REVIEW: ‘Shikimori’s Not Just A Cutie,’ Episode 7 – “Cultural Festivel 1”

Shikimori’s Not Just A Cutie is a romantic comedy anime produced by Doga Koba. With Summer Break and memories of fireworks fading into history, it’s time to hit the books again. With their return to school comes the Culture Festival in Shikimori’s Not Just A Cutie Episode 7.

As sure as you are to get a homecoming episode in a western high school series, every high school anime is guaranteed to get a Cultural Festival story. Student-run cafes, games, and other shenanigans always come with these episodes, and Shikimori’s Not Just A Cutie Episode 7 makes sure to check all the boxes with its iteration of this classic moment. But, rather than just going through the motions, this series decides to tie some special moments to this must-have story event by making it of significant importance to Yuu and Shikimori.

While the front half of this episode plays out in the usual ways, showing the students preparing and then running a cafe in their classroom, the back half of Shikimori’s Not Just A Cutie Episode 7 takes a turn when Yuu is assigned to the library for the second day of the festival along with Kamiya. The duo quietly goes about their work in the library; Kamiya starts to press Yuu about how he and Shikimori started dating. This leads the story back to one year ago, the previous Cultural Festival.

I won’t go into spoilers about the details, but I loved the hows and whys of this momentous moment for the couple. It delivers an origin for them that not only works on a sweetness level but sees the same balance between the two personalities that is present today. They are both equally important to the situation. While Shikimori is a bit more daring than Yuu is, his part to play is just as critical. It highlights from the get-go that Shikimori understood Yuu’s tendency towards bad luck and that Yuu has always pushed himself beyond what he would typically do for Shikimori. I don’t think the narrative could’ve crafted a better opening chapter for the young couple.

As you may have noticed in the title, Shikimori’s Not Just A Cutie Episode 7 delivers the first half of the series’s first two-part episode. While the cliffhanger the episode ends on has me interested to see how the story plays out, it feels like there is little doubt about what the end of the storyline will ultimately be. The visuals throughout this episode capture everything from the energy and enthusiasm surrounding the festival to the sweetness of Yuu and Shikimori’s first moments together wonderfully.

When taken all together, Shikimori’s Not Just A Cutie Episode 7 goes above and beyond to make what could’ve been a generic Cultural Festival story something of special importance to the larger story of the series. I look forward to seeing how it evolves next week.

Shikimori’s Not Just A Cutie Episode 7 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.