Caught up in a terrorist bombing, high school student Noriko is transported to a fantasy world where she is the Awakening - a girl with the power to awaken the Sky Demon. Lost, alone, and confused, Noriko meets Izark, a travelling warrior who wants nothing to do with her. When I came across this manga as a middle school student, I didn't really like it all that much. Where was the magic? Why was Noriko so useless? When would she learn kick-ass moves and help Izark out? 
 However, when I reread this as an adult, I understood all the reasons I disliked this manga as a kid. Noriko isn't badass because she's an average high school student. Unlike series like Magic Knight Rayearth I, Noriko doesn't have a convenient background in martial arts/fencing/swordplay. Instead, she uses the power of logic: she recognizes her own uselessness and trusts Izark: he says throw the bag away, she lets him throw the bag away. Noriko doesn't magically learn how to fight or use magic or kick ass; living in a fantasy world doesn't change that she's a typical, modern kid. And it shouldn't! Noriko doesn't speak the language of this fantasy world - and she shouldn't! By adding the language barrier, Kyoko Hikawa has made this series realistic in a way that many other fantasies do not. Yay! 
 There isn't all that much romance in this first volume (which I'm totally okay with) - Hikawa portrays no love at first sight and instead allows the bond between these two characters to grow as they spend time together: Izark seems much less annoyed with her on day two than he was on day one. Good! This has the makings of a realistic romance, and I look forward to seeing how it complicates in further volumes. 
 For a first volume, this series is off to a good start: we've already seen some character development in Noriko as she decides to become less useless and learn the new language. Hopefully future volumes will expand on other characters as well.