The following contains spoilers for Shikimori’s Not Just A Cutie, available to stream on Crunchyroll.
Shikimori is not just a cutiethe manga, was first published in February 2019 and is still running due to its considerable success. Shikimori is not just a cutie was eventually adapted into an anime that premiered on Crunchyroll on April 10, 2022. Created by Keigo Maki, Shikimori is not just a cutie is a romantic comedy that follows Shikimori and Izumi, two teenagers who must navigate high school as they explore their romantic relationship.
Yuu Izumi is a smart and kind, if clumsy, young teenager. On the other hand, his girlfriend, Shikimori, is the complete opposite: athletic, stubborn and assertive. But what about this pair that makes them so perfect?
10 They are opposites
While Izumi is clumsy and generally riddled with bad luck, Shikimori is the complete opposite. She is outgoing, confident, cute, strong and daring. Izumi, on the other hand, is clumsy, shy and always seems to get into trouble. He also has a tendency to lose his wallet and trip over his feet.
On the contrary, Izumi excels at cooking unlike Shikimori. For example, when Shikimori tries to cook shrimp for Izumi, she ruins the dish with a mess of spices. Through this scenario, the public discovers that she cannot cook or bake.
9 They balance each other out
With their differences, Izumi and Shikimori balance each other out. Izumi’s assertiveness and Shikimori’s confidence fit together like puzzle pieces. Izumi’s tendency to trip over his feet, drop things and injure himself is offset by Shikimori’s protective and defensive nature. Similarly, Shikimori’s shy attitude is balanced by Izumi’s kindness and generosity to everyone he meets.
Additionally, in Episode 10, “The Desire to Win,” the audience gets another glimpse of Izumi’s clumsiness when he is chosen to participate in the “mixed boys and girls relay” for their school’s athletic festival. Izumi’s best friend, Inuzuka, reveals that while Izumi is not a slow runner, he does fall a lot. This is completely different from Shikimori, who is athletically minded. Her participation in the mixed relay for boys and girls (along with their friends) helps balance Izumi (and Hachimitsu), neither of whom are athletes at all.
8 They support each other
Complementing each other side by side, Izumi and Shikimori constantly encourage and reassure each other about the other’s likes, goals, and preferences. For example, after Izumi backs his girlfriend’s failed cooking attempt, Shikimori promises she will improve and learn how to become a better cook. Fortunately, she keeps her promise to him by taking cooking classes with his mother.
Meanwhile, when Izumi falls ill and stays home from school, Shikimori continues to support him by flooding him with text messages reminding him to take his medicine, stay warm, and eat warm food. Though she can’t see him, she’s always thinking about him, which seems obvious from the various messages she’s sent him.
7 They are committed to each other
Shikimori and Izumi’s devotion to each other is another beautiful aspect of their relationship. One of their classmates, Kamiya, is in love with Izumi and is devastated to discover that he has been taken. However, the couple’s devotion to each other is so strong that it doesn’t quite phase them. Instead, Shikimori does her best to comfort her.
In another case, Izumi asks his friend Inuzuka to take notes for him while he is resting at home. This continues to spark jealousy on Shikimori’s side, as she believes Inuzuka is out to steal her boyfriend. This one-sided feud between her and Izumi’s best friend illustrates how devoted she is to her boyfriend. The fear that Inuzuka would steal him (which he wouldn’t) is indicative of a mix of two things: a brand new relationship in which both people who clearly like each other still feel shy and insecure.
6 They represent swapped gender roles
When the couple makes plans to see the fireworks in episode 6, “With Firecrackers Comes the End of Summer,” Izumi tries to win a prize for Shikimori in the shooting game. Unfortunately, he misses the target several times and fails. However, when it is Shikimori’s turn, she hits the target several times and wins the prize, which she gives to Izumi. This, of course, surprises both the latter and the game operator.
In addition, in the next episode, “Cultural Festival”, Izumi sews with some of his female classmates for his school’s cultural festival. Sewing is generally seen as a “feminine” activity, and perhaps this is why the anime chose to have Izumi do it instead of Shikimori. Either way, the swapped gender roles work perfectly in their relationship, mainly because they feel so comfortable with it.
5 They are shy with each other
Their shy attitude at the beginning of the series reflects their sweet infatuation with each other. As they continue to get to know each other, these shy undertones persist, emphasizing a sense of innocence and purity. In addition, throughout their relationship, Shikimori and Izumi maintain a sense of shyness towards each other that could only be described as healthy.
During episode 4, “How They Feel at the Beginning of Summer,” Shikimori understandably feels shy about wearing a new swimsuit for Izumi. But when she sees him staring at a poster of a woman modeling a bikini, she fuels her to buy a nice swimsuit. Likewise, Izumi seems to feel shy when he just catches his girlfriend’s gaze.
4 They make sacrifices for each other
The relationship between Shikimori and Izumi is cute because, in addition to respecting each other, they don’t think twice before making sacrifices for each other. For example, after Shikimori cooks (and messes up) for Izumi, her food makes him fall to his knees nauseated when he tries a bite.
He doesn’t let this put him off though, as he continues to eat more to make his girlfriend feel better, shocking her and their friends.
3 The way they think the other is perfect
Despite Izumi’s bad luck and clumsiness, Shikimori believes he is perfect. Likewise, Izumi considers Shikimori perfect, despite her inclination to save him. Many guys would view this trait as emasculating.
However, Izumi thinks otherwise. In fact, he believes this is the perfect quality for a girl for him because that’s what makes her Shikimori.
2 The way they protect each other
There’s nothing sweeter than the way Shikimori protects (and in some cases stands up) Izumi, who is prone to causing accidents. Although in most cases Shikimori protects and avenges Izumi, she is not the only one in their relationship to protect her beloved.
For example, when Shikimori’s sandal breaks in Episode 6, Izumi is determined to wear it to protect her bare, blistered feet from the rough ground, despite Shikimori’s protests. In his own way, Izumi Shikimori protects him as much as she does.
1 They always make time for their friends
When two friend group members start a romantic relationship, it can become a challenge for the general friendship group. However, Shikimori and Izumi manage to balance their relationship and friendships, even involving them in many activities and outings.
Despite their crush on each other, Izumi and Shikimori always make sure to make time for their close friends.
Shikimori is not just a cutie is available on Crunchyroll.
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