The second and final new arrival of Weekly Shonen Jump magazine is Ginka & Glüna, a story of friendship, travel and magic between a girl and a snowman
Gluna she is a little girl who has recently lost her parents, and now lives alone in a cabin in the high mountains. Surviving in these conditions, between cold, storms and food shortages, is virtually impossible. However, Glüna comes to the rescue Ginkaa snowman created by the little girl and mysteriously animated thanks to magic.
Glüna has always wanted to become one powerful sorceress, and Ginka, in turn gifted with magical powers, is able to teach it to him. Five years pass, and now Glüna is ready to leave: but Ginka cannot leave the mountains without melting. New revelations about the puppet’s true identity follow, once a powerful wizard who has lost his body.
The young arcanist has no intention of giving up her dream, but neither does her friend. She will do anything to keep Ginka alive while the couple set off for a journey to discover the world.
Ginka & Glüna is the latest of the autumn season news announced by Shueisha for Shonen Jump. Tokyo Demon Bride Story has its roots in the clichés of Japanese culture, while the debut work of Shinpei Watanabe proposes something different.
Impressions on the first chapter of Ginka & Glüna
Although magic is by no means a new theme for a Jump manga, the setting we see in Glüna’s book is a breath of fresh air for the magazine. The hit manga Mashle: Magic and Muscles it is probably the first to come to mind, along with the pillar Black Clover.
However, Ginka & Glüna immediately establishes a unique identity for itself, although little is shown in this first chapter. The manga does not propose itself as a fighting shonen, focusing instead on the themes of friendship and travel.
The tone of the work alternates light-heartedness with dark moments, and, although it is only a couple of plates, we see a monstrous creature, well made to be the work of a rookie.
If only to depart from the most abused themes of recent years in Jump, Ginka & Glüna is a promising work, which is worth continuing to follow. As always, you can read the first chapter for free on MangaPlus.