Gunka no Baltzar

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"Glory is won over the roar of cannon fire." With an introduction like that, I'll be a damn fool not to pick this up!

Gunka no Baltzar is set around an interesting period of time between the trench warfare and emergence of tanks of WW1 but also after the time where the dense formation of the Napoleonic era has been rendered obsolete by the advancement of guns and tactics. It's a pretty interesting set up for a story, and from what I've read so far, they did a pretty damn good job at it.

Now, before I get a little more thorough, I will first split ... the story into three major parts, Academy, War, and Conspiracy, so that I can talk about them without spoiling too much of everything.

1. Academy (9.5/10)

I love it, it introduces both the setting and conflict so well that I can grasp the bigger picture without slowing the pace to a crawl. Our protagonist, Baltzar, is a military officer experienced with the ongoing war and tactics at the time, send to teach at a military academy in a peaceful country stuck with outdated tactics and weaponry from Napoleonic era (from around his grandfather's time, according to Baltzar) as a diplomatic mission. There, he starts to inspect, criticize and improve on what they have, facing many oppositions along the way.

2. War (9/10)

If the academy is where we learn, war is when we truly practice it. I won't spoil too much to ruin the fun, but artillery bombardment and mass cavalry charges are but few things you should expect from this changing age of warfare. Baltzar's status and the theories he has written are also greatly challenged in this part, proving him wrong on some occasion and revolutionizing warfare as a whole in another.

3. Conspiracy (7.3/10)

To be blunt, I just don't find it that interesting, especially compared to the rest. I believe that Gunka no Baltzar's greatest strength is when it's about the actual war and military, not their background conspiracy. It still has its moments, but I just prefer it when these stuffs stay in the background as it has been rather than the main focus. I know war is the extension of politic, I just don't think this manga is that good at it as it does with the actual war.

Overall, if you enjoy stories about war and history, I highly recommend it, even if you're not familiar with the period of time. The characters are colorful enough to ease you into the plot, and the whole setting is explained in a brief and concise manner so that you can get a grasp on what's going on without hurting your head in the process. The theme is light-hearted enough to enjoy after a meal, but not so light that you forgot it's telling a story about war. Perfect for a casual reading.

I give it a 9/10, I have a lot of expectation for this manga and its author and hope the best for both.

You know how Legend of the Galactic Heroes is Napoleonic Wars but in space? Well, Gunka no Balzar is the Franco-Prussian War but in the Franco-Prussian War. And it's not the only parallel. GnB is pretty much the manga version of LoGH. Absolutely sublime.

From a historical and political point of view, Baltzar is incredibly fascinating, because lesser stories would try to shoehorn in modern day ideas and morality, but instead it shows even Great War -era thinking as futuristic dreaming. Actually, it's so authentic, I'm even wondering if the author is a bit of a relic himself, heh. Not that I would mind, that ... would only make him someone after my own heart.

Anyway, how the characters behave like healthy 19th centurymen makes pretty much all of them likable regardless of whether they are technically protagonists or antagonists. In those days, autocracy, wars of conquest, revolutions, executions, corporal punishment, etc. were everyday, accepted things and thankfully, the story totally reflects that without more than a whiff of authorsplaining. The story builds up and you have to jump onboard at your own pace. Not that it moves quickly, you have plenty of time for that. Baltzar is a very slow story. Everything happens at a very relaxed pace, just perfect for a crypto-historical drama.

One thing that I especially adore is how uncharacteristically realistic the portrayal of military life is. You tend to either get a high school or salaryman office with army trappings, or something like Full Metal Jacket. But in reality, the military in a conscription country, especially military schools of different types, is regular life for the people in it. The garrison is your home. Your regiment is your family. Your comrades are your brothers. And the story reflects that in a beautiful way. An old reserve NCO like me gets all nostalgic about it all. If I had to describe GnB with a single word, I would use "cozy". Incredibly cozy. Reading about the students grappling with change and conflict and different backgrounds and worldviews is really just a damn joy. It's amazing how a historical and fictional story, a political drama, has more normal and relatable characters than almost anything that is a modern day personal story, specifically written to be as relatable to a reader as possible. Even though for Baltzar's genre, the people are technically speaking just there for the background, playing the roles of mooks to be expended to make the story go forward, literally everyone is soulful and full of character. In a world of death and war, marching in files and ranks, mechanically reloading muskets and cannons, everyone feels somehow totally irreplaceable. I can't put across just how goddamn full of SOUL this story is.

Little things I don't like is that the drawing is a bit shaky, especially in the beginning. Some parts are really good on the other hand, especially a certain cavalry fight between former students... you'll get there. Then there are some annoying anachronisms. Possibly since Prussia entered the Franco-Prussian war with the fast antiquated Dreyse, and the author had to show Weiβen (fictional Prussia) as a modern power, he chose to replace the musket-like arms with Kar-98k -lookalikes, which never stops looking dumb. He should have used the 1888 commission rifle instead. Or at least a long Mauser. Perhaps one faraway future year, some heroic fan will redraw them and save a million sore butts. Oh, and Bernd Baltzar (I mean, "Bernd", really?) himself is even a bit too good at his job, kind of bordering on being a male Mary Sue. And his hair makes him look like Phoenix Wright.

Anyway, f'ing read it.

A refreshing mix of politics, school life, and warfare, with some fantastic attention to detail, largely realistic universe, and a capable MC.

This manga follows the story of a young, prestigious and able officer, Bernd Balzer, who has quickly risen through the ranks of his country's (Weiben's) military. For his latest task, he is assigned to a neighboring country who has recently formed a pact with his own as a military instructor. This is not only done to aid their ally, but also increase his home country's influence through political means. The MC soon becomes involved in a series of political intrigues and actual conflict as ... well as his normal teaching duties, gradually introducing progressive ideas in a country with many conservative and traditional customs.

The late 19th century pseudo-fictional setting was executed brilliantly by the mangaka, as you'll find out yourself if you read the additional notes ranging from military tactics and specifics of equipment to a description of a traditional kind of bread consumed at the time. These details, which mirror the actual history of late 19th century (largely inspired by Prussia), are incorporated seamlessly in this fictional world. The ranges of rifles of the era, advantages and disadvantages of certain formations and more, are all taken into account in military decisions and teachings, as expected of competent military leaders.

The politics and intrigue are also rather interesting and well-written. As well as dealing with the country's leaders, Balzar also needs to consider the general populace's opinions of Weiben. Not only that, we are often reminded that these two countries are but a small part of the global theatre, and Balzer also needs to consider the international response to Weiben's actions.

Balzer himself is a logical and capable individual, who ultimately acts in Weiben's and his own best interests. As a distinguished member of his home country's military, Balzar has an intelligent mind and a wealth of information, especially regarding the art of war. Although he is usually friendly and enthusiastic, he will quickly become calm and rational in a political and diplomatic setting or during a battle. I found Balzer's intelligence and rationality to be very welcome in the largely realistic and historical setting.

Other main characters all act rationally and according to their believable mindsets, for example the conservative views of a crown prince in a feudal system. However, the capable characters occasionally pull off some physical moves or quick-thinking decisions a bit better than you'd think they could, and a few light-hearted moments in the academy are perhaps a bit too expressive. This will probably only be an annoyance for those looking for the most serious and gritty of manga.

The art feels more detailed but also slightly messier than the popular modern style. Not too different from what you'd be used to, but also not many shortcuts were taken in the areas that detail was required the most, such as the different parts when a rifle was dismantled.

Overall, this manga is a fantastic mix of politics and military, and brings forth a lot of logical theory and ideas reminiscent of Maouyuu Maou Yuusha. It's not overly focused on battles, so if you're looking for some really action-heavy manga, you should probably look elsewhere. However, the few battles that have occurred so far show off Balzer's smart decisions yet remain largely realistic, and the additional historical details and theory add a great flavour on top of both the military and the political aspects of the story.