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Kubo Won't Let Me Be Invisible #5
Kubo Won't Let Me Be Invisible Vol. 5
Angin bertiup musim panas tiba, musim berayun menyelimuti keduanya, hari yang biasa-biasa itu yang paling berharga bagi cewek heroine dan cowok figuran. Hari ulang tahun Shiraishi-kun. biasanya tak ada seorang pun yang menyadarinya. Tapi, tahun ini ada Kubo-san, pasti terjadi sesuatu…!? Lalu, pertama kalinya mereka mengalami musim panas bersama, dan mulailah acara besar ‘festival olah raga’...! Masa remaja seorang figuran bertambah cepat. Inilah vol 5 komedi manis remaja tentang kisah tumbuhnya cinta dan masa remaja!
172 pages, Paperback
First published June 18, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
January 4, 2023
Kubo won’t let Shiraishi be invisible, but Kubo might be a bit more obvious with her feelings than she’d like. As the dance continues, we bring in an expanded friend circle plus the terror of being invisible at sports day.
There’s a fun change of pace this volume, with Kubo being frequently flustered by things instead of her constantly picking on Shiraishi (in a sweet way) that switches up the formula a little while still holding on to the good bits.
It’s a nice reflection on the way that people can casually tease one another when they’re starting out, but as their connection deepens and the stakes nudge upward they begin to get flustered more easily around one another. No reason why I mention that, of course.
What this brings to the table is a balance from the usual stories by tossing in some fun antics with the family and Kubo’s school friends. If there’s a negative there, it’s probably that her friends aren’t especially well-defined, but they get the job done.
And the volume opens up on a fun note, with Kubo and her sister teasing one another and sharing a coffee (literally). It’s a reflective bit of business about the changes to a relationship as one grows older, mixed in with some extra cute.
This is a very fluffy book, but it’s fluff with a heart. And, yes, an odd fixation on underwear this time out - there’s an entire section about lingerie shopping that gets pretty funny and also returns in an unexpected way in a later chapter.
The contrast with stories like that versus the one with Shiraishi’s mother talking to Kubo is pronounced, as that story is incredibly charming and terribly pure. You can tell where the ending is going the second a particular point is raised, but it doesn’t make it less fun.
There’s also a really clever story about a rival for Shiraishi’s affection, which would make absolutely no sense since Shiraishi isn’t noticeable to anybody but Kubo with any frequency. The way this plays out and the whyfor’s of the note are deliciously common sensical in terms of the premise, which I rather liked.
I won’t pass judgment on the sports day stuff, since we leave before it wraps up, but it’s pretty good since it brings in a group dynamic for a change of pace rather than the usual chapter design. That thoughtful adjustment really helps make this feel refreshed without sacrificing what makes the story good.
4 stars - a reliable volume from a reliable series. This story reminds me a lot of Shikimori’s Not Just A Cutie, although it doesn’t quite hit the heights of that series. Still, that’s good company to keep and if you want more like that series, this is a good bet.
There’s a fun change of pace this volume, with Kubo being frequently flustered by things instead of her constantly picking on Shiraishi (in a sweet way) that switches up the formula a little while still holding on to the good bits.
It’s a nice reflection on the way that people can casually tease one another when they’re starting out, but as their connection deepens and the stakes nudge upward they begin to get flustered more easily around one another. No reason why I mention that, of course.
What this brings to the table is a balance from the usual stories by tossing in some fun antics with the family and Kubo’s school friends. If there’s a negative there, it’s probably that her friends aren’t especially well-defined, but they get the job done.
And the volume opens up on a fun note, with Kubo and her sister teasing one another and sharing a coffee (literally). It’s a reflective bit of business about the changes to a relationship as one grows older, mixed in with some extra cute.
This is a very fluffy book, but it’s fluff with a heart. And, yes, an odd fixation on underwear this time out - there’s an entire section about lingerie shopping that gets pretty funny and also returns in an unexpected way in a later chapter.
The contrast with stories like that versus the one with Shiraishi’s mother talking to Kubo is pronounced, as that story is incredibly charming and terribly pure. You can tell where the ending is going the second a particular point is raised, but it doesn’t make it less fun.
There’s also a really clever story about a rival for Shiraishi’s affection, which would make absolutely no sense since Shiraishi isn’t noticeable to anybody but Kubo with any frequency. The way this plays out and the whyfor’s of the note are deliciously common sensical in terms of the premise, which I rather liked.
I won’t pass judgment on the sports day stuff, since we leave before it wraps up, but it’s pretty good since it brings in a group dynamic for a change of pace rather than the usual chapter design. That thoughtful adjustment really helps make this feel refreshed without sacrificing what makes the story good.
4 stars - a reliable volume from a reliable series. This story reminds me a lot of Shikimori’s Not Just A Cutie, although it doesn’t quite hit the heights of that series. Still, that’s good company to keep and if you want more like that series, this is a good bet.
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January 23, 2023
This series just keeps surprising me. There's so much more sincerity & depth than I ever would have expected from what I initially assumed to be a fluffy "manic-pixie-dreamgirl" narrative serialized in a boys' manga publication.
The first chapter, for example, passes the vaunted Bechdel test -- it's about Kubo's older sister coming to terms with Kubo growing up, and mostly it's just the two of them talking. She's used to teasing her, thinking of her as the little tag-along copycat Kubo used to be; and now she's torn between pride at the young woman Kubo is becoming and a feeling of loss at the "death" of the child she subconsciously assumed Kubo would always remain.
Their relationship is further developed in another chapter which returns to the earlier topic of Kubo's own insecurity about her body (specifically her chest size) as her buxom sister takes her shopping for lingerie. It's the sort of thing that could have been played for laughs or lust, but instead it's treated with warmth and respect. It's perfectly relatable, there's nothing prurient about it, and these days in the Occident it's refreshing to see SOMEBODY handling teen self-consciousness with an approach other than "Let's pump you full of chemicals & schedule surgery..."
We also see Shiraishi developing an actual platonic friendship with a fellow male student and we learn how difficult it is for anyone other than Kubo to approach a boy who is functionally invisible. And, in what appears to be the first continuing arc of the series, we spend several chapters watching as the normally isolated Shiraishi is dragooned into a team event for the school's Sports Day alongside Kubo, her two friends, and his new pal. We see him struggling with his own insecurities -- ones he'd never before had to confront due to being functionally invisible. And the volume ends before we see how their team performs, so we are left with a vague optimism but no resolution as of yet.
If I had to name a theme in this volume I would have to say it's that there is always life outside of love. Teen romances in particular can feel so intense and all consuming that the rest of one's life can seem to drop away; but here we see Kubo & Shiraishi developing relationships & interests outside of one another, things which were always there but which we as the readers only caught glimpses of before.
Again, it offers surprising depth and sincerity, and it proceeds at a calm, gentle pace with the occasional fit and start. As a result it feels like the most authentic and genuine depiction of adolescence -- to say nothing of adolescent romance -- that I have read in decades.
The first chapter, for example, passes the vaunted Bechdel test -- it's about Kubo's older sister coming to terms with Kubo growing up, and mostly it's just the two of them talking. She's used to teasing her, thinking of her as the little tag-along copycat Kubo used to be; and now she's torn between pride at the young woman Kubo is becoming and a feeling of loss at the "death" of the child she subconsciously assumed Kubo would always remain.
Their relationship is further developed in another chapter which returns to the earlier topic of Kubo's own insecurity about her body (specifically her chest size) as her buxom sister takes her shopping for lingerie. It's the sort of thing that could have been played for laughs or lust, but instead it's treated with warmth and respect. It's perfectly relatable, there's nothing prurient about it, and these days in the Occident it's refreshing to see SOMEBODY handling teen self-consciousness with an approach other than "Let's pump you full of chemicals & schedule surgery..."
We also see Shiraishi developing an actual platonic friendship with a fellow male student and we learn how difficult it is for anyone other than Kubo to approach a boy who is functionally invisible. And, in what appears to be the first continuing arc of the series, we spend several chapters watching as the normally isolated Shiraishi is dragooned into a team event for the school's Sports Day alongside Kubo, her two friends, and his new pal. We see him struggling with his own insecurities -- ones he'd never before had to confront due to being functionally invisible. And the volume ends before we see how their team performs, so we are left with a vague optimism but no resolution as of yet.
If I had to name a theme in this volume I would have to say it's that there is always life outside of love. Teen romances in particular can feel so intense and all consuming that the rest of one's life can seem to drop away; but here we see Kubo & Shiraishi developing relationships & interests outside of one another, things which were always there but which we as the readers only caught glimpses of before.
Again, it offers surprising depth and sincerity, and it proceeds at a calm, gentle pace with the occasional fit and start. As a result it feels like the most authentic and genuine depiction of adolescence -- to say nothing of adolescent romance -- that I have read in decades.
January 4, 2023
Shiraishi is used to being invisible and forgotten, so imagine his surprise when Kubo remembers his birthday. Furthermore, he’s been invited to participate in a group event for sports day. Shiraishi is finally having fun and being acknowledged! It was a cute volume with some progress for Shiraishi. Though the Shiraishi and Kubo story line is still moving very slowly.
May 19, 2023
Kubo and Shiraishi are still in that sweetly awkward will they?/won't they? love confession tango. It's super cute. Shiraishi's mom is sooo tiny.
But now I wanna talk about chapters 49 and 50. THAT IS HOW YOU DO TASTEFUL PERVY STUFF! The characters had a reason to be on the subject. There was no creepy sexual objectification of an underage high school girl. (The chapter 49 cover art was the only part that it got gross.) And the "oops I saw your underwear" was truly an accident, not a contrived one. Shiraishi didn't fall down and "accidentally" look up her skirt; he didn't stare at her chest and "accidentally" look down her shirt. This is good writing! (Also, if you go back and look closely at the cover, you can see just a smidge of light blue. Gotta love the details.) Take notes! You don't have to shove sexual fan service in the face of your audience! Subtlety!
Also! Good work on page 134 and 141. I saw that Yu-Gi-Oh reference (RIP Kazuki Takahashi) and good on the author for finding a clever way to thwart Shiraishi's tendency to run away when he's embarrassed. Good writing!
This series has 12 volumes.
But now I wanna talk about chapters 49 and 50. THAT IS HOW YOU DO TASTEFUL PERVY STUFF! The characters had a reason to be on the subject. There was no creepy sexual objectification of an underage high school girl. (The chapter 49 cover art was the only part that it got gross.) And the "oops I saw your underwear" was truly an accident, not a contrived one. Shiraishi didn't fall down and "accidentally" look up her skirt; he didn't stare at her chest and "accidentally" look down her shirt. This is good writing! (Also, if you go back and look closely at the cover, you can see just a smidge of light blue. Gotta love the details.) Take notes! You don't have to shove sexual fan service in the face of your audience! Subtlety!
Also! Good work on page 134 and 141. I saw that Yu-Gi-Oh reference (RIP Kazuki Takahashi) and good on the author for finding a clever way to thwart Shiraishi's tendency to run away when he's embarrassed. Good writing!
This series has 12 volumes.
March 16, 2023
Lots of cute, gentle humor and a great deal of adolescent embarrassment over things like birthday presents, bra color, meeting a mother, and practicing for a three-legged race. It's amusing to see how the people around the main couple are reacting to, abetting, cheering on, and teasing them about their obvious but unspoken relationship.
January 12, 2023
I wasn’t as engaged with this volume, but it’s still cute and fun. Light fluffy read.
January 28, 2024
Does Shiraishi even like Kubo? He just seems so unfeeling…
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 22, 2025
In this volume 5, Kubo-San surprises Shiraishi a lot and their relationship becomes closer.
February 17, 2024
This series is adorable and wholesome! The chapters are so short, and the stories are so cute and also relatable in some cases, before you know it, you're finished the volume and need the next one. I love that Shiraishi is making friends, I felt so bad for the poor guy I'm the previous volumes. He made a guy friend who tries so hard to see him, but he's not successful yet, and even Kubo's friends end up hanging out with Shiraishi as well. They all have a team for sports day and I'm so happy for him. He was finally able to be a part of a team and he was even able to get two of the people on the team to work together, which everyone was grateful for.
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Blog: nazreads.ca
Twitter: Naz_readsanime
Instagram: nazreads01, nazcosplay, nradesigns, charmedanimegirl01
November 30, 2023
This series is really growing on me. It is just so pure and wholesome. It avoids many of the tropes that this genre uses and instead keeps things positive and sweet. I enjoy seeing how Shiraishi is coming out of his shell more and making memories with friends. I am eager to start the next volume.
August 1, 2023
Another cute entry, I love the lingerie where both our mains characters got flustered over seeing each other whilst shopping. I also appreciate the little things it does to highlight how they have grown even though it's only been 5 volumes.
January 18, 2023
3/5/5
Cute. It's mostly adorable and cozy with the littlest amount of weird stuff. Pretty good
Cute. It's mostly adorable and cozy with the littlest amount of weird stuff. Pretty good
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February 26, 2023Really enjoying the chill vibes that this series provides.
March 5, 2023
Yet another fun and sweet volume of this series. I am thoroughly enjoying this. It's cute, sweet and has just enough angst to keep you going. Can't wait to pick up the next volume soon!
May 9, 2023
Even with this being the second time I've read this series I can't help but love it still!
August 21, 2023
3.5/★★★★★
September 5, 2023
3.5/5 Stars
November 16, 2023
3.5 stars.
November 20, 2023
ok, now we’re finally getting some actual story going on. i’m really enjoying it now and will probably continue despite being able to get only the first 5 books from my library.
July 14, 2025
This series is giving me cavities
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews