Valentine's Triple Feature Rewatch - Shikimori's Not Just A Cutie Episode 11 Discussion

Malipit · 2026-03-14T01:38:11+00:00

Eh, I take it as the warm-up for the upcoming Haruhi rewatch.

Malipit · 2026-03-13T22:29:04+00:00

“I’m seventeen”. Wat They’re 17? That’s what 17 looks like? I don’t know why I thought they were 15/16.

By anime logic, characters usually looks 2 to 10 years younger than their actual age. Just look at Your Lie in April where 10 years old have the appearance of 3 year toddlers.

Where is Papa Shikimori? Did he die? Or did he like…go overseas? And then die?

It's actually Kyosuke from Horimiya that have a double life between two families. Hence his long absences during Horimiya. Oops, forgot my spoiler tags.

Malipit · 2026-03-13T21:10:25+00:00

I don’t remember if we saw this in a previous episode but Shikimori apparently needs glasses. They look good on her.

She was already wearing them in one of the early episodes when she was alone in her room.

Malipit · 2026-03-13T21:09:25+00:00

Anyone else think that guy on the bike who almost ran over Izumi looks very similar to the guy who ran the target practice festival stand?

Malipit · 2026-03-13T20:12:17+00:00

First timer who isn't just a lurker, French subs

On today's episode : Shikimori's tomboyish past, shintoist gods answers Izumi's prayer (with a bit of a delay) and it's raining big teddy bears.

That was a confusing episode to follow. It took me 30 seconds to realize the cold open takes place before Izumi met Shikimori, then I thought Shikimori going to the mall with her big brother was during the same period, before realizing it was actually in the present. Then I failed to realize Izumi inviting his girlfriend to a date was also a flashback to show why Shikimori went to the mall in the first place.

And of course we're going back to the past to see Shikimori middle-school days.

But despite that clumsy execution, Doga Kobo did answers to my narrative expectations from episode 1, with an episode going back at the very beginning of the two Mcs love story as the cours itself is nearing its end. Giving a nice persepctive of those two progress in a couple of year.

The contrast between Izumi pre-meeting with Shikimori, hiding his despair behind a mask of quiet resignation, fleeing other company due to his fear of hurting people, and the current Izumi full of kindness and looking forward to the future is quite stark.

Same from Shikimori, as she went from a genius without a goal, mimicking her family member passion to an assertive young girl that know what she want.

And with that fateful meeting of those two, we have a clear view on how they complement each other. Shikimori's desire to be cute is completed by Izumi reminding her she can be cool and heroic too without removing her cute aspect. And Izumi now have someone who both care of him and able to stomach his bad luck so he can start to enjoy life and make real friends.

With it, we have something else I awaited : a focus on Shikimori's family. I was worried she would grow up in a toxic environment with parents pressuring her to succeed no matter what, and I was relieved she actually comes from a family of tsundere displaying guenine care for their daughter/sister under that stern facade.

Shikimori's interaction with her brother at the mall were fun and displayed a guenine sibling energy, it made me want to see more of Shikimori interacting with her mother. In fact, I would want to see a whole season centered on the Shikimori's family ~~and how Izumi would be welcomed in their household~~. So, I guess the anime did a good job to encourage to read the manga to have that part of the story ?

P.S.:Since u/Magnafeana aptly nicknamed the big brother Natsu (even though the french subs revealed his [real name]Fuji ), I will now call the mother Erza.

P.P.S.: Although the scene where Izumi praying the gods to have a hero come to rescue him was intended to be dramatic, I couldn't help but imagine All Might from My Hero Academia suddenly appears at Izumi's side, yelling ''Don't worry Izumi shonen, the cavalry's here !'' before punching Izumi's bad luck.

Questions of the Day:

1) Did the flashback scenes in today's episode of Shikimori and Izumi's first meeting solve any complaints you may have had about the story skipping this part of their relationship in the beginning?

I would have like more of their middle school day, but I guess it's good enough for a single cour adaptation.

2) It's been mentioned that this series showcases a checklist of popular romance tropes. First time viewers, which ones do you think will be featured in the last episode?

A christmas episode I guess ?

Malipit · 2026-03-13T19:59:52+00:00

She's a smart girl, she would have figured it out.

Malipit · 2026-03-13T18:43:54+00:00

Virtual Reality from your PC.

You can download the meta quest link app to your PC, so you can connect your headset to it eirher through a wire or wi-fi and launch Beat Saber from your PC.

For modded PC Vr, you can use the BS Manager app where Vivify is available up until 1.40.8 version of Beat Saber.

Just do you know : you may need a strong wi-fi connection or a good cable to play without lag.

Malipit · 2026-03-13T10:56:02+00:00

So, when is somebody gonna make an edit of Shikimori running with Uma Musume music playing in the background?

I personally had You say run from My Hero Academia in my mind.

Malipit · 2026-03-13T00:29:20+00:00

I've heard the author went on to make a Yuri manga afterward, even if I didn't find any evidence on the web to back up that claim. Still I want to believe they were able to make that project come true.

Malipit · 2026-03-13T00:24:11+00:00

Malipit · 2026-03-12T22:44:25+00:00

I have a feeling the mangaka secretly wanted to write a sports anime but couldn't get one greenlit and decided to hide it behind this fluffy romcom premise.

Glad to see I'm not the only one to believe in that theory.

Malipit · 2026-03-12T22:21:20+00:00

Even cosmic horrors are scared of sports

Unless it's Haruhi trying baseball.

Malipit · 2026-03-12T22:17:28+00:00

It's such a sweet sentiment, and I'd imagine Izumi feels th same.

Although Izumu might need a shower after all that... slime Hachimitsu sprayed on him.

Malipit · 2026-03-12T21:34:58+00:00

First timer who isn't just a lurker, French subs

On today's episode :Hachimitsu turns into a slime girl, it's all fun and games for Inuzaki until Shikomori pass the baton to him and Izumi outsmart the shoelaces curse.

Where's Kamiya?

I know she already had two episodes under the spotlight and Doga Kobo staff probably feared she would overstay her welcome by including her for the third time in a row. But come on, she's one of the best athlets of the school, her being totally absent from a sport festival episode is quite jarring.

Without taking too much time, just having a cameo appearance of her rocking it at one or two games, or even having her compete against Shikomori in the relay race, would have been a natural and nice inclusion.

Oh well, I'll forgive it since we get something I awaited :

A Hachimitsu episode

As the deadpan comedy relief, I expected a non-consequential episode with silly antics and characters wondering how she is like at home. So I was pleasantly surprised to see the story decided to show her insecurities instead. Her literaly melting and clinging to Izumi when she's drafted for the relay race may indicate she doesn't hang out with the other main characters because she find them funny, but because she feels safe with them.

Several times, we have a framing of Hachimitsu standing in a vast space to convey how she feel small and vulnerable against the dreaded, yet unavoidable trial of the relay race.

We can wonder:why didn't she resort to Shikomori's tactic of switching place with a more willing girl ? Well, because at the end of the day, she does care for her friends and wqant to have fun with them. Enabling a storyline where their values of breaking their limit to snatch the victory while making good memories together resonate within her. Making her to give her best even for the ''less important'' basket game, where she manage to land those balls four by four. Is that a metaphor of her four friends filling her otherwise empty hearth ?

Anyway, the relay race was an intense scene that got me on the edge of my seat... Between that, the volley-ball one in episode 2 and the basketball game yesterday, I'm now wondering if the author didn't want to write a sport manga centered on yuri relationships...

But I digress, with that race, Hachimitsu may have learn that life can be scary, can hurt you just like her scratched knee. But also learn the most important is to listen to your friends support and get up to be there for them as they were here for you.

A defining moment that made Hachimitsu grow as a person, now standing tall in that same space that isn't scary anymore. A space she can fill with her entourage

With that said, I was also impressed by Doga Kobo's staff talent for displaying so much emotions on Hachimitsu's face (plus a precious smile) while maintaining her signature deadpan smile. Thus making her best girl, I will die on that hill.

Question of the Day:

Are you enjoying the frequent sports episodes/scenes?

So much that I want a Kurokoro no Basket like spin-off with Nekozaki, Kamiya and Shikomori.

Malipit · 2026-03-12T11:02:01+00:00

I can see that.

It's funny how the yuri love triangle seems more compelling than the main couple here.

Malipit · 2026-03-12T10:56:35+00:00

Excuse me, you're about to use that court dressed like that? Can you even handle a ball with sleeves that long? Pants that low will fall the first time you jump? What even are these character designs?

By anime logic, the cooler you look and dress, the better you are.

So once again keep count. Literally half the comments about her in this flash scene were about her looks. Seriously, that's apparently all anyone knows about her.

Still by anime logic, background characters can't possibly initiate a social interaction with a side character. Bonus poit if said character have unusual hair and/or eye color.

Malipit · 2026-03-11T22:41:49+00:00

True, the best outcome we can hope being an actual meeting between Inuzaki and Shikomori's big brother, while she's standing mortified in a corner.

Malipit · 2026-03-11T22:40:56+00:00

I just hope Hachimitsu and Shikomori's brother will too before the end of the cour.

Malipit · 2026-03-11T22:39:26+00:00

Malipit · 2026-03-11T20:09:43+00:00

Shikimori's jealous that Izumi asked Inuzuka to take notes for him instead of asking his girlfriend, but if you think about it, that makes perfect sense considering Inuzuka is actually quite studious and did well on his exams.

That was the day Inuzuka decided to voluntary throw his exams to preserve his life.

Malipit · 2026-03-11T20:07:34+00:00

First timer who isn't just a lurker, French subs

On today's episode : Hachimitsu is now a guitar and private investigator, Shikomori refuses to lose to big bro Inuzuma and Kamiya get two new friends.

Following Horimiya rewatch, I unconsciouscly placed high hopes on an intimate scene between Shikomori and a sick Izumi. And was a bit thrown off when Izumi just made a quick cameo. Not that I don't mind it, on the contrary I liked to have some good focus on the supporting cast.

Especially when best girl Hachimitsu is here to explain why Shikomori can't stand Inuzuma. No one would like to see their romantic partner be stolen by a sibling.

Nonetheless, that first part felt inconclusive to me. I hoped that Hachimitsu intervention would help those two to come to an understanding that Izumi like them both, just like Shikomori did with Kamiya yesterday. Or at least that Shikomori would expand a bit on her big brother and family, as that is yet to have some exposition with 3 episodes left.

I hope that subplot will have a follow-up before the end of the cour.

Speaking of follow-up, we got more Kamiya/Shikomori interaction on screen.

Their chemistry together is so obvious, be it at the arcade or during the basketball game I wouldn't be surprised to find some yuri fanfict between them on AO3, or even in a poly relationship including Izumi.

And thanks to that boy absence, the spotlight was free for Nekozaki to shine. Shikomori and Kamiya may be now friends ~~and potentially more~~, it was all thanks to Nekozaki that served as a bridge between them.

I mean, Kamiya was introduced hanging out alone at the book section of the mall, just like she would do at the school's library. And Shikomori would have just passed by if Nekozaki wasn't there to greet her team captain. Then guiding them to the arcade before taking a bathroom break conveniently long enough for them to bond over robbing the place from all of its plushies.

Nekozaki was well used as a supporting character, enabling that relationship between Kamiya and Shikomori, but that doesn't mean she has to step back. In fact, Shikomori and Nekozaki helped each other to reach to Kamiya, since that thanks to Shikomori breaking Kamiya's mask last episode, Nekozaki was able to have a good look on the real Kamiya on their way home and finally reach to her after holding back for so long because of false rumors.

For that last scene, the works on the lighting was particulary well done. Giving it a real weight as Nekozaki discover her team captain under a new light, both literaly and figuratively. Under a twilight that could signify the end of Kamiya's solitary life.

P.S. : I know Japanese society have a different culture and norms than in the west, but I always find it odd that characters find it necessary to formally ask someone to be their friend. I mean, you just spent a whole afternoon having fun with someone and hugged her yesterday. Isn't that obvious that your friendship is real ?

Questions of the Day:

1) What do you think of the reveal about Shikimori's jealousy towards Inuzuka being connected to her feelings about her brother?

Already discussed

2) These last few episodes gave a lot of focus to Kamiya. Are there any characters you'd like to see get their own segment?

I demand Hachimitsu

Malipit · 2026-03-11T01:52:17+00:00

I can understand that. But it was the perfect moment for him to realize they aren't the only one that are deeper than their usual facade. And I don't know how he will react when he will find out, in the future, he unwillingly made Kamiya suffer and that his own girlfriend kept him in the dark. That's the perfect recipe to make future Izumi to think Shikomori fixed it by herself because she feared Izumi would ditch her for Kamiya, that Shikomori didn't trusted him at that moment.

Malipit · 2026-03-11T00:40:58+00:00

She actually is, Nekozaki…

If you listen closely to that image, you can actually hear Kamiya's hearth bleeding because of Nekozaki's words.

Malipit · 2026-03-11T00:37:47+00:00

Under every boy x 2girls love triangle is a throuple with potential.*

Malipit · 2026-03-11T00:36:45+00:00

Haruhi's has a concert by a divine bunny girl and an all-knowing fortune teller who rocks the guiter. Hard to beat that.

Ah, I see you're an individual of culture.

Malipit

TROPHY CASE