Our boy Shiraishi Junta is a ghost. Not literally, as he is very much alive, but his extremely low-key personality keeps him so far under the radar that his classmates think he’s a school legend. Spotting him is so rare that it’s said to bring good luck…even though he has a perfect class attendance record. The only exception to this rule is his seatmate Kubo Nagisa. Cute, smart, and sociable, she’s the kind of girl who was born to have a rose-colored high school life and is apparently the only person who can see him without any difficulty. The only catch is that when talking to Shiraishi, her normally sweet and friendly personality seems to be replaced with that of a mischievous little imp. She enjoys conducting experiments with Shiraishi’s “invisibility,” such as having him stand on his chair in class or sitting in his lap to see if anyone notices. Shiraishi is convinced she’s a villainess, but Kubo insists “I’m your heroine!” How will this friendship progress? Will Shiraishi eventually learn to overcome his social invisibility and step into the limelight on the stage of high school life? And are Kubo’s motives for playing these little games with Shiraishi less villainous and more…romantic? (Yes. Yes they are.)

Kubo Won’t Let Me Be Invisible is that kind of sweet and fluffy romcom that manga and anime seem to specialize in, giving off strong Komi Can’t Communicate vibes with perhaps just a dash of Hyouka thrown in for flavor. To be certain, it doesn’t leave me with the impression that it will be either spectacularly funny or heartbreakingly romantic, but I do think it will be enjoyable in a “sit back, relax, and know that the stakes will always be comfortably low” sort of way. The OP reinforces this observation, with soft and breezy tones that hint at a light-watching experience. On the production side of things, the animation is solid, with the best work being devoted to Kubo’s adorable facial expressions, and the soundtrack fits well enough to be unobtrusive. I don’t expect to still be talking about Kubo Won’t Let Me Be Invisible ten years from now, but I do think that I’ll enjoy the ride while it lasts.

*As an added bonus, Atelier Gokujou, an American animator for studio Pine Jam and working on this series, was generous enough to grant us an interview back in 2021, which discussed how a foreigner can “break into” the anime industry. You can find part 1 one of that conversation here and part 2 here.

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Kubo Won’t Let Me Be Invisible is streaming on HIDIVE.