Webtoon Spotlight

Spotlight#132: Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie

Have you ever wanted to feel absolutely alone? If not, then ... I guess I'm still recommending Shikimori's Not Just A Cutie to you by Keigo Maki. My webtoon cluster began with a romance and must end with a romance. The universe deems it so.

Summary

Misfortune has had an all-new definition ever since Izumi Yuu was born. His life is a daily struggle from falling signs, deadly trips, and lost objects. However, as if by some form of cosmic counterbalance at play, the man lucked out by catching the attention of the cool Shikimori. Before the two knew it, they became the apple of each other's eye, starting a relationship lasting through their high school years.

Characters

Yuu Izumi: Are main protagonist Izumi suffers from downright hilariously bad luck. However, every challenge his luck brings gets met with a genuinely jovial attitude. Izumi is a thoughtful, anxious, good-natured, and gentle boy who helps everyone. Though his luck often creates a set of insecurities, he attempts to overcome them.

Shikimori: Our titular heroine, Shikimori, is incredibly popular for her beauty and 'cool' persona. She's incredibly athletic, dominant, competitive, and very collected. She's incredibly devoted to Izumi, to the point where she can get adorably jealous of whoever gets his attention.

Shuu Inzuka: Izumi's best friend, Inuzuka, is a happy go lucky guy with an incredibly admirable work ethic. Behind Shikimori Inuzuka is Izumi's biggest supporter, befriending him for his kindness. He gets on Shikimori's jealous side for their similarly independent natures.

Overview

Much like Horimiya, it's refreshing to have a relationship start right out the gate instead of building up overtime. Of course, Shikimori and Izumi aren't going to break the records of other prominent couples I've covered in both manga and webtoon, but they are still a very good pairing. Shikimori being the cool, confident badass in the relationship is a welcome change of pace from the usual fair we see in the genre. A fact I remember appreciating from Scorching Romance.

It's also cool seeing the two consistently support one another in their respective endeavors. Even our title character isn't perfect and does try to strive for distinct goals like Izumi. Thus, the characters go through at least a little development, even if it isn't the most noticeable.

Shikimori and Izumi's joint friend group is honestly where the series shines. Izumi's bad luck and naïve nature often make him an easy topic for bullying, but his main friend group does nothing but give him positive reinforcement. And having those same characters often interact with one of the couple on their own helps to provide them with a lot of believable chemistry.

Art-wise, Shikimori looks freaking gorgeous, having an almost painted look for some wallpaper-level faces. The happiness doesn't stop at our main ship, though. Unlike many of the romances I've talked about, there is a hidden coming-of-age narrative. Especially in the more recent chapters, there is a growing importance for seeing our friends potentially parting ways once the series is through.

Epilogue

Shikimori is one of the most harmless romances I've covered so far. However, there are plenty of great characters and sweet moments to stay invested in. And unlike RoR and Horimiya, I recommend checking out the anime since it's a fun adaptation. With this done, though, we have now finished another cluster.

And once again, I feel incredibly refreshed finally being able to recommend manga along with webtoons. Though for the next couple of months, I think it's finally time for me to read some more novels and take a break from manga and comics. This doesn't mean the spotlights stop, though, since the next spotlight cluster will be more on analysis of what came before. So stay tuned because you'll never know what the spotlight will cover next.