くまクマ熊ベアー Vol. 01

I finished the first volume of くまクマ熊ベアー !

This light novel is often recommended to Japanese learners as their first book because, compared to other light novels, it's quite easy to read and contains a lot of repetition. However, some people say that the story is a bit boring and predictable. I understand these opinions, but I think whether you enjoy it or not really depends on your expectations and preferences. In my case, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this volume.

Difficulty Level 

After reading quite challenging material for months, it felt refreshing to read something simpler. This light novel is easy to read (as long as you have some kind of foundation). On Learn Natively, it's labeled around the N3 level. There isn’t as much slang or as many special speaking styles as in other light novels or manga I've read before. Especially the little girl (フィナ) speaks in a very straightforward and basic way. Plus, many words are repeated so often that it's almost impossible not to internalize them (like 討伐).

Story & Characters

It’s an isekai story, but don’t expect a lot of action or exciting plot twists. It’s more of a wholesome slice-of-life story set in a fantasy world, which makes it very relaxing to read. It was interesting to see how the main character ユナ explores this new world and experiments with her new skills. I was also surprised that she (as a hikikomori) ends up helping so many people. She does offend some people along the way, but overall she genuinely cares about those who need help. It felt like ユナ gradually opened up more and more over the course of the book, which was nice to see.

It makes me a bit sad to see the rather mediocre ratings and comments on Learn Natively. I can understand the criticism, but in my opinion, it's really not as bad as it sounds. I hope more people decide to give it a chance. 

I'm really looking forward to reading the next volume!

 


 

 

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