Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie (Japanese: 可愛いだけじゃない式守さん, Hepburn: Kawaii dake ja Nai Shikimori-san)[a] is a Japanese romantic comedymanga series by Keigo Maki. It has been serialized on Kodansha's Magazine Pocket website and app since February 2019 and has been collected in nine tankōbon volumes. The manga is licensed in North America by Kodansha USA. An anime television series adaptation by Doga Kobo is set to premiere in April 2022.
Premise
Izumi and Shikimori are a typical lovey-dovey high school couple, that is, until Izumi clumsily falls into trouble. Then Shikimori turns into a very cool heroine that makes everyone's heart beat.
The title character is a sweet high school girl and the girlfriend of Izumi. When Izumi gets in trouble, her persona changes to that of a cool heartthrob with sharp glaring eyes that everyone around her admires. She has excellent reflexes and regularly rescues Izumi from dangerous situations. Her friends call her Mi-chon (みっちょん, Mitchon)Ch. 27 and Izumi's parents call her Mi-chan (みーちゃん, Mi ̄-chan).Ch. 17 She has light pink hair, and is a good student, having placed 11th in her class.Ch. 11 She is athletic and excels especially when Izumi cheers her on.Ch. 5, 18, 19-20 She is sensitive at times, especially when Izumi admires other girls and women shown in the media. She has a few weaknesses such as cooking and singing, although in a later chapter, it is revealed she has been taking cooking lessons along with Izumi's mother and has gotten better.Ch. 15, 73, 82 It is revealed that Shikimori was really shy and timid before Izumi asked her out, and gained confidence once she was able to motivate Izumi to be a little more assertive.Ch. 38, 41
The main protagonist is Shikimori's boyfriend, described as "a upbeat and friendly kid. He's had terrible luck his entire life."Vol. 4 profiles He is rather unassertive, and hopes to become more bold like Shikimori. He is a good student, having placed 5th in his class,Ch. 11 and unlike Shikimori and Inuzuka, is a good cook.Ch. 29 His given name is Yū (ゆう).Ch. 57, 63
Shu Inuzuka (犬束 秀, Inutsuka Shū)
Izumi's best friend, described as "true to himself", "likes to goof around, but he doesn't like slacking off."Vol. 4 profiles Shikimori's friends call him "Inu" (dog).Ch. 36
Kyo Nekozaki (猫崎 享, Nekozaki Kyō)
She is one of Shikimori's best friends along with Hachimitsu. She's described as "sporty", "really outgoing, but she can get a little sappy"Vol. 4 profiles She is on the volleyball team with Kamiya.Ch. 40
Yui Hachimitsu (八満 結, Hachimitsu Yui)
She is one of Shikimori's best friends along with Nekozaki. She's described as having a lifeless expression, but is observant.Vol. 4 profiles She is petite compared to her friends, and prefers indoor activities like Izumi.Ch. 24, 26
A star player on the volleyball team. She is tall and slim, and very popular at school.Vol. 5 profiles She and Izumi work on the library committee together. She likes Izumi but when she learns of Izumi and Shikimori's relationship, she feels pained and saddened that she didn't get to have a relationship with Izumi like that. Shikimori helps her reconcile her feelings.Ch. 39-43
Supporting characters
Motoko Izumi (和泉 許子, Izumi Motoko)
Izumi's mother. She is as accident prone as Izumi.Ch. 17
Akisada Izumi (和泉 明貞, Izumi Akisada)
Izumi's father and Motoko's husband. He is fairly strong as he is able to carry Izumi and Shikimori on his back.Ch. 35
Miyabi Shikimori (式守 雅, Shikimori Miyabi)
Shikimori's mother. Like her daughter, she gives off a serious look.Ch. 66-67
Isana
Isana is a young woman who works at the coffee shop that Inuzuka is part-timing at. She hopes to someday own her own shop, and admires Inuzuka for his determination.Ch. 79
Saruogi
Saruogi is a classmate who joins Izumi and Shikimori's group as part of the school trip to Kyoto. He is painfully shy and slow to answer. Nekozaki cites a story where he gives up his seat on the train for an old woman but inadvertently gets off a stop too early and ends up being late. After Izumi talks with him, Saruogi plans on being a little more assertive.Ch. 84-85
Media
Manga
Written and illustrated by Keigo Maki, the series began serialization in Kodansha's Magazine Pocket website and app since February 2019. Nine tankōbon volumes have been published as of July 9, 2021. In March 2020 Kodansha USA announced the English digital release of the series in North America and the first volume was released on October 27, 2020.[3]
Chapters 1-16, 13.5 and a bonus story. This volume covers chapters published in Pocket Magazine from the 2019-02-02 issue to the 2019-5-11 issue, and Weekly Shonen Magazine 2019 issue 16
Izumi remarks how Shikimori is very cute but sometimes she's not, causing her to pout about it until she saves him from getting hit from a speeding car. At school, Shikimori saved Izumi from getting hit on the head with an eraser; when she leaves for the restroom, Izumi's classmates poke fun of how ordinary he is, but when Shikimori returns she gives them a scary glare not to mess with them. With the wind blowing, they talk about what happened, but then Shikimori saves Izumi from a falling sign. Izumi hopes to impress Shikimori on a movie date but the film is a horror movie and he finds himself being comforted by her. Izumi mentions to Shikimori how cool she looks playing basketball, which inspires Shikimori to take her game seriously. Izumi thinks back to the day they met when she retrieved his high school entrance exam ticket. Izumi gives on a Christmas date but forgets his gloves. They go together to the new year's shrine visit. They go skiing. Their class has a bean throwing event, but when Shikimori slips, Izumi ends up bumping his chin on her head. Izumi can't focus on his studying because Shikimori is wearing glasses. When Izumi mentions he likes some fashion idol on a billboard, Shikimori changes her look. Shikimori looks after Izumi while he rests in the nurse's office. Izumi tries to take a cool picture of Shikimori during the flower viewing event. Izumi tries Shikimori's bento but realizes she can't cook. Izumi's parents have Shikimori over for Izumi's birthday.
Chapters 17-26 and two bonus stories. This volume covers chapters published in Pocket Magazine from the 2019-05-25 issue to the 2019-08-03 issue
While Izumi takes a nap, Shikimori gets along with his mom and dad. Izumi, Shikimori, and their friends go bowling together. For sports day, Izumi cheers for Shikimori, causing her to perform really well. Izumi feels more lonely and accident prone. They do art class together. While picking up a stray cat; Izumi tries to protect Shikimori from getting splashed on by a car, but fails. They go to Izumi's house to clean up, but as his parents are out, Shikimori goes for a kiss but Izumi's parents return. Shikimori and her friends have a sleepover. Izumi and Shikimori visit a planetarium where the seating is like a bed. The gang discuss whether to go to the beach or the river for summer break.
Chapters 27-37 and a bonus story. This volume covers chapters published in Pocket Magazine from the 2019-06-29 issue to the 2019-09-21 issue
After seeing Izumi admire a swimsuit model poster, Shikimori and her friends shop for a swimsuit. Shikimori calls Izumi late at night. On the summer trip, Izumi impresses the gang with his cooking ability. Izumi tries to rescue a little girl alone on the river, but when his foot cramps up, Shikimori has to rescue them both. The gang takes the train home. At a cafe, the waitress puts the cute dessert set in front of Izumi instead of Shikimori. At the local summer festival, Shikimori impresses a game booth operator. Izumi carries Shikimori up the stairs to see the fireworks from a secret spot, and gets help from his dad (who happened to be there with his mom) to carry both of them down. The gang play video games at Hachimitsu's place. Izumi meets Shikimori's German shepherd.
Chapters 38-45, 45.5 and a bonus story. This volume covers chapters published in Pocket Magazine from the 2019-06-29 issue to the 2019-09-21 issue
Izumi is sent on an errand to get drinks for their class group, so Shikimori joins him. Their class hosts an animal cafe. Izumi meets schoolmate Kamiya for library duty but Kamiya asks him a barrage of questions about how he got into a relationship with Shikimori. Last year, Izumi and a really shy Shikimori were paired together for the school's couples event. But when Izumi loses his matching paper and they are unable to find it, Shikimori inspires Izumi to plead to the committee to take their picture together. Their plea is successful, after which Izumi confesses to Shikimori, and they become a couple. For the current year, Kamiya and Izumi have the same number, so Shikimori asks to swap numbers with her. Kamiya agrees but then starts feeling sad that she is missing a romance opportunity with the kind and friendly Izumi. Sensing that Kamiya has feelings for Izumi, Shikimori tears up the number and says that it's okay to harbor those feelings and that Kamiya is a good person. Kamiya becomes friends with Shikimori. Izumi gives Shikimori a necklace for her birthday which coincides with their one-year dating anniversary. They go on a date at the aquarium.
In the bonus manga, Izumi's mother gives Izumi a haircut but accidentally gives him bangs. Shikimori decides to get her hair trimmed with bangs as well.
Chapters 46-55 and a bonus story. This volume covers chapters published in Pocket Magazine from the 2019-09-28 issue to the 2019-11-30 issue
When Izumi is at home sick and requests Inuzuka for his class notes, Inuzuka wonders if Shikimori views him as a rival for Izumi's affections. Hachimitsu, who has been tailing and observing them, reveals that Shikimori has been treating Inuzuka like her older brother. Kamiya joins Nekozaki and Shikimori at the amusement arcade. Later, Kamiya and Shikimori are challenged by two gyaru girls for using the basketball court. Kamiya thanks Nekozaki for maintaining their friendship. Izumi returns to school, and Shikimori gives him a hug privately. After Izumi and Hachimitsu are chosen to participate in the class relay race at the school's sports day, Shikimori, Nekozaki and Inuzuka join in. They practice hard, especially Hachimitsu and Izumi who aren't as athletic as the others. During the event, Nekozaki goes first, then Hachimitsu, then Izumi, and then Shikimori.
Chapters 56-65 and a bonus story. This volume covers chapters published in Pocket Magazine from the 2020-02-29 issue to the 2020-05-12 issue
Shikimori is able to gain ground for the relay team, and passes the baton to Inuzuka for the team win. Afterwards, Izumi catches another cold, so Shikimori visits and becomes more self-conscious. The class seats are rearranged so that Shikimori sits behind Izumi; they exchange notes and then Shikimori pokes his back. Izumi and Shikimori go to the amusement park. Shikimori ponders whether they will kiss by the moonlight like in the commercial. The next day, Shikimori's friends ask her about it, but find that he only kissed her on the cheek. Izumi's parents invite Shikimori go with them and Izumi to the hot springs and sauna. Izumi and Shikimori buy ice cream at a popular store. As the gang prepare for final exams, they consider studying at Shikimori's house, which makes Shikimori really nervous since has not told her parents yet that she is dating Izumi.
Chapters 66-74 and a bonus story. This volume covers chapters published in Pocket Magazine from the 2020-05-16 issue to the 2020-07-18 issue
The gang meet Shikimori's mother who is even more serious and intense than Shikimori, but she observes that Shikimori has been a lot happier when she is with him. Izumi tells Shikimori's mother they have been dating for over a year, and Shikimori's mother accepts it. When Shikimori and Izumi put a wager on who will do better on the finals, Shikimori appears a bit spaced out and exhausted on the exam day. When Izumi wants to talk about it the next day, she gets self-conscious and runs off, but Izumi catches up to her. The gang talk about career paths and also what fun activities they can do in their senior year. Shikimori joins Izumi to shop for a jacket. Kamiya joins the girls for presents shopping, and then have an all-girls Christmas Eve karaoke party. Izumi and Shikimori see a Christmas lights event and later exchange presents.
Chapters 75-83 and a bonus story. This volume covers chapters published in Pocket Magazine from the 2020-07-25 issue to the 2020-09-26 issue
Izumi invites Shikimori to his house to watch a movie at home along with his mother. Izumi and Shikimori go to the New Years shrine visit. While Izumi and his mother are shopping they meet Shikimori and her mother. The gang make kites to fly. Izumi's kite gets lost but a woman named Isana, who is Inuzuka's senior at his part-time job finds it. They visit the shop and learn about Inuzuka's and Isana's career aspirations. Izumi forgets his textbook and shares with Shikimori. They visit the zoo where Shikimori reveals she is a bit afraid of tigers. At home economics class, Shikimori has improved in her cooking. The gang prepare for their school trip to Kyoto, but need an extra boy in their group, so Izumi picks Saruogi, a boy who seems to be painfully shy and keeps to himself.
In January 2021, the official Twitter account for the Magazine Pocket service announced that the series would receive an anime television series adaptation by Doga Kobo.[1][21] Ryota Itoh is directing the series, with Shōhei Yamanaka serving as assistant director, Yoshimi Narita overseeing the series' scripts, and Ai Kikuchi designing the characters. It is set to premiere in April 2022.[2]
Notes
^The Japanese manga has an English subtitle "Miss Shikimori Is Not Just Cute"
References
Works cited
^ "Ch." is shortened form for chapter and refers to a chapter number of the Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie manga.
