About Shinobu
Calling Shinobu neurotic would be an understatement. She has a habit of breaking into tears and running anytime somebody looks at her the wrong way. She is very shy and nervous, but also very willing to help. What she lacks in willpower, she makes up for in kindness.
At Hinata House
Shinobu is the youngest of the original Hinata House residents. She is not shown to be particularly close to any of them, though she sometimes pals around with the two girls closest to her in age; Su and Sarah. Shinobu and Su form a rescue mission to “save” Keitaro after he failed his exams and took a vacation; and later the trio formed a group called “Puffy Mushroom” to find Keitaro after he was stranded on the island of Parakelse.
Undoubtedly, the person Shinobu feels closest to at Hinata House is Keitaro. When everyone is under the impression that Keitaro is a Tokyo U student, he helps give Shinobu confidence with her schoolwork. Unfortunately, she is crushed when the truth comes out that he’s actually a second year ronin. Keitaro manages to repair the trust between them, and Shinobu starts to develop a crush on him. Later, Keitaro agrees to tutor Shinobu, and ends up taking her on a “date” to bolster her spirits after she failed an exam. Shinobu eventually comes to realize that Keitaro is happiest when he’s with Naru, and cheers them both on.
Epilogue
By the end of Love Hina, Shinobu has outgrown most of her shyness and resembles Naru a great deal. She has accomplished her dream of getting into Tokyo University.