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''Arata Kangatari'' is a {{shounen}} manga by Creator/YuuWatase about two teenage boys from different worlds, [[OneSteveLimit both named Arata]], who [[InAnotherMansShoes magically trade places]].
The first Arata we meet lives with his grandmother Makari and childhood friend Kotoha in a magical world where [[OurGodsAreDifferent gods inhibit swords named Hayagami]] and let their [[ChosenOne chosen wielders]], named Shou, use their special powers. Arata is the next in line to become the [[EverythingsBetterWithPrincesses princess]], the world's ruler. Too bad [[UnsettlingGenderReveal he was born a man]], so he has to [[WholesomeCrossdresser crossdress]] and hope nobody finds out, in which case he will be executed. However, during the crowning ceremony he is not only exposed, but the current princess Kikuri is assassinated and Arata gets the blame. As he tries to escape into a mystical forest, he is swallowed by trees.
The other Arata, last name Hinohara, lives in modern day Japan with his parents and younger sister Nao. We meet him on his first day of highschool, where he quickly becomes popular after catching a [[TheChikan groper]]. Not long afterwards, a dedicated [[JerkJock bully]] named Kadowaki, who traumatized him in middle school, transfers in and completely ruins his reputation. When Kadowaki gets even his last friend to betray him, Hinohara [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor wishes he would just disappear]], and he somehow gets swallowed by an alley.
The two Aratas then end up where the other left off, and have to solve each other's problems. By the power of the forest, nobody is able to tell the two are different people; in their eyes, they see the Arata that is native to their world.
''Arata Kangatari'' has been licensed by Creator/VizMedia as ''Arata: The Legend''. It was initially serialised on their [[http://www.shonensunday.com/series/arata/index.shtml Shonen Sunday site]] before that quietly stopped updating, but Viz continued to publish the physical volumes. The series concluded in 2016 with 24 volumes.
A TV anime adaptation by Creator/{{Satelight}} and Creator/JMAnimation aired as part of [[{{Spring 2013 Anime}} the Spring 2013 season]].
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''Note: [[OneSteveLimit To stifle confusion for editors and readers alike]], the Arata from Amawakuni is referred to as Arata, while the Japanese Arata is referred to by surname.''
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!!''Arata Kangatari'' provides examples of:
* AbusiveParents[=/=]ParentalAbandonment[=/=]ParentalNeglect:
** Kadowaki’s mother left him, and his father hits him and keeps calling him a quitter.
** [[spoiler: Poor, ''poor'' Nasake... He suffered a whole a lot of abuse from his father, Ameeno, both physically and emotionally. Specially when Ameeno punched Nasake and called him an annoyance and later on, he ''literally took out Nasake's eyes from his eye sockets with his tongue, threw him aside, and ate them'' when he is at his crisis moment in his demon form.]]
* AccidentalPervert: In the first chapter, Arata falls off a cliff and into a hot spring where several women, including Kotoha, were bathing.
** Also, during the HotSpringsEpisode, Hinohara goes to bathe with Mikusa, since he thinks that they're both boys and there's no problem with it. Mikusa is understandably upset. Also, when Hinohara tries to leap out of the way of one of her attacks, she sees his junk, and threatens to kill him in response. Once again, Hinohara has no idea why she's acting this way because he thinks that Mikusa is a guy.
* AdultsAreUseless: The teachers in Hinohara's school do next to nothing about Kadowaki bullying and spreading vicious rumors about him.
* TheAlcatraz: Gatoya.
* ArtInitiatesLife: Nagu can use his Hayagami to bring anything he draws to life. [[spoiler:[[TearJerker Including his]] dead little sister]].
* TheAtoner: [[spoiler:Kannagi and Yataka]] seriously regret the parts they played in Himeou's attempted assassination. [[spoiler:Yataka]] is more obvious about it, and though [[spoiler:Kannagi]] would never openly apologize or ask forgiveness, [[JerkWithaHeartOfGold he never hesitates to take responsibility and]] [[spoiler:confess that ''he'' was the one who attacked the princess, especially if [[TheScapegoat Arata]] is being attacked for his alleged crime]].
* AttractiveBentGender: Kugura finds [[http://www.mangapanda.com/arata-kangatari/77/10 the crossdressing Hinohara]] quite attractive.
** Later on, [[spoiler:Hinohara]] still finds the gender-bent [[spoiler:Kotoha and Mikusa]] very attractive.
* AuthorAppeal: An in-universe example, where Hinohara dresses Kotoha in clothing imagined-to-life with [[InstantCostumeChange Sarae]]. It borders into [[InstantCosplaySurprise cosplay]] fetishism, but played for laughs and oddly enough, a heartwarming moment.
** Creator/YuuWatase. CastFullOfPrettyBoys all wearing fancy outfits, half of them being {{Walking Shirtless Scene}}s. You do the math.
%%* BadDreams
* BadassBoast:
-->'''Oribe:''' Do you think me, [[spoiler: as a Himezoku and the next successor of Himeou]] will be defeated so easily? Next time I see you [[spoiler: I will use the most powerful amatsuriki]] and pierce your entire body! So come and get me you creep!
* BadassNormal: Oribe, who's more than willing to take on [[AxCrazy Harunawa]].
* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: Arata wishes that he would go to a faraway world in the manga's opening chapter. Likewise, Hinohara wishes that he would disappear in ''his'' introductory chapter. The moment that latter makes his wish, both of them are fulfilled by their switch.
* BerserkButton: Do not mock people's bonds before Hinohara... and especially, DO NOT threaten his friends. You won't like [[UnstoppableRage the results]].
** Do. Not. Call Ameeno, your slave. [[spoiler: Ikisu learned this in a ''horrible'' way.]]
* BigBrotherInstinct:
** [[spoiler: Eto to Kugura.]]
** [[spoiler: Akachi to Emisu, who wasn't aware of their blood relation.]]
* {{Bifauxnen}}: Mikusa has a very boyish appearance when she's first introduced to the audience as a guy. When she's revealed to be a woman a few chapter's later, she's give a small ''touch'' of femninity, but doesn't lose her boyish appearance completely.
* {{Bishounen}}: Even if it's aimed at boys, it wouldn't be a Watase manga without a few of these. In particular, Yorunami's bishiness gets lampshaded by Hinohara.
* BodyguardCrush: While more of personal medics than bodyguards, all the significant Unemezoku in the story (Kotoha and Rami) seem to be devoted to their masters (Arata and Mikusa respectively) more than the call of duty requires.
* [[spoiler:BornInTheWrongCentury]]: Oribe told Arata that she always felt like she was out of place her whole life. [[spoiler:It turns out she is from Amawakuni and is born in the Hime Clan. Also, Mikusa is originally from Japan, therefore her and Oribe swapped places when they were babies.]]
* BrainwashedAndCrazy: [[spoiler:Kanate. Turns out to be MoreThanMindControl.]]
* BroodingBoyGentleGirl: Miyabi’s Gentle Girl towards Kadowaki’s Brooding Boy.
** Also, [[spoiler:Yataka and Himeou.]]
* [[spoiler:BrotherSisterIncest: According to Kannagi, Emisu was in love with Akachi, as she was unaware that they were half-siblings. Akachi cared for and looked after her as she was the only family he had left, though Kannagi states that he also had feelings for her.]]
* CallBack: In chapter 45. Kadowaki steps into Amawakuni in the exact same way as Hinohara, with the same tilted-angle shot of the capitol.
* ChildhoodFriendRomance: Kotoha has an unrequited love toward Arata.
* TheChosenOne: At first, Arata is made out to be this, but it's actually Hinohara who is destined for greatness in Amawakuni.
* CloseCallHairCut: Arata's ponytail is sliced off by Harunawa's Hayagami when the Harunawa attacks Arata during vacation.
* ClothingSwitch: Later on, Hinohara changes Kannagi and Yataka's costumes with [[InstantCostumeChange Sarae]].
* ColorFailure: Yataka after [[spoiler:he's warned by Seo that Kikuri Himeou is closer to death than before.]]
* CostumePorn: The clothes in Amawakuni are all beautifully designed and detailed in the Oriental fashion.
* CowardlyLion: Hinohara.
* CrashIntoHello: Sort of. While Kadowaki was asleep, he sensed someone near him and brashly wakes up. He sees Miyabi standing there, with the flowers she picked for him fall all over the place. She gives him a smile, bids him good morning, and introduces herself.
* CreepyChild: [[spoiler: Mumei.]]
* CuteClumsyGirl: Miyabi.
* DarkSkinnedRedhead: Rami of the Unemezoku has pink hair.
* DeadAllAlong: [[spoiler: Akachi has been dead since long before we see him for the first time, and is only 'alive' because he made a deal with his Hayagami Okoro.]]
* DecoyProtagonist: This series's debut cover page on the magazine it's printed on would have you believe that the Arata from Amawakuni is the main character, but he isn't - it's Hinohara Arata, who's not even on the said cover.
* DespairEventHorizon: [[spoiler:Yataka crosses this after he realizes Kikuri Himeou chose her duty over him.]]
* DirtyCoward: Suguru, the first friend Hinohara makes at his new school, quickly throws Hinohara under the bus when being close to him starts to damage his social reputation. [[spoiler: He later realizes the error of his ways and defends their friendship even when Harunawa threatens his life, so Harunawa retaliates by killing him.]]
* DisabilityImmunity: [[spoiler:Hinohara isn't affected by Isora's spell because the spell uses Amawakuni's writing system, which he doesn't know how to read. At first.]]
* DisguisedInDrag: In the first chapter, Arata must disguise as woman to pose as a female of his clan. [[spoiler:Kannagi and Hinohara must also dress in drag to get into Kugura's harem.]]
* TheDitz: Miyabi lacks even a shred of common sense.
* DontYouDarePityMe: Kadowaki to Hinohara in their backstory. [[DespairEventHorizon And it drove him over the edge.]]
* DroppedABridgeOnHim: [[spoiler:Okima and Aoi, Yataka's Zokushou.]]
* DudeLooksLikeALady: [[spoiler:Ikisu.]]
* DutchAngle: Hinohara and Kadowaki's first view of Amawakuni's capital when they first enter the world.
* ElementalPowers: Some of the Shou have Hayagami based on the elements.
** Five of the Shinshou have powers of the five classic Japanese elements. [[spoiler: These are the ones that end up allied with Hinohara through submission or as a member of his traveling group.]]
*** PlayingWithFire: Kannagi
*** MakingASplash: Yorunami
*** BlowYouAway: Kugura
*** DishingOutDirt: Akachi
*** PowerOfTheVoid: Yataka
** Some Zokushou have displayed other elemental powers as well.
*** ShockAndAwe: Kunhira
* EmotionBomb: [[spoiler:Ikisu's main weapon, though it works through scents rather than feelings.]]
* EmpathicWeapon: The Hayagami, which contain gods.
* EmpoweredBadassNormal: [[spoiler:It turns out Oribe was the member of the Himezoku destined to succeed Himeou, who'd been sent to earth be kept safe from the Shou out to take over the world. So she can nullify his powers.]]
%%* EvilAlbino: Harunawa.
* EvilCannotComprehendGood: The majority of the Six Shou seems to lack any sense of this, but Isora and Harunawa fit into this bull very well.
-->'''Harunawa:''' How strange you are, Arata. Sure, she's a Hime like you, but she's just another life who worth so little... why protect her?
* EvilFormerFriend: Kadowaki to Hinohara. [[spoiler:[[LampshadedTrope Lampshaded]] in Isora's arc, when Hinohara cannot decide whether Kadowaki is a friend or an enemy.]]
* EvolvingWeapon: Hinohara's Hayagami, Tsukuyo - it gets grander-looking as Hinohara makes more Shou submit (symbolizing his progress).
* EyeScream: One character's eye is ripped out with a blade. [[spoiler: It's Kadowaki, who has his eye torn out of its socket with the tip of Akachi's Hayagami. It is almost immediately replaced with Akachi's own eye.]]
* EyepatchOfPower: [[spoiler:Akachi after losing his eye.]]
* FacialMarkings: Many of the Shinshou have these.
* FirstKiss: Hinohara and Kotoha. She thought he was Arata at the time, though.
* {{Foil}}: Yataka to Kannagi. See RedOniBlueOni below for more.
* FountainOfYouth: During the Isora arc, [[spoiler:Kotoha, Yataka and Kannagi are turned into children by Isora's hayagami.]]
* FreakyFridayFlip: Between Hinohara and TeamPet Teko, and later between [[spoiler:Hinohara, Teko and Yataka's zokushou Okima]].
* GenderBender: [[spoiler:Happens to everyone in the FiveManBand. It's Kannagi's fault.]]
* TheGlomp: The first thing that happens to Hinohara in the other world is receiving one of these from Kotoha.
** Miyabi is prone to those.
* HappilyAdopted: Mikusa by the Village Chief of the Himezoku.
* HappilyMarried: Okima and his wife, Maruka. [[spoiler:[[DroppedABridgeOnHim Shame it doesn't last.]]]]
* HatePlague: [[spoiler:Kannagi and Yataka are affected by [[BrainwashedAndCrazy Kanate]]'s in the Ikisu arc.]]
* HealingHands / TheMedic: Kotoha, Rami, and Miyabi are members of the Unemezoku, who can heal others' wounds but not themselves.
* HeelFaceTurn:
** Surprisingly, Kannagi, the one who assassinates the princess and frames Arata, ends up pulling one after he loses his Hayagami.
** The other Shinshou who have submitted to Hinohara [[spoiler: (Kugura, Yorunami)]], as well as their Zokushou, also count.
* HeroWithBadPublicity: The wielder of the Tsukuyo (whether it be this or that Arata) is a wanted criminal due to having been framed for the attempted murder of Kikuri-hime.
** [[spoiler: Later subverted when word spreads that Arata is innocent, which is helped by how he's going around making corrupt shou submit to him, and the news by several loyal followers of Himeou that he is actually her chosen successor--the destined Emperor.]]
* HeWhoMustNotBeSeen: The Hayagami in humanoid form. [[spoiler:The Hayagami of the five out of twelve Shinshou to join under Hinohara's cause (including Akachi) make their appearances in humanoid form in Chapter 145. Tsukuyo appears soon after them, but unlike the others, [[TheUnreveal her entire figure is surrounded by a blinding light that obscures their appearance.]]]]
* {{Hikikomori}}: Hinohara became one for a while as a result of Kadowaki's bullying in middle school.
* HotSpringsEpisode: When this happens, the ''translator'' gets excited by all of the male eye candy that's around, as evidenced by her notes, which start [[http://www.mangapanda.com/arata-kangatari/105/4 here.]]
-->'''Yataka:''' ''(Upon seeing [[spoiler: Kannagi]] standing around naked.)'' Don't stand around like that!
-->'''Translator:''' I think he should do it more often! XD
* {{Hypocrite}}: Isora hates people who would betray their allies due to a ''very'' strong FreudianExcuse, but [[spoiler: betrays Kikitsune and actually sold out his entire family to the Inquisition after being tortured.]]
* IdenticalStranger: Oribe and Kotoha, though they have yet to meet.
* IdiotHero: Arata.
* ILetGwenStacyDie: Kannagi feels guilty for not being able to save his friend/lover Emisu.
* ImpliedLoveInterest:
** Miyabi for Kadowaki.
** Kannagi was in love with Emisu. Though she cared a lot for him and lived together with him, it was never clear if they were formally lovers, had a more-than-friends-less-than-lovers relationship or were just friends. [[spoiler: Plus Kannagi knew that Emisu was in love with Akachi, while it's possible that she moved on and found a SecondLove in him, her feelings remain unknown.]]
* InsaneTrollLogic: When [[spoiler: Kadowaki]] comes across [[spoiler: the two Aratas talking to each other]], he somehow comes to the conclusion that this was ''all Hinohara's plan to mock him''.
** A comedic variant happens when [[spoiler: Kannagi]] asks Hinohara whether he's planning on staying in Amawakuni [[spoiler: and becoming Emperor,]] or going back to Earth [[spoiler: with Mikusa. Kannagi]] comes to the conclusion that if Hinohara chooses the latter, then ''he'' must be emperor, and Hinohara must submit to him.
-->'''Hinohara:''' Huh? How did this conversation end up like this?
* InstantCostumeChange: Sarae, the Hayagami of one of Yorunami's Zokushou, has the power to instantly change its targets clothes to whatever its wielder is imagining.
* InternalReveal: Hinohara reveals how he switched places with Arata to most of the main party in chapter 165.
* IntimateHealing: Two instances in Volume 12. [[spoiler:In the domain of Haniyasu, Hinohara collapses with a bad fever. To try to bring it down, Kotoha strips down to her undergarments and lies on top of him. When Kotoha suddenly faints, Mikusa tries to tend to him by having him sip medicine, but he coughs it up. Mikusa has no choice but to sip the medicine herself and give it to him via mouth-to-mouth.]]
* JerkJock: Kadowaki is an amazingly cruel example. He has a FreudianExcuse, though, as lame and unsympathetic as it is.
* KickTheDog: When Kadowaki is under the impression that Hinohara has amnesia (as he'd switched places and appearances with Arata), he takes full advantage of the situation in order to further torment and humiliate his classmate. This either doesn't work[[note]]For instance, at one point he covers Arata's lunch with mustard, but Arata thinks that it tastes better that way,[[/note]] or Arata sees through his deception. [[note]]Kadowaki tries to give Arata fake math notes so he'll fail a test, but Arata sees through his deception.[[/note]]
* LackOfEmpathy: Kadowaki, oh, god, Kadowaki. Selfish doesn't even begin to describe him. For instance, when he goes to Akachi to ask for help, he can only whine about what ''he'' wants or needs. He doesn't offer Akachi anything, even when Akachi tells him there's no reason for him to aid a potential enemy. It literally doesn't even seem to register that anybody's wants aside from his own are at all relevant. Then we get to his murderous side. After he killed a man in front of his brother, and the brother understandably went into a HeroicBSOD, Kadowaki started raging at the brother because he found said HeroicBSOD annoying. Can you say, "[[{{Jerkass}} asshole]]?"
** It should be noted he's been mellowing out [[spoiler:as of the Isora arc, when he helped Hinohara save child Yataka and Kannagi, and later on during the Ikisu arc, when it's strongly implied he [[IWasJustPassingThrough showed up to save Kanate]] and developed something of a friendship with him.]]
* LaserGuidedKarma: Big time for Ameeno. [[spoiler: He betrayed Ikisu by destroying his country, beat him up a ruthless manner, and tore off Kadowaki's arm.]] Later, [[spoiler: his comrade Shimu betrayed Ameeno by bombing his country in a similar fashion and defeated him vice versa destroying not only both of his arms, but his legs too.]]
* LateArrivalSpoiler: Most of the people who wind up joining the FiveManBand later in the story.
* LoveTriangle
** The two Aratas and Kotoha make an early triangle, but the Arata Kotoha originally knew eventually fades away in this setup, though Hinohara isn't really aware of that.
** Hinohara, Kotoha, and Mikusa make up a later triangle, though Mikusa is a definite third wheel in this scenario and knows it.
* MadeASlave: Children of criminals are forced to take on their parents' punishment and subsequently they become slaves. [[spoiler: Such as Akachi and his little sister Emisu.]]
* MasculineGirlFeminineBoy: Mikusa and Nasake, LampshadedTrope.
* MeaningfulName: Hinohara practically spells this out when he first introduces himself to Suguru. His name, Arata, uses the kanji for "revolution." [[spoiler: Guess what he's destined to do with his Hayagami later on into the story.]]
* TheMindIsAPlaythingOfTheBody: [[spoiler:When turned into children, Kannagi, Yataka and Kotoha start behaving accordingly.]]
* MrFanservice: The translator lampshades Kannagi's role as this [[http://www.mangapanda.com/arata-kangatari/106/11 here.]]
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Hinohara, [[spoiler:after he ends up hurting [[ImpliedLoveInterest Kotoha]] in his demonized form.]]
* MysteriousBacker: Seo.
* NeatFreak: Yataka.
* NeverMyFault: Kadowaki. When he [[spoiler: absorbs Kikutsune,]] he tells him to be angry at Hinohara instead, saying that it's indirectly Hinohara's fault.
* NiceGuy: Hinohara.
* NotGrowingUpSucks: Kugura, upon accepting his Hayagami. He's permanently stuck in a childlike form, though he can use his Hayagami to transform into a more adult form for a short period of time.
* NotSoAboveItAll: Both Kannagi, Yataka and Mikusa have their moments.
* ObfuscatingStupidity: Seo. [[MysteriousBacker Probably.]]
* ObliviousToLove: Augh...Arata, people are expected to at least have the comprehension ability to read between the lines when [[spoiler:someone asks them "what do you think of me" directly]], you blasted ''idiot''.
** He keeps on the trend when dealing with [[spoiler:Imina.]]
* OlderThanTheyLook: Princess Kikuri looks surprisingly youthful for a 60+ year-old woman. Justified, as her powers suppress the form of her true age.
* OneGenderRace: Played with through the [[spoiler: Hayagami.]] They appear as women, but they can apparently take on male form if they want to.
* OneSteveLimit: Averted...unless you want to get technical. Amawakuni Arata's name is written in katakana. The name of the Japanese Arata is written with kanji. This typically serves as an indicator of characters who know the secret revolving around the two of them.
* OneWingedAngel: As the Hayagami of the Six Sinshou have become demons, they have the power to transform into monsters.
* TheOnlyOneAllowedToDefeatYou: Only Kadowaki can defeat Hinohara. [[spoiler:Kikutsune and Isora learn this the hard way.]]
* OrdinaryHighschoolStudent: Hinohara and Kadowaki, at first.
* PatientChildhoodLoveInterest: Kotoha towards Amawakuni Arata.
* PluckyComicRelief: Miyabi brings lightness to Kadowaki's storyline.
* PoorCommunicationKills: Oh so, so, much. The majority of Hinohara and Kadowaki's conflict can be sum up with this.
* PowerCopying: If you can get another Shou to submit to you, you can use their Hayagami's abilities.
* PowerNullifier: Before Hinohara defeats any Shou, Tsukuyo's main ability is this. [[spoiler: This is because she is the mother of all Hayagami.]]
* PrincessesRule: The ruler of the world is merely called the "princess".
* PunchAWall: Hinohara inadvertently does a subversion of this in Chapter 102. His initial intention was to punch Arata for [[spoiler:unwittingly causing Kotoha emotional problems by family-zoning her without realizing the consequences for doing so.]] Hinohara apparently forgot that Arata was just an image projected onto a rock wall or underestimated how hard it was, resulting in a comically injured fist.
* RaisedAsTheOppositeGender: Mikusa.
* [[spoiler:RecursiveCrossdressing: Mikusa, when the group has to disguise themselves as females to get into Kugura's harem.]]
* RedemptionEqualsDeath: [[spoiler: Suguru]] redeems himself for [[spoiler: having betrayed his best friend Hinohara way back when Hinohara was on earth]] by insisting that they are friends despite Harunawa's threats. [[spoiler: So Harunawa kills him.]]
* RedOniBlueOni: Yataka and Kannagi. Yataka is gentlemanly, loyal, calm, and calculating. Kannagi is somewhat HotBlooded, sarcastic, loud, and prideful. It's even visually lampshaded [[http://www.mangahere.com/manga/arata_kangatari/v14/c165/3.html here.]]
* {{Retirony}}: [[spoiler:[[MauveShirt Okima]]]] had just decided to leave [[spoiler:Yataka's]] side and age with his wife. [[spoiler:He is unceremoniously killed by Kikitsune along with his comrade Aoi.]]
* [[spoiler:SaveBothWorlds]]: It turns out that the Six Sinshou's motivations were [[spoiler: to come back to earth, as five of them actually came from there.]] Howevver, Himeou [[spoiler: serves as a seal that prevents Hayagami from traveling between the worlds.]] The Sinshou want [[spoiler: to take their Hayagami with them so that they can destroy earth.]]
* SchoolUniformsAreTheNewBlack:
** Hinohara plays this straight most of the time, not bothering to wear something more practical for traveling clothes. Occasionally, he may wear cloak or a raincoat out of necessity, but he still wears his school clothes underneath.
** Kadowaki continues to wear his school uniform as well. He outright refuses to wear the garments provided by Harunawa's servants, calling it "cosplay." However, he eventually subverts this trope after [[spoiler: thinking back to his life on Earth and concluding that he no longer has a place at his home or at school. He demands that all his things, including his clothes, be disposed of as he severs his attachment to his previous life. His next appearances see him in a new outfit.]]
* TheSociopath: Kadowaki. He cares about three things: Making himself feel good about himself, being better than Hinohara (which is really just a sub-point of the first reason) and, at a very, very distant third, his MoralityPet. Everything else can go to hell. He kills people without batting an eye, uses (or tries to use) anybody he doesn't feel like killing, and then he bitches about how he feels unloved and neglected by his father. He's so
* SourOutsideSadInside: Kadowaki.
* SpoilerOpening: [[spoiler:The anime's ending credits sequence makes ''no'' effort to obscure Kadowaki's importance to the plot, showing him and his Hayagami Orochi within the first 30 seconds.]]
* TheStoic: Shimu.
* SuperpoweredEvilSide: [[spoiler:Hinohara's demonized form.]]
* SweetPollyOliver: Mikusa must disguise herself as a male of the Himezoku.
* TakingTheBullet: [[spoiler:Rami takes on a deadly attack to protect Mikusa.]]
* TrappedInAnotherWorld:
** The main premise. Arata of the Himezoku is stuck in Japan, while Hinohara Arata is trapped and caught in the problems the former left behind in Amawakuni.
** Kadowaki also falls victim to this after the Six Shinshou force a switch between him and one of their own.
** It is revealed later on at the onset of Kikutsune's defeat that [[spoiler:five of the Six Shinshou were originally from earth themselves]].
* TroubledButCute: Hinohara.
* UnstoppableRage: [[spoiler:Hinohara at times, especially when Kanate is absorbed into Orochi.]]
* VitriolicBestBuds: Later on, [[spoiler:Kannagi and Yataka, SO MUCH. Every time they show up onscreen together, they're bickering, although they do have some moments of AwwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther.]]
* WalkingTheEarth: What Hinohara and gang needs to do to make the 12 Shinshou submit, as they all live within their assigned fiefdoms in Amawakuni.
* WeUsedToBeFriends:
** [[spoiler:Hinohara and Kadowaki in middle school.]]
** [[spoiler:Kannagi and Akachi, Emisu's death was turning point in their relationship.]]
* WellDoneSonGuy: Yorunami has this toward his mother, in a rare mother-son example.
* WhamLine: Usually in the form of a character saying something that indicates that they can ''see'' the difference between the Amawakuni/Japan switched people.
--> '''[[spoiler:Oribe:]]''' (to Arata) "So, Mr Imposter. What happened to the real Hinohara?
* WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds: Almost all of the Shou and Shinshou.
** Kikutsune is a tyrannical shou who is perfectly fine with stealing the hearing of his subjects and humiliating them using his powers. However, he was originally a very talented musician who lost his hearing in an attack orchestrated by a rival musician. He got his revenge, but wound up being punished for murder as a result. Also, he grew up in [[spoiler: Pompey, and only managed to escape the volcano by getting pulled into the forest]], so a trial consisted of getting stoned and attacked by a lion.
** Kagura was an amnesiac [[spoiler: who could never age and was thus trapped in the body of a child. Before he lost his memories, he was a peasant boy who lost most of his family in an attack by bandits. He fought them off with his new found power, but he couldn't remember his only remaining family member--his brother.]]
** Isora was originally [[spoiler: a kind noble in Spain, but he was betrayed by one of his friends and tortured by the Spanish Inquisition for being a witch.]]
* YouGottaHaveBlueHair: A lot of characters from Amawakuni have rather exotic hair colors, as evidenced from cover art and other colored pages, which are fairly consistent.
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''Arata Kangatari'' is a {{shounen}} manga by Creator/YuuWatase about two teenage boys from different worlds, [[OneSteveLimit both named Arata]], who [[InAnotherMansShoes magically trade places]].
The first Arata we meet lives with his grandmother Makari and childhood friend Kotoha in a magical world where [[OurGodsAreDifferent gods inhibit swords named Hayagami]] and let their [[ChosenOne chosen wielders]], named Shou, use their special powers. Arata is the next in line to become the [[EverythingsBetterWithPrincesses princess]], the world's ruler. Too bad [[UnsettlingGenderReveal he was born a man]], so he has to [[WholesomeCrossdresser crossdress]] and hope nobody finds out, in which case he will be executed. However, during the crowning ceremony he is not only exposed, but the current princess Kikuri is assassinated and Arata gets the blame. As he tries to escape into a mystical forest, he is swallowed by trees.
The other Arata, last name Hinohara, lives in modern day Japan with his parents and younger sister Nao. We meet him on his first day of highschool, where he quickly becomes popular after catching a [[TheChikan groper]]. Not long afterwards, a dedicated [[JerkJock bully]] named Kadowaki, who traumatized him in middle school, transfers in and completely ruins his reputation. When Kadowaki gets even his last friend to betray him, Hinohara [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor wishes he would just disappear]], and he somehow gets swallowed by an alley.
The two Aratas then end up where the other left off, and have to solve each other's problems. By the power of the forest, nobody is able to tell the two are different people; in their eyes, they see the Arata that is native to their world.
''Arata Kangatari'' has been licensed by Creator/VizMedia as ''Arata: The Legend''. It was initially serialised on their [[http://www.shonensunday.com/series/arata/index.shtml Shonen Sunday site]] before that quietly stopped updating, but Viz continued to publish the physical volumes. The series concluded in 2016 with 24 volumes.
A TV anime adaptation by Creator/{{Satelight}} and Creator/JMAnimation aired as part of [[{{Spring 2013 Anime}} the Spring 2013 season]].
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''Note: [[OneSteveLimit To stifle confusion for editors and readers alike]], the Arata from Amawakuni is referred to as Arata, while the Japanese Arata is referred to by surname.''
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!!''Arata Kangatari'' provides examples of:
* AbusiveParents[=/=]ParentalAbandonment[=/=]ParentalNeglect:
** Kadowaki’s mother left him, and his father hits him and keeps calling him a quitter.
** [[spoiler: Poor, ''poor'' Nasake... He suffered a whole a lot of abuse from his father, Ameeno, both physically and emotionally. Specially when Ameeno punched Nasake and called him an annoyance and later on, he ''literally took out Nasake's eyes from his eye sockets with his tongue, threw him aside, and ate them'' when he is at his crisis moment in his demon form.]]
* AccidentalPervert: In the first chapter, Arata falls off a cliff and into a hot spring where several women, including Kotoha, were bathing.
** Also, during the HotSpringsEpisode, Hinohara goes to bathe with Mikusa, since he thinks that they're both boys and there's no problem with it. Mikusa is understandably upset. Also, when Hinohara tries to leap out of the way of one of her attacks, she sees his junk, and threatens to kill him in response. Once again, Hinohara has no idea why she's acting this way because he thinks that Mikusa is a guy.
* AdultsAreUseless: The teachers in Hinohara's school do next to nothing about Kadowaki bullying and spreading vicious rumors about him.
* TheAlcatraz: Gatoya.
* ArtInitiatesLife: Nagu can use his Hayagami to bring anything he draws to life. [[spoiler:[[TearJerker Including his]] dead little sister]].
* TheAtoner: [[spoiler:Kannagi and Yataka]] seriously regret the parts they played in Himeou's attempted assassination. [[spoiler:Yataka]] is more obvious about it, and though [[spoiler:Kannagi]] would never openly apologize or ask forgiveness, [[JerkWithaHeartOfGold he never hesitates to take responsibility and]] [[spoiler:confess that ''he'' was the one who attacked the princess, especially if [[TheScapegoat Arata]] is being attacked for his alleged crime]].
* AttractiveBentGender: Kugura finds [[http://www.mangapanda.com/arata-kangatari/77/10 the crossdressing Hinohara]] quite attractive.
** Later on, [[spoiler:Hinohara]] still finds the gender-bent [[spoiler:Kotoha and Mikusa]] very attractive.
* AuthorAppeal: An in-universe example, where Hinohara dresses Kotoha in clothing imagined-to-life with [[InstantCostumeChange Sarae]]. It borders into [[InstantCosplaySurprise cosplay]] fetishism, but played for laughs and oddly enough, a heartwarming moment.
** Creator/YuuWatase. CastFullOfPrettyBoys all wearing fancy outfits, half of them being {{Walking Shirtless Scene}}s. You do the math.
%%* BadDreams
* BadassBoast:
-->'''Oribe:''' Do you think me, [[spoiler: as a Himezoku and the next successor of Himeou]] will be defeated so easily? Next time I see you [[spoiler: I will use the most powerful amatsuriki]] and pierce your entire body! So come and get me you creep!
* BadassNormal: Oribe, who's more than willing to take on [[AxCrazy Harunawa]].
* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: Arata wishes that he would go to a faraway world in the manga's opening chapter. Likewise, Hinohara wishes that he would disappear in ''his'' introductory chapter. The moment that latter makes his wish, both of them are fulfilled by their switch.
* BerserkButton: Do not mock people's bonds before Hinohara... and especially, DO NOT threaten his friends. You won't like [[UnstoppableRage the results]].
** Do. Not. Call Ameeno, your slave. [[spoiler: Ikisu learned this in a ''horrible'' way.]]
* BigBrotherInstinct:
** [[spoiler: Eto to Kugura.]]
** [[spoiler: Akachi to Emisu, who wasn't aware of their blood relation.]]
* {{Bifauxnen}}: Mikusa has a very boyish appearance when she's first introduced to the audience as a guy. When she's revealed to be a woman a few chapter's later, she's give a small ''touch'' of femninity, but doesn't lose her boyish appearance completely.
* {{Bishounen}}: Even if it's aimed at boys, it wouldn't be a Watase manga without a few of these. In particular, Yorunami's bishiness gets lampshaded by Hinohara.
* BodyguardCrush: While more of personal medics than bodyguards, all the significant Unemezoku in the story (Kotoha and Rami) seem to be devoted to their masters (Arata and Mikusa respectively) more than the call of duty requires.
* [[spoiler:BornInTheWrongCentury]]: Oribe told Arata that she always felt like she was out of place her whole life. [[spoiler:It turns out she is from Amawakuni and is born in the Hime Clan. Also, Mikusa is originally from Japan, therefore her and Oribe swapped places when they were babies.]]
* BrainwashedAndCrazy: [[spoiler:Kanate. Turns out to be MoreThanMindControl.]]
* BroodingBoyGentleGirl: Miyabi’s Gentle Girl towards Kadowaki’s Brooding Boy.
** Also, [[spoiler:Yataka and Himeou.]]
* [[spoiler:BrotherSisterIncest: According to Kannagi, Emisu was in love with Akachi, as she was unaware that they were half-siblings. Akachi cared for and looked after her as she was the only family he had left, though Kannagi states that he also had feelings for her.]]
* CallBack: In chapter 45. Kadowaki steps into Amawakuni in the exact same way as Hinohara, with the same tilted-angle shot of the capitol.
* ChildhoodFriendRomance: Kotoha has an unrequited love toward Arata.
* TheChosenOne: At first, Arata is made out to be this, but it's actually Hinohara who is destined for greatness in Amawakuni.
* CloseCallHairCut: Arata's ponytail is sliced off by Harunawa's Hayagami when the Harunawa attacks Arata during vacation.
* ClothingSwitch: Later on, Hinohara changes Kannagi and Yataka's costumes with [[InstantCostumeChange Sarae]].
* ColorFailure: Yataka after [[spoiler:he's warned by Seo that Kikuri Himeou is closer to death than before.]]
* CostumePorn: The clothes in Amawakuni are all beautifully designed and detailed in the Oriental fashion.
* CowardlyLion: Hinohara.
* CrashIntoHello: Sort of. While Kadowaki was asleep, he sensed someone near him and brashly wakes up. He sees Miyabi standing there, with the flowers she picked for him fall all over the place. She gives him a smile, bids him good morning, and introduces herself.
* CreepyChild: [[spoiler: Mumei.]]
* CuteClumsyGirl: Miyabi.
* DarkSkinnedRedhead: Rami of the Unemezoku has pink hair.
* DeadAllAlong: [[spoiler: Akachi has been dead since long before we see him for the first time, and is only 'alive' because he made a deal with his Hayagami Okoro.]]
* DecoyProtagonist: This series's debut cover page on the magazine it's printed on would have you believe that the Arata from Amawakuni is the main character, but he isn't - it's Hinohara Arata, who's not even on the said cover.
* DespairEventHorizon: [[spoiler:Yataka crosses this after he realizes Kikuri Himeou chose her duty over him.]]
* DirtyCoward: Suguru, the first friend Hinohara makes at his new school, quickly throws Hinohara under the bus when being close to him starts to damage his social reputation. [[spoiler: He later realizes the error of his ways and defends their friendship even when Harunawa threatens his life, so Harunawa retaliates by killing him.]]
* DisabilityImmunity: [[spoiler:Hinohara isn't affected by Isora's spell because the spell uses Amawakuni's writing system, which he doesn't know how to read. At first.]]
* DisguisedInDrag: In the first chapter, Arata must disguise as woman to pose as a female of his clan. [[spoiler:Kannagi and Hinohara must also dress in drag to get into Kugura's harem.]]
* TheDitz: Miyabi lacks even a shred of common sense.
* DontYouDarePityMe: Kadowaki to Hinohara in their backstory. [[DespairEventHorizon And it drove him over the edge.]]
* DroppedABridgeOnHim: [[spoiler:Okima and Aoi, Yataka's Zokushou.]]
* DudeLooksLikeALady: [[spoiler:Ikisu.]]
* DutchAngle: Hinohara and Kadowaki's first view of Amawakuni's capital when they first enter the world.
* ElementalPowers: Some of the Shou have Hayagami based on the elements.
** Five of the Shinshou have powers of the five classic Japanese elements. [[spoiler: These are the ones that end up allied with Hinohara through submission or as a member of his traveling group.]]
*** PlayingWithFire: Kannagi
*** MakingASplash: Yorunami
*** BlowYouAway: Kugura
*** DishingOutDirt: Akachi
*** PowerOfTheVoid: Yataka
** Some Zokushou have displayed other elemental powers as well.
*** ShockAndAwe: Kunhira
* EmotionBomb: [[spoiler:Ikisu's main weapon, though it works through scents rather than feelings.]]
* EmpathicWeapon: The Hayagami, which contain gods.
* EmpoweredBadassNormal: [[spoiler:It turns out Oribe was the member of the Himezoku destined to succeed Himeou, who'd been sent to earth be kept safe from the Shou out to take over the world. So she can nullify his powers.]]
%%* EvilAlbino: Harunawa.
* EvilCannotComprehendGood: The majority of the Six Shou seems to lack any sense of this, but Isora and Harunawa fit into this bull very well.
-->'''Harunawa:''' How strange you are, Arata. Sure, she's a Hime like you, but she's just another life who worth so little... why protect her?
* EvilFormerFriend: Kadowaki to Hinohara. [[spoiler:[[LampshadedTrope Lampshaded]] in Isora's arc, when Hinohara cannot decide whether Kadowaki is a friend or an enemy.]]
* EvolvingWeapon: Hinohara's Hayagami, Tsukuyo - it gets grander-looking as Hinohara makes more Shou submit (symbolizing his progress).
* EyeScream: One character's eye is ripped out with a blade. [[spoiler: It's Kadowaki, who has his eye torn out of its socket with the tip of Akachi's Hayagami. It is almost immediately replaced with Akachi's own eye.]]
* EyepatchOfPower: [[spoiler:Akachi after losing his eye.]]
* FacialMarkings: Many of the Shinshou have these.
* FirstKiss: Hinohara and Kotoha. She thought he was Arata at the time, though.
* {{Foil}}: Yataka to Kannagi. See RedOniBlueOni below for more.
* FountainOfYouth: During the Isora arc, [[spoiler:Kotoha, Yataka and Kannagi are turned into children by Isora's hayagami.]]
* FreakyFridayFlip: Between Hinohara and TeamPet Teko, and later between [[spoiler:Hinohara, Teko and Yataka's zokushou Okima]].
* GenderBender: [[spoiler:Happens to everyone in the FiveManBand. It's Kannagi's fault.]]
* TheGlomp: The first thing that happens to Hinohara in the other world is receiving one of these from Kotoha.
** Miyabi is prone to those.
* HappilyAdopted: Mikusa by the Village Chief of the Himezoku.
* HappilyMarried: Okima and his wife, Maruka. [[spoiler:[[DroppedABridgeOnHim Shame it doesn't last.]]]]
* HatePlague: [[spoiler:Kannagi and Yataka are affected by [[BrainwashedAndCrazy Kanate]]'s in the Ikisu arc.]]
* HealingHands / TheMedic: Kotoha, Rami, and Miyabi are members of the Unemezoku, who can heal others' wounds but not themselves.
* HeelFaceTurn:
** Surprisingly, Kannagi, the one who assassinates the princess and frames Arata, ends up pulling one after he loses his Hayagami.
** The other Shinshou who have submitted to Hinohara [[spoiler: (Kugura, Yorunami)]], as well as their Zokushou, also count.
* HeroWithBadPublicity: The wielder of the Tsukuyo (whether it be this or that Arata) is a wanted criminal due to having been framed for the attempted murder of Kikuri-hime.
** [[spoiler: Later subverted when word spreads that Arata is innocent, which is helped by how he's going around making corrupt shou submit to him, and the news by several loyal followers of Himeou that he is actually her chosen successor--the destined Emperor.]]
* HeWhoMustNotBeSeen: The Hayagami in humanoid form. [[spoiler:The Hayagami of the five out of twelve Shinshou to join under Hinohara's cause (including Akachi) make their appearances in humanoid form in Chapter 145. Tsukuyo appears soon after them, but unlike the others, [[TheUnreveal her entire figure is surrounded by a blinding light that obscures their appearance.]]]]
* {{Hikikomori}}: Hinohara became one for a while as a result of Kadowaki's bullying in middle school.
* HotSpringsEpisode: When this happens, the ''translator'' gets excited by all of the male eye candy that's around, as evidenced by her notes, which start [[http://www.mangapanda.com/arata-kangatari/105/4 here.]]
-->'''Yataka:''' ''(Upon seeing [[spoiler: Kannagi]] standing around naked.)'' Don't stand around like that!
-->'''Translator:''' I think he should do it more often! XD
* {{Hypocrite}}: Isora hates people who would betray their allies due to a ''very'' strong FreudianExcuse, but [[spoiler: betrays Kikitsune and actually sold out his entire family to the Inquisition after being tortured.]]
* IdenticalStranger: Oribe and Kotoha, though they have yet to meet.
* IdiotHero: Arata.
* ILetGwenStacyDie: Kannagi feels guilty for not being able to save his friend/lover Emisu.
* ImpliedLoveInterest:
** Miyabi for Kadowaki.
** Kannagi was in love with Emisu. Though she cared a lot for him and lived together with him, it was never clear if they were formally lovers, had a more-than-friends-less-than-lovers relationship or were just friends. [[spoiler: Plus Kannagi knew that Emisu was in love with Akachi, while it's possible that she moved on and found a SecondLove in him, her feelings remain unknown.]]
* InsaneTrollLogic: When [[spoiler: Kadowaki]] comes across [[spoiler: the two Aratas talking to each other]], he somehow comes to the conclusion that this was ''all Hinohara's plan to mock him''.
** A comedic variant happens when [[spoiler: Kannagi]] asks Hinohara whether he's planning on staying in Amawakuni [[spoiler: and becoming Emperor,]] or going back to Earth [[spoiler: with Mikusa. Kannagi]] comes to the conclusion that if Hinohara chooses the latter, then ''he'' must be emperor, and Hinohara must submit to him.
-->'''Hinohara:''' Huh? How did this conversation end up like this?
* InstantCostumeChange: Sarae, the Hayagami of one of Yorunami's Zokushou, has the power to instantly change its targets clothes to whatever its wielder is imagining.
* InternalReveal: Hinohara reveals how he switched places with Arata to most of the main party in chapter 165.
* IntimateHealing: Two instances in Volume 12. [[spoiler:In the domain of Haniyasu, Hinohara collapses with a bad fever. To try to bring it down, Kotoha strips down to her undergarments and lies on top of him. When Kotoha suddenly faints, Mikusa tries to tend to him by having him sip medicine, but he coughs it up. Mikusa has no choice but to sip the medicine herself and give it to him via mouth-to-mouth.]]
* JerkJock: Kadowaki is an amazingly cruel example. He has a FreudianExcuse, though, as lame and unsympathetic as it is.
* KickTheDog: When Kadowaki is under the impression that Hinohara has amnesia (as he'd switched places and appearances with Arata), he takes full advantage of the situation in order to further torment and humiliate his classmate. This either doesn't work[[note]]For instance, at one point he covers Arata's lunch with mustard, but Arata thinks that it tastes better that way,[[/note]] or Arata sees through his deception. [[note]]Kadowaki tries to give Arata fake math notes so he'll fail a test, but Arata sees through his deception.[[/note]]
* LackOfEmpathy: Kadowaki, oh, god, Kadowaki. Selfish doesn't even begin to describe him. For instance, when he goes to Akachi to ask for help, he can only whine about what ''he'' wants or needs. He doesn't offer Akachi anything, even when Akachi tells him there's no reason for him to aid a potential enemy. It literally doesn't even seem to register that anybody's wants aside from his own are at all relevant. Then we get to his murderous side. After he killed a man in front of his brother, and the brother understandably went into a HeroicBSOD, Kadowaki started raging at the brother because he found said HeroicBSOD annoying. Can you say, "[[{{Jerkass}} asshole]]?"
** It should be noted he's been mellowing out [[spoiler:as of the Isora arc, when he helped Hinohara save child Yataka and Kannagi, and later on during the Ikisu arc, when it's strongly implied he [[IWasJustPassingThrough showed up to save Kanate]] and developed something of a friendship with him.]]
* LaserGuidedKarma: Big time for Ameeno. [[spoiler: He betrayed Ikisu by destroying his country, beat him up a ruthless manner, and tore off Kadowaki's arm.]] Later, [[spoiler: his comrade Shimu betrayed Ameeno by bombing his country in a similar fashion and defeated him vice versa destroying not only both of his arms, but his legs too.]]
* LateArrivalSpoiler: Most of the people who wind up joining the FiveManBand later in the story.
* LoveTriangle
** The two Aratas and Kotoha make an early triangle, but the Arata Kotoha originally knew eventually fades away in this setup, though Hinohara isn't really aware of that.
** Hinohara, Kotoha, and Mikusa make up a later triangle, though Mikusa is a definite third wheel in this scenario and knows it.
* MadeASlave: Children of criminals are forced to take on their parents' punishment and subsequently they become slaves. [[spoiler: Such as Akachi and his little sister Emisu.]]
* MasculineGirlFeminineBoy: Mikusa and Nasake, LampshadedTrope.
* MeaningfulName: Hinohara practically spells this out when he first introduces himself to Suguru. His name, Arata, uses the kanji for "revolution." [[spoiler: Guess what he's destined to do with his Hayagami later on into the story.]]
* TheMindIsAPlaythingOfTheBody: [[spoiler:When turned into children, Kannagi, Yataka and Kotoha start behaving accordingly.]]
* MrFanservice: The translator lampshades Kannagi's role as this [[http://www.mangapanda.com/arata-kangatari/106/11 here.]]
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Hinohara, [[spoiler:after he ends up hurting [[ImpliedLoveInterest Kotoha]] in his demonized form.]]
* MysteriousBacker: Seo.
* NeatFreak: Yataka.
* NeverMyFault: Kadowaki. When he [[spoiler: absorbs Kikutsune,]] he tells him to be angry at Hinohara instead, saying that it's indirectly Hinohara's fault.
* NiceGuy: Hinohara.
* NotGrowingUpSucks: Kugura, upon accepting his Hayagami. He's permanently stuck in a childlike form, though he can use his Hayagami to transform into a more adult form for a short period of time.
* NotSoAboveItAll: Both Kannagi, Yataka and Mikusa have their moments.
* ObfuscatingStupidity: Seo. [[MysteriousBacker Probably.]]
* ObliviousToLove: Augh...Arata, people are expected to at least have the comprehension ability to read between the lines when [[spoiler:someone asks them "what do you think of me" directly]], you blasted ''idiot''.
** He keeps on the trend when dealing with [[spoiler:Imina.]]
* OlderThanTheyLook: Princess Kikuri looks surprisingly youthful for a 60+ year-old woman. Justified, as her powers suppress the form of her true age.
* OneGenderRace: Played with through the [[spoiler: Hayagami.]] They appear as women, but they can apparently take on male form if they want to.
* OneSteveLimit: Averted...unless you want to get technical. Amawakuni Arata's name is written in katakana. The name of the Japanese Arata is written with kanji. This typically serves as an indicator of characters who know the secret revolving around the two of them.
* OneWingedAngel: As the Hayagami of the Six Sinshou have become demons, they have the power to transform into monsters.
* TheOnlyOneAllowedToDefeatYou: Only Kadowaki can defeat Hinohara. [[spoiler:Kikutsune and Isora learn this the hard way.]]
* OrdinaryHighschoolStudent: Hinohara and Kadowaki, at first.
* PatientChildhoodLoveInterest: Kotoha towards Amawakuni Arata.
* PluckyComicRelief: Miyabi brings lightness to Kadowaki's storyline.
* PoorCommunicationKills: Oh so, so, much. The majority of Hinohara and Kadowaki's conflict can be sum up with this.
* PowerCopying: If you can get another Shou to submit to you, you can use their Hayagami's abilities.
* PowerNullifier: Before Hinohara defeats any Shou, Tsukuyo's main ability is this. [[spoiler: This is because she is the mother of all Hayagami.]]
* PrincessesRule: The ruler of the world is merely called the "princess".
* PunchAWall: Hinohara inadvertently does a subversion of this in Chapter 102. His initial intention was to punch Arata for [[spoiler:unwittingly causing Kotoha emotional problems by family-zoning her without realizing the consequences for doing so.]] Hinohara apparently forgot that Arata was just an image projected onto a rock wall or underestimated how hard it was, resulting in a comically injured fist.
* RaisedAsTheOppositeGender: Mikusa.
* [[spoiler:RecursiveCrossdressing: Mikusa, when the group has to disguise themselves as females to get into Kugura's harem.]]
* RedemptionEqualsDeath: [[spoiler: Suguru]] redeems himself for [[spoiler: having betrayed his best friend Hinohara way back when Hinohara was on earth]] by insisting that they are friends despite Harunawa's threats. [[spoiler: So Harunawa kills him.]]
* RedOniBlueOni: Yataka and Kannagi. Yataka is gentlemanly, loyal, calm, and calculating. Kannagi is somewhat HotBlooded, sarcastic, loud, and prideful. It's even visually lampshaded [[http://www.mangahere.com/manga/arata_kangatari/v14/c165/3.html here.]]
* {{Retirony}}: [[spoiler:[[MauveShirt Okima]]]] had just decided to leave [[spoiler:Yataka's]] side and age with his wife. [[spoiler:He is unceremoniously killed by Kikitsune along with his comrade Aoi.]]
* [[spoiler:SaveBothWorlds]]: It turns out that the Six Sinshou's motivations were [[spoiler: to come back to earth, as five of them actually came from there.]] Howevver, Himeou [[spoiler: serves as a seal that prevents Hayagami from traveling between the worlds.]] The Sinshou want [[spoiler: to take their Hayagami with them so that they can destroy earth.]]
* SchoolUniformsAreTheNewBlack:
** Hinohara plays this straight most of the time, not bothering to wear something more practical for traveling clothes. Occasionally, he may wear cloak or a raincoat out of necessity, but he still wears his school clothes underneath.
** Kadowaki continues to wear his school uniform as well. He outright refuses to wear the garments provided by Harunawa's servants, calling it "cosplay." However, he eventually subverts this trope after [[spoiler: thinking back to his life on Earth and concluding that he no longer has a place at his home or at school. He demands that all his things, including his clothes, be disposed of as he severs his attachment to his previous life. His next appearances see him in a new outfit.]]
* TheSociopath: Kadowaki. He cares about three things: Making himself feel good about himself, being better than Hinohara (which is really just a sub-point of the first reason) and, at a very, very distant third, his MoralityPet. Everything else can go to hell. He kills people without batting an eye, uses (or tries to use) anybody he doesn't feel like killing, and then he bitches about how he feels unloved and neglected by his father. He's so
* SourOutsideSadInside: Kadowaki.
* SpoilerOpening: [[spoiler:The anime's ending credits sequence makes ''no'' effort to obscure Kadowaki's importance to the plot, showing him and his Hayagami Orochi within the first 30 seconds.]]
* TheStoic: Shimu.
* SuperpoweredEvilSide: [[spoiler:Hinohara's demonized form.]]
* SweetPollyOliver: Mikusa must disguise herself as a male of the Himezoku.
* TakingTheBullet: [[spoiler:Rami takes on a deadly attack to protect Mikusa.]]
* TrappedInAnotherWorld:
** The main premise. Arata of the Himezoku is stuck in Japan, while Hinohara Arata is trapped and caught in the problems the former left behind in Amawakuni.
** Kadowaki also falls victim to this after the Six Shinshou force a switch between him and one of their own.
** It is revealed later on at the onset of Kikutsune's defeat that [[spoiler:five of the Six Shinshou were originally from earth themselves]].
* TroubledButCute: Hinohara.
* UnstoppableRage: [[spoiler:Hinohara at times, especially when Kanate is absorbed into Orochi.]]
* VitriolicBestBuds: Later on, [[spoiler:Kannagi and Yataka, SO MUCH. Every time they show up onscreen together, they're bickering, although they do have some moments of AwwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther.]]
* WalkingTheEarth: What Hinohara and gang needs to do to make the 12 Shinshou submit, as they all live within their assigned fiefdoms in Amawakuni.
* WeUsedToBeFriends:
** [[spoiler:Hinohara and Kadowaki in middle school.]]
** [[spoiler:Kannagi and Akachi, Emisu's death was turning point in their relationship.]]
* WellDoneSonGuy: Yorunami has this toward his mother, in a rare mother-son example.
* WhamLine: Usually in the form of a character saying something that indicates that they can ''see'' the difference between the Amawakuni/Japan switched people.
--> '''[[spoiler:Oribe:]]''' (to Arata) "So, Mr Imposter. What happened to the real Hinohara?
* WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds: Almost all of the Shou and Shinshou.
** Kikutsune is a tyrannical shou who is perfectly fine with stealing the hearing of his subjects and humiliating them using his powers. However, he was originally a very talented musician who lost his hearing in an attack orchestrated by a rival musician. He got his revenge, but wound up being punished for murder as a result. Also, he grew up in [[spoiler: Pompey, and only managed to escape the volcano by getting pulled into the forest]], so a trial consisted of getting stoned and attacked by a lion.
** Kagura was an amnesiac [[spoiler: who could never age and was thus trapped in the body of a child. Before he lost his memories, he was a peasant boy who lost most of his family in an attack by bandits. He fought them off with his new found power, but he couldn't remember his only remaining family member--his brother.]]
** Isora was originally [[spoiler: a kind noble in Spain, but he was betrayed by one of his friends and tortured by the Spanish Inquisition for being a witch.]]
* YouGottaHaveBlueHair: A lot of characters from Amawakuni have rather exotic hair colors, as evidenced from cover art and other colored pages, which are fairly consistent.
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to:
''Arata Kangatari'' is a {{shounen}} manga by Creator/YuuWatase about two teenage boys from different worlds, [[OneSteveLimit both named Arata]], who [[InAnotherMansShoes magically trade places]].
The first Arata we meet lives with his grandmother Makari and childhood friend Kotoha in a magical world where [[OurGodsAreDifferent gods inhibit swords named Hayagami]] and let their [[ChosenOne chosen wielders]], named Shou, use their special powers. Arata is the next in line to become the [[EverythingsBetterWithPrincesses princess]], the world's ruler. Too bad [[UnsettlingGenderReveal he was born a man]], so he has to [[WholesomeCrossdresser crossdress]] and hope nobody finds out, in which case he will be executed. However, during the crowning ceremony he is not only exposed, but the current princess Kikuri is assassinated and Arata gets the blame. As he tries to escape into a mystical forest, he is swallowed by trees.
The other Arata, last name Hinohara, lives in modern day Japan with his parents and younger sister Nao. We meet him on his first day of highschool, where he quickly becomes popular after catching a [[TheChikan groper]]. Not long afterwards, a dedicated [[JerkJock bully]] named Kadowaki, who traumatized him in middle school, transfers in and completely ruins his reputation. When Kadowaki gets even his last friend to betray him, Hinohara [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor wishes he would just disappear]], and he somehow gets swallowed by an alley.
The two Aratas then end up where the other left off, and have to solve each other's problems. By the power of the forest, nobody is able to tell the two are different people; in their eyes, they see the Arata that is native to their world.
''Arata Kangatari'' has been licensed by Creator/VizMedia as ''Arata: The Legend''. It was initially serialised on their [[http://www.shonensunday.com/series/arata/index.shtml Shonen Sunday site]] before that quietly stopped updating, but Viz continued to publish the physical volumes. The series concluded in 2016 with 24 volumes.
A TV anime adaptation by Creator/{{Satelight}} and Creator/JMAnimation aired as part of [[{{Spring 2013 Anime}} the Spring 2013 season]].
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''Note: [[OneSteveLimit To stifle confusion for editors and readers alike]], the Arata from Amawakuni is referred to as Arata, while the Japanese Arata is referred to by surname.''
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!!''Arata Kangatari'' provides examples of:
* AbusiveParents[=/=]ParentalAbandonment[=/=]ParentalNeglect:
** Kadowaki’s mother left him, and his father hits him and keeps calling him a quitter.
** [[spoiler: Poor, ''poor'' Nasake... He suffered a whole a lot of abuse from his father, Ameeno, both physically and emotionally. Specially when Ameeno punched Nasake and called him an annoyance and later on, he ''literally took out Nasake's eyes from his eye sockets with his tongue, threw him aside, and ate them'' when he is at his crisis moment in his demon form.]]
* AccidentalPervert: In the first chapter, Arata falls off a cliff and into a hot spring where several women, including Kotoha, were bathing.
** Also, during the HotSpringsEpisode, Hinohara goes to bathe with Mikusa, since he thinks that they're both boys and there's no problem with it. Mikusa is understandably upset. Also, when Hinohara tries to leap out of the way of one of her attacks, she sees his junk, and threatens to kill him in response. Once again, Hinohara has no idea why she's acting this way because he thinks that Mikusa is a guy.
* AdultsAreUseless: The teachers in Hinohara's school do next to nothing about Kadowaki bullying and spreading vicious rumors about him.
* TheAlcatraz: Gatoya.
* ArtInitiatesLife: Nagu can use his Hayagami to bring anything he draws to life. [[spoiler:[[TearJerker Including his]] dead little sister]].
* TheAtoner: [[spoiler:Kannagi and Yataka]] seriously regret the parts they played in Himeou's attempted assassination. [[spoiler:Yataka]] is more obvious about it, and though [[spoiler:Kannagi]] would never openly apologize or ask forgiveness, [[JerkWithaHeartOfGold he never hesitates to take responsibility and]] [[spoiler:confess that ''he'' was the one who attacked the princess, especially if [[TheScapegoat Arata]] is being attacked for his alleged crime]].
* AttractiveBentGender: Kugura finds [[http://www.mangapanda.com/arata-kangatari/77/10 the crossdressing Hinohara]] quite attractive.
** Later on, [[spoiler:Hinohara]] still finds the gender-bent [[spoiler:Kotoha and Mikusa]] very attractive.
* AuthorAppeal: An in-universe example, where Hinohara dresses Kotoha in clothing imagined-to-life with [[InstantCostumeChange Sarae]]. It borders into [[InstantCosplaySurprise cosplay]] fetishism, but played for laughs and oddly enough, a heartwarming moment.
** Creator/YuuWatase. CastFullOfPrettyBoys all wearing fancy outfits, half of them being {{Walking Shirtless Scene}}s. You do the math.
%%* BadDreams
* BadassBoast:
-->'''Oribe:''' Do you think me, [[spoiler: as a Himezoku and the next successor of Himeou]] will be defeated so easily? Next time I see you [[spoiler: I will use the most powerful amatsuriki]] and pierce your entire body! So come and get me you creep!
* BadassNormal: Oribe, who's more than willing to take on [[AxCrazy Harunawa]].
* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: Arata wishes that he would go to a faraway world in the manga's opening chapter. Likewise, Hinohara wishes that he would disappear in ''his'' introductory chapter. The moment that latter makes his wish, both of them are fulfilled by their switch.
* BerserkButton: Do not mock people's bonds before Hinohara... and especially, DO NOT threaten his friends. You won't like [[UnstoppableRage the results]].
** Do. Not. Call Ameeno, your slave. [[spoiler: Ikisu learned this in a ''horrible'' way.]]
* BigBrotherInstinct:
** [[spoiler: Eto to Kugura.]]
** [[spoiler: Akachi to Emisu, who wasn't aware of their blood relation.]]
* {{Bifauxnen}}: Mikusa has a very boyish appearance when she's first introduced to the audience as a guy. When she's revealed to be a woman a few chapter's later, she's give a small ''touch'' of femninity, but doesn't lose her boyish appearance completely.
* {{Bishounen}}: Even if it's aimed at boys, it wouldn't be a Watase manga without a few of these. In particular, Yorunami's bishiness gets lampshaded by Hinohara.
* BodyguardCrush: While more of personal medics than bodyguards, all the significant Unemezoku in the story (Kotoha and Rami) seem to be devoted to their masters (Arata and Mikusa respectively) more than the call of duty requires.
* [[spoiler:BornInTheWrongCentury]]: Oribe told Arata that she always felt like she was out of place her whole life. [[spoiler:It turns out she is from Amawakuni and is born in the Hime Clan. Also, Mikusa is originally from Japan, therefore her and Oribe swapped places when they were babies.]]
* BrainwashedAndCrazy: [[spoiler:Kanate. Turns out to be MoreThanMindControl.]]
* BroodingBoyGentleGirl: Miyabi’s Gentle Girl towards Kadowaki’s Brooding Boy.
** Also, [[spoiler:Yataka and Himeou.]]
* [[spoiler:BrotherSisterIncest: According to Kannagi, Emisu was in love with Akachi, as she was unaware that they were half-siblings. Akachi cared for and looked after her as she was the only family he had left, though Kannagi states that he also had feelings for her.]]
* CallBack: In chapter 45. Kadowaki steps into Amawakuni in the exact same way as Hinohara, with the same tilted-angle shot of the capitol.
* ChildhoodFriendRomance: Kotoha has an unrequited love toward Arata.
* TheChosenOne: At first, Arata is made out to be this, but it's actually Hinohara who is destined for greatness in Amawakuni.
* CloseCallHairCut: Arata's ponytail is sliced off by Harunawa's Hayagami when the Harunawa attacks Arata during vacation.
* ClothingSwitch: Later on, Hinohara changes Kannagi and Yataka's costumes with [[InstantCostumeChange Sarae]].
* ColorFailure: Yataka after [[spoiler:he's warned by Seo that Kikuri Himeou is closer to death than before.]]
* CostumePorn: The clothes in Amawakuni are all beautifully designed and detailed in the Oriental fashion.
* CowardlyLion: Hinohara.
* CrashIntoHello: Sort of. While Kadowaki was asleep, he sensed someone near him and brashly wakes up. He sees Miyabi standing there, with the flowers she picked for him fall all over the place. She gives him a smile, bids him good morning, and introduces herself.
* CreepyChild: [[spoiler: Mumei.]]
* CuteClumsyGirl: Miyabi.
* DarkSkinnedRedhead: Rami of the Unemezoku has pink hair.
* DeadAllAlong: [[spoiler: Akachi has been dead since long before we see him for the first time, and is only 'alive' because he made a deal with his Hayagami Okoro.]]
* DecoyProtagonist: This series's debut cover page on the magazine it's printed on would have you believe that the Arata from Amawakuni is the main character, but he isn't - it's Hinohara Arata, who's not even on the said cover.
* DespairEventHorizon: [[spoiler:Yataka crosses this after he realizes Kikuri Himeou chose her duty over him.]]
* DirtyCoward: Suguru, the first friend Hinohara makes at his new school, quickly throws Hinohara under the bus when being close to him starts to damage his social reputation. [[spoiler: He later realizes the error of his ways and defends their friendship even when Harunawa threatens his life, so Harunawa retaliates by killing him.]]
* DisabilityImmunity: [[spoiler:Hinohara isn't affected by Isora's spell because the spell uses Amawakuni's writing system, which he doesn't know how to read. At first.]]
* DisguisedInDrag: In the first chapter, Arata must disguise as woman to pose as a female of his clan. [[spoiler:Kannagi and Hinohara must also dress in drag to get into Kugura's harem.]]
* TheDitz: Miyabi lacks even a shred of common sense.
* DontYouDarePityMe: Kadowaki to Hinohara in their backstory. [[DespairEventHorizon And it drove him over the edge.]]
* DroppedABridgeOnHim: [[spoiler:Okima and Aoi, Yataka's Zokushou.]]
* DudeLooksLikeALady: [[spoiler:Ikisu.]]
* DutchAngle: Hinohara and Kadowaki's first view of Amawakuni's capital when they first enter the world.
* ElementalPowers: Some of the Shou have Hayagami based on the elements.
** Five of the Shinshou have powers of the five classic Japanese elements. [[spoiler: These are the ones that end up allied with Hinohara through submission or as a member of his traveling group.]]
*** PlayingWithFire: Kannagi
*** MakingASplash: Yorunami
*** BlowYouAway: Kugura
*** DishingOutDirt: Akachi
*** PowerOfTheVoid: Yataka
** Some Zokushou have displayed other elemental powers as well.
*** ShockAndAwe: Kunhira
* EmotionBomb: [[spoiler:Ikisu's main weapon, though it works through scents rather than feelings.]]
* EmpathicWeapon: The Hayagami, which contain gods.
* EmpoweredBadassNormal: [[spoiler:It turns out Oribe was the member of the Himezoku destined to succeed Himeou, who'd been sent to earth be kept safe from the Shou out to take over the world. So she can nullify his powers.]]
%%* EvilAlbino: Harunawa.
* EvilCannotComprehendGood: The majority of the Six Shou seems to lack any sense of this, but Isora and Harunawa fit into this bull very well.
-->'''Harunawa:''' How strange you are, Arata. Sure, she's a Hime like you, but she's just another life who worth so little... why protect her?
* EvilFormerFriend: Kadowaki to Hinohara. [[spoiler:[[LampshadedTrope Lampshaded]] in Isora's arc, when Hinohara cannot decide whether Kadowaki is a friend or an enemy.]]
* EvolvingWeapon: Hinohara's Hayagami, Tsukuyo - it gets grander-looking as Hinohara makes more Shou submit (symbolizing his progress).
* EyeScream: One character's eye is ripped out with a blade. [[spoiler: It's Kadowaki, who has his eye torn out of its socket with the tip of Akachi's Hayagami. It is almost immediately replaced with Akachi's own eye.]]
* EyepatchOfPower: [[spoiler:Akachi after losing his eye.]]
* FacialMarkings: Many of the Shinshou have these.
* FirstKiss: Hinohara and Kotoha. She thought he was Arata at the time, though.
* {{Foil}}: Yataka to Kannagi. See RedOniBlueOni below for more.
* FountainOfYouth: During the Isora arc, [[spoiler:Kotoha, Yataka and Kannagi are turned into children by Isora's hayagami.]]
* FreakyFridayFlip: Between Hinohara and TeamPet Teko, and later between [[spoiler:Hinohara, Teko and Yataka's zokushou Okima]].
* GenderBender: [[spoiler:Happens to everyone in the FiveManBand. It's Kannagi's fault.]]
* TheGlomp: The first thing that happens to Hinohara in the other world is receiving one of these from Kotoha.
** Miyabi is prone to those.
* HappilyAdopted: Mikusa by the Village Chief of the Himezoku.
* HappilyMarried: Okima and his wife, Maruka. [[spoiler:[[DroppedABridgeOnHim Shame it doesn't last.]]]]
* HatePlague: [[spoiler:Kannagi and Yataka are affected by [[BrainwashedAndCrazy Kanate]]'s in the Ikisu arc.]]
* HealingHands / TheMedic: Kotoha, Rami, and Miyabi are members of the Unemezoku, who can heal others' wounds but not themselves.
* HeelFaceTurn:
** Surprisingly, Kannagi, the one who assassinates the princess and frames Arata, ends up pulling one after he loses his Hayagami.
** The other Shinshou who have submitted to Hinohara [[spoiler: (Kugura, Yorunami)]], as well as their Zokushou, also count.
* HeroWithBadPublicity: The wielder of the Tsukuyo (whether it be this or that Arata) is a wanted criminal due to having been framed for the attempted murder of Kikuri-hime.
** [[spoiler: Later subverted when word spreads that Arata is innocent, which is helped by how he's going around making corrupt shou submit to him, and the news by several loyal followers of Himeou that he is actually her chosen successor--the destined Emperor.]]
* HeWhoMustNotBeSeen: The Hayagami in humanoid form. [[spoiler:The Hayagami of the five out of twelve Shinshou to join under Hinohara's cause (including Akachi) make their appearances in humanoid form in Chapter 145. Tsukuyo appears soon after them, but unlike the others, [[TheUnreveal her entire figure is surrounded by a blinding light that obscures their appearance.]]]]
* {{Hikikomori}}: Hinohara became one for a while as a result of Kadowaki's bullying in middle school.
* HotSpringsEpisode: When this happens, the ''translator'' gets excited by all of the male eye candy that's around, as evidenced by her notes, which start [[http://www.mangapanda.com/arata-kangatari/105/4 here.]]
-->'''Yataka:''' ''(Upon seeing [[spoiler: Kannagi]] standing around naked.)'' Don't stand around like that!
-->'''Translator:''' I think he should do it more often! XD
* {{Hypocrite}}: Isora hates people who would betray their allies due to a ''very'' strong FreudianExcuse, but [[spoiler: betrays Kikitsune and actually sold out his entire family to the Inquisition after being tortured.]]
* IdenticalStranger: Oribe and Kotoha, though they have yet to meet.
* IdiotHero: Arata.
* ILetGwenStacyDie: Kannagi feels guilty for not being able to save his friend/lover Emisu.
* ImpliedLoveInterest:
** Miyabi for Kadowaki.
** Kannagi was in love with Emisu. Though she cared a lot for him and lived together with him, it was never clear if they were formally lovers, had a more-than-friends-less-than-lovers relationship or were just friends. [[spoiler: Plus Kannagi knew that Emisu was in love with Akachi, while it's possible that she moved on and found a SecondLove in him, her feelings remain unknown.]]
* InsaneTrollLogic: When [[spoiler: Kadowaki]] comes across [[spoiler: the two Aratas talking to each other]], he somehow comes to the conclusion that this was ''all Hinohara's plan to mock him''.
** A comedic variant happens when [[spoiler: Kannagi]] asks Hinohara whether he's planning on staying in Amawakuni [[spoiler: and becoming Emperor,]] or going back to Earth [[spoiler: with Mikusa. Kannagi]] comes to the conclusion that if Hinohara chooses the latter, then ''he'' must be emperor, and Hinohara must submit to him.
-->'''Hinohara:''' Huh? How did this conversation end up like this?
* InstantCostumeChange: Sarae, the Hayagami of one of Yorunami's Zokushou, has the power to instantly change its targets clothes to whatever its wielder is imagining.
* InternalReveal: Hinohara reveals how he switched places with Arata to most of the main party in chapter 165.
* IntimateHealing: Two instances in Volume 12. [[spoiler:In the domain of Haniyasu, Hinohara collapses with a bad fever. To try to bring it down, Kotoha strips down to her undergarments and lies on top of him. When Kotoha suddenly faints, Mikusa tries to tend to him by having him sip medicine, but he coughs it up. Mikusa has no choice but to sip the medicine herself and give it to him via mouth-to-mouth.]]
* JerkJock: Kadowaki is an amazingly cruel example. He has a FreudianExcuse, though, as lame and unsympathetic as it is.
* KickTheDog: When Kadowaki is under the impression that Hinohara has amnesia (as he'd switched places and appearances with Arata), he takes full advantage of the situation in order to further torment and humiliate his classmate. This either doesn't work[[note]]For instance, at one point he covers Arata's lunch with mustard, but Arata thinks that it tastes better that way,[[/note]] or Arata sees through his deception. [[note]]Kadowaki tries to give Arata fake math notes so he'll fail a test, but Arata sees through his deception.[[/note]]
* LackOfEmpathy: Kadowaki, oh, god, Kadowaki. Selfish doesn't even begin to describe him. For instance, when he goes to Akachi to ask for help, he can only whine about what ''he'' wants or needs. He doesn't offer Akachi anything, even when Akachi tells him there's no reason for him to aid a potential enemy. It literally doesn't even seem to register that anybody's wants aside from his own are at all relevant. Then we get to his murderous side. After he killed a man in front of his brother, and the brother understandably went into a HeroicBSOD, Kadowaki started raging at the brother because he found said HeroicBSOD annoying. Can you say, "[[{{Jerkass}} asshole]]?"
** It should be noted he's been mellowing out [[spoiler:as of the Isora arc, when he helped Hinohara save child Yataka and Kannagi, and later on during the Ikisu arc, when it's strongly implied he [[IWasJustPassingThrough showed up to save Kanate]] and developed something of a friendship with him.]]
* LaserGuidedKarma: Big time for Ameeno. [[spoiler: He betrayed Ikisu by destroying his country, beat him up a ruthless manner, and tore off Kadowaki's arm.]] Later, [[spoiler: his comrade Shimu betrayed Ameeno by bombing his country in a similar fashion and defeated him vice versa destroying not only both of his arms, but his legs too.]]
* LateArrivalSpoiler: Most of the people who wind up joining the FiveManBand later in the story.
* LoveTriangle
** The two Aratas and Kotoha make an early triangle, but the Arata Kotoha originally knew eventually fades away in this setup, though Hinohara isn't really aware of that.
** Hinohara, Kotoha, and Mikusa make up a later triangle, though Mikusa is a definite third wheel in this scenario and knows it.
* MadeASlave: Children of criminals are forced to take on their parents' punishment and subsequently they become slaves. [[spoiler: Such as Akachi and his little sister Emisu.]]
* MasculineGirlFeminineBoy: Mikusa and Nasake, LampshadedTrope.
* MeaningfulName: Hinohara practically spells this out when he first introduces himself to Suguru. His name, Arata, uses the kanji for "revolution." [[spoiler: Guess what he's destined to do with his Hayagami later on into the story.]]
* TheMindIsAPlaythingOfTheBody: [[spoiler:When turned into children, Kannagi, Yataka and Kotoha start behaving accordingly.]]
* MrFanservice: The translator lampshades Kannagi's role as this [[http://www.mangapanda.com/arata-kangatari/106/11 here.]]
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Hinohara, [[spoiler:after he ends up hurting [[ImpliedLoveInterest Kotoha]] in his demonized form.]]
* MysteriousBacker: Seo.
* NeatFreak: Yataka.
* NeverMyFault: Kadowaki. When he [[spoiler: absorbs Kikutsune,]] he tells him to be angry at Hinohara instead, saying that it's indirectly Hinohara's fault.
* NiceGuy: Hinohara.
* NotGrowingUpSucks: Kugura, upon accepting his Hayagami. He's permanently stuck in a childlike form, though he can use his Hayagami to transform into a more adult form for a short period of time.
* NotSoAboveItAll: Both Kannagi, Yataka and Mikusa have their moments.
* ObfuscatingStupidity: Seo. [[MysteriousBacker Probably.]]
* ObliviousToLove: Augh...Arata, people are expected to at least have the comprehension ability to read between the lines when [[spoiler:someone asks them "what do you think of me" directly]], you blasted ''idiot''.
** He keeps on the trend when dealing with [[spoiler:Imina.]]
* OlderThanTheyLook: Princess Kikuri looks surprisingly youthful for a 60+ year-old woman. Justified, as her powers suppress the form of her true age.
* OneGenderRace: Played with through the [[spoiler: Hayagami.]] They appear as women, but they can apparently take on male form if they want to.
* OneSteveLimit: Averted...unless you want to get technical. Amawakuni Arata's name is written in katakana. The name of the Japanese Arata is written with kanji. This typically serves as an indicator of characters who know the secret revolving around the two of them.
* OneWingedAngel: As the Hayagami of the Six Sinshou have become demons, they have the power to transform into monsters.
* TheOnlyOneAllowedToDefeatYou: Only Kadowaki can defeat Hinohara. [[spoiler:Kikutsune and Isora learn this the hard way.]]
* OrdinaryHighschoolStudent: Hinohara and Kadowaki, at first.
* PatientChildhoodLoveInterest: Kotoha towards Amawakuni Arata.
* PluckyComicRelief: Miyabi brings lightness to Kadowaki's storyline.
* PoorCommunicationKills: Oh so, so, much. The majority of Hinohara and Kadowaki's conflict can be sum up with this.
* PowerCopying: If you can get another Shou to submit to you, you can use their Hayagami's abilities.
* PowerNullifier: Before Hinohara defeats any Shou, Tsukuyo's main ability is this. [[spoiler: This is because she is the mother of all Hayagami.]]
* PrincessesRule: The ruler of the world is merely called the "princess".
* PunchAWall: Hinohara inadvertently does a subversion of this in Chapter 102. His initial intention was to punch Arata for [[spoiler:unwittingly causing Kotoha emotional problems by family-zoning her without realizing the consequences for doing so.]] Hinohara apparently forgot that Arata was just an image projected onto a rock wall or underestimated how hard it was, resulting in a comically injured fist.
* RaisedAsTheOppositeGender: Mikusa.
* [[spoiler:RecursiveCrossdressing: Mikusa, when the group has to disguise themselves as females to get into Kugura's harem.]]
* RedemptionEqualsDeath: [[spoiler: Suguru]] redeems himself for [[spoiler: having betrayed his best friend Hinohara way back when Hinohara was on earth]] by insisting that they are friends despite Harunawa's threats. [[spoiler: So Harunawa kills him.]]
* RedOniBlueOni: Yataka and Kannagi. Yataka is gentlemanly, loyal, calm, and calculating. Kannagi is somewhat HotBlooded, sarcastic, loud, and prideful. It's even visually lampshaded [[http://www.mangahere.com/manga/arata_kangatari/v14/c165/3.html here.]]
* {{Retirony}}: [[spoiler:[[MauveShirt Okima]]]] had just decided to leave [[spoiler:Yataka's]] side and age with his wife. [[spoiler:He is unceremoniously killed by Kikitsune along with his comrade Aoi.]]
* [[spoiler:SaveBothWorlds]]: It turns out that the Six Sinshou's motivations were [[spoiler: to come back to earth, as five of them actually came from there.]] Howevver, Himeou [[spoiler: serves as a seal that prevents Hayagami from traveling between the worlds.]] The Sinshou want [[spoiler: to take their Hayagami with them so that they can destroy earth.]]
* SchoolUniformsAreTheNewBlack:
** Hinohara plays this straight most of the time, not bothering to wear something more practical for traveling clothes. Occasionally, he may wear cloak or a raincoat out of necessity, but he still wears his school clothes underneath.
** Kadowaki continues to wear his school uniform as well. He outright refuses to wear the garments provided by Harunawa's servants, calling it "cosplay." However, he eventually subverts this trope after [[spoiler: thinking back to his life on Earth and concluding that he no longer has a place at his home or at school. He demands that all his things, including his clothes, be disposed of as he severs his attachment to his previous life. His next appearances see him in a new outfit.]]
* TheSociopath: Kadowaki. He cares about three things: Making himself feel good about himself, being better than Hinohara (which is really just a sub-point of the first reason) and, at a very, very distant third, his MoralityPet. Everything else can go to hell. He kills people without batting an eye, uses (or tries to use) anybody he doesn't feel like killing, and then he bitches about how he feels unloved and neglected by his father. He's so
* SourOutsideSadInside: Kadowaki.
* SpoilerOpening: [[spoiler:The anime's ending credits sequence makes ''no'' effort to obscure Kadowaki's importance to the plot, showing him and his Hayagami Orochi within the first 30 seconds.]]
* TheStoic: Shimu.
* SuperpoweredEvilSide: [[spoiler:Hinohara's demonized form.]]
* SweetPollyOliver: Mikusa must disguise herself as a male of the Himezoku.
* TakingTheBullet: [[spoiler:Rami takes on a deadly attack to protect Mikusa.]]
* TrappedInAnotherWorld:
** The main premise. Arata of the Himezoku is stuck in Japan, while Hinohara Arata is trapped and caught in the problems the former left behind in Amawakuni.
** Kadowaki also falls victim to this after the Six Shinshou force a switch between him and one of their own.
** It is revealed later on at the onset of Kikutsune's defeat that [[spoiler:five of the Six Shinshou were originally from earth themselves]].
* TroubledButCute: Hinohara.
* UnstoppableRage: [[spoiler:Hinohara at times, especially when Kanate is absorbed into Orochi.]]
* VitriolicBestBuds: Later on, [[spoiler:Kannagi and Yataka, SO MUCH. Every time they show up onscreen together, they're bickering, although they do have some moments of AwwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther.]]
* WalkingTheEarth: What Hinohara and gang needs to do to make the 12 Shinshou submit, as they all live within their assigned fiefdoms in Amawakuni.
* WeUsedToBeFriends:
** [[spoiler:Hinohara and Kadowaki in middle school.]]
** [[spoiler:Kannagi and Akachi, Emisu's death was turning point in their relationship.]]
* WellDoneSonGuy: Yorunami has this toward his mother, in a rare mother-son example.
* WhamLine: Usually in the form of a character saying something that indicates that they can ''see'' the difference between the Amawakuni/Japan switched people.
--> '''[[spoiler:Oribe:]]''' (to Arata) "So, Mr Imposter. What happened to the real Hinohara?
* WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds: Almost all of the Shou and Shinshou.
** Kikutsune is a tyrannical shou who is perfectly fine with stealing the hearing of his subjects and humiliating them using his powers. However, he was originally a very talented musician who lost his hearing in an attack orchestrated by a rival musician. He got his revenge, but wound up being punished for murder as a result. Also, he grew up in [[spoiler: Pompey, and only managed to escape the volcano by getting pulled into the forest]], so a trial consisted of getting stoned and attacked by a lion.
** Kagura was an amnesiac [[spoiler: who could never age and was thus trapped in the body of a child. Before he lost his memories, he was a peasant boy who lost most of his family in an attack by bandits. He fought them off with his new found power, but he couldn't remember his only remaining family member--his brother.]]
** Isora was originally [[spoiler: a kind noble in Spain, but he was betrayed by one of his friends and tortured by the Spanish Inquisition for being a witch.]]
* YouGottaHaveBlueHair: A lot of characters from Amawakuni have rather exotic hair colors, as evidenced from cover art and other colored pages, which are fairly consistent.
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''Arata Kangatari'' has been licensed by Creator/VizMedia as ''Arata: The Legend''. It was initially serialised on their [[http://www.shonensunday.com/series/arata/index.shtml Shonen Sunday site]] before that quietly stopped updating, but Viz have continued to publish the physical volumes since. The series is also currently still ongoing in Japan.
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''Arata Kangatari'' has been licensed by Creator/VizMedia as ''Arata: The Legend''. It was initially serialised on their [[http://www.shonensunday.com/series/arata/index.shtml Shonen Sunday site]] before that quietly stopped updating, but Viz have continued to publish the physical volumes since. volumes. The series is also currently still ongoing concluded in Japan.
2016 with 24 volumes.
Added DiffLines:
* PrincessesRule: The ruler of the world is merely called the "princess".
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Changed line(s) 19 (click to see context) from:
* AbusiveParents[=/=]ParentalAbandonment[=/=]ParentalNeglect: Kadowaki’s mother left him, and his father hits him and keeps calling him a quitter.
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* AbusiveParents[=/=]ParentalAbandonment[=/=]ParentalNeglect: AbusiveParents[=/=]ParentalAbandonment[=/=]ParentalNeglect:
** Kadowaki’s mother left him, and his father hits him and keeps calling him a quitter.
** Kadowaki’s mother left him, and his father hits him and keeps calling him a quitter.
Deleted line(s) 25,28 (click to see context) :
* AlwaysSomeoneBetter: Hinohara to Kanate. [[spoiler:That's what leads him to develop a bond of friendship with Kadowaki.]]
* AndIMustScream: Isora lost his voice when [[spoiler: his tongue was pulled out using a searingly hot iron during the Spanish Inquisition.]]
* AnguishedDeclarationOfLove: [[spoiler:From Kotoha to Hinohara, when she is in the form of a child. Later, she just claims that was a joke.]]
** She also does this when she thought [[spoiler: Hinohara]] was going to leave her behind - [[spoiler: He realizes later that she's actually in love with Amawakuni!Arata and due to the magic of the Kando Forest, she thinks that Hinohara is her Arata.]] She continues with the declarations until she finds out the truth.
* AndIMustScream: Isora lost his voice when [[spoiler: his tongue was pulled out using a searingly hot iron during the Spanish Inquisition.]]
* AnguishedDeclarationOfLove: [[spoiler:From Kotoha to Hinohara, when she is in the form of a child. Later, she just claims that was a joke.]]
** She also does this when she thought [[spoiler: Hinohara]] was going to leave her behind - [[spoiler: He realizes later that she's actually in love with Amawakuni!Arata and due to the magic of the Kando Forest, she thinks that Hinohara is her Arata.]] She continues with the declarations until she finds out the truth.
Deleted line(s) 47,48 (click to see context) :
* BitchInSheepsClothing: Kadowaki. The facade doesn't last very long.
* BlatantLies: Kadowaki tries to spread them about Hinohara in the start of the manga. It works surprisingly well.
* BlatantLies: Kadowaki tries to spread them about Hinohara in the start of the manga. It works surprisingly well.
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Changed line(s) 65 (click to see context) from:
* CuteClumsyGirl / {{Dojikko}}: Miyabi.
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* CuteClumsyGirl / {{Dojikko}}: CuteClumsyGirl: Miyabi.
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Changed line(s) 35,39 (click to see context) from:
* BadDreams
* {{Badass}}: All of the twelve Shinshou count, but from what we've seen, Kannagi, Yataka, and Akachi are standout examples.
** [[PlayingWithFire Kannagi]], despite having his hayagami taken from him by Akachi, is still capable of taking down zokushou with his bare hands, and with his Homura, he's incredibly destructive.
** [[PowerOfTheVoid Yataka]] possesses an extremely powerful hayagami that he has clearly mastered, and he can whip of {{Wave Motion Gun}}s like they're nothing.
** [[DishingOutDirt Akachi]] is a monster in hand to hand combat, and thanks to his absolute mastery of his Okoro, nothing can get within fifty feet of him without being cut apart.
* {{Badass}}: All of the twelve Shinshou count, but from what we've seen, Kannagi, Yataka, and Akachi are standout examples.
** [[PlayingWithFire Kannagi]], despite having his hayagami taken from him by Akachi, is still capable of taking down zokushou with his bare hands, and with his Homura, he's incredibly destructive.
** [[PowerOfTheVoid Yataka]] possesses an extremely powerful hayagami that he has clearly mastered, and he can whip of {{Wave Motion Gun}}s like they're nothing.
** [[DishingOutDirt Akachi]] is a monster in hand to hand combat, and thanks to his absolute mastery of his Okoro, nothing can get within fifty feet of him without being cut apart.
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* {{Badass}}: All of the twelve Shinshou count, but from what we've seen, Kannagi, Yataka, and Akachi are standout examples.
** [[PlayingWithFire Kannagi]], despite having his hayagami taken from him by Akachi, is still capable of taking down zokushou with his bare hands, and with his Homura, he's incredibly destructive.
** [[PowerOfTheVoid Yataka]] possesses an extremely powerful hayagami that he has clearly mastered, and he can whip of {{Wave Motion Gun}}s like they're nothing.
** [[DishingOutDirt Akachi]] is a monster in hand to hand combat, and thanks to his absolute mastery of his Okoro, nothing can get within fifty feet of him without being cut apart.
Deleted line(s) 43 (click to see context) :
** [[spoiler:EmpoweredBadassNormal: It turns out she was the member of the Himezoku destined to succeed Himeou, who'd been sent to earth be kept safe from the Shou out to take over the world. So she can nullify his powers.]]
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* EvilAlbino: Harunawa.
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* EmpoweredBadassNormal: [[spoiler:It turns out Oribe was the member of the Himezoku destined to succeed Himeou, who'd been sent to earth be kept safe from the Shou out to take over the world. So she can nullify his powers.]]
%%* EvilAlbino: Harunawa.
%%* EvilAlbino: Harunawa.
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Deleted line(s) 202,203 (click to see context) :
** Another example comes much later, which also is the first indication that [[spoiler:Akachi]] is actually a switched person, too.
--> '''[[spoiler:Akachi:]]''' (to Kadowaki) Hmpf. Why should I follow an immature brat like you?
--> '''[[spoiler:Akachi:]]''' (to Kadowaki) Hmpf. Why should I follow an immature brat like you?
