Shy (stylized in all caps) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Bukimi Miki. It has been serialized in Akita Shoten's shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Champion since August 2019. As of September 2021, the series has been collected in ten tankōbon volumes.
As the world was on the brink of a third World War, superheroes appeared around the globe to restore order and bring about a new era of world peace. After the threat of war ended, each hero returned to a country to help with domestic matters, where they were quickly accepted by their respective citizens. One of those individuals is teenage heroine Teru Momijiyama, Japan's hero representative, who goes by the hero name "Shy." The world is not at peace for long, however, as a new worldwide threat arises in the form of a group of villains who call themselves Amalareiks (アマラリルク, Amarariruku). As she works with the other hero representatives across the globe and as she battles her own personal shortcomings, Shy fights to vanquish this new terror.
Every hero is equipped with a pair of Heart Conversion Bracelets (天心輪, Tenshinrin) that allow them to transform their appearance from civilian to hero and are the source of each hero's power and abilities by storing "heart power" for use when seen fit. All heroes meet at the Heroes' Hideout (ヒーローたちの隠れ家が, Hīrōtachi no Kakurega), a space station used to oversee and discuss matters back on Earth.
Teru is a new heroine who is still in junior high school. As her hero name implies, she is very shy to a near crippling degree. She struggles with many social problems, low self-esteem and she doubts her abilities as a hero. She becomes overwhelmed with pressure to the point where she disappears for a month after being blamed for injuring a civilian while rescuing them from a broken roller coaster. Despite being controlled by her emotions, she works tirelessly as her country's representative. As the hero Shy, she wears a white bodysuit with a white mask, twin-tailed hood, and gas mask. She travels with a robotic hero partner, N-Villio (エヌ・ヴィリオ, Enu-Virio), whom she calls "Ebio" (えびお), since it looks like a shrimp. She has the ability to turn her heart power from her Heart Conversion Bracelets into flames.
David Wonder Jones (ディヴィー・ワンダー・ジョン, Divī Wandā Jon) / Stardust (スターダスト, Sutādasuto)
In addition to being a rock star and philanthropist, David is the founder of Black Cross, an international aid organization. Even though he comes across as charitable, he is known by his hero peers as a heartless and apathetic person. He is quick to judge someone by their outward appearance and personality. As the hero Stardust, he wears a full black bodysuit with a star in the middle, he has slicked back blonde hair, and he wears a pair of red-framed glasses. With his Heart Conversion Bracelets, he has the ability to control the flow of whatever is around him.
Adam Rockwell (アダム・ロックウェル, Adamu Rokkuweru) / Century (センチュリー, Senchurī)
Adam is a young hero who is always working out and is sensitive about his health. When Amalareiks attacked Tokyo, he became the leader of the standby unit at the headquarters and took charge thereafter. As the hero Century, he has a muscular build and wears a white and red bodysuit with horns on his mask. His Heart Conversion Bracelets allow him to translate and communicate with people in other languages.
Pilse Dunant (ピルツ・デュナン, Pirutsu Dyunan) / Lady Black (レディ・ブラック, Redi Burakku)
Pilse has the power to heal others. Because of this, she is a nursing student and member a of Black Cross, an international aid organization. She also uses artificial legs due to losing both of them in a past accident. She tends to have a bit of a sharp tongue and a bad temper, but she cares about those that she helps. As the hero Lady Black, she wears a black dress with a white top, sports black framed-shades, and carries around a red handbag.
Pepesha is Shy's friend and mentor. She is very close to Shy to the point where she can be overly protective of her at times. Despite her being an alcoholic who likes drinking Russian vodka, a habit that she picked up from her mother, she is seen by others as a very dependable person. As the hero Spirits, she wears a black bodysuit under a turtlenecked blue shirt, and has a utility belt at her waist. Her Heart Conversion Bracelets allow her to manipulate gasses and turn her own body into smoke. She has the ability to fly.
Li Ming Ming (リー・ミンミン, Rī Minmin) / Meng Long (ミェンロン, Myenron)
Li is a slender teenage boy and a hero with a quiet personality. He is insecure about not being as manly as others and is bad at fighting, as he aspires to get stronger, but also wishes he could save those in need without having to fight. Because of his feminine look, most people confuse him for a girl. As the hero Meng Long, he wears a white and black traditional Chinese tangzhuang. His Heart Conversion Bracelets have the ability to brandish claws from his own heart power to put his enemies to sleep for a short while. He also finds himself falling asleep at odd times.
Gelm is the director of the medical department of Black Cross. He works alongside Lady Black. As the hero Doktor Schwarz, he has a beard and wears goggles on his forehead. He has a friendly personality and tends to laughs off the rantings of his assistant.
L'Arc is nicknamed "The Artist of Space". He is a skilled artist hero who also likes playing pranks on people. As the hero La Toile, he wears a white padded jacket and has white hair with a red streak in front. He can be seen carrying art tools.
Uni-Lord is a celestial emperor who is the leader of the world's heroes. Although she exudes an air of nobility, she is soft-spoken and sometimes tells jokes. She lives at the Heroes' Hideout and monitors the world's heroes' activities back on Earth. She is not a hero, but she has strong authority, and gives orders to the heroes as sort of a supervisor.
Amalareiks[]
Stigma (スティグマ, Sutiguma)
The leader of Amalareiks. His true name is unknown, as "Stigma" is what Uni-Lord and other heroes call him, which he later accepts and uses it for himself. He was able to form Amalareiks by gathering children who have darkness in their hearts. He bestows names to all of those he recruited. Although he looks calm and happy on the outside, in reality, he is a mysterious boy with a ruthless and twisted side. He uses Heart Conversion Rings, a villainous inverse to the heroic Heart Conversion Bracelets, to increase darkness in human's hearts. He can also attack his opponents using dark power crystals.
Doki (ドキ)
A boy with huge horns, claws, and a tail, clad in a ragged cloak. He is simple-minded and short-tempered. He joined Amalareiks because of his experience of being forced to be "right" by others and having his desired form rejected by the world. He believes that men should be pretty, and clashes with Meng Long, who is pretty but wants to be masculine. His abilities are unknown, but his horns and claws grow to enormous sizes when his emotions get the best of him.
Kufufu (クフフ)
Kufufu has a signature laugh, where she gets her name from. She smiles and laughs because she believes she is at peace as long as she does so. She also believes no matter how a person may be feeling, laughter will lead to peace, and desires to fill the world with laughter because of this. She has the ability to attract things to her and store large and small objects in her costume.
Sveta (ツィベタ, Tsibeta)
Sveta is an Amalareiks member who was created by Stigma using Spirits' desires. Her goal is to create a world where children can life a happy life. Her true identity is that of Pepesha's deceased mother, Lenya Andreanof, who died 15 years ago. Her youthful appearance makes her resemble Spirits as an infant. When she and Spirits fought, she regained the warmth of her heart, passed on information about Stigma, and vanished. She has the power to manipulate ice.
Sik Sik (シック・シック, Shikku Shikku)
Sik Sik has the power to control water.
Mai Tennoji (天王寺 昧, Ten'nōji Mai) / Utsuro (ウツロ)
Utsuro is a former shinobi who ran away from her home village to join Amalreiks. She abandoned her shinobi training because she does not like to fight and prefers to live a peaceful life. Soon after, her attitude changed and she pierced the heart of her sister with a sword radiating evil power. She has the ability to erase minds.
Others[]
Iko Koishikawa (小石川 惟子, Koishikawa Iko)
Iko is a 14-year-old girl who was saved by Shy from a broken roller coaster, although she ended up injuring her leg in the process, which Shy was blamed for. She is the very opposite of Shy: she has no problem talking to others, she likes to meet new people, make new friends, and be the center of attention. As she grows closer to Shy, she ends up transferring to her school, as it is closer to her home. She has a younger brother, who was also saved by Shy.
Ai Tennoji (天王寺 曖, Ten'nōji Ai)
Ai is a shinobi and heiress of Shimoga no Sato. She is Mai's older sister, who was stabbed in the heart by her sister's sword as she ran away from her home village in search of Mai. The wound did not kill her, yet it left her deeply injured and caused damage to her motor functions. Like her sister, she carries a sword, but it has the power to know the feelings of those who touch it.
Manga[]
Shy is written and illustrated by Bukimi Miki.[2] The series has been serialized in Akita Shoten's shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Champion since August 1, 2019.[3] Akita Shoten has collected its chapters into individual tankōbon volumes. The first volume was released on December 6, 2019.[4] As of September 8, 2021, ten volumes have been released.[5]
The manga was licensed in France by Kana in September 2020 and in Italy by Planet Manga in August 2021.[6][1]
Standing for Myself (スタンディング・フォー・マイセルフ, Sutandingu fō Maiserufu)
Standing for Yourself (スタンディング・フォー・ユアセルフ, Sutandingu fō Yuaserufu)
Hello, Stranger (ヘロー・ストレーンジャー, Herō Sutorēnjā)
Ghost in the Rain (ゴースト・イン・ザ・レイン, Gōsuto in za Rein)
Heroes' High (ヒーローズ・ハイ, Hīrōzu Hai)
'Til Love Do Us Part (ティル・ラブ・ドゥ・アス・パート, Tiru Rabu Dū Asu Pāto)
Engagement (エンゲージメント, Engējimento)
Electric Entry! (エレクトリック・エントリー！, Erekutorikku Entorī!)
Chapters not yet in tankōbon format[]
Shining Six (シャイニング・シクス, Shainingu Shikusu)
Before the Storm (ビフォア・ザ・ストーム, Bifoa za Sutōmu)
Cast a Shadow (キャスト・ア・シャッドウ, Kyasuto a Shaddō)
Under the Sea (アンダー・ザ・シー, Andā za Shī)
A New Challenger! (ニュー・チャレンジャー！, Nyū Charenjā!)
We are in Luck! (ウィー・アー・イン・ロック！, Uī ā in Rokku!)
I am Angry (アイ・アム・アングリー, Ai Amu Angurī)
Gone with the Wind (ゴーン・ウィズ・ザ・ウィンド, Gōn Uizu za Uindo)
Uninvited (アンインヴァイテッド, Aninvaiteddo)
Close Combat! (クロース・コンバット！, Kurōsu Konbatto!)
Invitation to Unhappy (インヴィテーション・トゥ・アンハッピー, Invitēshon tū Anhappī)
Neverland (ネヴァーランド, Nevārando)
The Unsaved (救われざる者, Sukuwarezaru Mono)
Don't Be Shy (恥ずかしがらずに, Hazukashi garazu ni)
Older Sister (お姉ちゃん, Onēchan)
This incomplete list is frequently updated to include new information.
Reception[]
Writing for OTAQUEST, Jacob Parker-Dalton compared Shy to a similar manga, Kohei Horikoshi's My Hero Academia, which runs in Shueisha's weekly shōnen publication, Weekly Shōnen Jump. While noting that both manga share similarities on a basic level, such as both protagonists being young rookie superheroes and a planet inhabited by individuals with superpowers, he delved into more of the differences between the two stories. He noted how Shy doesn't have as many heroes compared to My Hero Academia, and also wrote about how darker and more mysterious the main villain is, saying, "our villain, Sigma [sic], is decidedly darker as they prey upon the darkest parts of the human heart, converting victims into the kind of corrupted monsters that you’d see on a Saturday morning episode of Sailor Moon. That’s not to say that My Hero Academia’s villains aren’t somehow threatening – Horikoshi did an entire arc where he proved that that wasn’t the case – but Sigma [sic] is decisively more sinister as their identity and motives remain shrouded in mystery." Finally, noting the more serious drama in the story, he writes, "[Shy's] own ineptitude as a hero, caused to some extent by her bashful disposition, might now lead to a tangible loss of human life. The majority of the series’ first volume and major arc deals with this very real human drama, the likes of which probably never would be published in Weekly Shonen Jump."[15]
Notes[]
^Uni-Lord's name in kanji translates to "Emperor of Heaven".
^The literal translation of the kanji is "Flying Giant Bear".
