Kubo Won't Let Me Be Invisible (Kubo-san wa Mobu o Yurusanai, literally "Kubo Won't Give Up The Mob") is a manga written and drawn by Nene Yukimori. Serialized in Weekly Young Jump from 2019 to 2023, it received an animated adaptation in the 2023 Winter Season.
Junta Shiraishi is an Ordinary High-School Student, and so ordinary, he can be mistaken for a mob character in a video game. But suddenly, Nagisa Kubo makes moves on him, and Junta is now encouraged by her to stand out from the crowd. Would he remain a nameless face? Or would he be something else?
Tropes include:
- Art Shift: The manga uses Super-Deformed style for a number of cute and/or funny scenes. This is carried over to the anime.
- Automatic Door Malfunction: As part of Shiraishi's ability to be practically invisible, sometimes automatic doors can't detect him, necessitating him doing things like hopping up and down or jogging in place.
- Beach Episode: Vol. 8 of the manga, in which Junta is invited by Akina to work at the Kubo family beach shack over summer break.
- Bland-Name Product: In chapter 47, Kubo gives Junta a KitGot bar, because he's hungry.
- Casting Gag: Regarding The Quintessential Quintuplets, Ichika now has Miku as her elder sister, and Nino is now one of her best friends.
- Character Development: Junta, who starts out as the kind of guy who would normally be in the background of the main story, but through his interactions with Nagisa, gradually starts to make friends, grow in self-confidence, and finally become the “main character” of his own life.
- "Do It Yourself" Theme Tune: The opening song is performed by Nagisa Kubo's voice actress, Kana Hanazawa.
- Everyone Can See It: Well maybe not literally “everyone”, but every member of the main group of friends except Nagisa and (especially) Junta can see that the two of them have a special kind of connection that goes beyond friendship.
- Exotic Eye Designs: Most of the cast (Shiraishi is the most notable exception) have square pupils that expand horizontally when expressing emotion.
- Fanservice: The chapter art occasionally features Nagisa in cosplay, such as in a Sexy Santa Dress or wearing a "virgin killer" halter top sweater.
- The Generic Guy: Junta is this to the extreme, he can be mistaken for a nameless character in anime. He has such a lack of presence to the average person that even automatic doors can fail to register him.
- Good Luck Charm: Because of how difficult it is to even catch a glimpse of him, a Running Gag throughout the early episodes of the manga is that Shiraishi is this to his classmates, as they will excitedly say that today might be their lucky day in Gacha.
- Heroic BSoD: Nagisa gets lost in the woods during a courage walk in Episode 69 and it doesn’t take long for her to become paralyzed by fear, in a way we have never seen from her before. Luckily, Junta finds her and gives her some much-needed comfort and assurance.
- I Have This Friend: Shiraishi wants to confess his love for Kubo. When Akina hears him thinking about it, the boy claims his friend's gonna to confess his feelings.
- Instantly Proven Wrong: In Chapter 26, just as Shiraishi thinks he'll "survive a single day without a red pen," the teacher announces: "Okay, folks, it's time to check your answers on the handouts. Get out your red pens!"
- It Runs in the Family: For some reason, all the members of the Kubo bloodline have no difficulty noticing Shiraishi, whom even electronic sensors may fail to detect.
- Right Behind Me: Kubo's right behind Shiraishi when he tells Sudo "I was about to tell her how I feel."
- Savvy Guy, Energetic Girl: Junta is the pragmatic, introverted hero whilst Nagisa is his extroverted, fun loving heroine.
- Shout-Out: Episode 4 has Seita watching a Kamen Rider parody called Poodle Man, with him and Junta doing henshin motions later.
- Tone Shift: A noticeable, if not massive one occurs around the end of the third volume and throughout the fourth. While retaining its lighthearted slice-of-life core, the series mostly abandons the “Nagisa teasing Junta” episodic structure common to the earlier volumes in favor of a more serious plot and meaningful interactions between our leads. Greater characterization is also given to the other members of their group of friends, as well as Junta and Nagisa’s family members.
- Umbrella of Togetherness: Episode 7 has Nagisa insists on sharing an umbrella with Junta on their way home, in order to see if he can become more visible this way. After walking for a while, Junta realizes they are engaging in this trope and decides to take a side route so that no one will notice them. However, they are spotted by Akina near the end, who clearly enjoys the sight.
