The "Corporate Slave" Witch and the Prince: Jun Ino's New Manga Shachiku Majo Rutta Begins Serialization
A beloved name in the manga world, Jun Ino, has returned with a new series that is set to both amuse and excite readers: Shachiku Majo Rutta wa Shukufuku Ouji no Okiniiri (Corporate Slave Witch Rutta is the Blessed Prince's Favorite). The series, which released its first chapter on the COMIC Polaris website on April 2nd, follows the story of a struggling witch tasked with an impossible assassination mission. Adapted from a previously published one-shot that garnered significant praise on social media, this new manga blends romantic comedy elements set in a fantasy world with the stresses of modern corporate life.
At the center of the story is Rutta, a witch living in poverty who is described by the term "shachiku" (corporate slave), used in Japan for employees who are overworked and exploited. Cornered and willing to do anything to survive, Rutta is given the task of assassinating the country's prince in exchange for saving her life. However, things do not go as planned; the prince, who is the target of the assassination, shows unexpected interest in Rutta instead of killing or punishing her, declaring her his "favorite." This situation becomes the spark that ignites both Rutta's struggle for survival and the strange, entertaining relationship between the two.
The series' creator, Jun Ino, is an artist known for works with high emotional depth such as Kimi no Koto ga Suki de Suki de Suki de Suki de Suki na no ni and is highly successful at capturing character expressions. The publisher, COMIC Polaris, has recently increased its popularity among genre enthusiasts by hosting hit series like Dekiru Neko wa Kyou mo Yuuutsu (The Masterful Cat Is Depressed Again Today). Ino's new project offers a humorous structure that readers can relate to, particularly by transposing Japan's challenging work culture into a fantasy universe.
The transition of one-shot stories into regular serialization is usually based on high success and demand in reader surveys; this is the greatest proof that Shachiku Majo Rutta already has a loyal following. For those who love fantasy romance and comedy, this series handles the classic "assassin and target" theme from a much more modern and fun perspective. New chapters of the series are expected to be available for free regularly on COMIC Polaris, with physical volumes (tankobon) expected to hit shelves in the future.
