REVIEW: ‘SHY’ Season 1 Looks At Anxiety Through A Superhero Lens

Teru Momijiyama (Shino Shimoji, The Case Study of Vanitas) is a young girl who goes largely unnoticed at her school. Living with severe social anxiety, Teru has a hard time drawing attention to herself. That is until she taps two special bracelets together and dons her superhero alter ego Shy. As part of an international coalition of heroes across the globe, the world is kept at peace thanks to the efforts of individuals like her. But a new threat is looming in the shadows, one that will put Teru and the rest of the superhero community to the test in SHY Season 1 from 8-Bit.

The debut season for this series skillfully delivers three separate arcs, each with its focus while also building up a larger narrative. We get our introduction to Teru and her world, followed by the initial introduction of the big bad Stigma (Mutsumi Tamura, The Ancient Magus Bride). The last leg of SHY Season 1 sees the heroes face off against the growing threat of Stigma’s agents, establishing the level of peril the world now finds itself in. The structure is simple but effective, allowing the show to bring viewers into Teru’s world in a fluid way that gradually builds up its characters and narrative.

While plenty of time is spent fleshing out the larger world of SHY, the core focus is Teru herself. Like the central character of another superhero anime, Teru at first doesn’t appear to be a good fit as an effective superhero. Her extreme social anxiety feels like an insurmountable roadblock when the character is first introduced in her superhero guise, stuttering her way through an onstage presentation of herself to a small crowd of onlookers.

Despite her struggles interacting with others, Teru quickly proves that she can push beyond these insecurities when others are in danger. Possessing superhuman strength and speed, Teru does all she can for those around her. However, SHY quickly establishes that it won’t pull any punches with the threats our hero faces early on, when a rescue at a malfunctioning amusement park ride goes wrong, seeing one of Teru’s classmates, Iko Koishikawa (Nao Tôyama, Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai) severely injured in the incident.

This perceived failure on Teru’s part causes the fledgling hero to harbor some severe doubts about her ability to do her job. Already lacking confidence, Teru has to navigate an intricate minefield of personal doubt throughout the series as she struggles with her new role. Iko’s injury acts not only to establish the dangers of Teru’s world but also an opening for Stigma to reveal himself. Claiming to be on a mission to free people’s hearts, Stigma appears at the girls’ school and infects Iko with his supposedly benevolent wish. However, it is quickly made clear that what he wants isn’t freedom but ruin, when his gift transforms Iko into a monster, lashing out at Teru.

In an obvious, but superb moment, SHY showcases how Teru’s greatest strength isn’t the powers gifted to her by her bracelets, but her unwavering heart. Through kindness and courage, Teru faces the threat posed by her friend, letting the viewer see the hero’s true strength.

With the threat of Stigma revealed the series increases the scope of the narrative as it introduces more of the heroes and concepts that surround them. We learn about the larger hero community, as well as key individuals in it like Unilord (Kikuko Inoue, Do It Yourself!!), the mysterious leader of Earth’s heroes. These new personalities bring new interactions for Teru as she finds herself faced with a wide range of obstacles to overcome — some of which are by her own making. Some of her colleagues outright reject her ability to be a hero, leading to some of the character’s greatest triumphs.

The final leg of SHY sees Teru and her friend/fellow hero Pepesha Andreanova (Mamiko Noto, Insomniacs After School), the Russian hero Spirit, team up to investigate one of Stigma’s agents, who has recently appeared, causing havoc in their wake. This final stretch of SHY delivers the best the series comes up with this season. Delivering solid action, world-building, and great drama as the conflict comes to bear personal weight for Pepesha, the most critical element is how it allows the series focus to shift from Teru to Pepesha.

While Teru is an interesting and likable central character, much of her personality is fairly one note. Given her circumstances, it makes sense that her anxiety and all the struggles it brings with it are central to her tale, but it does make it so the character’s story can feel a bit repetitive. By allowing someone else to take center stage, the show gives the viewer a break from Teru, allowing her personality to come off stronger when the viewer’s focus returns to her.

This final shift in focus is also important for the show as it allows Pepesha to grow in some important ways. While the character is first introduced early in the show, she largely is used as a comic element, playing the part of a drunken friend who tries to support Teru in her adventures. The fact that this Russian hero is rarely seen without a bottle of vodka in her hand and generally shows up red-faced and drunk, plays like little more than a cheap stereotype. However, thanks to the season’s final arc, we learn a lot about Pepesha and why she is the way she is. This transforms the character from a walking joke to a fully fleshed-out person, and the show is far the better for it.

Supporting the various trials and triumphs of Teru and her friends is strong visuals, especially in the design of the threats faced by the heroes. SHY does a great job of crafting intimidating, horror-inspired threats that can be terrifying. The dread conjured by the disturbing antagonists elevates the threat they bring to the show. The animation is also well done, if less inspired. Action sequences play out smoothly, and the emotional moments are handled with care, allowing them to land with the necessary impact they need to.

SHY Season 1 manages to accomplish a lot in its 12 episodes. It establishes its lead, presents the core threat, and gets the battle for the Earth started all while delivering emotionally impactful moments that sit with the viewer long after the credits roll.

SHY is streaming now on Crunchyroll.