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Kawaii dake ja Nai Shikimori-san
Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie
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Kawaii dake ja Nai Shikimori-san

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Alternative Titles

Synonyms: Miss Shikimori Is Not Just Cute, That Girl Is Not Just Cute, Kawaii dake ja Nai Onnanoko Manga

Japanese: 可愛いだけじゃない式守さん

Information

Type: Manga

Volumes: 20

Chapters: 201

Status: Finished

Published: Feb 2, 2019 to Feb 18, 2023

Genres: Comedy, Romance

Serialization: Magazine pocket

Authors: Maki, Keigo (Story & Art)

Statistics

Score: 7.55¹ (scored by 21,704 users)

¹ indicates a weighted score.

Ranked: #2710²

² based on the top manga page. Please note that 'R18+' titles are excluded.

Popularity: #244

Members: 65,575

Favorites: 1,451

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Filtered Results: 22 / 23

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Feb 8, 2020

Draconov666

Recommended

Preliminary (33/201 chp)

Read this if you want to give yourself depression because you will never have a relationship this perfect. Let's be honest - this is not the manga about simple school love, but about our dreams about perfect girlfriend who will never be with us. I love this manga so much that i read it in one time and i am waiting for the new chapters. But be aware because this manga is like drugs. I want to say this was a good manga cause I enjoyed it but when I look at myself I see desperate person who avoids reality

p.s. shikimori is very cute, would ...

Jun 27, 2021

Lionzero

Mixed Feelings

Preliminary (113/201 chp)

This manga can be very boring. In a way.

Let me start with this. You have an awesome premise. A guy with so much bad luck that he could be struck by lightning on a clear day and a girl who is so cool and reactive I swear she can catch a bullet with eye lids. I mean like block the bullet and live, with zero damage. Yet they do not utilize this much in the story.

It is used but not like it could. The characters are also just fun loving, nice people and there is almost zero drama. A slice of life, romance in ...

May 19, 2019

SiriusTimeKeeper

Recommended

Preliminary (20/201 chp)

Kawaii + Masculinity Girlfriend / School Romance

*Warning: This manga might cause diabetes

If you are searching for a heroine that possesses the characteristics of both kawaii and cool. DO NOT HESITATE TO START READING THIS MANGA NOW!

Story: 6 (normal school romance story :D but it usually features moments when female MC shows her yandere side and male MC's sweet and thoughtful side)
Art: 8 (still need some consistency, but the female emotions are fucking on point!! I LOVE the female MC)
Character: 9.5 (LOVE the female MC setup, basically the essence of the manga, slight yandere alert!)
Enjoyment: 10 (addicted to the fierce emotion shown by the female ...

Mar 28, 2022

devinder

Not Recommended

Preliminary (30/201 chp)

'Kawaii dake ja Nai Shikimori-san' ('Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie') follows Shikimori and Izumi who have been seeing each other for over a year but haven't done anything more than a kiss. Fine, there's no rush because these types of stories operate under the pretense that the main couple is going to be together forever so they have the rest of their lives to visit pound town. But you might assume these characters have one year left to live with how many times they feel compelled to reiterate their undying love for each other and how they will always be together. It's not just what ... is said but how it is said because putting thoughts into words opens up another dimension to be aware of like if you stutter or hear how ridiculously melodramatic you sound but here the teens engage in grandiose dialogue like they're in a play by Shakespeare.

If you thought having an established couple meant comparatively better romantic progress than its peers then you will be disappointed. Izumi kisses Shikimori (Izumi motions towards Shikimori and then their faces are obscured) after a school trip and despite all the time they spend together and how much they wax poetic about how great their lives are and how nice everyone is, Shikimori blushes and the two of them spaz out mildly the next day. Izumi remembering the kiss, says it was a crazy thing to do and he was just caught up in the heat of the moment. This is chapter 100 (ONE HUNDRED - ONE FUCKING HUNDRED). Shikimori while essentially being the man in the relationship turns into a pure maiden when the romance attempts physicality because her character's appeal is a careful balancing act. She's cool and assertive enough to make a move (and have it backfire to score 'gap moe' points) but also innocent and cute enough to melt at the slightest bit of intimacy.

Characters attract with gimmicks before working backwards to show how the gimmick isn't actually their whole personality. Izumi's life is full of bad luck like tree branches falling on him or a baseball ball hitting him. He has scars to prove his misfortune. Shikimori remarks, in a conversation with Izumi's mother, that Izumi has not let the occurrences of such bad luck make him feel sorry for himself. The manga here is patting itself on the back, no shit, everyone in this manga is sickly sweet. It's almost commendable how unabashedly lazy Izumi's bad luck shtick is. It's only purpose is to service how mushy gushy everything is. If Izumi was hit by a car, he would likely apologize for being in the car's way. Shikimori also says 'Izumi knows pain more than anyone else,' coming from a 15 year old that has no knowledge of the world, I can let this slide but damn, it is a ridiculous line.

Characters too good to be true have one hang-up that makes them totally-not-perfect, throw in a personality quirk, follow the schedule for high school and you got yourself another happy-happy-fun-times at anime school story. I'm not asking for drama but if the manga is going to address topics like how past misfortunes may harm your self-esteem or frustration at school regulations, I'd rather it not bring it up at all because all I'm left with is another gold star to reward these dorks comforted by their vapid solipsistic setting. In the latest chapters, there's talk of what to do in the future. I think this is silly because Shikimori and Izumi could just form a business where they tell people 'just be yourself' and watch the money pile up.

Moderation simply does not exist in this universe. There's barely a chapter they have together where they actually just talk about random things or let the moment speak for itself and maybe end off with a simple 'I love you' plus kiss because they're incessantly complimenting each other and saying generic fluffy quotes like 'I'll always protect you,' or 'I'll always be there for you,' etc. One of the corniest lines is 'when I'm with you, even the time waiting in line is super fun!' This is said seriously, I am not kidding. Fluff dialed up to 11.

I could forgive the manga for its masturbatory 'relationship goals' selling point if it actually did something with the relationship. Going back to my earlier point about the repetition I think the reason the characters need to repeatedly vocalize their love and togetherness is that without it Izumi just looks like Shikimori's token gay friend. Rarely the setting becomes aware of the premise and side or background characters say things like 'why won't Shikimori date someone cooler' or 'you have the best kind of youth.' Unfortunately, it doubles down on the premise so Shikimori and Izumi are not are just a perfect couple but perfect friends to others, and two people that selflessly help fellow students. Kindness employed here is so smug and conceited. It's not enough for the well-meaning characters to help others and imply support, the poor fucks that need the unlimited compassion of the main couple have to present themselves as enlightened and forever grateful to be blessed by such robotic benevolence.

I prefer my slice-of-life to have quiet that balances dialogue but that's not here. A calm panel teases peacefulness before Izumi monologues about how great his life is at the moment. Regarding the romance, having Izumi and Shikimori already be a couple at the start precludes will-they-won't-they tension but it's just as put-on and circular as the average romcom duo, whether or not the duo began the story as a couple doesn't matter. Michael Jackson's Smooth Criminal is referenced in a panel and that was funny. Nothing else made me laugh in this romcom. The art is great when presenting full bodies and clothing.

'Kawaii dake ja Nai Shikimori-san' is a gross display of fluff. There's zero charm. It's carried hard by the role reversal relationship dynamic that is admittedly a nice change of pace but it also wants to play with real-life problems injecting them when convenient pretending to be anything more than a family-friendly version of a fantasy for guys that want their girlfriend to call them 'good boy' after cumming.

Aug 1, 2019

Short_Circut

Recommended

Preliminary (25/201 chp)

tl;dr: A short sweet and wholesome love story with very little drama and an enjoyable cast

Story:

Not much to say with this type of format, most chapters are your average SoL style chapters which depict the main couple doing various things. Pretty much most chapters follow similar patterns with the setup of the chapter, something flirty happens, the main female lead puts on a yandere-esc face to hide her embarrassment, cuteness follows. Nothing too groundbreaking but at the same time nothing that wouldn't be boring

Art:

Really well done, bit off at times but overall it effectively portrays the cuteness of this manga. Shikimori's yandere faces are ...

Sep 15, 2019

Roboto_San

Recommended

Preliminary (30/201 chp)

This manga is a fluffy story about a rather accident-prone man and his overprotective girlfriend. This story is a slice of life like with each chapter being bite-sized and an excellent read to end the day with.

Story 7/10
There isn't much semblance of an overarching narrative, with each chapter being more or less self-contained.

Art 8/10
While the art can be a little under detailed at parts, I like the art style of the manga and have no qualms with it.

Characters 9/10
The dynamic duo are likable and the supporting cast is charming, they are very enjoyable to read. ...

Mar 27, 2022

PandaUwU

Recommended

Preliminary (140/201 chp)

“Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie” is a popular rom-com manga soon to receive its awaited anime adaptation in the following season, spring 2022. So how is this manga? To put it simply, it’s sweet and fun.

The story of this manga follows Izumi and his girlfriend, Shikimori, in their day-to-day high school life. And yes, you read that right, they’re already going out. The main characters already dating separates this manga from most of the other romances where the main characters play this everlasting game where neither confesses for hundreds of chapters. This permits the manga to expand upon the relationship between Shikimori and Izumi differently ... than other romance manga, as their love strengthens rather than builds.

Going to the title of this manga, “Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie,” what does this say about the manga itself? Well, each chapter would showcase Shikimori’s cutesy personality, but then something happens and she acts extremely cool, causing Izumi to swoon a bit. Something like this tends to swiftly become boring from repetitiveness, but Shikimori handles this blockade excellently. After less than 40 chapters (keep in mind these chapters are around 5-8 pages) it starts expanding. By this point, you have a grasp on the concept, so the manga can introduce and develop characters while showing more of Shikimori than her just being cute and cool. “Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie” doesn’t imply she is only a bit more than being a cute girl, but rather she’s significantly more than just cute. She’s intelligent, diligent, hardworking, but most importantly, human.

The characters of Shikimori are flawed. No one’s perfect and this manga understands that. There are things people can’t do, but that’s why there’s a whole cast of them. They help each other and, as corny as this may sound, they teach each other lessons and encourage one another to achieve their goals. For example, one of the characters can’t cook, but they receive aid from some of the other characters and eventually learn. This doesn’t turn them into an expert overnight, but rather just a better chef. Still, this doesn’t ignore that the person learning has to put the effort in. Friendship doesn’t solve everything, but it helps.

Another thing I like about Shikimori is its pacing. The characters in this manga age. They aren’t in their first year for an eternity like other series, but rather age and try to figure out what they want to do in the future, and strive to achieve what they want to do in life. This aging pace also comes alongside seasons. Seasonal events, clothing, and weather in the manga help aid the reader understand when the current events are taking place and help make the manga feel natural.

This naturalism extends to the characters as well. Though they may seem a little too cheery for high schoolers, they tend to be realistic enough to be believable. The characters don’t rely on tropes or odd quirks very much to attempt to feel unique. While it does use some tropes (for example, the main character has extremely poor luck), these quirks and tropes are not slapped onto every single character in the manga. It’s just normal high school life, with a normal relationship.

Okay so while I may be describing this as the deepest look into high school life possible, it is not. It’s a more simple manga where you follow the main couple and their friends throughout their high school lives. So it is not always going to be deep, but it does touch upon some topics high schoolers deal with and still sticks to the show’s themes. It does not go extremely deep, like following something like the extreme mental pressure of finals. The manga prefers to keep the realistic parts it touches upon to be more light-hearted and digestible for maximum fun.

So what do we have? An enjoyable manga where characters naturally progress through their high school life with some nice character development and a still cute, yet “more than just cute” main girl. I highly recommend this manga to those that like slice of life manga, and or romances.

Thank you for reading!

Feb 26, 2024

GoroTusk97

Mixed Feelings

This manga falls flat where it could shine the most.

The story is boring, the characters one dimensioned and the art, although technically good, doesn't stand out much (I like the clothes choices and designs though).

If you want a "story/characters/art" type of review, there you have it.

Now, I want to quickly dive deeper in some bad points where I think could have made this manga a great one:

1 - The events

...

Apr 9, 2023

bergars

Recommended

Slice of life is like signing a weekly comfort deal. Seven days pass, and eventually, you meet this little cast of characters and intrude in their lives for a little bit.

"Kawaii dake ja Nai Shikimori-san" is a case study in how the beginning is the greatest roadblock it can offer. You see the number over 100 chapters, and if the first ones are that short and repetitive, why would a person watch the rest? Behind the block, there lies a simple story of how people meet, conflict, romance, wonder, intrude, and eventually, part.

The story begins with a repetitive, and fresh couples dynamic that ... people were starved for when it began. Turning into a school life, relatable little tale where everybody just tries to live their lives. Worries about exams, worries about couples. The story isn't worried about the conflicts of love that much, more so in the safe, nice hardships of looking at the future. All about the wholesome existence we expect to live in high school.

The characters began turning complex, with emotions, hobbies, love for certain things that eventually stand out and lead them to search for what they eventually turn to when given the choice to move on with their lives, and it feels inevitable. Everybody in the cast knew, very well, that they weren't destined to always be there for each other. The sad feeling of the inevitable end was present throughout the second half of the story like nothing else. Not in a b-line towards the end, more in a thematic sense that this is what the story is all about. People should enjoy the stressful times of being a teenager, make friends, socialize even if it's hard at the beginning. Some characters are introduced late into the story and given depth, new perspectives and good moments to show this kind of person in a school. People will identify themselves with at least one struggle, or one idea of people. The characters are all that keeps us there to watch their eventual graduation.

In itself, the freshness of this manga is outstanding. We don't need surging romance, we've had enough of 200 chapters of people trying to get closer, and failing every time. This is about people in a healthy relationship getting by, and the friends they have or make along the way. In that sense, all that's left is, comfort. We don't get many conflicts, we don't get many lasting problems or decisions. If a character has something problematic, communication solves it. People aren't stupid in this manga, but of course, reading it for a compelling narrative, well, there isn't one.

You won't find an interesting story out of this. When it ended, I felt a little pit in my heart. It reminded me of old friends of high school, and how uneventful things can be, or if they were eventful, it was pretty easy to solve my problems. The characters are just a reflection of what we know, and that's fine.

Good, interesting art, great character designs, nice dialogue, nice everything, I just feel, good reading it, but I can't tell you what happens through it all.

6.5/10, I followed it from the beginning, what a nice manga man. And of course the anime would be bad, the worst part is the beginning.

May 17, 2020

Sentinel-Camelon

Recommended

Preliminary (66/201 chp)

this manga is focus on making the readers feel the youth of a highschool boy with his girl friend the story is great the art is outstanding and i recomend this as a cure for those who just finished a one f**ked up manga

every chapter gives a fluffy vibe followed by a cool art style
one of my favorite mangas cause it is a full romance manga that gives satisfactory to the reader
ready your insulin on this manga cause its gonna give you diabetes because of the bitter-sweet love story of izumi the mis-fortune and his girlfriend the cool shikimori-san

May 16, 2021

5LIAM

Recommended

Preliminary (37/201 chp)

A wholesome story about an unlucky guy and his cute/cool girlfriend.

Story 7/10: Your typical slice of life romance following a couple and their experiences. Well executed.

Art 6/10: The art has minor mistakes, but overall it's good.

Character 10/10: The synergy between the two makes the story great and fun to read. I also think Shikimori is amazing.

Enjoyment 10/10: I personally love this manga, and have enjoyed every chapter I've read and look forward to future ones.

Overall 10/10: I love every part of this story, and maybe a little too much. Shikimori-san has really raised my standards. I could see this manga being a miss for ...

Feb 12, 2022

iantreel

Recommended

Preliminary (137/201 chp)

Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie.

This manga is very simple in its dynamic. Shikimori-san is a girlfriend that is both cool and cute, protecting her unlucky boyfriend (Izumi Yuu). This was super wholesome and cute all thought out and you'll find yourself loving every character, even more, every chapter, especially Shikimori-san. It accomplishes its goal as a slice of life rom-com, not needing heavy drama to push a narrative.

Read this if you want to see the many sides of Shikimori-san, not just the cool and cute sides! Read this to discover the many ways of how Shikimori isn't just a cutie.

Story: 7 - Your typical ...

Aug 3, 2020

Ragerrodent

Recommended

Preliminary (75/201 chp)

Earlier this year I found a different manga, Kubo-san Doesnt Leave Me Be (a Mob). I thought it was a great romantic comedy that was shallow on the story, but focused on just being a really sweet romance, focused on distinct characters. Kawaii dake ja Nai Shikimori-san accomplishes this same style and takes it to the next level.

Story: 8
Like Kubo-san, the story of Shikimori-san is not really anything exceptional. Rather than an overarching plot, the story of Shikimori-san is character driven. One-off chapters and small story arcs make up the story, and it isn't until you look back at what the characters were like ... at the beginning that you realize just how much things have developed and changed.

Art: 9
For the first 10 chapters or so I was rather unimpressed by the art. Aside from the key frames of each chapter, the rest looked sloppy/rushed. However, as the manga has progressed, the art has just gotten better. Now those key frames evoke clear, meaningful emotions in the reader, and the rest of the frames are still tasteful and expressive, not just filler. Such improvement is admirable.

Characters: 9

Of course, this is the meat of this manga. From the outset it looks like the only important character is going to really be Shikimori herself as Izumi seems like a pretty lackluster protagonist, there simply to be her foil. However, as the characters develop, it becomes evident that this too is part of his development is becoming a character not only of significance, but one whom you can't help but root for. Shikimori is an absolute goddess. At the beginning she's a bit of a yandere, but this side of her becomes less the case as the story progresses. Further, their friends at school become more relevant as characters later on as well. At first they seemed to be just filler names attached to classmates, but where the manga is at right now, they are just as special to the reader as the main characters. I'm hesitant to give this part a 10/10 though, simply because I feel like there is still room for improvement, and I want to see how these characters end up in the end.

Enjoyment: 9
Frankly, I find myself often while reading this manga to just be smiling like an idiot, or even giggling with how happy it makes me. It's a really cute, wholesome story. At one point, with the introduction of a new character, I was afraid that there was going to be some typical manga romcom drama inserted. Yet where a standard harem romcom or something like that would have had the characters make a series of misunderstandings to create drama, this manga actually handled the scenario with maturity that left me feeling good. Certainly, tragedy has its place in a good story. Sometimes, however, you like to just read a story about happy characters. Not everything always goes perfectly for them. In fact, Izumi's whole character centers around his bad luck. But the tragedy is never the focus. Rather, the focus is on the characters' concern for one another, and learning to look beyond your own personal struggles and see the good despite them.

Overall: 9
I think it's obvious I think highly of this story. I did not have high expectations for it. I thought it would just be a generic romcom. Maybe you'll think it is. But if you look for it here, you can find something special, I think, in the cute interactions among these characters. I highly recommend if you're looking for a wholesome read.

Apr 11, 2021

meeebro

Recommended

Preliminary (104/201 chp)

Initially, this seems like any other fluffy early romance manga. The adorable supporting cast and how quickly they develop is quite refreshing though. While the main couple is very affectionate (with the female lead being very protective and cool and the male lead being the unlucky one), there aren't really too intimate or lovey dovey (yet). Any drama is pretty light-hearted and solved in a way that leaves everyone happy.

The art can be rather crude at times, but the facial expressions suit the characters well.

There is not much that makes this manga stand out from the others but there is clearly a lot that makes ...

Aug 22, 2020

merope28

Recommended

Preliminary (77/201 chp)

This story is basically about a cool, masculine girl x cute feminine guy.

There isnt much drama which is good. Actually, I don't think there is any drama. NO LOVE RIVALS, JUST THE TWO LEADS HAPPILY TOGETHER! It focuses on the relationship between the two leads who are in love with each other and are dating. The story further develops their relationship through various dates, moments and experiences they share.

Also, the parents of the leads are CUTE, LIKABLE AND SO LIKE THE CHARACTERS!

There will be several moments where you fall for the female lead cause of her masculinity.

Story: 7/10
Art:9/10
...

Jan 25, 2021

MeguuRE

Recommended

Preliminary (51/201 chp)

Pain its all Pain everytime i read chapters of this manga the relationship between these two is too perfect for you to imagine you will have this kind of relationship in real life but then again 2d and real life are purely different and what I can say is this manga is one of the ones that gave me diabetes and depression of how sweet and wholesome it is and how it makes me face reality that I will never have this kind of relationship in real-life

But then again it makes my day so if you like wholesome mangas I would defenitely recommend this one ...

May 8, 2022

squish

Recommended

Preliminary (34/201 chp)

Alright, so I actually like this a lot. Not because I think it's a great work of deep art or anything, but because it's comfy, it's easy/quick to read, and it's something I find myself reaching for when I don't feel like reading heavier manga.

The art is fantastic, which helps. The shippy moments are cute. The characters are wholesome. There's not a lot of conflict in this, and I guess to some people it could be kind of boring. But I think it's perfect. Sometimes you just want to lay back and relax and read some really simple cute manga that's nice to look ...

Apr 4, 2023

Jeje2020

Recommended

Sometimes, simplicity is the best. Take Demon Slayer for example. Does it have one of the most deep and complex stories with intricate and relatable characters? No, it does not. But what it has, is a simple good vs. evil story that most people would enjoy. It might not have the most well developed characters, but it had characters that people can have fun with and go along for the ride. If anything, it is that simplicity that has allowed it to surpass, in terms of popularity and cultural impact, other manga/anime that have more complicated stories like Attack on Titan, Berserk, or Vinland Saga. ...

Jan 15, 2021

William03

Recommended

Preliminary (30/201 chp)

This is my first review in MAL and I decided to review this manga. This review may contain a light spoiler so be careful when scrolling.

This is the second romcom manga I read (first was Rent a Girlfriend), so to be honest this manga can make those who read it have a diabetes especially for those who are still single.

I will make this review base on the 4 aspects
Story : 8
Well this manga doesn't have a story that related between chapter, it has a different story for each chapter, like you know the format use in Asobi Asobase and Daily Life of ...

Jan 21, 2022

L3TT3RJDEN

Recommended

Preliminary (35/201 chp)

What can I say, man's just living the life. Great manga overall cause one of the main lessons the author conveys is how if you get a girl to love you through and through, that will go to the ends of earth to find you, that will protect you till the world crumbles around you, that will care about how you feel with how insignificant you'd feel compared to the universe around you, you better make her the center of your world if she can't live without you.

Story:
Pretty straightforward and very easy to get into without any complicated narratives or story arcs. Helps focus on ...