Based on the line-up that has been confirmed so far, Spring 2022 seems to be the season of romance and comedy. Some are sequels of already popular titles, such as the new season of Kaguya-sama Love is War or Komi Can't Communicate, while others are newcomers ready to make a name for themselves, such as SpyxFamily.
One of the new RomCom stories that will surely become a fan favorite is Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie. Based on a manga by Keigo Maki, there are more than 10 volumes available right now, so the anime production team has more than enough source material to go through. Anybody who has read the manga will agree that the story is great because it takes one of the most original approaches to romantic comedy. For those who would prefer to simply wait for the anime instead, here's a brief preview of what to expect from this promising new series.
Lovable Characters
Before we talk about the story, let's explore the characters first. Because even more than the plot, the characters are the main driving force of Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie. There are two main characters in the story, Yuu Izumi, and his girlfriend, Micchon Shikimori.
Izumi is a kind and shy boy who always finds himself in precarious situations. He has always had a rather weak disposition since he was a child, but what makes everything so much more peculiar is the absurd amount of bad luck in his life. Getting into a little accident or suffering from a mild injury on his way back from school is an everyday occurrence for him.
Shikimori is a cheerful and sporty girl who always excels in both academics and sports. Her friendly nature, cute face, and beautiful figure makes her classmates and everybody else in school admire Shikimori. While she doesn't considers herself as an ally of justice, she always tries her best to help everybody in need, especially those close to her.
The Tale of A Gallant Knight and Her Helpless Prince
One of the most common tropes in Romantic Comedy, or even Romance in general, is “the man who comes to rescue the lady in distress”. The man assumes the role of savior and protector of his lover. That has been the case for most romcom stories not only in anime, but in every kind of storytelling medium.
Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie turn that trope on its head. In this story, Izumi is the one that is always in distress and Shikimori is the one who always comes to save him. But Keigo Maki managed to do it in such a way that makes each character retain their distinct tropes. Izumi is still a charismatic boy, while Shikimori is still a cute and feminine girl. But once in a while, those protective instincts will kick in and Shikimori will turn into a gallant knight and save her helpless prince.
That is why the title is actually a play on what Izumi often says in the series, which is “Shikomori is not just a cutie, she is incredibly cool as well”. Whenever Shikimori grabs Izumi's hand to save him from a speeding vehicle and tightly grabs him by the waist, Shikimori looks unbelievably cool and Izumi falls in love with her all over again.
Heartwarming Romance, Hilarious Comedy, and Everything In Between
Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie manages to strike a delicate balance within the relationship dynamic of its characters. On one hand, Shikimori is like a knight in shining armor that is always there to save her prince. On the other hand, Izumi is still the only one who can make her blush and flustered with his spontaneous and unconditional affection. So both characters have their time to shine under the spotlight.
In between all of those cool and heartwarming moments, are hilarious situational comedies created by their interaction. Not to mention there are also lots of memorable moments between this lover and their close friends. Izumi will clumsily do what he can to help his friend, while Shikomori's friends will have their hearts skip a beat whenever she does something cool in front of them.
For the most part, Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie is an episodic story, which means each episode has their own little slice-of-life story. Sort of like the 4-koma in manga. However, there is still an overall arc to the story in the form of the development of Izumi and Shikomori's romantic relationship. There will also be a brief exploration of the characters within their immediate circle of friends, along with some lights conflict here and there to spice things up.
This is a perfect anime to watch whenever you're in the mood for something light, funny and wholesome, while still having an overall story arc to keep you invested in the story. The characters, the romance, the comedy, the story, everything is carefully crafted in order to present an all around good vibe for the viewers. So be sure to check it out.