It's kind of like Starship Troopers in a manga world.

In Gear School, the human race is at war with mysterious aliens in massive, insect-like ships. Training for cadets starts young, and 13-year-old academy recruit Teresa Gottleib is not having an easy time of it -- particularly when it comes to A) boys, and B) piloting Gear simulations.

But her instincts come to the fore when, during her first run on an actual Gear ship, an alien vessel teleports into her airspace -- and Teresa's milk-run ship is unarmed. Fleeing would be easy -- and that is, after all, what she's been ordered to do -- but her best friend is still in danger.

Gear School is a short, light introduction to what could be a pretty cool series. There's not enough here to gauge how well this world or its characters -- Teresa, as well as her peers and superiors at the academy -- will be developed, but the art is good and the overall tone is refreshing. I'd be happy to take a look at Volume 2.