Mitsumi Iwakura

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**Mitsumi Iwakura** (岩倉 美津未, *Iwakura Mitsumi*?) is one of the main characters in Skip and Loafer series.

## Appearance

Mitsumi is a young girl of about 15 years of age who can be described as petite and of average height for girls her age. She has a short hairstyle that falls just above her shoulders and is unevenly cut, with a few strands of small fringes that reach above her eyebrows. Her round face gives her cheeks a fluffy appearance, which is accentuated by her naturally occurring blushes, as she doesn't wear any makeup.

When Mitsumi is at school, she usually wears the T University's standard uniform which consists of both top and bottom in faded blue color, paired with a pale pinkish-orange necktie. Despite the uniform being simple, Mitsumi looks cute and adorable wearing it.

Growing up in a rural and remote area of Ishikawa Prefecture, Mitsumi's sense of fashion is not very developed, and this is especially noticeable during her first group activity with her classmates, where her outfit is not as fashionable as the others. Mika, one of her classmates, comments on Mitsumi's lack of fashion sense, pointing out how her own outfits are way more stylish than Mitsumi's. Despite this, Mitsumi's simple and natural appearance still exudes a certain charm and cuteness.

## Personality

Mitsumi is a 15-year-old girl who recently moved to Tokyo from a small countryside to pursue her academic and personal aspirations. As an individual who is new to the bustling city, she understands that there will be hurdles that she will have to overcome. Nevertheless, she remains optimistic and excited about the new experiences that await her.

She is a gifted student, excelling in academics, however, she sometimes struggles with physical activities and is challenged by the complexities of reading and interpreting other people's emotions. Despite this, she maintains an open-minded approach to learning and is always willing to try new things. Her eagerness to gain knowledge makes her stand out among her peers.

What sets Mitsumi apart from others is her ability to express her emotions in a clear and concise manner. Her willingness to voice her thoughts and opinions, even if they differ from those of others, has earned her a reputation as an excellent communicator. While she may appear naive at times, her enthusiasm for personal growth and self-improvement is undeniable. She is an individual who is not afraid to take risks and learn from her experiences, which will undoubtedly lead to her success in the future.

Mitsumi possesses a great drive to succeed and make significant contributions in the realm of public service, with the ultimate goal of supporting her family's financial growth. Despite her family's lack of comprehension towards her aspirations, they urge Mitsumi to be more sociable. She initially intended to prioritize her social life to a moderate degree, but over time, her perspective gradually evolved. She aspires to hold a prominent position in the government, and to achieve this, she constantly strives to enhance her knowledge and skills. Mitsumi's dedication to learning is evident in her eagerness to join the school council, which she pursued from the very beginning of her freshman year. She recognizes that participating in such an organization would provide valuable insights into leadership and management, and she is determined to use this experience to develop her abilities further.

## Relationships

### Non-familial

* **Sousuke Shima:** Shima and Mitsumi are the main leads in the series. In the beginning, they met at a train station because both were running late, and Mitsumi was lost. As the series progressed, they grew closer and quickly became friends. Before meeting Mitsumi, Shima always aimed to please people, and only ever did things that garnered the approval of others. In other words, he was hyper-fixated on becoming a people-pleaser because of his overbearing, abusive mother and could never make decisions for himself. After meeting Mitsumi, he came to a realization that he is, indeed, able to act on his own without feeling like he needs to please someone in return. This realization gave him the drive to further improve himself which resulted in him wanting to pursue his former hobbies again. When around Mitsumi, he can easily let down his walls and allow himself to act freely. For example, Shima tends to remain distant to other girls, to avoid leading anyone on; however, with Mitsumi, he feels comfortable enough to buy her gifts and hang out with her. As they continue this blossoming friendship, Mitsumi's feelings for him grew more and she eventually realizes her attraction for Shima, but ultimately decides not to pursue them. Eventually, Shima realizes Mitsumi's feelings for him, and he decides to ask her out— to which Mitsumi immediately agrees. Throughout their new relationship as boyfriend and girlfriend, Mitsumi realizes that things were not the same, if not worse, than when they were friends. In chapter 46, Shima and Mitsumi have a picnic under a tree, and Mitsumi addresses how they should return to being friends again. The reason is that Mitsumi's love for Shima, and Shima's affection towards Mitsumi are vastly different from one another. She talks about how she constantly worries about whether Shima's feelings will be the same as hers— thus distracting her from her personal goals in life (school, college, etc). Shima completely agrees and feels the same way, so he agreed to remain as friends. In the later chapters, he is stuck in a loop of self-comtemplation and goes into introspection— thinking to himself about the things he's said, done, and *should have* done. Chris, one of his closest friend, states that Shima has some growing up to do, to which Shima realizes. The break-up then causes Shima some emotional turbulence, which makes him rethink his life and slowly face his past trauma.

## Etymology

The name 岩倉 美津未, which can be romanized as *"Iwakura Mitsumi,"* is a Japanese name with deep etymological roots.
* The surname **岩倉 (Iwakura)** is a Japanese surname composed of two kanji characters. The first character "岩" (iwa) means "rock" or "stone", while the second character "倉" (kura) means "warehouse" or "storehouse". This surname originated from a place name in Kyoto prefecture called "Iwakura," which means "rocky storehouse." Some sources also suggest that the name "Iwakura" may have originated from the fact that the area was known for its production of stone tools and weapons during ancient times. Overall, the surname "Iwakura" has a strong association with rock or stone-related industries and locations.

* The given name **美津未 (Mitsumi)** is a Japanese given name composed of three kanji characters. The first character "美" (mi) means "beauty" or "beautiful," the second character "津" (tsu) means "harbor" or "port," and the third character "未" (mi) means "not yet" or "future." This name has a poetic meaning that conveys the idea of a beautiful future that is yet to come, like a ship waiting to dock at a peaceful harbor. The name "Mitsu mi" has been used since ancient times in Japan and is still a popular name for baby girls today.

## References

*Skip and Loafer* Manga: Chapter 2 (p. 6).
*Skip and Loafer* Manga: Chapter 42 (p. 25). — Became a couple.
*Skip and Loafer* Manga: Chapter 45 (pp. 19-29). — Broke up.