Shinozaki is determined to win his department a trip to Okinawa during his company’s 40th-anniversary competition.
Episode 10 — “Even If We’re Just Playing, He’s My Kohai…”
Hmm.
Shiori’s shortness and bigness set the internet’s hair on fire. So, how will it feel about her opposite? Shinozaki’s competitor for the new-hire proposal contest in My Tiny Senpai is also short, but she’s flat. I doubt this girl will gather much online attention for her unassuming figure. Akari Kurusu looks even more like a child than a westerner’s overbearing objections to Japanese cartoon depictions of adults. “Wow, this character has no wrinkles and resembles a ten-year-old because her face is a series of dark lines and monochromatic flesh tones. She must be a child!” Which is more objectionable? Smol plot or smol justice? No one will white-knight for Akari because her personality is flatter than her, well, you know.
I do enjoy the genuine yuri senior-junior dynamic. Mr. Manager keeps imagining a hypothetical one between Chinatsu and Shiori. But the other department has a lily-gilded all-girls school happening in the office. Still, I find it hard to believe the impressive department head would find the taciturn wet blanket attractive. Worse, how could that personality type know what regular people want to buy from a toy company? Shinozaki’s chances of seeing Shiori in a teeny-weeny, itsy-bitsy bikini in Okinawa have increased after meeting her.
Heh.
Uh oh. More padding time from My Tiny Senpai. The spin-off Magical Girl Shiorin supplies more drama than the source material. The former Demon Lord Akina needs to get back in the game. Oh, come on. He’s not even trying to disguise himself. At least he hid his horns. Oho. Shin Maou wants Magical Girl Shiorin’s details! She values loyalty in a man. Shin Maou can be loyal! He’ll “loyal” the heck out of her! To be continued! Maybe!
Okay. Here’s the subplot for the rest of the season. Shinozaki must win a contest to see Shiori in a skimpy swimsuit on the island of Okinawa. They say money makes the world go round, but don’t underestimate the underlying motivation of horniness. Mr. Manager is a unicorn. He won that New-Hire Competition, beating out a talented executive on the fast track to the C-Suite. The theme for the rookie contest is a new promotion for the company’s mascot. Its 40th anniversary is the right time for a fresh look for the next generation. The prize is for the entire department to go to the luxury resort in Okinawa. Will Chinatsu bikini cosplay for Mr. Manager?
Tiny Senpai vs. Smol Douki
Ha! Shinozaki’s buddy, Yamagishi, works in the PR department, so he doesn’t want to win. He’d rather spend as little time as possible with a manager who begs other departments to work overtime and a couple who get caught canoodling in a store room. Fun! Yamagishi is a gacha game whore because he thinks of Shinozaki’s colleagues as Ultra Rare cards. Yamagishi hates his random number generator! I love this guy! He’s a pure bro. Give him the deets, Shinozaki! Ooh. Another smol girl enters the chat! This short douki-chan’s chest is as flat as her personality. I find it hard to believe trigonometry and multivariable calculus are vital knowledge for developing products for children, but I remain hopeful. She might be good at engineering a toy to specifications, but would she be the designer? Doubtful.
Ooh! Mr. Manager’s rival! Shinobu Takatsukasa’s Development Group 1 directly competes against Chihiro Akina’s Development Group 2. Akari claimed not to understand workplace romance, yet look at how she regards her boss. The company promoted Shinobu quickly up the executive ranks, but Akina stayed behind to watch his underlings’ romantic developments. I think that’s what happened in My Tiny Senpai! Whoa! Higher stakes in the New-Hire Competition than Shiori in a bikini. If Akari beats Shinozaki, Mr. Manager will transfer to Shinobu’s group. Woof. That’s a lot of drama. Meanwhile, Dev Group 1 is as relaxed as ever.
The eye-catchers show Shiori relaxing in bed and wearing a preschool apron. So motherly.
Preschool Playmate Fieldtrip!
Product-testing on willing participants! I like this kind of experimentation. Open a huge box of toys and watch what preschoolers play with. Of course. Mr. Manager drew a crowd of preschool girls. The kids love Chinatsu, the drawing machine, and Shiori, the smol motherly type. Shinozaki’s wifely fantasies run rampant! Oho. Shiori likes Shinozaki as father and husband material. Now is the time in My Tiny Senpai when we yell, “Just get married already!” Aw. And fun. The preschool has a boy and a girl who will obviously end up together. But they’re at the age where pulling pigtails and teasing is how they can show affection with tsundere energy. The boy can’t admit his feelings because he wants to play with the girl.
Hohoho. Clever girl. She wants to play house with Shiori and Shinozaki. Of course, the little one needs to be the mother, and Shinozaki has to be the father. What about Shiori? She’s the cat! Hopes dashed, disappointment rises! Shiori looks like a cat to other cats and preschoolers. Shiori can work with this situation! But lap sitting is too much for the tiny senpai! This girl is obsessed with sharks. How could one be the evil monster in a sandcastle? Maybe in an undersea kingdom? Oh no! The boy came back to destroy the girl’s sandcastle. Shinozaki and Shiori will convince him to play together. The boy’s objections included the shark! Shinozaki called him out for stalking! Shinozaki’s advice applies to many situations: “Be nice to a girl if you like her.” So, they rebuild the castle, but the boy is the shark! They’ll make up later.
Next Up, Sharktaro Week?
Chinatsu didn’t have as much fun as the other three. The kids asked the drawing machine for pictures of “Kyapicure.” Is that a kappa mascot character? All the plushies were cats, though. Shiori just now realized that Shinozaki treats her nicely. Death by niceness!
My Tiny Senpai (Uchi no Kaisha no Chiisai Senpai no Hanashi) streams on Crunchyroll in Japanese audio and multiple language subtitles.
Shiori’s figure caters to those who prefer “plot” to “justice.” We get it. However, this episode gave us the intersection of flatness and adorable playmates. J-List and J18 Publishing have a new book for you if smol justice is your jam. Check out Mimic’s Precious Playmates Anthology Book 2 in the store today!
What do you think about the company’s contest? Do you like the new character with the monotone voice? Do you want to skip to the end when Shinozaki and Shiori have a beach episode in Okinawa? Let us know in the comments below or online on Facebook, Twitter, or Discord.
