Kara Dennison
May 13, 2025 
This week, Weekly Shonen Jump gets a fresh dose of Norse history with Otr of the Flame! The new manga from Yuki Kawaguchi mines history, fantasy, and folklore to spin its tale. But how will this new series fare in the pages the massive manga mag? Will it flare up or fizzle out? We’re taking a first look to see how the magazine’s latest hero stacks up.
Meet the Hero
Otr of the Flame stars, as one might guess, a boy named Otr. While this is a name present in Norse mythology, that Otr pretended to be an otter and got slain by Loki. So we’re pretty sure it’s not the same guy. This kid, too young to actually go into battle, joins the army as a cook. He wants to help defend his home, the Forest Kingdom, against the advances of the Ice Kingdom. And if cooking is all he can do, so be it.
But Otr has the heart of a warrior. Gifted with a spark of his home’s sacred flame, he goes above and beyond when his troops fall. And by giving some of his breath to that sacred flame, he gains a powerful new ally! It’s an enticing start for this fresh new series. And there’s plenty of room to learn more about this world and its history, depending on how the series goes.
The Characters
Right now there are two main characters. There’s Otr, of course: a brave kid who loves his family and would do anything for them. And then there’s Fylgja… whom we don’t know much about yet. In Norse myths, a fylgja is a spirit that follows someone and is related to their fate. Given Fylgja emerges from the sacred flame to which Otr gives his breath, it’s likely the name is related to the character’s purpose.
We also meet Otr’s sister and mother, along with some of the army he serves. We’ll also likely be seeing more of Alakoji, the captain of the fortress where Otr serves as a cook (and perhaps more). And, of course, we’ve gotten a glimpse of the Ice Kingdom’s terrifying troops. We’ll definitely be seeing more of them… albeit mostly in combat.
Will It Survive?
While Otr of the Flame has a lot going for it—gorgeous art, big battles, and a cool story—nothing is certain. A title can be interesting and fun, like Martial Master Asumi or Tenmaku Cinema, and still not survive. In the end, it will be (as it always is) a mishmash of several factors.
At present, there doesn’t seem to be anything quite like it in Weekly Shonen Jump. We had a run of psychics, ninjas, and exorcists. But (at least for now) there’s nothing adjacent to this new series that falls under the same heading. Could that work in its favor? Check in every week and find out!
