This Spring season, there are a few new slice of life titles amongst the beloved returnees. Fans swear by their favorite so-called "waifu", but Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie posits that Shikimori Micchon is so cool that viewers will most definitely fall in love with her, so the first episode is the best place to start.
Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie is a romantic comedy about its titular character, Shikimori Micchon, and her unassuming, average Joe of a boyfriend, Izumi Yuu. Shikimori is supposedly the perfect girlfriend and usually has a sweet and cute demeanor. However, there are certain moments in which an edgier Shikimori is revealed, and she becomes what is described by Izumi himself as incredibly cool.
A Bit of an Overstatement?
In recent years, slice of life anime has really taken off with the manic pixie dream girl trope, something that many fans will remember being exemplified in The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, but has been seen more recently in My Dress-Up Darling!. The trope has grown and changed, and in recent years, the chances of such anime featuring an average Joe protagonist, and a character who is seen as a Madonna in their respective environments have increased considerably.
In this case, the girl in question is extremely beautiful, sociable, likable, and also, on occasion, so cool that her boyfriend Izumi can't help but relish those moments. However, the series tries too hard to convince the viewer that Shikimori's cool moments are overwhelmingly so, and those moments can feel too contrived and overly-dramatized in ways that come off as rather corny. However, that's not to say Shikimori doesn't do anything cool at all or isn't a likable character – on the contrary, Shikimori's more interesting aspects come out in her moments of vulnerability.
Not a Bad Start
The lead character, Shikimori, is likable but what really makes her interesting is her affection for Izumi and the gentler side of her personality, which she often tries to suppress or experience away from his gaze. The contrast between her usual self and the moments where she whips out the coolness is definitely an interesting gap, but Shikimori's coolness resides too far in the realm of the mundane, at least for most of the first episode.
The shonen-esque camera angles used in those moments also create a heightened level of flair and drama that also makes her appear cool, but these are cosmetic at best, such as her dramatic not-so-last-ditch rescue of Izumi from the dreaded "Truck-kun". Be that as it may, the latter stages of the episode make a stronger case for the rest of the series, and it is too early to write it off – it could still grow into its premise and become a stunning romance title this season.
Okay, THAT, Was Cool
Shikimori's bowling masterclass came after Shikimori appeared visibly shaken by the prospect of having to bowl, especially after her boyfriend's pathetic performance, but his cheering is the song that strengthens her. In fact, one of the better elements of the first episode of Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie is Shikimori's clumsy and relatable way of carrying herself whenever Izumi's involved. We see her blush and experience insecurity, but her feelings for Izumi are powerful, and they draw something different out of her. Her coolest moments in the episode are her perfect score in the bowling outing she and Izumi attended with friends, as well as her flying kick which changed the otherwise fatal trajectory of a large sign that had come falling down from above.
All in all, Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie seems like it will be an entertaining watch this Spring season. But whether the anime will be able to create another one of the slice of life genre's resident goddesses in the pantheon of impossibly amazing heroine characters who mingle with common men such as the likes of Komi Shouko, Kitagawa Marin, and others, is not yet evident.