Kawaii dake ja Nai Shikimori-san

KAWAII DAKE JA NAI SHIKIMORI-SAN As its title suggests, Shikimori-san indeed isn't just a cutie, but she's also mid as heck. I want to preface this review by acknowledging that I had high expectations heading in with all the buzz the show got prior to release and even drawing comparisons to Bisque Doll with fans claiming Shikimori-san will dethrone Marin Kitagawa. Unfortunately, my expectations were not met at all as Shikimori-san proves to be a bland showing. STORY: 6/10 The core plot of Shikimori-san is actually quite unique. You have a soft boy who is seemingly perpetually cursed with bad favor and his wonderful and all powerful girlfriend that loves him and protects him from all harm. It's an archetype that I feel I haven't seen before and yet the entire show still feels bland and lacks actual purpose. The running gag/theme of Izumi being clumsy and always falling into trouble gets old quickly and so does Shikimori's badass and cool nature. The show progresses but there feels no progress at all. I feel that we have the same exact characters that we had during the very first episode until the very last. The bit of Izumi being clumsy and Shikimori being cool fails to be a strong center point that offers an overarching goal similar to that of Bisque Doll's cosplay theme or even Komi-san's goal to make 100 friends. ART & SOUND: 8.5/10 If there's one thing I have to commend Shikimori-san for, it has to be its art. I absolutely love its vibrant colors and artstyle and it single handedly brings life to a dull world. The various contrasting colors of each character is a treat to the eyes, and speaking of eyes, so much detail is given to each character's design down to their pupils. Animation is consistently smooth and very crisp. For an underwhelming show, this is one area that it was able to stick the landing. CHARACTERS: 5.5/10 Now to talk about the characters of Shikimori-san. Where do I even begin. With Shikimori-san's unique plot and wonderful visuals, you would think it would be an enjoyable romcom series, but it lacks the vital crux of any decent show: characters to care about. I won't even pick on Izumi too much in this review. Yes, he has been a point of heated discussion among the community with most being unable to stand his weak and soft nature. I am personally fine with that, I find nothing wrong with it and even find it interesting and unique. However, the problem is that much like many of the characters in this show, he has personality but no identity. I feel that each character has their unique traits and characteristics, but they all lack a sense of personality that makes them memorable and makes them a character that the viewer can resonate with and care about. Yes, this sentiment of mine extends even to the titular Shikimori. She is unable to provide anything that sets her apart from your traditional anime waifu and she comes out bland and dull, even for the main character that is supposed to carry this show the way Marin and Komi-san carries their respective shows. Additionally, there's just a lack of chemistry between Shikimori and Izumi. For the main duo, they lack the chemistry that provides excitement and something to cheer for. I understand that they are going for the awkward stage vibe especially with their contrasting personalities, but it isn't executed well. For a romance with weak chemistry that works, I suggest checking out Tsuki ga Kirrei. It's able to tell a love story with minimal chemistry while showcasing young and awkward love. I honestly have a hard time trying to find the right words to express what I feel for these characters or rather the lack of feeling. They all just lack something for me to cheer for or care about. All except one, I guess. Kamiya-san singlehandedly resurrected my little interest for this show when she appeared. We were finally presented with a character with heartfelt motives and genuine conflict. In her little screentime, I can easily say that the episodes she was in were my absolute favorites. She is the sole reason the score does not go any lower. ENJOYMENT: 7/10 With its dull characters and plot that misses the mark, Shikimori-san still had its enjoyable moments. Aside from literally every second Kamiya-san is shown on screen, moments like the fireworks at the festival or the scene in the gondola are able to provide a short-lived and much needed spark. At the end of the day, though, Shikimori-san was not a show I was really looking forward to or excited about each week as every episode was mostly more of the same. OVERALL: 6.5/10 Coming in with high expectations, Shikimori-san was unable to meet them except on the visual aspect. Everything is dull and bland with nothing special especially during a time with great romcoms like Bisque Doll, Komi-san, and Kaguya-sama. The main leading duo is just unable to keep the show afloat and even Shikimori herself fails to standout. When the best part about the show is a character that shows up for about 3 episodes, you know there's something wrong.

This is actually my first time writing a review, so don't really expect much, but also don't expect me to not say anything that will get people to disagree with me. Story: 6/10 Art: 9/10 Sound: 9/10 Characters: 9/10 Enjoyment: 8/10 Overall: 8/10 I really, really loved this anime so I gave it an 8. It was very good! It's not the most amazing slice of life anime to ever exist, sure. I see that this show gave a lot of people in the anime community high expectations and were let down because the anime was "boring" and that Shikimori was "mid" and that Izumi was "just a weak and powerless boy who has so much bad luck that all he can do is depend on Shikimori" but it's not. It's absolutely not. But I'll tell you now, if you don't like Slice of Life Romcoms that's just mostly chill and mainly full of fluff, this is not for you. I, for a fact, have been very smitten over this show from the beginning, despite it having a few slow moments that I kind of got bored with, I still pretty much enjoyed this anime a lot. Story This show doesn't really give us anything much when it comes to the story, it's just the everyday lives of a very iconic high school couple, Shikimori and Izumi, hanging out with very fun and interesting characters as friends, and also let's not forget Kamiya, who's a very great character that I kinda wish had more screentime. Anyway, yeah. It's just mostly that. The backstories of Izumi and Shikimori weren't as dark as I expected it to be if I'm gonna be honest, well, at least for Shikimori. Izumi's was okay. I wasn't really expecting anything much. But he's sure been through a lot because of him having so much bad luck. But the story with Kamiya is amazing, I just know people will very much love her and would probably cry because of her unexpectedly like I did. So yeah, it wasn't actually as average as people might think it is. Art I don't really have anything unique to say about the artstyle of this anime. It's really nice and the colors were bright but satisfying to look at. And for the eyes, they were really unique and pretty! Overall a really good job! The animation is pretty smooth and it captures some small details that makes you realize that they put a lot of effort into this show. The ED is also very fun to watch. I love it. It's made like a little game where things are moving towards Izumi so Shikimori's goal is to hit all those things so that Izumi doesn't get hurt. It's fun. Overall, I just really love the art. Sound The OP and the ED are absolute *chefs kiss* BANGERS. Very nice choice for an anime like this, it suits the show pretty well. I don't actually remember much from other music on the show, but I don't think there's really anything bad about it because I'd likely notice it if the sound used was kinda off. So yeah, I also loved it. Characters I would give this a 10 tbh if I saw more character development from the two main characters, but the whole thing with them in these 12 episodes were still pretty good. I was interested with the fact that they had reverse roles while still showing how they can be masculine or feminine. They both have fun personalities and honestly? People hating on Izumi are not seeing this very well. In fact, Izumi is a great character that even if he's not your typical cool male MC in most anime but he definitely has his charms that make you realize why Shikimori fell for him in the first place. And no, Shikimori is really the type of girl anyone, even the girls, would surely fall for. And once you get to know her more, you'd fall for her even more. And this is the same case with Izumi as well, and you'd fall even more hard when you see that he's really trying his best to not be just "weak and pathetic". So yeah, they're not bad characters, and their chemistry is really good! One of the best wholesome couples in anime. Like, I'd only just want the best for them, really. I just wish we were shown more development, on them as a couple and as individuals growing on their own and growing because of each other. For the others, Hachimitsu, Nekozaki, and Inuzuka, they were all pretty much interesting and fun characters too. There's nothing bad about them. Hachimitsu was really the funniest out of all of them too. I like watching her a lot. Seeing Shikimori's brother, Fuji, was also nice. You can see how they act towards each other and how different Shikimori is at home interacting with him. He's a nice addition to the characters in the show even if he's only a side character. Kamiya is probably the best character in this show, and I wanna see more of her and know more about her, especially since she's the one who's had some really sad story here. But yeah, other characters were also okay. Shikimori and Izumi's parents were nice and funny too. I love how I can also see parts of myself in all the 6 characters you'd usually see in this show. It was nice. I'd seriously wanna be friends with them so badly if I could. They're sure there but they're not "just there". It's more than that. They're interesting and I really love all of them. Enjoyment I think from what I said so far you already know that I really had a fun time with this show. I suggest not binging this show tho, as I think it's better just watching a few episodes a day or whenever you just have extra time of just wanna relax and watch the romance and friendships in this show. - So... yeah. Kawaii dake ja Nai Shikimori-san was overall a very good anime, and I'd highly recommend it for people who just want a fun time watching a show full of fluff about a high school couple who already are dating, and them spending time with family, friends, classmates, and also just the two of them in general. It's not for you if you want a more story driven slice of life romcom, and if you want to see a slow burn romance or just a story where the show starts with them being friends and becoming lovers in the story eventually. Big kudos to everyone who's worked on this from the drawings to the animations to the coloring to the music production and to the voice acting, and everything else for working hard despite it getting delays due to the studio being affected by the virus too!

As someone who watched all 12 episodes.. let me tell you this. This anime is NOT worth your time, please don't do what I did. If you really want to know what happens, then you're better off reading Wikia pages for the characters and watching funny moment montages from this anime on Youtube. Banger OP though, I'll give them that. Be wary that some of the side characters are literally better than the main female protagonist, who is literally a Mary Sue that gets jealous/overprotective. So if you wanted to start the anime for her then uh... ahah.. bad news for you, huh?

This show has a ton of potential (present tense in case they get a second season), but it made me very conflicted as I did not feel they totally delivered on it. The good: The characters overall are very likable. I like the chemistry between the main and side characters. The core group along with Hachimitsu, Nekozaki, and Inuzuka work really well. Hachimitsu is particularly excellent. The Kamiya arc was decent. I think Izumi's parents are a nice addition to the show, and Shikimori's brother has some good moments, as well. The confusing: I didn't read the manga (yet), but I really thought the show was going to go in a different direction. You have Shikimori acting like a total wild card bad ass in a very stylized way in the intro and the first episode, and I kept expecting it to have more to her story than meets the eye. It ended up with a very straightforward romance direction, which was nice and sweet, but not expected to me, at least. The bad: For some reason that I can't really explain, I feel the execution just really fell flat, particularly with the finale. The show lost some momentum leading up to it. Some of the animation choices were a bit odd with the main duo's facial expressions in what should have been powerful moments, and it kind of took me out of it. But in general, just the writing, the action, everything about it should have been very moving, but it just didn't work for some reason. I wanted a grand payoff, but it really felt like a miss, in my opinion. I do hope they get a second season, maybe I'll go into with more muted expectations. But this show was hyped quite a bit, and I expected it to go in a different direction. Then I enjoyed it, and then the finale was pretty weak. So, I'm very conflicted on it. Stays at a 7 because I do like the characters overall, but it was wavering to 6 territory for sure, and it could've easily gotten to an 8 had they stuck the landing.

Kawaii dake ja Nai Shikimori-san is the most boring rom-com anime I have ever seen in my life. The story is very uninteresting, and I didn't have anything to look forward to in the next episode. Characters are so trashed, especially Izumi; he is one of the most cliche characters I have ever seen. He is pathetic and utterly useless. The story heavily relies on the main girl Shikimori, who is cool and awesome, but these two couple don't seem to work. There was no character development whatsoever. If you take Shikimori out of the anime, then it will be 0/10 anime. The story didn't give us any good reason to care about anything that's happening, and they never gave a good reason why both love each other. And the side characters man they are so useless, even NPC in GTA V are better than these side characters. I hate this vibrant colour palette, it hurts my eye. I hate how everyone has different hair colours. If you take everyone's hair and put it together, you can make an RGB light for your gaming PC. I hate it. And the OP, man, it's so bad. I have never heard so trash OP in my life. ED was "OK". 4/10 Overall.

Shikimori was an anime of a wholesome couple doing wholesome things. Except the common roles are reversed and the MC has some very bad luck. In all honesty, there was a lot of hype going into this anime which turned into a lot of hate. While I do agree that this anime is not great, it is not bad at all. In fact, it delivers some good entertainment as the show progressed. The Kamiya stuff was really gooooooood. Art: 8 I liked the art. Character designs were kind of whatever minus Shikimori and Kamiya, but the colors were really popping and the animation was really smooth. All of it together made the anime really pleasant to look at. Sound: 7 I thought their background music choices were kind of annoying and it was distracting at times, but the opening and endings both slap so I'm willing to forgive it. Characters: 8 There was a lot of controversy surrounding the MC because of the way he acted and personally I saw no issue with it because there's nothing wrong in my opinion with being more feminine in nature. However, the whole bad luck trope was more annoying than beneficial to the plot at times. Other than that a lot of the other characters were pretty solid. The best being Kamiya and Shuu, as well as Shikimori. Story: 6 Unfortunately, this was the biggest drawback for me, I dont want to keep mentioning it but when the story focused on Kamiya, those were the episodes that delivered the most, because aside from those not a lot happened and the development we got was very minuscule. Because of this, at times the anime would get boring, especially towards the beginning

Kawaii dake ja Nai Shikimori-san is one of the many anime's that struggles with lack of depth and an uninteresting plot. First of all the characters are bleak and aren't interesting. The only characters that are genunly engaging are Shikimori and Izumi's mom because of their unique attributes and physical traits. The side characters feel bland and don't really make interesting points in the show making them unlikable. A good anime always has to have interesting side characters and are memorable and pose a huge impact to the story. Lastly, Izumi is one of the most bleak characters in this anime with his only attribute being his bad luck. Other than that he doesn't have a unique personality and always acts like a massive kid in front of Shikimori showing how irritating and uninteresting he is as a character. However I'll say this anime has a great art style and decent animation which is one of the only best parts of the show. The main cast have unique physical traits making them eye catching but sadly it isn't worthy because of their bland character traits.

Is the story unique? NA, was like ok 6 out 10. nothing special but somehow i watch it to the very end. If it was predictable? yes, maybe did you enjoy it anyway because you like this genre/set-up? yes cuz the genre was my type. Do you think the art style is fitting for the story? yes Were the characters well-rounded? Did they have flaws and strengths, or were they unusually strong/smart/stupid? NA, the pink girl like perfect girlfriend anyone could have ask for. Do you think others will enjoy/dislike this series, even if you didn't? Why? 6 out of 10. nothing special but somehow i watch it to the very end. if u have come across this anime much be cause of the pink hair girl.. u can give it a try.

Kawaii dake ja Nai Shikimori-san stands out for its unique characters, which immediately capture attention. Each brings a personal and authentic touch, with Shikimori being both lovably charismatic and yet impressive when he springs into action, defying the stereotypes of a common romantic relationship. The interaction between her and the clumsy Izumi is what drives the narrative, creating an engaging dynamic that is fun to follow. The romance is good, but at first it can feel a little underdeveloped. The initial interactions between the couple are cute, however, there is a lack of immediate depth in the development of their relationship, which leaves something to be desired for those expecting a faster evolution. However, as the series progresses, the growth of feelings and interactions between them begins to solidify, bringing a more pressured balance between the romantic comedy and the emotional side. Furthermore, the scenery is also something that draws attention. Not only because of its pleasant and well-animated aesthetics, but because of the way it differentiates itself, creating a unique background that complements the narrative well. The setting is charming and vibrant, bringing the story even more to life. The general dynamic of the anime is really cool, as it manages to mix lightness and comedic moments with touches of emotional depth, making the watching experience relaxed and, at the same time, engaging. For those who like romantic comedies with striking characters and a pinch of unexpected action, "Kawaii dake ja Nai Shikimori-san" is a good choice, although I need patience to see the romance blossom in a more convincing way. 7/10

THIS ANIME WAS A BETTER SHITSHOW THAN WHATEVER MY DRESS UP DARLING WAS!! It showed Shikimori's depth as a character and her ability to be a strong yet feminine woman FINALLY a anime that protrayed romance through the dominance of a woman in the relationship that allows the guy in the relationship to be cared for as well.. I loved that in this anime it wasn't the woman that was all "I'M thE DamSel In DisTresS I Can'T Do AnyThiNg WithOut My BoyFrIenD", Shikimori had her own strong personality and was independent while also being kind and thoughtful. EVEN THROUGH THAT Izumi shows his strengths by being able to carry a positive attitude while having bad luck constantly thrown at him, the best part as well was the non-sexualization of them as minors! My dress up darling was a bunch of sexualization between minors that completely disregarded the plot and became this gross lump of catering to weird people who sexualize minors. The main thing i loved was it showed true connection and growth between the characters and never went south. DEF RECCOMEND!!!

This anime is for people who enjoy a cool and pretty girlfriend to protect a weak with bad luck boyfriend. The story overall does not go fast rather like offers a slice of life with romance genres. The animation quality is solid, with colors and fluid movements is solid. The unique aspects of this anime are Izumi's very bad luck and Shikimori being a very cool and pretty girl. So, as you can guess, this anime is for those who like romance and slice-of-life school settings. It's perfect for sitting back, watching the show, and chilling on the couch Whether you enjoy this kind of story is personal, but for me, I like slice-of-life and relaxing romances where the characters are already dating. It makes me not feel on edge, waiting for them to confess their love to each other. So, I give this a 7 to recommend but for myself, I give it 9. The anime might not have groundbreaking elements and cool unique stuff, but it does what it aims to do, provide a sweet, slice-of-life experience with a touch of romance. I see this anime get 6.9/10, but to be honest for anyone who enjoys slice-of-life and romance, this anime is a solid pick and worth trying.

"Kawaii dake ja Nai Shikimori-san" is a Wholesome stereotypical romcom slice of life show and nothing more so if you are expecting something more when getting into the anime you might be disappointed, but if you go into it already planning to simply enjoy a short wholesome anime then it fits the bill. Plot: as I said "Kawaii dake ja Nai Shikimori-san" is the stereotypical slice of life romcom and as such you have all the usual plot points from the fireworks festival to the mc being home sick and the cultural festival. In this type of shows where it's basically a high school love story and the plot is so similar there aren't many ways for a show to stand out from the rest, the best options for this are the characters and their dynamics, which I'll talk about in further in the review and the premise behind the whole show. The whole premise of this anime is that the main character has the "law of murphy" (basically he got max stats on bad luck and anything that could go wrong will go wrong) and then shikimori, his girlfriend, is not only cute but also cool and protective of him always helping him throughout his unlucky moments. It's important to note that, if you haven't noticed already from the whole premise, "Kawaii dake ja Nai Shikimori-san" is presenting a clear 180 reversal of gender roles where the woman is the one always protecting and looking after the man which is something that I don't particularly enjoy nor hate it was simply an aspect of the anime that didn't affect my overall enjoyment but I'm aware of people who either disliked the anime or loved it even more due to this aspect so I thought it was noteworthy. Sound: This category is a bit weird to rate in slice of life shows since besides opening and ending songs there isn't any crazy fight scenes to showcase flabbergasting sound effects and the OST's are all pretty much in the same lane of every other slice of life. For the opening I actually didn't like it much at the beginning but it started to grow on me, it is still in the realm of the romcom/slice of life type of openings where it's simply wholesome and "kawaii" but at the same time I found it really unique from the others but I'm unable to pinpoint the exact aspect that gives it this uniqueness. The ending is romcom 101(and almost all anime really) where it's a simple chill song to just vibe, calm down and relax so even though it's not necessarily bad it is forgettable in my opinion. Art: The animation was above average in my opinion especially for a slice of life with no fights, the art style was pleasing specially the character's eyes. Beside that there isn't anything else noteworthy in this category, no drops in quality and no specific highlights in any episode it was simply good quality animation. Characters: As I said before the main two ways an anime of this type has to stand out from the rest is the premise and the characters development and dynamics, with the characters being arguably more important since the initial curiosity for the premise quickly fades out once you start getting past the first couple episodes. With that said "Kawaii dake ja Nai Shikimori-san" unfortunately falls with many other slice of life shows under where I adore the side cast but don't particularly like the main characters. Shikimori is not a bad character and there is no specific aspect I dislike but I simply think she is the worse female character in the story, as for Izumi I personally disliked his character he is the typical air-headed, non-assertive main character that is simply going with the flow and most of the plot is driven by shikimori and the side cast, in some instances they try and make him a deep "I'm lonely and am afraid of making friends because of my unluckiness" type character and then right after they make him a happy go lucky no matter the situation type character which in my opinion are two aspects of the character that are clashing with each other and although some might argue that it gives character depth and layers to Izumi I would simply say it was a failed attempt of doing just that. Hachimitsu is the comedic relief character in the side cast that seems to have such a different personality from the rest of the friend group so you wouldn't assume she would fit with them but actually fits perfectly, she is probably the one in the group with the least amount of character development and importance within the story between the five friends but I believe she did her role in the series perfectly as being a contrast to the rest of the group and I loved the episode that focused on her and her development. Nekozaki and Inuzuka (neko and Inu being cat and dog when translated) are respectively the best friends and right hands of each of the main characters, they are above all plot starters for the main characters for example Inuzuka giving Izumi the tickets or Nekozaki inviting Kamiya but they also have a bit of development on them, they didn't get a specific episode to develop each other but their development was sprinkled out throughout the whole series. Kamiya is basically the rival of Shikimori and is in my opinion the best character in the show, her personality is very likable, her development and depth is immaculate and her character as a whole is very relatable, in my opinion the best episodes in the show were the ones where they go into her character and she just has a level of writing into her character above all the other character in the show. Overall: The animation and art is above average, the soundtrack is the typical romance type songs but the opening is very unique and I'll definitely be hearing it outside of the anime. The premise is unique for a slice of life anime with the whole Murphy's law thing but it doesn't necessarily make it better or worse because of that (at least from my point of view). The characters are the main focus of shows like this and even though the side cast is all very good with a massive highlight on kamiya, the main characters seemed a bit lackluster especially Izumi who to me is a very unlikable character. With all this in mind I feel that a 6/10 is a perfect rating for a show like this.

As an avid lover of slice-of-life and romance anime, Kawaii dake ja Nai Shikimori-san is one of those shows where it's just alright. I don't have anything critical to say about it because it's ignorant to expect too much from these types of shows. But I'll give my honest thoughts on it. The show revolves around Izumi, our protagonist (???) or the main male lead character. His character is grounded in the super unlucky trope, and it's ruining my life type of thing. He's very passive for most of the show and doesn't really have any funny or exciting moments either. He's just whatever. I don't hate him but don't expect an interesting or engaging male lead character for this show. The female lead character, Shikimori, has been in a relationship with Izumi since the first episode. She's bright and fun and makes Izumi a tolerable character by saving him multiple times throughout the show. But she's not just a cutie, she's also super cool and serious at times. She's also just whatever. She's an average SOL female lead character without much going for her, but her dynamic with Izumi and the other characters ultimately saves the show. There's not much to say because it's your average slice-of-life anime with your average characters. It has funny moments sometimes, and the romance is there but I wanted more from our main characters. Izumi was far too passive for my tastes, but Shikimori helped balance him out, which made it a cute and fun show to watch. You can tell from the premise of the show and from the first couple of episodes that it's nothing serious, or even that great, but it wasn't a bad show. But if you want good characters, maybe you should look somewhere else because everyone here is pretty average. The story and plot, I'll say are a 4-5 The animation, art, and music save this show. The OP is fire. I put it as a 6-7/10 just because of those factors. So if you're looking for a cozy, cute, and fun slice of life to watch, then this is a good show. Just expect average characters, average plotlines, and above-average humor and romance. 6-7/10 will read the manga sometime.

Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie is the latest installment in high school romance, comedy shows. The highlight of this one? Shikimori, who is the supposed popular, pretty girl, who is perfect in every way. While it's far from the amazing showing that I thought it would be after the first few episodes, it's still far from the disappointment that I'm hearing people say they believe it to be. Story & Characters: Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie features Shikimori, who started dating Yuu Izumi at the start of their high school life. The story of what pulled her in to start dating Izumi gets explained a few episodes in, but these two are pretty hopelessly in love and are hesitant to show it, outside of hanging out with each other. Together, they try and get through high school while Izumi's historically bad luck follows him everywhere. Shikimori is so amazing that she's able to fight off half the things that come Izumi's way, while he just kind of accepts the beating that he takes with the other half. Luckily, the series doesn't seem to zone in on this unlucky side of him completely, but instead, tries to let us know how he's trying to change his own luck. Is one adventure any more safe for him than the next, and, will the couple's next date go as planned? These are the two questions the series is basically seeking to ask through this season. Shikimori is such a strong willed character, and easily my favourite part of this series. She's athletic, pretty and refuses to let anyone talk down on her boyfriend. You always appreciate series like this that shows how the female is the stronger character of the couple, as it goes against the grain of what is typically shown - especially because Japan has a thing for showing shy, weak-willing girls. She comes with multiple different personalities that you wouldn't believe is still her, and I loved it all. Another feature that shows she's different? She's a left, something rarely showed in anime these days. Izumi is the unfortunate one who gets pretty much every shred of bad luck possible going his way, and everyone, including himself, knows it. He tries so hard to impress Shikimori, even though she really doesn't ask for a ton in return, and that fact that she sees all this just makes her a better character to watch. Izumi isn't dense, though, he does need some time to think things through before he arrives at an answer. He's not the greatest character, but he's far from the worst. Their host of friends comprise of Shuu Inuzuka, Kyou Nekozaki, Yui Hachimitsu and Kamiya. Inuzuka is Izumi's best bud and he's an entertaining watch. Subtly making fun of people is probably where he shines, and he's always up for an adventure. Nekozaki and Hachimitsu are mostly seen together all the time, though mostly act as observers - I didn't think much of them. Kamiya has some pretty interesting storylines and makes the middle of the series a lot more fresh, as it was starting to slow down after the initial first few episodes. The storyline really shines at the start because we get to see how Shikimori and Izumi interact with each other, as well as the world, and even though this remains the case through much of the runtime, the episodes in the second half didn't feel quite as entertaining as the first half. There could have been more elements added to their relationship, and mixing it up a little more would have gone a long way. Kamiya's inclusion and her interactions with Nekozaki did help alleviate this a little bit, but seeing Inuzuka and Hachimitsu a little more involved would have added more to it. Shikimori's brother, Fuji, is seen in a few episodes, and watching how he interacts with his sister is mildly amusing. You do get an idea how Shikimori grew up, but again, I would have liked them to go a little deeper into this. Keeping the plot fresh was clearly a point that I felt needed some work, but still, watching our main couple go out and try to be enjoy themselves is easily the highlight of this series. (Story: 7/10, Characters: 7/10) Art: I've never really watching anything by Doga Kobo, the studio who worked on this series, before. But it looks pretty consistent aside some minor blips in the latter few episodes. I really liked what they did with the colouring for Izumi's eyes and Shikimori's hair, in particular. (8/10) Sound: The OST did it's job here, accompanied by a strong OP and ED. They all set the mood for the series quite well. The voice cast was very strong, with lots of names I'm not familiar with - which seems to be a trend more and more as the individual anime seasons goes on. Macy Anne Johnson (Shikimori) was fantastic here. She sets a strong tone for who Shikimori is and the sudden mood changes are pulled off to perfection. Similarly, Bryson Baugus (Izumi) portrayed Izumi's nervous, indecisive nature very well. Clifford Chapin (Inuzuka) is pretty much the perfect person to voice Inuzuka - the match is just too perfect. (9/10) Overall: Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie was an amazing watch - though I'd be lying if I would say that I have a soft spot for high school romance series, so I might be a tad biased. It certainly does have a difficult time keeping up the momentum after an insanely strong start, but the overall product is a worthy watch still. My understanding is that the studio changed some minor elements in the story that did hurt the series a little, but I'd still want to see more if another season were to air. (8/10)

This was a fairly basic romance anime - it wasn't the best thing I've ever watched, and I didn't completely fall in love with it, but I did have fun whilst watching it. Shikimori is really cute, but I liked how her character was fleshed out a bit more over the course of the series. Having her and Izumi were in an already established relationship at the beginning of the series as well - it's very rare that this happens, and seeing their relationship develop and grow from the get-go was rather sweet, plus it was kind of nice not having the whole confession scenes dragged out like a lot of shoujo recently, instead getting to delve straight into the actual relationship problems they have to work through and seeing how much they like each other.

STORY: While there wasn't a distinct, linear storyline, this anime had a very feel-good slice-of-life atmosphere about it. The romance was cute and not overly dramatized. I liked the concept of the very unlucky, clumsy guy with the very cool, competitive girl. The typical roles were reversed, and it was done in a refreshing way. ART: I really enjoyed the style of this anime. It isn't anything extremely flashy as far as animation went, but I loved the colors used and the expressions that the characters had. There were also plenty of nice settings outside of the characters' high school. SOUND: I think that the music and other sound effects fit the scenes well. There wasn't anything for me to complain about. However, there was nothing life-changing, so that's why it got an 8 instead of a 9 or 10. CHARACTER: I think the characters were my favorite part of this series. As I mentioned before, I loved the role reversal of Shikimori and Izumi. I loved the development of their friends throughout the series as well. The final episodes really rounded out the main and supporting cast very well. I am excited to see what is in store if there is another season. ENJOYMENT: I definitely felt good while watching this anime. I would say that it isn't too complicated, it isn't too dramatic. It is just cute and refreshing. If you want something that is relaxing, cutesy and has a bit of romance, this is a very good choice.

Shikimori-san is an anime carried by its visuals. The animation is stunning at some points. A lot of episodes are filled with dialogue requiring less motion, but overall this show is a pleasure to look at showcasing the amount of effort that when into its creation. Story Wise: It's a "Slice of Life". There's truly only 1 character that had an impactful development. 90% of the cast are completely static, including the two lead roles for the most part. Outside of Shikimori-san herself the characters seem very low in the department of goals, dreams, and motivations. Other than funny quirks and personality traits, I don't feel like we got to know enough about the characters thus limiting our attachment to the show. I still gave this show a 7 because it has an ability to suck you in. Many times I caught myself with a dump smile on my face. It's got a charm that, in combination with the flashy visuals, makes an enjoyable watch.

Another reason COVID sucks is that it delayed this cute anime for 2 whole weeks. This is the anime for the boys who feel beta about themselves. They wish their girls or dream girls can be both cute and cool like Shikimori. The animation was filled with vibrant colors. It’s not the most detailed or beautiful work, but it matched well with the cuteness of the characters and the light tone of the show. I like how the colors of the characters represent their personalities, or the personalities that they want to be. Like Shikimori is pink because she wants to be a cute girl, and Izumi is purple because he’s shy. The premise of the show is unique in that it’s the girl that’s is the dominant one in the relationship. However, the story still doesn’t deviate much from typical romcom anime. The episodes were mostly just cute moments between the couple and the side characters. It might feel like the progression leads to nowhere, but that’s what a lot of wholesome romcoms do— they just show the day to day moments that make us like the characters. There’s still developments for the characters, but it’s not as impactful as other serious anime. Overall, I enjoyed it for the cuteness of the characters. 7.5/10

Story: 6/10 Animation: 9/10 Music: 8/10 Characters: 6/10 Enjoyment: 7/10 Overall: 7/10 I found this anime very cute, but to be honest this felt nothing more than a wholesome comedy relief that I watch on the side. Most times I find this show somewhat very boring and sometimes very cute. The characters are likable but seem somewhat stereotypical as just architype characters. I did enjoy shikimori cool and cute side, izumi kind nature and emotional maturity, and I also am fond of Hachimitsu because I find her to be the most funniest out of all the characters The humor is there, but it doesn't hit. The cute moments in this anime is what I found to be worth it. The animation was very beautiful. The studio creating this anime really outdone their selves. I love the opening as well as it's visuals not only remind me of other romcom anime as well but also fucking slaps. Overall if your in the search of wholesomeness I strongly recommend this.

a story of an empty and generic romance with nothing remarkable, flat characters with nothing interesting to contribute to the story, an ending nothing special, Izumi's past seemed to have potential because of how the opening presented it but in the end it turned out to be something very basic and simple that hardly helps at all to enhance neither the narrative of the story nor the character the series is half saved by the animation and the opening that I must admit the opening is very good, what a pity that it is included in a work as mediocre as this I really say that it's the worst anime I've ever seen, not by much and it's not that my eyes bled either but if I summed it up in one sentence it would be "a boring and generic romance that tries to make you seem like it's good when it's the opposite " 4.5/10