Shikimori’s Not Just a Cutie is a series I used to read when I wanted something light-hearted and fun. It’s packed with both cute and cool moments—just like the title suggests—and it gave me a lot of chuckles along the way.
One of the things I really enjoyed was the art, especially during the moments when the characters looked cool or intense. The character designs shine in those moments, and they really bring the details of the characters’ emotions to life.
The characters and their interactions are a major part of the charm. I especially liked the appearances of the parents, and Hachimitsu (Hachi) always had funny, random side comments. One of my favorites was in Volume 3, when someone just casually says, “I just wanna lay around the house and do nothing,” or, “Wow, look at those abs.” These kinds of lines are scattered throughout the series and give it a light, slice-of-life tone.
There’s not really any major drama in the story—and that’s fine. The series is mostly about sweet, wholesome moments. The “bad luck” of the main character, Izumi, is more of a running gag than serious tension, and it ends up being quite endearing. This lightheartedness carries through arcs like the sports day in Volume 5 or the date (and the aftermath of the date) in Volume 6.
One fun thing I noticed while reading was that some character names are based on animals—for example, Nekozaki (neko = cat) and Inuzuka (inu = dog). It’s a small touch, but it adds a bit of playful charm to the cast.
What really stood out to me was the growth of Izumi, the main character. You can see how he gradually becomes more confident throughout the series. And even though the characters might seem like typical archetypes at first, they each deal with real, relatable issues—like figuring out what to do after graduation, feeling jealousy, or facing the idea of going separate ways as life moves on.
Overall, this is a very wholesome series. My only small wish is that more of the side characters had developed their own wholesome relationships too. There are hints of it in the side stories, but the focus mostly stays on friendship and slice-of-life moments.
One final note: I don’t think the anime adaptation did the manga’s art justice. The manga’s visual charm really enhances the emotional beats and comedic timing in a way that didn’t quite carry over into the animation.
If you’re into wholesome, sweet stories with fun characters and plenty of heartwarming moments, this series is definitely worth checking out.