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!
-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!
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!
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
