REVIEW: ‘Shikimori’s Not Just A Cutie,’ Episode 6 – “With Fireworks Comes Summer’s End”

Shikimori’s Not Just A Cutie is a romantic comedy anime produced by Doga Koba. After his trip to the river, Yuu finds himself laid up with some significant sunburns. But when he is reminded of the upcoming annual fireworks display, he resolves to take Shikimori for a celebratory end to their summer. So it’s yukatas, snacks, and carnival games in Shikimori’s Not Just A Cutie Episode 6.

On the surface, this entry into the charming series feels like all the others. We see Yuu and Shikimori interacting and enjoying each other’s company, as well as having a few run-ins with friends and family. But despite many of the show’s core elements being present, this week’s episode lacks a critical component that has made so many of the previous entries shine. It lacks the creativity of past episodes.

What has impressed me most about this series up to Shikimori’s Not Just A Cutie Episode 6 is how it constructed its narrative to reveal different aspects of its cast. The series has used the situations it placed them in to craft them into fuller, more unique personalities. Unfortunately, we don’t get that here. Instead, this episode leans a bit too heavily on Yuu and Shikimori as a cute couple. Rather than exploring one or both of its leads interestingly, the duo’s trip to the fireworks devolves into a sequence of moments that breaks down into the two of them repeatedly acknowledging how cute the other is. This by no means creates an unenjoyable experience. Shikimori’s Not Just A Cutie Episode 6 is fun and provides some heartwarming moments between its star couple, but it just feels a bit flat compared to what the show has delivered previously.

If you have watched other high school anime, every beat of this episode will feel familiar. The classic garments, fair games, food stalls, and gorgeous fireworks lighting up the characters’ nights are all delivered with a wonderful dose of charm and warmth. It is the sort of presentation that whisks the viewer back to carefree summer days of youth, even if you never had days like these in your life.

The wonderful visual presentation furthers the wholesome goodness of this episode’s story. Every smile, laugh, and sparkling explosion is delivered with so much warmth that it almost gives the episode a fantastical quality. Like when you know your memory of something is better than the original moment was.

So, when looked at as a complete package, Shikimori’s Not Just A Cutie Episode 6 delivers a delightful story of summer happiness, even if it fails to provide as much creativity and uniqueness as the previous entries did.

Shikimori’s Not Just A Cutie Episode 6 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.