Kuma Miko Volume 1: Girl Meets Bear

くまみこ [Kuma Miko] #1

by Masume Yoshimoto

Machi is 14 years old and has spent her whole life in the Touhoku Mountains as a miko. Raised alongside a talking bear, Natsu, she knows nothing of modern life. But, she's enthralled with its mysteries and determined to figure them out. Natsu attempts to prepare her for the trials and tribulations she will face entering the fast-paced city in this comical coming of age story of a backwoods girl in Japan.

Genres: Manga, Seinen, Japan, Fantasy, Animals, Religion, Humor

160 pages, Paperback

First published October 18, 2013

About the author

吉元ますめ

Reviews

[Xwirus · Rating 3 out of 5]

"SEXO SEXO lee este manga"

Manga protagonizado por Miku

y Natsu.

Espera, no esos 2, esto es lo que pasa al pillar la primera imagen que sale al poner Natsu y Miko en google..., hablo de estos 2:


Vamos a explicar lo de "SEXO SEXO lee este manga", en los juegos online donde se pueden vender cosas es muy popular ver SEXO SEXO vendo lo que sea, en este manga pasara algo bastante similar en el capitulo 2 del manga y 1 del anime que si entráis en cualquier vídeo de youtube es lo primero que destacaran de este manga (y lo único), pero bueno yo no quiero estropearos la sorpresa, si queréis leerlo, solo decir que la niña del grupo dirá lo siguiente:



Y que el oso es un sacarino, porque endulza pero no engorda. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDAlb... entender el chiste no os queda otra que leerlo :()

Por supuesto más adelante no veremos mas alusiones sexuales tan directas, aunque seguirán existiendo aunque mucho mas sutiles.

También otra cosa que llama mucho la atención es que cada web de anime/manga la mete en una categoria/s diferente, pasando por el shojo, historias de la vida, ecchi y creo que en lo único que coinciden todas los sitios es en lo de cómico.

Basándome en mis conocimientos, y en la revista de publicación, creo que su categoría correcta es: Shōten Seinenkome

Shōten: por la parte erótica que son alusiones indirectas, exceptuando la primera..., y no es como ecchi que básicamente son bragas everywere o el hentai que serian sexo explicito.

Seinen: Se publica en una revista seinen, que significa chico adolescente..., que junto lo anterior da igual a pajillero...

y kome por lo de comedia.

Aunque haya webs que digan que es un shojo, lo cual creo que significa que no es demasiado terrible para una chica que lo quiera leer, o que quien administra las paginas de anime/manga son unos pervertidos de cuidado...

La trama:

Una niña de 14 años llamada Miko que básicamente hace alusión a una niña/niña campesina que esta creciendo y descubriendo el mundo, por su inmadures no sabe hacer funcionar los electrodomésticos o cosas relacionadas con la tecnologia, exceptuando la nevera, bueno y cuando le conviene al guion como cuando esta promocionando las setas de su región en un supermercado que no tiene problema en manejar una cocina eléctrica..., y otras cosas como la primera vez que se va de compras con una amiga, casi todo es la primera vez que hace algo y bueno que su objetivo es ir a la ciudad, que se puede interpretar como alcanzar la madures.

(Con cuidado, con cuidado no sea que me pase la corriente)

Por otro lado Natsu un oso de 14 años que es una representación de un oso de peluche/padre/figuras paternas el cual no puede ir con ella a la ciudad, en la serie porque es un secreto que los osos hablen, metafóricamente la independencia de los padres o que cuando somos adultos no solemos dormir con osos de peluche, y a la vez Natsu no quiere que Miku valla a la ciudad, porque al fin y al cabo ningún padre quiere separarse de su hija, aparte de que piensa con los chicos que ira cuando valla a la ciudad, las malas influencias y todas esas cosas.

Básicamente sera una lucha entre Miko por aprender a usar los electrodomésticos, hacer cosas por ella sola (independizarse), y Natsu intentando dar motivos para que no valla a la ciudad y se valla de su lado.

Por cierto Miko es patosa no lo siguiente, a ver si alguien lee el manga y nos dice que a ella le paso lo mismo que a Miko, para confirmar que lo que sucede en el manga no es tan inverosímil.

Algo que quiero destacar es que la tienda de libros y dulces para chicas presenta este aspecto:

Y definen que parece una tienda de magia negra.

A mi personalmente no me atraen mucho estos mangas que consisten en que los protagonistas hagan cosas de la vida cotidiana, por mucho que haya un oso parlanchin y metáforas sexuales, y bueno la parte cómica de la chica plantando cara por primera vez a unas escaleras mecánicas (debería haber pasado esto: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUuC4...), ir de tiendas de ropa con una amiga, comprarse por primera vez un sujetador..., también me extraña que esa parte este tan desarrollada ,y estas cosas hacen dudar que esto se publique en la revista que se publica.

Es un manga que aun no esta finalizado, al momento de escribir esto hay 15 episodios.

Nota: 6-8 (3-4 estrellas)
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Más reviews en https://www.goodreads.com/review/list... dar a like si te a sido útil esta información, también puedes seguirme si tienes interés en ver más reseñas como esta y si tenéis cualquier duda, queréis debatir algo, avisarme de algún error o cualquier otra cosa lo podéis hacer en los comentarios. ^^
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Veremos esto en el estado de alguno de mis contactos? o se confirmara que la gente no lee las reviews hasta el final?

[Selena Pigoni · Rating 2 out of 5]

This... was different. It's super Japanese, and despite my varied and geeky knowledge of Japan, its culture, and its language, even I found myself looking at the translator's notes for explanations. The notes, by the way, are super brief and if you aren't already a culture nerd like I am, you'll probably still be lost.

So what is Kuma Miko about? Simply put, it's about a country bumpkin girl and her pet talking bear. The girl is a shrine maiden, but what she really wants is to be a normal city girl. She's lived in the middle of nowhere all her life, though, and knows nothing about the city. Also, the talking bear doesn't want her to leave. So, he comes up with crazy tests to prove she's not ready for school in Tokyo.

And that's pretty much it. It's a weird slice of life about a girl and her talking bear.

[Jessica · Rating 1 out of 5]

Kinda Cute But Also Creepy

I didn't like this. It just would have been meh for me if it wasn't for the creepy bits, the worst one being TELLING NINE YEAR OLDS EXPLICITLY ABOUT HUMAN/BEAR BESTIALITY. SO GROSS. Who wanted that? Who wanted to see (non explicit) drawings of girls banging bears? It's not happening in the actual story, but it's on the page, and that's disgusting.

Most of it is slice of life with a talking bear, and if it wasn't for the bestiality, it'd be maybe three stars, but eww ewww ewwww no thank you. There's also a grown man who thinks it's fine to look at a teenage girl in her undies because the bear did too. But why though.

Who is this for and why does this exist.

[Rod Brown · Rating 1 out of 5]

I so wanted to like this based on the premise and art, but the stories are just awful bits of nonsense that aren't funny or interesting in the least. I don't see a translator credited anywhere in the first two volumes, and I have to wonder if that's because they used Google Translate. The content of the word balloons sometime seems random, as if they just did a form of Mad Libs to fill them.

The art seems cute at first glance, but as sometimes happens in Japanese manga, things get a little uncomfortable as the protagonist - who we are told on the cover is fourteen, but as depicted seems to be eight - is weirdly sexualized at times. Throw in a talking bear, and I have to wonder if this is targeted at pedophiliac furries. Twisted.

[Jason · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was cute and amusing, and the bear/human alliance quite fascinating as a plot point, but overall didn't grab me enough to want to keep reading. The art is good, and the characters are appealing, but it's just missing something for me. Dunno what at this point.

[fionnagán · Rating 1 out of 5]

thought it would be cutesy, had ecchi vibes instead. main characters are a middle school girl and a talking bear so it was weird and bad.

[Ira]

Found this on the library collection via Libby and I’m glad there’s only one volume available on the shelf… I’ve been looking for a good shoujo manga and disappointed I didn’t find it in this one. Okay, drawing is nice and cute BUT. The potentials (or perhaps my ideals and what I anticipated) were crushed with straight up perverted contents imo (implicit and explicit). And this is a story about a middle schooler (Machi, 14 yo, female)? Make it makes sense. Totally giving me the creeps ugh. It’s disappointing because it’s repetitive (coming from grown adults/men no less) towards the MC and inappropriate exposure of such contents to the children characters. I think it has the potential to be an interesting coming-of-age and slice-of-life sans those weird stuff. Ah, such a waste. I rasa geram I want to smack some sense in Machi’s 25yo male cousin.

[Sean O'Hara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm amazed this got an official English release, because, wow, the jokes are really specific to Japanese society. One chapter, for instance, involves the heroine being dispatched to a UNIQLO to buy a Heattech. The joke is that she's such a hick that she has no idea what a Heattech is, but then neither does anybody in the United States. The fact that she thinks it might be a space heater is going to be lost on readers who probably agree with her that it sounds like a space heater. (For the record, it's a shirt.)

[Kara Dunbar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Machi has spent her whole life in a small remote mountain village named Touhoku. She is a 14 year old Miko - a priestess for the town's deity. She was raised by Natsu, a talking bear so she knows nothing of modern life but she dreams of moving into the city. Natsu worries for her and through a series of tests to try and prepare her for the outside world. Kuma Miko is a lighthearted and comical coming of age story. The story uses themes such as parent-child relationship, responsibility, and growing up. It does include some partial nudity, explicit descriptions and implicit images of sexual acts, specifically beastiality. In light of the sexual content it is recommended for ages 15 and up.

[bobbu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Personally, this is a huge comfort series for me. It makes me feel really warm and fuzzy inside, so I would recommend if you're looking for vibes similar to say, Shirokuma Cafe. It's about a girl and a bear, and the girl, Machi, is trying to leave her secluded life and try to integrate herself with popular culture.

Oh, but anime wise, last episode... I've never been more pissed.

[Mariah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very laid back but kinda cute.

[Marius Paulsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was super kawaii and i adored every second of t! Recommeneded ^^

[Tyesha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I little fan service oriented with A 14 year old girl. Not that funny. I own 2 more editions hopefully they improve.

[Clemy-chan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely a bit too contemporary for me, but I appreciated the humor in it.

[Warren Tutwiler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute.

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is pretty cute. And Natsu is a pretty cool bear!

Looking forward to the rest of the series.

[Lenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute ^-^

[David Doel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute story about a girl and a bear in a shrine. I give a 4 because of the cultural information included in the story.

[Alistair · Rating 3 out of 5]

那津熊好可愛！

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read more graphic novel reviews at The Graphic Library.

Machi is a 14-year-old priestess of a shrine in the mountains of Japan. This little village is special because of their relationship to these talking bears. Machi is the companion to Natsu, a talking bear, and Machi is sort of responsible with keeping the relationship between the bears and the villagers a positive one. Machi wants to go to high school in the city, but Natsu thinks she’s too naive to survive in the city, worried that she will be taken advantage of because of her simple country ways.

This title is pretty problematic. The dialogue is really choppy, and the story isn’t all that interesting, but the most problematic thing is a whole section on bestialty. One of the community members is telling a group of nine year olds the story of their village, because "they’re old enough now" to know the truth behind the talking bears. The legend has it that the village gave a maiden to the bears and instead of eating her, the bear had sex with the girl. The children are then introduced to Machi and Natsu, and they bombard her with questions about whether she's slept with Natsu and if that's her roll as priestess.

Later in the story, when Machi is given some other "priestess" clothes to try on (which are all pretty skimpy), the community member tries to get glimpses of Machi in her underwear as she changes her clothes. These major issues are not eclipsed by any sort of worthwhile story in order to redeem it, so this is definitely one I would not recommend for library shelves.

Sara's Rating: 3/10
Suitability Level: None

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was cute. Maybe I just don't know enough about Japanese culture, or maybe the translation is a little off, but sometimes it was a little hard to follow. I do plan on continuing with the series to see if the titular girl manages to escape her rural life for the big city! 3.5 stars.

[Doc · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the lesser known distributors One Peace Books comes a tale that is so Japanese I am grateful for the notes at the end of the book that explains things I missed as I read through it. This book is also not rated but looking through it I would have to say it is at least rated Teen for limited fanservice and a sexualized description but not showing explicit content on how bears in the village can talk. Heck I couldn't even find a price on the cover which is usually never a good sign.

14 year old Machi is the local priestess in the Touhoku mountains. She has lived her life sheltered and although she is the only Miko she wants to experience more of the world. The only problem is her friend and talking bear Natsu doesn't want her to go for fear that she would be hurt if she began venturing into the city. Now Machi has to deal with her own inner longings, the duties of being a Miko, and dealing with the embarrassment of modeling new outfits. Now Machi can only do the best that she can as she meets the challenges of each day so if you are interested try out this slice of life with a beary strange twist. :)

My favorite part of the book would have to be when Natsu the bear gives Machi a test to see if she is ready for a modern city experience. I find it funny he is so much more knowledgeable then she is. :)

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun, cute series about a shrine maiden and a talking bear with some helpful endnotes. I also appreciate the references to Ainu (the native/aboriginal people of Japan, located in the North) culture as it is a culture and people I know very little about but that I'm very interested in learning more about.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute and funny but the jokes may be lost on people who don't know much about Japanese society and culture