 5 | "So Harada" Transliteration: "Harada Sō" (Japanese: 原田蒼) | Jinya Ichimura | Yūko Kakihara | Kunpei Maeda | May 7, 2023(2023-05-07) |
| 6 | 6 | "Rainy Day" Transliteration: "Ame no Hi" (Japanese: 雨の日) | Shigeki Awai | Yūko Kakihara | Jun Kamita | May 14, 2023(2023-05-14) |
| 7 | 7 | "Haru Kozakura" Transliteration: "Kozakura Haru" (Japanese: 小桜ハル) | Hiroto Miyagi | Yūko Kakihara | Jinya Ichimura | May 21, 2023(2023-05-21) |
| 8 | 8 | "Air on the G String" Transliteration: "G-senjō no Aria" (Japanese: G線上のアリア) | Takahiro Tanaka | Yūko Kakihara | Jun Kamiya | May 28, 2023(2023-05-28) |
| 9 | 9 | "Senior" Transliteration: "Senpai" (Japanese: 先輩) | Kaoru Suzumura | Yūko Kakihara | Kunpei Maeda, Jun Kamiya & Jinya Ichimura | June 4, 2023(2023-06-04) |
| 10 | 10 | "Beginners and the Experienced" Transliteration: "Shoshinsha to Keikensha" (Japanese: 初心者と経験者) | Eigetsu | Yūko Kakihara | Takahiro Tanaka | June 11, 2023(2023-06-11) |
| 11 | 11 | "Eve of the Showdown" Transliteration: "Kessen Zenya" (Japanese: 決戦前夜) | Takuro Suzuki | Yuki Ikeda | Jun Kamiya | June 18, 2023(2023-06-18) |
| 12 | 12 | "Audition" Transliteration: "Odishon" (Japanese: オーディション) | Koichiro Kuroda & Mao Yingxing | Mikiko Takahashi | Yasuhiro Irie | June 25, 2023(2023-06-25) |
| 13 | 13 | "My Own Tone" Transliteration: "Jibun no Neiro" (Japanese: 自分の音色) | Jinya Ichimura | Mikiko Takahashi | Jinya Ichimura | July 2, 2023(2023-07-02) |
| 14 | 14 | "Compromise" Transliteration: "Ayumiyoru" (Japanese: 歩み寄る) | Takahiro Tanaka | Yuki Ikeda | Yuji Moriyama | July 9, 2023(2023-07-09) |
| 15 | 15 | "True Feelings" Transliteration: "Honne" (Japanese: 本音) | Kunpei Maeda | Yuki Ikeda | Takahiro Tanaka | July 16, 2023(2023-07-16) |
| 16 | 16 | "Worry" Transliteration: "Shinpai" (Japanese: 心配) | Yoshihiro Mori & Mao Yingxing | Yūko Kakihara | Jun Kamiya | July 23, 2023(2023-07-23) |
| 17 | 17 | "More True Feelings" Transliteration: "Mō Hitotsu no Honne" (Japanese: もう一つの本音) | Teppei Takeya | Yūko Kakihara | Hiroatsu Agata & Masayoshi Nishida | July 30, 2023(2023-07-30) |
| 18 | 18 | "Truth" Transliteration: "Shinjitsu" (Japanese: 真実) | Ryouhei Endou & Mao Yingxing | Yūko Kakihara | Kunpei Maeda | August 27, 2023(2023-08-27) |
| 19 | 19 | "As Yourself" Transliteration: "Kimi to Shite" (Japanese: 君として) | Takuro Suzuki | Yūko Kakihara | Takuro Suzuki | September 3, 2023(2023-09-03) |
| 20 | 20 | "Summer Location" Transliteration: "Natsu no Ibasho" (Japanese: 夏の居場所) | Teppei Takiya | Mikiko Takahashi | Takahiro Tanaka | September 10, 2023(2023-09-10) |
| 21 | 21 | "Humoresque" Transliteration: "Yūmoresuku" (Japanese: ユーモレスク) | Jinya Ichimura & Jun Kamiya | Mikiko Takahashi | Jinya Ichimura & Jun Kamiya | September 17, 2023(2023-09-17) |
| 22 | 22 | "Words to Give" Transliteration: "Okuru Kotoba" (Japanese: 贈る言葉) | Ryouhei Endou | Yuki Ikeda | Tomomi Umezu | September 24, 2023(2023-09-24) |
| 23 | 23 | "The Regular Concert" Transliteration: "Teiki Ensōkai" (Japanese: 定期演奏会) | Kunpei Maeda | Yūko Kakihara | Jun Kamiya & Jinya Ichimura | October 1, 2023(2023-10-01) |
| 24 | 24 | "From the New World" Transliteration: "Shin Sekai Yori" (Japanese: 新世界より) | Kunpei Maeda & Takuro Suzuki | Yūko Kakihara | Kunpei Maeda & Takuro Suzuki | October 8, 2023(2023-10-08) |
Season 2 (2025–2026)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Storyboarded by | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | 1 | "Coming Apart" Transliteration: "Hokorobi" (Japanese: ほころび) | Kunpei Maeda | Kunpei Maeda | October 5, 2025(2025-10-05) |
| 26 | 2 | "Ripples" Transliteration: "Hamon" (Japanese: 波紋) | Ryosuke Niwa | Teppei Takeya | October 12, 2025(2025-10-12) |
| 27 | 3 | "Responsibility" Transliteration: "Kejime" (Japanese: ケジメ) | Sai Ingai | Jun Kamiya | October 19, 2025(2025-10-19) |
| 28 | 4 | "Sports Day" Transliteration: "Taiiku Matsuri" (Japanese: 体育祭) | Sumito Sasaki | Yoshimichi Hirai | October 26, 2025(2025-10-26) |
| 29 | 5 | "Issues" Transliteration: "Kadai" (Japanese: 課題) | Toshihiro Nagao | Takuro Suzuki | November 2, 2025(2025-11-02) |
| 30 | 6 | "Regret and Progress" Transliteration: "Kōkai to Ippo" (Japanese: 後悔と一歩) | Sumito Sasaki | Susumu Nishizawa | November 9, 2025(2025-11-09) |
| 31 | 7 | "Anger" Transliteration: "Ikari" (Japanese: 怒り) | Takuro Suzuki | Takuro Suzuki | November 16, 2025(2025-11-16) |
| 32 | 8 | "Competition" Transliteration: "Konkūru" (Japanese: コンクール) | Miyagi Hiroto | Takuro Suzuki | November 23, 2025(2025-11-23) |
| 33 | 9 | "Bacchanale" Transliteration: "Bakkanāru" (Japanese: バッカナール) | Yoshimichi Hirai | Yoshimichi Hirai | November 30, 2025(2025-11-30) |
| 34 | 10 | "Identity" Transliteration: "Rashisa" (Japanese: らしさ) | Kunpei Maeda | Kunpei Maeda | December 7, 2025(2025-12-07) |
| 35 | 11 | "Present" Transliteration: "Purezento" (Japanese: プレゼント) | Kamadon | Susumu Nishizawa | December 14, 2025(2025-12-14) |
| 36 | 12 | "Choir" Transliteration: "Gasshō" (Japanese: 合唱) | Hisato Shimoda | Romanov Higa | December 21, 2025(2025-12-21) |
| 37 | 13 | "Morning Mist" Transliteration: "Asagiri" (Japanese: 朝霧) | Koji Kanzaki | Jun Kamiya | January 4, 2026(2026-01-04) |
| 38 | 14 | "Christmas Concert" Transliteration: "Kurisumasu Konsāto" (Japanese: クリスマスコンサート) | Yoshihiro Ito | Romanov Higa | January 11, 2026(2026-01-11) |
| 39 | 15 | "New Scenery" Transliteration: "Atarashii Keshiki" (Japanese: 新しい景色) | Sota Kono | Takuro Suzuki | January 18, 2026(2026-01-18) |
| 40 | 16 | "Genroku Iwatora" Transliteration: "Iwatora Genroku" (Japanese: 巌虎玄六) | Daniel Ryusei | Susumu Nishizawa | January 25, 2026(2026-01-25) |
| 41 | 17 | "A Distinguished Father" Transliteration: "Idai na Chichi" (Japanese: 偉大な父) | Koji Kanzaki | Kunpei Maeda | February 1, 2026(2026-02-01) |
| 42 | 18 | "Respective Signs" Transliteration: "Sorezore no Kizashi" (Japanese: それぞれの兆し) | Takuro Suzuki | Takuro Suzuki | February 8, 2026(2026-02-08) |
| 43 | 19 | "True Nature" Transliteration: "Honshō" (Japanese: 本性) | Daniel Ryusei | Jun Kamiya & Romanov Higa | February 15, 2026(2026-02-15) |
| 44 | 20 | "Surpass" Transliteration: "Koeru" (Japanese: 超える) | Masato Miyoshi | Jinya Ichimura & Sophia Halfyard | February 22, 2026(2026-02-22) |
| 45 | 21 | "Graduation" Transliteration: "Sotsugyō" (Japanese: 卒業) | Takuro Suzuki | Takuro Suzuki | March 1, 2026(2026-03-01) |
Other media
A promotional video featuring Star Wars musical theme "The Imperial March", composed by John Williams, and including illustrations from the manga, was uploaded by Deutsche Grammophon's YouTube channel on May 4, 2022, to celebrate Star Wars Day and Williams' 90th birthday.
Reception
By December 2021, the manga had over 3.3 million copies in circulation. In 2023, Blue Orchestra won the 68th Shogakukan Manga Award in the shōnen category, along with Call of the Night.
Notes
External links
- (in Japanese)
- (in Japanese)
- (manga) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia