Kuma Miko: Girl Meets Bear, Vol. 1

Machi is a teenage shrine maiden in northern Japan who wants to leave the mountains behind to live life in the big city in this rural slice-of-life indie comic–style manga. However, it’s quickly revealed that, however plucky she may be, she’s a bumpkin who doesn’t even know what Uniqlo is. So it’s up to her keeper (a talking bear) and her older brother, Yoshio, to get her ready for the outside world—while simultaneously trying to keep her home. Yoshio is the most appealing character, and poor Machi is constantly dealing with sexual harassment problems that are not funny, though they’re treated lightheartedly. The story takes a while to find its identity, and the humor may be a bit too Japanese for some to understand (even with the explanations in the back), but overall it’s a promising start to the series that improves as it goes along. (Sept.)