Gunka no Baltzar

Gunka no Baltzar (軍靴のバルツァー) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Michitsune Nakajima. It began serialization in Shinchosha's seinen manga magazine Monthly Comic Bunch magazine in January 2011. It was later transferred to Kodansha's shōnen manga magazine Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine in August 2022.

Plot
The story takes place in a fictionalized version of 19th century Europe in which one of its countries, Weissen, stands as one of the strongest regional military powers on the continent. Major Bernd Baltzar is a young and ambitious rising star in the Weissen military, until he suddenly receives new orders that he is to be sent to the previously neutral country of Baselland as an advisor and instructor for the nation's military academy.

However, Baltzar finds his work cut out for him when he sees the poor state of Baselland's military, which uses both obsolete tactics and weaponry. In addition to trying to modernize Baselland's military, Baltzar also finds himself getting caught up in Baselland's internal politics between its two feuding crown princes, as well as international intrigue as Weissen competes with its rival Ezreich over influence within Baselland. Baltzar will have to utilize all of his knowledge and cunning to ensure both his own and his students' safety.

Characters

 * Bernd Baltzar
 * Baltzar is a rising star in the Weissen military with a keen mind for military strategy, tactics, and politics. However, despite his skills and accomplishments, Baltzar is inexplicably transferred to Baselland as a military advisor and instructor, where he becomes responsible for a class of young Baselland military cadets.
 * Baltzar is a rising star in the Weissen military with a keen mind for military strategy, tactics, and politics. However, despite his skills and accomplishments, Baltzar is inexplicably transferred to Baselland as a military advisor and instructor, where he becomes responsible for a class of young Baselland military cadets.


 * Rudolph von Liebknecht
 * A mysterious agent who sows chaos and destruction throughout Europe for his own mysterious ends. He also has a past with Baltzar.
 * A mysterious agent who sows chaos and destruction throughout Europe for his own mysterious ends. He also has a past with Baltzar.


 * Reiner August Winklefield
 * One of the crown princes of Baselland, Reiner is a strict and pragmatic ruler who seeks closer ties with Weissen in order to modernize his country.
 * One of the crown princes of Baselland, Reiner is a strict and pragmatic ruler who seeks closer ties with Weissen in order to modernize his country.


 * Helmut Marx von Babbel
 * A young cavalry cadet in the Baselland Military Academy, she is actually a girl posing as a boy in order to attend the school.
 * A young cavalry cadet in the Baselland Military Academy, she is actually a girl posing as a boy in order to attend the school.


 * Dieter Strunz
 * An artillery cadet who is fascinated with modern technology, and is the heir to Baselland's largest railroad company.
 * An artillery cadet who is fascinated with modern technology, and is the heir to Baselland's largest railroad company.


 * Paul Breitner
 * An artillery cadet who, while not the best performing student in his class, possesses a worldly knowledge Baltzar acknowledges is valuable.
 * An artillery cadet who, while not the best performing student in his class, possesses a worldly knowledge Baltzar acknowledges is valuable.


 * Marcel Jansen
 * An infantry cadet who is also a naturally talented marksman.
 * An infantry cadet who is also a naturally talented marksman.


 * Thomas Linke
 * An infantry cadet who often struggles in training, requiring his friend Marcel to look out for him.
 * An infantry cadet who often struggles in training, requiring his friend Marcel to look out for him.

Publication
Written and illustrated by Michitsune Nakajima, Gunka no Baltzar was serialized in Shinchosha's seinen manga magazine Monthly Comic Bunch from January 21, 2011 to August 19, 2021. It later began serialization on Kodansha's shōnen manga magazine Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine on August 9, 2022. The series chapters have been collected into eighteen tankōbon volumes as of June 2024.

A spin-off manga written and illustrated by Kyōichi, titled Gunka no Baltzar: Ginkai no Jurij, was serialized on Shinchosha's Kurage Bunch manga website from April 20, 2021 to May 10, 2022. Its chapters were collected in two volumes.

Reception
The series had 1 million copies in circulation by June 2022.

The series was ranked tenth in the Nationwide Bookstore Employees' Recommended Comics of 2013.