The series that had the best debut last week is back with Shikimori’s Not Just A Cutie Episode 2. What has the sweetest romance this season got for us in this outing? Let’s find out in this review!
Shikimori’s Not Just A Cutie Episode 2 Overview
Shikimori’s Not Just A Cutie, or Kawaii Dake Ja Nai Shikimori-san in original Japanese is a comedy, romance, and slice of life anime based on a manga written by Keigo Maki and serialised in Magazine Pocket. It is being brought to the medium of anime by Studio Doga Kobo, whose previous shows have included similar themes and appealed to a similar demographic as Shikimori-san. Plastic Memories and Monthly Girls’ Nozaki Kun are a part of Doga Kobo’s catalogue.
The series is being directed by Ryouta Itou, who has previously directed shows like My Senpai is Annoying and has done animation work in several others. This episode is also known as Kawaii Dake Ja Nai Shikimori-san Episode 2. You can read our review of the previous episode of the show right here!
– Kawaii Dake Ja Nai Shikimori san Episode 2 Review does not contain spoilers –
Shikimori’s Not Just A Cutie Episode 2 Review- A Warm Hug
Let’s first wish all the members of Studio Doga Kobo well and a speedy recovery from the current COVID-19 scare that they are dealing with. Let’s all hope that they are able to make a complete recovery from the disease and that their work doesn’t get derailed too much because of it. They have done a phenomenal job with Shikimori-san so far, and we can only hope that they will continue doing the same. One would think that the world would be free of COVID after three whole years, but alas.
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Shikimori Episode 2 felt like a warm hug. It warmed up the souls and lightened up the hearts of many who watched it and continued the fantastic form it established last week. It is the kind of show that brightens up your week just by existing and the kind you look forward to after a bad day. It’s a show that could just do different iterations of the same episode repeatedly, and it would still be one of the best things on the air just because of how warm and soothing it is to experience. This is a home-run formula, and it would be very hard to mess this up.
Naturally, the show did not mess it up! Shikimori’s Not Just A Cutie Episode 2 was just as fun and heartwarming as the last one, as our favourite couple, Izumi and Shikimori, cheered each other on through the sports tournaments they both participated in. naturally, one of them was more competent than the other, but that doesn’t bother either of them. They are both rooting for each other to do as well as each can, and even if they don’t do very well, the other will be there for them. This is what makes watching this as comfortable as it is, the reassurance that nothing can go wrong.
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Izumi is the kind of person who wouldn’t have any luck at all if he didn’t have bad luck. His rotten luck is constantly putting him down, but that’s not what he gets sad about. He is bothered by how much of his friends’ life involves them having to save him from his misfortunes, even if they are happy to do it every time. Despite almost dying on more than one occasion, he worries about the hurt he is causing others, which makes him the cinnamon roll that he is. Shikimori-san Episode 2 explored his relationship with Shikimori and his other friends, and it was nice to see them just being a couple of chaps.
All of this is not to say that the show doesn’t have some issues. The biggest one visible to me is that Shikimori’s character hasn’t been defined much beyond “good at everything” and “good human being”. This is where the comparisons to Marin Kitagawa fail to hold much water because Marin was a much more defined character. She had aims, preferences, and most importantly, flaws. I would rather watch the interactions between Izumi and Shikimori, but it’s hard to deny that Kitagawa is a much better-written character. There’s still time to amend that, though.
Verdict
Shikimori’s Not Just A Cutie Episode 2 was just as cute and heartwarming as the show’s delightful first offering. The charm of this one will be hard to wear off, so only good times lie ahead.
Click here to read the review of the next episode!