Anime of the Week (6)

Anime: Skip Beat!

Genre: Comedy – Drama – Romance – Shoujo

Episodes: 25

Myanimelist Rating: 8.38/10

               "Skip Beat!" was my first shoujo anime. I've always watched Shounen at my younger days. When I started to watch anime again later, during college, I thought I might try to watch a Rom/Com anime. I enjoyed movies of the same genre, and though I might enjoy it as anime. I thought "Skip Beat!" would be a good start, since it had high ratings and positive reviews, and it was! Actually I kind of regret that I watched it first, since I can say it has been the best in its genre. It raised my standards, and I couldn't enjoy any shoujo anime, I've watched afterwards as much.

               "Skip Beat!" is about Mogami Kyoko who pursues a career in the showbiz. However, how Kyoko came by the idea is a different story from the usual ones about ambition and dreams. The idea was born from thoughts of revenge. Kyoko dedicated her life to her childhood friend and idol Fuwa Shou. She sacrificed everything and went with him to Tokyo, where he achieved his dream. All well for Kyoko, until she overhears him one day talking about her, and realizes he has been, only, using her all along. He never cared for her. You know the saying "Beware the fury of a patient man."? That's Kyoko for you. She could never think of a better way to get revenge, for her lost years dedicated to him, but to beat him in his dream and compete with him in the showbiz. Kyoko has certainly missed a lot of a girl's normal life, being dedicated to Shou and his dreams ,that influences her characters. That was also the main source of humor in the anime; her extreme anger and fury at times, her cluelessness and clumsiness at some other times.

             In the agency Kyoko joins to pursue her goal and beat Shou, she meets Tsuruga Ren, a handsome popular actor, considered by Shou as his most hated rival. Of course, Kyoko joined in the hate before, but my "Enemy's enemy is my friend.", or that would have been the case if Kyoko and Ren's first encounter was a better one. In "Skip Beat" we watch how Kyoko get along with her new goal and the new world she involves herself in. Now to the goods and bads of Skip Beat!

As for why I liked Skip beat:

-The idea of the story is so good and original, if compared with other shoujo manga. It gives you something, more interesting, to look forward to. It's not like a typical shoujo where you watch how a girl's relationship with a guy would develop. That was only part of it in Skip Beat! You look forward to how Kyoko would prove herself in the world of Showbiz, and how that will be perceived by the other characters.

      -The art is very good and neat.

      -The comedy in the anime, is very amusing. Kyoko's thoughts and evil spirits were funny.

      -The soundtracks were one of the best I heard in Shoujo anime. They were used very well. I, also, liked the first opening theme and the two endings.

-     -Kyoko, the main character, might not be the best person in the world. She has that evil side that desires revenge, but on the other hand she can be very clumsy and innocent. You can't help but sympathize with her, feel pleased at her success and feel satisfied at seeing the shock in the eyes of her foes.

      -There are some episodes that I'd keep watching over and over again in Skip Beat. They were very enjoyable, pleasing and satisfying! Yes! Satisfying! :D XD

As for the shortcomings of Skip Beat there's a big one and possibly the only one:
-The anime stopped early in the manga, with an open end, which was very frustrating. You can follow from the manga, but it has been very slow paced and boring recently. The chapters that had already been released when I finished watching Skip Beat, which were many, were so good and enjoyable to read. I wanted to watch them badly in animation. However, it became weird and slow later, or that's what I think. I can't see it coming to an end anytime soon. Bottom line, there's no closure! 

                                       That's all for Skip Beat! I wanted to include some of my favorite scenes, episodes and chapters, but it's too long already.

            On a second thought, I might say briefly (Spoilers!! -->) that I liked the episodes with Kyoko being Ren's substitute assistant, and Fuwa Shou's video clip! I love that one. In the manga, I liked the Christmas and Kyoko's birthday celebration very much. I liked loads of other stuff but that's enough for now!

My Rating: 8/10

Note! I tried to avoid adding pictures that might contain spoilers, so other than the couple of lines in the end, this post is spoiler free!