It means to offer one's mind and body for the sake of Turkiye.
Even when a friend is in danger, one must think at all time "How does this affect Turkiye? How must I act to benefit Turkiye the most?"
Thurgil Mahmut Bey, the Golden Eagle, was a young man who lost his home to wars. Driven by desire to protect and to prevent such thing from happening again, he strove and become the youngest Pasha in history.
Now, the Baltein Empire, led by Minister Louis, and the Greater Turkiye, led by its Diwan and Buyuk Pasha as its leader, began moving towards the stage. The great war that will consume all in its wake.
This manga is heavily about politics and intrigues. It chronicles the history of Turkiye and its political system and how it interacts with its neighbors from the eye of one of its general. It passionately talked about love for one's country even to the point of forsaking everything else. Yet, how can one weigh a country against your own family?
I'll leave this as a placeholder for the entire series and post my review here, though I have read up to volume 16.
If you like a flushed out historical plotline, world-building and beautiful artwork, this manga is for you! Unfortunately, I have yet to find an official English translation so anyone interested would have to rely on amateur scans, but there are pretty good ones in the internet. Anyway on to the story and WARNING! Some Spoliers Ahead...(if you want to avoid possible spoilers skip the first paragraph)
Early on Kato-sensei proves a wonderful artist as she draws us into the world of Mahmut, a young pasha (general) of the Stratocracy of Turkiye. He starts as an idealistic and naive young man, the youngest pasha in the stratocracry with a dark past that pushes him to protect and serve his country with all his might. He of course faces many obstacles, as the Balt-Rhein empire has started to make its move against the rest of the continent, Rumeliana, led by a cunning man, Vergilio Louis. The main plot of the story follows Mahmut as he travels all over Turkiye and later Rumeliana, countering the machinations of Louis and banding the other countries against this emerging threat.
There were so many positive aspects in the story. Kato-sensei places the setting in an alternate version of the 1400s in Europe, with a flourishing Turkiye in place of the Ottoman Empire, and she doesn't hesitate in adding all these details. She apparently majored in history, specializing in Turkish history and her knowledge really shows. There are sections where she explains the era's weapons, the political structures of certain countries and even the expands on the political relationships between countries. My favorite parts are when she shows off military strategies and maneuvering through Mahmut as he later takes to the battlefield. Furthermore the plot becomes much more complicated and interesting as the series continues with Mahmut meeting new allies and friends as well as explore Rumeliana.
Last but not least, her art is WONDERFUL. I must admit, I am a sucker for beautiful and detailed art and worldbuilding, and Kato-sensei just brings both in Shoukoku no Altair. Turkiye culture allows for varied and detailed environments and clothing giving her a chance to show off her remarkable style. As Mahmut and his company visit the rest of Rumeliana, we get the chance to enjoy even more beautiful and detailed scenes and environment while admiring her evolving style.
I mean come on! Just LOOK at these beautiful artwork: If you cant see it, just google Shoukoku no Altair
If I have any complaints, I would say some things fall into place way too easily for our protagonist and at this point I'm kind of worried at what will happen next since things do seem to to be going too smoothly but I am way over it,concerning the overwhelming positives this manga has.
In other words, this is a wonderful read, so much more engaging and beautifully illustrated than some of the manga I have been seeing so I highly recommend it to anyone. I also hope that translators in the US will pick it up because it deserves to be read in the US and I would like a physical copy I can read without a dictionary.
Altaïr est un shonen qui me faisait envie depuis un moment ! Kotono Kato nous emmène ici dans un univers fantastique qui n’est pas sans rappeler l’Empire ottoman et le bassin méditerranéen. Mahmut est un jeune pacha qui va se retrouver impliqué dans des conflits qui pourraient bien plonger l’Empire de Türkiye dans le chaos. Il lui reviendra alors de déjouer les complots les plus terribles. Mais comment faire lorsque ses proches sont impliqués et risquent leur vie ?
Ce premier tome d’Altaïr est assez prometteur. Sans être un coup de cœur, j’ai bien aimé ce shonen, somme toute assez classique, mais avec un point fort : il est très lisible. Les adeptes des shonen auront souvent eu l’occasion de s’en rendre compte : visuellement, il arrive qu’ils soient assez surchargés au détriment de la compréhension. Or ici ce n’était pas du tout le cas. Au contraire, les dessins sont très biens, très nets et même si les personnages ont tendance à se ressembler et à afficher une nonchalance certaine, les décors sont un des points forts de ce manga. Très travaillés, la mangaka a peaufiné jusque dans les moindres détails l’ensemble des paysages, ce qui participe bien à la mise en place du récit. Celui-ci prend place dans un univers bien construit et cohérent où les similitudes avec notre monde sont nombreuses, tant par la géographie que par l’histoire. L’opposition entre l’Empire de Türkiye et l’Empire Balt-Rhain n’est pas sans rappeler celle de l’Empire ottoman et du Saint Empire. L’utilisation de nombreux termes turcs comme le divan (prononcé diwan), le kubbe alti ou encore le devshirme (devsirme en turc) renforce ces rapprochements. Ainsi, les noms des personnages correspondent eux aussi à leurs fonctions comme par exemple pour le général des poisons, le Pacha Zehir (poison) Zaganos (faucon).
Dans ce premier tome, l’intrigue est très simple : l’opposition entre deux empires avec son lot de conflits, complots et trahisons. La vision est ici très manichéenne : les bons d’un côté (l’Empire de Türkiye) et les mauvais de l’autre (l’Empire de Balt-Rhain). Mais comme il s’agit surtout d’un tome introductif, la mangaka y a intégré de nombreux éléments qui, j’espère, seront développés dans les prochains volumes. Notamment, j’aimerais en apprendre un peu plus sur certains personnages. Mahmut est un héros classique. Jeune et ambitieux, il est également dévoué à ses amis et cherche à trouver le juste milieu entre ses devoirs politiques et ses sentiments. Accompagné de son aigle royal Iskandar, il n’hésitera pas à se lancer dans les missions les plus périlleuses pour sauver son pays. Personnellement, j’ai surtout apprécié certains personnages secondaires comme Lerederik, une duchesse qui prend très à cœur son rôle de commandante et qui sait déléguer les tâches (les plus ingrates) à son (pauvre) second. De même, Zehir Zaganos, en s’opposant ouvertement à Mahmut, tout en étant dans le même camp, et ce, dès les premières pages, m’a bien plu. Leur relation promet d’être pleine de rebondissements !
Altaïr est un manga prometteur. Si ce premier tome se contente de poser les bases du récit, j’espère que la suite révèlera une intrigue plus complexe et des personnages davantage développés. Shonen classique, espérons qu’il saura se distinguer par son originalité. J’attends de voir avec la suite !
[I read this manga after watching the anime so don't judge my review so much]
In my honest opinion, the anime did not do the manga justice. I enjoyed the manga way more than the anime. The story itself is quite intriguing with a very young lad as the main protagonist. Although he is given a high position in his kingdom's politics, in the end, he's still a child. Seeing his development from naive pacifist into a tactical war general was very fun to read. Bonus: the war strategies are very fun to read & the imagery is well done, hell even the 1-on-1 combat was exciting (the anime skipped quite an abundant of the battles and combats).
The setting is also very interesting to me and that is rare because I'm quite a critic when reading historical/military manga. The fictional world in the manga is brilliant in terms of world building (not god-tier world building like One Piece, but quite good). The story portrays the kingdoms with its respective leaders very well and the philosophies/goals of each character are well expressed.
The art style is also hella beautiful to me and I'm salty that I can't find the concept art book. The details of the characters & their clothes really match their personalities and culture. I appreciate the good character designs.
A very interesting story about an alternate world Turkey and the soon to be invasion of their enemies, the non-Holy Roman Empire. The characters need more time to shine, but I suppose there are all the next volumes for that.
Aaaaaah~~~ kereeeeeen~~~ >///w///< Saya suka artwork-na, saya suka ceritana, saya suka karakterna~~~ it's almost perfect! Saya bilang "almost" karena... tipe-tipe cerita beginian itu biasana menurun kualitasna di pertengahan cerita, dan biasana pula itu disebabkan pengarang kebanyakan bikin konflik sampe pusing sendiri dan ceritana jadi ngelantur ke mana-mana. Semoga aja gak. Karena yang tersulit dari pembuatan cerita adalah membuatna tetap di jalur utama, gak melenceng-melenceng. Apalagi kalo udah jadi cerita super booming, bisa-bisa dipanjang-panjangin tanpa meduliin alur (termasuk hal mendasar kayak: usia tokohna gak nambah-nambah macem Detektif C*nan :p *plak*) Maka dari itu, perlu banget bagi pengarang untuk tahu kapan saat yang tepat untuk mengakhiri cerita. Meski sedang naik daun dan berada di puncak penjualan, jangan seenakna manjangin cerita kayak rel kereta api gak ada konflik utama ._. Tapi ini layak untuk terus diikuti perkembanganna. Apalagi ini karya debut komikusna, bukan? Keren abis!!! Saya akan mendukungmu!! . Enw, saya jadi inget percakapan dengan editor komik ini (ah, dan saya juga dikasih komik ini gratisan dari beliau~ *kecup kecup editorna*). Beliau bilang kalo si Jenderal Racun itu "seme"-na si Mahmud :v :v :v (entah kenapa percakapan dengan sang editor yang bener-bener nyantol di kepala saya adalah yang ini :v ) Ma... maksud saya... editorna itu gak keliatan tipe-tipe fujo yang demen pairing-pairing. Makana saya... SYOK berat ahahahahaa... . Btw, enw, saya sangat amat menunggu sekali kemunculan Om Sulaiman di jilid 2~~~ Akhirna ada tokoh om-om easy-going yang adorable yang mochiron my taipu sekali~~~ <333 *ngomong campur-aduk* Berikan saya om-om!!! *plak* *digelindingin*
I've always wanted to read this series, but never thought this title would ever be localized in English. So, when its release was announced I was so happy and immediately jumped to read it. I'm very glad it has not disappointed.
Altair: A Record of Battles spins an exciting tale set in a historical fantasy version of the Ottoman Empire. The story follows 17 year-old Mahmut who has just earned the title of Pasha (General), and is the youngest person to do so in the history of Turkiye. Talented and idealistic, but also inexperienced, all Mahmut wants is to protect his beloved land from the tragedy that befell his family years before. However, with constant dangers posed by the all powerful Balt-Rhein Empire, as well as dealing with other self-interested parties from his own court, Mahmut must navigate a world that is a lot more complicated than he realized.
Altair is a breath of fresh air because it's setting is not one often tackled in fiction. Kato has poured much research and care into her work, and has managed to create a very vibrant and exciting world, filled with intriguing characters. Since it's only the first volume we don't know everyone in depth yet, but vol. 1 does a great job at setting the stage and pieces on the board, as well as establishing our main players, who will be no doubt contesting it out in the many volumes to come. If you are someone like me who loves stories about political maneuvering, war strategies, along with a good dose of action and adventure, I think this is a great new series to start. An anime version will also coming out in the summer too!
Gambar : 4.5 bintang Pertempuran : 3 bintang, aku agak sedih karena Mahmud menggunakan Iskandar sebagai 'senjata'... Intrik politik, strategi, dll : 4 bintang, seru!
Rating keseluruhan masih labil kayak abg alay ~(^-^)~ Mudah-2an ke depannya makin seru~!
Why did you read this book? I purchased this manga on sale a while ago and just got around to reading it.
What format did you read this book in? Read it as an eBook on Kindle.
Is this an educational book or a book for entertainment? I read this book for pure entertainment purposes.
What genres do you think this book belongs to?
Comics, Fantasy, Fiction, Manga, Suspense, Young Adult
What was your favorite part of the book? I think my favorite scene would have to be when the main character decapitated the villain he was fighting with his chain at the end of the book.
Who would you suggest this book to? I would suggest this manga to anyone who likes shounen with an Arabic style.
What is your general opinion/ rating of this book? I think I am too old and jaded to enjoy a book like this. The politics are too simple, but then again, I don’t think this story was aimed at adults. This had all the makings of all the other shounen I’ve seen before, just with an Arabic style to them. The terminology was a nightmare. There was no way I was going to remember all those complicated names and titles. The main character and his hawk were cool. Overall, it was alright if you like this type of thing. Unfortunately, I just feel that other series have done this better.
What style of graphic novel is this? It’s in the Japanese manga style (you need to read the book from right to left).
Is the comic colored, or is it in black and white? This comic is in a B&W tone.
What is your opinion on the artwork? There were parts were the artwork was stunning and then there were places where the character faces were lacking. Overall though the art work was good.
How is the typesetting? Is the comic easy to read? The fonts were appropriate, but there were some scenes that were hard to read. (The text was too tiny).
Is this comic a part of a series? Yes this was part of a series.
Any trigger warnings?
Racial and Religious: Racism, Racial Profiling, Brutality, Microaggressions, Prejudice
Mental Health: PTSD, Trauma
Violence and Death: Death, Death of a Loved One, Animal Death, Graphic Deaths, Mass Death, Murder, Decapitation, Extreme Violence, Gore, Cutting of Limbs, Threatening baby/child, Violence against Children, Animal Cruelty, Escalating Violence, Blood, Graphic Violence
Comme j’apprécie beaucoup la série de manga The Heroic Legend of Arslân de Hiromu Arakawa, on m’a conseillé et prêté les deux premiers tomes d’Altaïr puisque c’est dans un genre assez similaire : l’histoire se déroule en effet dans l’empire Ottoman. On sent dès les premières pages que l’autrice s’est amplement renseignée sur le sujet, notamment avec l’utilisation de mots turcs, dont les traductions sont données. Si cela donne un aspect plus authentique à l’histoire, je ne cache pas que cela alourdi un peu la lecture et que j’ai eu des doutes parfois sur les personnages auxquels on faisait référence puisqu’ils sont parfois appelés par leur titre, leur nom ou leur grade. Mais c’est un bémol qui peut tout à fait s’expliquer pour un premier tome dans lequel il faut rentrer dans cet univers, je ne doute pas qu’au fur et à mesure cela devient plus simple.
On suit un jeune homme nommé pacha récemment, Mahmud, et toujours accompagné de son aigle, Iskender. Les premières pages nous plongent directement dans les conflits qui menacent la Türkiye (nom turc de la Turquie qui est utilisé dans le manga) et on assiste au passage à l’innocence de Mahmud et son manque d’expérience. Mais cela ne l’empêche pas d’agir pour défendre ce qu’il pense être juste et de faire preuve d’ingéniosité pour arriver à ses fins. En revanche, il ne fait aucun doute qu’étant donné l’ampleur des conflits politiques et militaires qui s’annoncent, il risque de ne pas pouvoir vaincre seul.
D’autres personnages sont présentés, amis comme antagonistes et même un personnage de femme, Shara, qui fait son entrée bien dévêtue mais j’imagine que cela s’explique par son métier puisqu’elle est danseuse. En tous cas, elle est pleine de ressource également et n’hésite pas à se mettre en danger pour protéger ses proches.
C’est une lecture plus dense que The Heroic Legend of Arslân puisque dès le premier tome ce sont de nombreuses factions, pays et peuples en conflits qui nous sont présentés et la situation a l’air très complexe. À voir dans le prochain tome si cela se complexifie encore ou si on aura l’occasion d’en apprendre plus sur les personnages !
To be honest I find it refreshing visually, in general. Of course I'm also used to manga borrowing from antebellum ww2 Germany than the Ottoman Empire/ ww1 Turkey so honestly that in itself is an interesting change. I noticed rather immediately that the cultural values that are Japanese compared to what they're borrowing from, however, are much more noticable now that they're in new territory culturally. Which is to say there's a handful of things I expected to see thanks to the Ottoman Empire/Turkey that I didn't and I'm not sure if that's because this is a manga or if it just hasn't had enough time to develop the setting.
That's another thing: characters and setting felt kind of... fast in this? I mean the visuals are cool and all but I feel like there's a lot of stuff just being introduced still with not even a handful of characterization beyond the name. That said Pasha Muhmut seems very clear as a character, his fellow Pasha, rival and sort of mentor chracter are also kind of set up, he has friends and a history and a lot of compelling reasons to be the way he is and we even get a view of how he is outside of drama and battle, but beyond our main character everyone else is just starting to show who they are.
I feel like when this manga hits it's stride it will be very interesting, I just feel like some of the more unusual cultural aspects of Turkey/Ottomans should be showcased and there should be just a little more info on the other characters and organizations involved. This is a neat intro, some of the story stands on it's own, but I want more considering this is such a break of the norm in manga/anime.
Altair: A Record of Battles begins with striking promise. Its early chapters captivate with beautiful artwork, richly detailed settings, and a world inspired by Ottoman-era geopolitics. The initial concept—nations locked in political tension, intricate diplomacy, and grand tactical maneuvers—creates strong expectations for a mature, strategic narrative.
However, as the story progresses, the execution does not fully keep pace with the potential of its premise. The battles, while visually appealing, often lack the sophisticated strategy the series seems to build toward. Many confrontations resolve through simplified or overly convenient tactics rather than meaningful military or political depth.
Likewise, the broader storyline—centered on the conflict between the Empire and Turkiye—gradually feels less nuanced than expected. Alliances form quickly, and the diplomatic interactions sometimes come across as childish rather than complex. What begins as a promising geopolitical drama slowly becomes a lighter, more simplified adventure, losing some of the weight initially promised.
I like the aaalmost history and you can't really go wrong with the Ottoman empire. Not its fault it's shonen rather than shojo (will some kind publisher please give us Shinohara Chie's Yume no Shizuku, Ougon no Torikago aka Roxelana/Hurrem's story - I will love you forever and ever). Suspect the story will develop nicely.
This was such a breath of fresh air, the Arab Setting, political intrigue I was having LOTGH flashbacks. The one weakness with these type of books is it can get very complicated and have a large cast of characters so at time felt very lost and didn’t know who everyone was but I could follow the thread, OK
4.5 stars. Reminds me a little of Magi. The setting is pretty interesting and I’m most intrigued to hopefully learn more about the birds in later volumes. Looking forward to the next one. I have the next 6 volumes so I might just binge this.
Ra tập mới nên đọc lại lần 2 cho khỏi quên :v Thấy vẫn hoàn toàn xứng đáng 5 sao. Manga lịch sử chiến tranh chiến thuật siêu xịn, art cũng đẹp khỏi chê.
Sau bộ này với Cô Dâu Thảo Nguyên thì hứa là đời này chắc chắn phải đi Trung Á một lần mới thôi.
Maybe two and a half stars. I just read this quick to finish up my books for the year.
Interesting Turkish background--unusual for a manga. But the story feels kind of unpolished and the characters a bit uninteresting. Lots of intrigue and plotting, but I wasn't very interested in the story.
Interesting characters and a complex plot with solid world-building, all told with gorgeously detailed art. A solid beginning to what could either become an epic tale or a runaway train. We'll see.
Guerre, intrigue et complots politiques, dans un univers inspiré du bassin méditerranéen et de la culture Turque, et le personnage principal a un faucon? I’M IN
I really enjoyed reading this, with its historical fiction format, I like how the author portrayed Turkey during the medieval times. There are lots of manga with this kind of genre, and it will be impossible for me to read them all, but this is one of the best I've read. I also prefer the art, more modern and the detail is really nice.
Tema kerajaan yang memikat. Di satu sisi berusaha mempertahankan kebebasan, di sisi pihak lain berusaha menjadi penjajah. Perkembangan karakternya sangat signifikan, sehingga tidak sabar untuk membaca seri selanjutnya