Shuna's Journey

Hayao Miyazaki's "Shuna's Journey" is a foundational graphic novel telling the epic tale of Prince Shuna, who leaves his starving village to seek a miraculous golden grain in the mysterious Land of the God-Folk. Along his arduous journey, he faces cannibals, encounters a brutal slave trade, and rescues Thea, a strong young girl. The story explores profound themes of perseverance, justice, and the resilience of the human spirit, even touching on the psychological toll of trauma. While visually stunning with Miyazaki's signature watercolor style, parents should be aware of moderate peril, violence, and themes of slavery and mental distress. Ideal for late elementary to middle school readers (ages 10-14), it offers rich ground for discussion on courage, empathy, and environmental responsibility.

From legendary animator Hayao Miyazaki comes Shuna's Journey, a new manga classic about a prince on a quest for a golden grain that would save his land, never before published in English! Shuna, the prince of a poor land, watches in despair as his people work themselves to death harvesting the little grain that grows there. And so, when a traveler presents him with a sample of seeds from a mysterious western land, he sets out to find the source of the golden grain, dreaming of a better life for his subjects. It is not long before he meets a proud girl named Thea. After freeing her from captivity, he is pursued by her enemies, and while Thea escapes north, Shuna continues toward the west, finally reaching the Land of the God-Folk. Will Shuna ever see Thea again? And will he make it back home from his quest for the golden grain?