We are first introduced to Mimimi when Tomozaki is tasked with striking up small talk with some of the members of his class. However, where others often rebuked Tomozaki for his awkward and stilted dialogues, Mimimi finds it hilarious how much like an old man he sounds. From then onwards, it’s balls to the wall, seven Red Bulls before lunch energy whenever Mimimi is on screen. Whether she be fawning over Tama by biting her ears or rummaging through her undershirt or nonchalantly shooting the breeze with Aoi, it’s rare to see even a second without a smile plastered across Mimimi’s face. In an anime where so many characters seem at odds with life—forcing smiles and wearing metaphorical masks—Mimimi is a much-needed respite from the doom and gloom that bogs down some of Bottom-tier Character Tomozaki’s slower scenes.

Despite being the embodiment of the sun from Teletubbies, Mimimi is given a rather compelling arc over the show’s run, considering that she does not appear in every episode. Mimimi’s journey begins when we discover her driving passion to defeat the rank-one at life Aoi Hinami. She confides in Tomozaki that she feels forgotten (likening herself to Buzz Aldrin and several other second-place finishers). After listening to her plight, the two band together to take Hinami down during the student election. Mimimi’s bright personality lights up a room and it’s easy to see how an entire student body can fall in love with her after her speech. After messing up the plan, her charisma takes hold and wins the hearts of both her peers and us as viewers.

This could easily have been the end of Mimimi’s journey. A nice self-contained narrative about a girl who strives to do her best but fails to reach the same heights as those with natural talent. She accepts her shortcomings and moves on with her life. A tried and true narrative and all Bottom-tier Character Tomozaki has to do is sign on the dotted line. What makes Mimimi so likable is her relatability. She is not, in fact, the physical manifestation of a rainbow-puking unicorn, but a real person with thoughts and feelings. Mimimi resolves herself to quit the track team after she sees Hinami running even during the rain. When Tomozaki and Tama confront her, she delves into her middle school days; when Hinami bested her squad in a basketball match, before finishing second overall. Mimimi was more than content accepting this loss but Hinami broke down crying. Mimimi sees the effort Hinami puts in with not only her sports but her friends as well. By all that she does, Mimimi should be head over heels for her. What’s great is that she isn’t.

Mimimi admits that she harbors a lot of negative feelings towards Hinami. The tears flow as she vocalizes these and we get to see a more vulnerable side to her character. Of course, she would come to loathe Hinami for always besting her in everything she tries to do. She isn’t a superhero, she is a normal teenage girl. Bottom-tier Character Tomozaki likes to mention that people are often wearing masks in their everyday lives. Both Hinami and Tomozaki are closeted cynics we have come to know, but it’s interesting to see the anime branch out and explore this premise with its side-characters as well. After a pep talk from Tomozaki and Tama, Mimimi comes to her senses and decides to rejoin her track club—striving to one-day beat Hinami at something. We at Honey’s are looking forward to the day she can finally put Hinami’s smug face into the dirt (figuratively, of course, but here’s hoping).