Plot: Set in a region strongly resembling Western Europe, in which a catastropic war has just ended similar to that of the two world wars that occurred in the early parts of the 20th century, the Royal Empire and the Republic of Frost have declared a ceasefire to end the war indefinitely. The Empire is plagued by starvation, and pestilence, with former soldiers turning to thievery, banditry and other forms of crime, forming into gangs to survive the post-war period. To aid the people of the Empire in the war relief effort, the Imperial Army State Section III, also known as the Pumpkin Scissors unit, is established.
Pumpkin Scissors
is a group is in charge of trying to piece together a war-torn country now that they are no longer at war. Reconstruction of a bombed out land and trying to save the starving, ill or injured people left behind after the war are their primary jobs. It's not an easy job ever and roaming ex-soldiers and a poor governmental decisions in the past make the populace skittish about trusting anyone who is involved in the government, even if they only want to help.
This story focuses on a young and still idealistic noblewoman, Alice L. Malvin, who leads the Pumpkin Scissors on their missions and a scarred veteran, Randel Oland, who joins them in order to try and do some good in a far different capacity than his wartime job as a berserker-like Anti-Tank Trooper.
The original manga has been adapted into an anime. The manga was named one of the best graphic novels by the Young Adult Library Services Association.