My first manga that I ever bought was I think volume 2 of Ranma 1/2 in the early/mid 90s. Though in the UK we had a pretty cool monthly newsstand anthology called “Manga Mania” that ran Akira and a bunch of Dark Horse stuff at around the same time. I have Mai, the Psychic Girl on my bookshelf!

I like in Scotland, and you’re right, society is quite rapidly secularising, but I do find people with religious faith tend to gravitate towards “caring” or medical professions, social work etc. One church I used to attend in a city I previously lived in was absolutely full of medics.