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Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear Light Novel #9
Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear (Light Novel) Vol. 9
A bouncy light novel series about a girl transported to her favorite video game world with her magical bearsuit equipped--and don't miss the adorable manga version, also published by Seven Seas! (Now an anime!)
Fifteen-year-old Yuna prefers staying home and obsessively playing her favorite VRMMO game to doing anything else, including going to school. When a strange new update gives her a one-of-a-kind bear outfit that comes with overpowered abilities, Yuna is torn: the outfit is unbearably cute, but too embarrassing to wear in-game. But then she suddenly finds herself transported into the world of the game, facing down monsters and magic for real, and the bear suit becomes the best weapon she has!
Fifteen-year-old Yuna prefers staying home and obsessively playing her favorite VRMMO game to doing anything else, including going to school. When a strange new update gives her a one-of-a-kind bear outfit that comes with overpowered abilities, Yuna is torn: the outfit is unbearably cute, but too embarrassing to wear in-game. But then she suddenly finds herself transported into the world of the game, facing down monsters and magic for real, and the bear suit becomes the best weapon she has!
332 pages, Paperback
First published March 30, 2018
17 people are currently reading
77 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
November 6, 2024
I really love this series a lot!
March 18, 2022
Not a bad one this time, helped a lot by Tuna setting off on a rampage after *spoliers*! There's some bear fighting action. Then there's cooking, followed by the start of a trip to see an elven village. I could've lived without the cooking lesson, to be honest.
One thing that's bugging me about these later volumes in the series is that they're obviously set up such that they end part way through a story. You need to get the next volume to find out how this arc ends. Essentially, a cliffhanger format, but somewhat more slow-paced than something like the old Buck Rogers series. There's also an awful lot of side stories at the end. The main story takes up about 90% of the book this time, and most of the side stories do fill in stuff we would never get from Yuna's POV, but it still feels like the plot stops early so that you'll be forced to read the next book.
Overall, better than the last couple have been, I think, though that cliffhanger is really tempting me to just forget to buy the next book. It won't be available for a while, I'd imagine, so the sting might have subsided by the time I get to decide.
One thing that's bugging me about these later volumes in the series is that they're obviously set up such that they end part way through a story. You need to get the next volume to find out how this arc ends. Essentially, a cliffhanger format, but somewhat more slow-paced than something like the old Buck Rogers series. There's also an awful lot of side stories at the end. The main story takes up about 90% of the book this time, and most of the side stories do fill in stuff we would never get from Yuna's POV, but it still feels like the plot stops early so that you'll be forced to read the next book.
Overall, better than the last couple have been, I think, though that cliffhanger is really tempting me to just forget to buy the next book. It won't be available for a while, I'd imagine, so the sting might have subsided by the time I get to decide.
July 25, 2023
(read in Japanese)
I've found with this series that the volumes that follow up really big or concise arcs tend to wander a bit as they go through the prior story's denouement. The sea town arc was great, but the volume or two after that were rough as they dealt with the fallout, and I was braced for that coming off the excellent Volume 8, but Volume 9 does a solid job wrapping things up quickly and explosively and setting up the next arc while also having a nice little mini-adventure.
The opening chapters are perhaps the most exciting fight scene in the series and the first time we see Yuna truly pissed about something. It's as hardcore as the series has gotten and there's some legitimately interesting political fallout which was also a strong point of volume 8, along with some cute scenes where Yuna has to convince everyone that her bears aren't that scary despite the fact that she tore through town in a rage to go deal with things.
After that she decides to relax a bit which is where we get the obligatory "Yuna introduces a new food" subplot. This time it's Mochi and this was the one area this volume the language got pretty tricky because the process is both somewhat bizarre and labor intensive. It actually helped a lot to just watch a video of how Mochi is made so I could understand why she was suddenly talking about hammers and giant stones with holes in them. Usually when Yuna introduces a new food, she takes it to each friend of hers separately and gets their appraisal which can be pretty repetitive, but this time around she gathers everybody up all at once and shows it to them in one swoop, which was nice, and since it's so intensive she doesn't sell it at her restaurant, it's more of a hobby food.
After that we get to the real meat of the volume which is Yuna joining a small elf girl to go help the elf village. They don't get there quite yet by the end and this volume is more about the journey there and the hijinks they get into, but it's cute and even as a set-up arc it has a fun mini-adventure that leaves off at the right place and I feel like volume 10 will be one of those singular focused volumes that stays on one plotline. The post story bits from the perspective of the other characters were also probably some of the best and most satisfying of that format in the series as well, so good stuff all around.
I keep saying it every volume, but this really was the easiest volume so far for me, aside from the mochi-related business. Even moreso than usual, I'm starting to notice my reading comprehension increase in places outside of these books. Before it felt like I was getting better at reading Kuma Bear, but now it feels like I'm getting better at reading Japanese. I've been able to get through 5 chapters on a reading day, I still haven't quite managed to finish a volume in the space of one week but I feel like it's possible now. I'd like to finish the series by the end of the year and who knows if I will, but I feel like I'll be close at least.
I've found with this series that the volumes that follow up really big or concise arcs tend to wander a bit as they go through the prior story's denouement. The sea town arc was great, but the volume or two after that were rough as they dealt with the fallout, and I was braced for that coming off the excellent Volume 8, but Volume 9 does a solid job wrapping things up quickly and explosively and setting up the next arc while also having a nice little mini-adventure.
The opening chapters are perhaps the most exciting fight scene in the series and the first time we see Yuna truly pissed about something. It's as hardcore as the series has gotten and there's some legitimately interesting political fallout which was also a strong point of volume 8, along with some cute scenes where Yuna has to convince everyone that her bears aren't that scary despite the fact that she tore through town in a rage to go deal with things.
After that she decides to relax a bit which is where we get the obligatory "Yuna introduces a new food" subplot. This time it's Mochi and this was the one area this volume the language got pretty tricky because the process is both somewhat bizarre and labor intensive. It actually helped a lot to just watch a video of how Mochi is made so I could understand why she was suddenly talking about hammers and giant stones with holes in them. Usually when Yuna introduces a new food, she takes it to each friend of hers separately and gets their appraisal which can be pretty repetitive, but this time around she gathers everybody up all at once and shows it to them in one swoop, which was nice, and since it's so intensive she doesn't sell it at her restaurant, it's more of a hobby food.
After that we get to the real meat of the volume which is Yuna joining a small elf girl to go help the elf village. They don't get there quite yet by the end and this volume is more about the journey there and the hijinks they get into, but it's cute and even as a set-up arc it has a fun mini-adventure that leaves off at the right place and I feel like volume 10 will be one of those singular focused volumes that stays on one plotline. The post story bits from the perspective of the other characters were also probably some of the best and most satisfying of that format in the series as well, so good stuff all around.
I keep saying it every volume, but this really was the easiest volume so far for me, aside from the mochi-related business. Even moreso than usual, I'm starting to notice my reading comprehension increase in places outside of these books. Before it felt like I was getting better at reading Kuma Bear, but now it feels like I'm getting better at reading Japanese. I've been able to get through 5 chapters on a reading day, I still haven't quite managed to finish a volume in the space of one week but I feel like it's possible now. I'd like to finish the series by the end of the year and who knows if I will, but I feel like I'll be close at least.
April 14, 2025
A big end for the birthday party arc, and then the start of a new one with elves! I still think it would have been much more balanced to finish the previous arc with the previous book, but eh! *shrugs* The new arc is promising and more adventurous, as Yuna finally goes to visit some more fantasy-like place. The way is long, even with the bears, and she gets to use a new power for them too so that's nice, it lightens the mood after the more serious events of the end of the birthday arc.
October 19, 2025
Another fun read in the series. The first half of the book contains more action and political intrigue. The second half is adventure, exploration, and meeting more side characters. I preferred the first half but I'm intrigued to see where this build up of another plot will take me. Would definitely recommend this cozy, short, fantasy series!
May 3, 2023
4.5/5
September 4, 2023
Another fun adventure. We get the conclusion of the Sheelin arc, as well as the start of the Elf arc! I’m keen to see where this goes next.
May 2, 2022
Not as good as some of the previous volumes because it felt more like filler between adventures for the most part, but still a fun part of the series.
August 2, 2022
I like the premise. I like Yuna. I just find myself bored. There is so much skimmable dialogue. I don’t care about the foodie angle, so I skim that, too. I grow tired of Yuna’s new skills being pulled out of a hat to solve whatever problem she finds herself dealing with. There’s no risk. She doesn’t fail. She can’t. She’s OP.
I did like the section involving Fina getting hurt and Yuna reacting emotionally to it. I liked the resolution of the noble’s ignominious end. Unfortunately, though, the trip to the elf village felt repetitive. What? You’re a bear? She’s so young! She can’t be an adventurer. Where’d the house come from? There’s a bath? This food is good! You’re a bear?
What I loved about this volume was the art. 029 had some gorgeous illustrations in this volume. Angry Yuna stood out, as well as Yuna reading the picture book. There was skill and emotion in the illustrations that seemed to be better than previous volumes. I was very impressed. Now if only Kumanano would break from the template.
I did like the section involving Fina getting hurt and Yuna reacting emotionally to it. I liked the resolution of the noble’s ignominious end. Unfortunately, though, the trip to the elf village felt repetitive. What? You’re a bear? She’s so young! She can’t be an adventurer. Where’d the house come from? There’s a bath? This food is good! You’re a bear?
What I loved about this volume was the art. 029 had some gorgeous illustrations in this volume. Angry Yuna stood out, as well as Yuna reading the picture book. There was skill and emotion in the illustrations that seemed to be better than previous volumes. I was very impressed. Now if only Kumanano would break from the template.
April 11, 2022
3.5 ⭐
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews