The spring 2022 anime season is full of unlikely stars. While battle anime, isekai, and other familiar shonen genres certainly made their presence known, it’s slice of life, romance, and comedy’s turn for a chance as seasonal favorites.
One of the leaders of that new pack is Shikimori’s Not Just a Cutie, a seasonal anime about the titular teenage heartthrob and her lovable, oh-so-clumsy boyfriend Izumi — plus a lovable group of friends who all deserve their own spotlight. It’s a wholesome and healthy shonen affair that has drawn in many viewers unaccustomed to romance anime and its particularly shojo trappings.
Shikimori’s Not Just a Cutie is based on the original manga by Keigo Maki, published by Kodansha. Kodansha USA has released English translations through volume nine of the now ongoing 13-volume series. The anime adaptation is being produced by Plastic Memories studio Doga Kobo under the direction of My Senpai is Annoying director Ryota Itoh. Working again with Yoshimi Narita (My Senpai is Annoying) as screenwriter, Itoh is joined by Shōhei Yamanaka (an episode director on Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai) as assistant director and character designer Ai Kikuchi (Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle).
Shikimori’s Not Just a Cutie is streaming on Crunchyroll, with new subbed and dubbed episodes premiering every Saturday. And while Funimation is no longer a separate subscription thanks to its ongoing catalog and brand merger with Crunchyroll, you’ll want to make sure you’re paying attention to other streaming services to get the best of the current season. Fans of Shikimori’s Not Just a Cutie should be sure to check out the ongoing romantic comedy of Komi Can’t Communicate on Netflix and the hilarious misadventures of the Three Kingdoms era Han statesman Zhuge Liang in Hidive’s seasonal comedy, Ya Boy Kongming.