
Hot take: Shikimori’s not just cutie is not that good at representing role reversal.
I personally believe that in the manga and especially in the anime, the relationship between Izumi and Shikimori puts far more emphasis on Shikimori and her coolness, while Izumi’s more traditionally feminine traits don’t get as much attention or praise as Shikimori protecting him from his bad luck and Izumi is often the butt of the joke.
Don’t get me wrong, I still believe it’s a role reversal story, but the series treats Shikimori and Izumi’s relationship like a joke or a gimmick and not something to be taken seriously.