The heartwarming and humorous manga series, Hitomi-chan is Shy With Strangers, by Chorisuke Natsumi, has reached its conclusion. The final chapter was published on Akita Publishing’s Champion Cross platform on Thursday, May 1st, 2025. This slice-of-life comedy, known for its endearing characters and lighthearted romance, has captured the hearts of many readers.
A Shy Tomboy’s Tale
Hitomi-chan is Shy With Strangers tells the story of Hitomi Takano, a tall and busty high school student whose intimidating appearance often leads to misunderstandings. Despite her scary looks, Hitomi is a kind and adorable girl who struggles with social anxiety and desires to make friends. Her life changes when she encounters Yuu Usami, an ordinary second-year high schooler, who sees past her intimidating exterior.
As Seven Seas Entertainment, the English publisher of the manga, describes it: Tall, busty high schooler Takano Hitomi has shark teeth, a looming presence, and a truly terrifying face. As an upperclassman named Usami Yuu finds out, however, looks can be deceiving. Beneath her massive frame and intense glare, Hitomi-chan is a sweet girl who just wants to overcome her social anxiety and make some friends. As Yuu gets to know her, they grow close—so close that maybe friendship won’t be enough.
Themes and Tropes
The manga explores themes of overcoming social anxiety, the importance of looking beyond appearances, and the blossoming of friendship into romance. Hitomi-chan is Shy With Strangers utilizes the trope of a character who appears intimidating but is actually gentle and kind, a concept that has been explored in other series. However, the manga puts its own spin on the trope with Hitomi’s unique design and personality.
Characters
- Hitomi Takano: A first-year high school student who appears scary but is actually shy and longs to be more social.
- Yuu Usami: A second-year high school student who befriends Hitomi and helps her overcome her social anxiety. He is often called “Usa-kun”.
- Kaoru: Yuu’s younger sister and Hitomi’s classmate, she is athletic and outgoing.
Reviews and Reception
The manga has generally been well-received, with many readers praising its cute and wholesome story. Reviewers have noted the enjoyable interactions between the characters and the manga’s light-hearted and comedic tone. Some reviewers have drawn comparisons to other manga series with similar themes, such as Komi Can’t Communicate.
Some reviews of the first volume include:
- A reviewer on Goodreads stated, “I enjoyed reading this so much. This manga hit the target with a perfect balance between shy and romantic…Hitomi Takano is brave and caring. She’s just shy and can’t fake smile. Usami Yuu is short but brave, cute and caring. What I like best is that the author isn’t so focused on exploiting teen angst”.
- Another Goodreads reviewer wrote, “This was a solid first volume! Not the most original concept and the art is doing anything new or crazy, but Hitomi’s and Usami’s friendship is genuinely cute and their interactions are fun. Despite the plethora of fan service, it looks like Hitomi’s and Usami’s (possible) future relationship is going to be wholesome and sweet, which I will 120% support”.
- FreakSenpai noted, “If you like manga with light-hearted comedy, extreme wholesomeness and a THICC-ass waifu, then just go for it. It’s definitely worth your time”.
However, some criticism has been directed at the series for its unoriginality and reliance on established tropes. One reviewer on Anime News Network wrote, “Hitomi-chan is Shy With Strangers is such a thorough retread, I can only really see two particular subsets of manga fans getting into it: those who have never come across this subgenre before and thus don’t know how unoriginal it is; and those who love this subgenre and consume everything in it they find”.
English Release
Seven Seas Entertainment has been publishing Hitomi-chan is Shy With Strangers in English since October 5, 2021. As of October 2024, they have released Volume 9.
Final Thoughts
As Hitomi-chan is Shy With Strangers comes to an end, fans can look back on a heartwarming story about overcoming shyness and finding love. While the series may not be groundbreaking, its charming characters and sweet romance have resonated with many readers.
