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[Zevm]

[Disclaimer-not every minority group name I use here is exactly PC or the one preferred by the minority group in present-day Japan and one should do a fair bit of research before approaching the complex issues surrounding minorities in Japan]

This work does bring up the interesting topic of the history of minorities in Japan.
The protagonist who is 'Oina' is supposed to represent the Ainu from the north/Hokkaido
The manga also seems to reference the Ryukyu kingdom population that inhabited Okinawa and a number of the surrounding islands in the 'Shiomi' population though we have yet to encounter any.
These are both supposedly the 'indigenous' populations of Japan, but that is a discussion for another time.
And then there is of course the 'Akitsu' who are supposed to be the majority Yamato population.
It's interesting that the author choose to portray the Oina/Ainu as physically different considering the policies throughout the Tokugawa period to alienate the Ainu population through policies demanding they maintain a 'traditional'/stereotypical physical appearance.
This included (but is certainly not limited to) shaggy beards, folding one's yutaka in the way a dead person does and not being allowed to farm or have any form of agriculture.
This was all part of an attempt to establish a solid 'Japanese' identity with an very clear and definite 'other' with which the Yamato could contrast themselves.
The same occurred with the Ryukyu population however there was an additional motive of maintaining the illusion of an independent kingdom to continue trade and allow for spying on the Chinese empire at the time.
It wasn't until the Meiji Restoration where these policies were completely reversed to attempt to assimilate these populations.
This was all part of an effort to create an illusion of a 'homogenous' Japan that would be united in the face of foreign intrusion [fearing Russia in the north and a number of various powers from both West and East in regards to the south].
This manga seems to more or less be occurring in the Meiji (though of course the years are way in the future) so it's quite interesting to see the dynamic of an Ainu child being given up for adoption to a wealthy Yamato family and then the child working to fit in while still being alienated for his origins.
I really really want to read the rest of this manga to see how the author works with these concepts and values of the period.

Also, some other current minority populations in Japan include: [again, warning-most of these names are not PC]
Zainichi Korean
Burakumin
Africans/Blacks
Caucasians/Whites
Polynesians
Nikeijin/Brazilian-Japanese


BTW-short spoiler below:


The series is already completed in Japan at ten volumes. I REALLY WANT TO READ THE REST DAMMIT

[Shamune]

Interesting