Skip Beat! Mini Review (manga)
September 19th, 2007 by Nothayama
PG-13 for some sexuality and seething, bottomless rage; official series website
It’s so great to read a shoujo with a heroine who isn’t motivated by the usual combination of niceness, work ethic, and malleability in the face of some really hot asshole. Skip Beat is the story of Kyoko, a girl who wants to be a celebrity for the sole purpose of getting (extremely justified) revenge on her pop star ex. It’s not without its flaws, but there’s a ton of humor and weirdness on every page which makes the whole thing really entertaining to read. Anyone who’s ever been forced to smilingly take abuse from some jerk or who’s been stepped on for being too nice or too forgiving might find it cathartic–Kyoko lives out the revenge fantasies those of us who aren’t completely insane can only imagine. By the mangaka of the even-better Tokyo Crazy Paradise.
Educated impression: Definitely worth a try. (NotHayama)
Additional educated impression: This manga starts off a little strange, but only for a volume or two–at which point it slips into new, untapped regions of BRILLIANTAWESOME. It’s not only funny and strangely inspiring, come Volume 7 or so, it starts becoming one of the most romantic shoujo titles you’ll ever read. I kid you not. If you’re not reading this series yet, get on that. (Lianne)
It definitely starts out a bit out there (Kyoko’s sudden position in a powerful agency anyways), however, as the series progresses, it gets deeper and deeper into the minds of the characters. Kyoko begins her quest to fame with only revenge on her side, but as she connects to each character and progresses, the story becomes completely fleshed out. And by the time vol. 7 or 8 rolls around, Ren and Sho aren’t just rivals in the acting biz anymore. *wink wink* This series is most likely the funniest, zaniest and most romantic manga series I have ever read. I am simply obssesed. I got to say, *spoiler* I feel so sorry for Kyoko with the Demon Lord gunnin for her. *wink*
HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII! i love it how Ren acks when he finds out who she is and if you looking for a website to read 1-18 in engish go to http://www.thespectrum.net/manga_scans/?preview=manga_skip-beat
i love it and go there all the time>^^
I’ve seen many reviews that give Skip Beat! high and excellent marks. However, I’ve read volumes 1-12, and I feel that series is only worth a B+ at most. Does it get way better beyond volume 12? Or are my expectations too high?
what? of course not! Skip Beat it’s simple awesome i used to hate manga because it was just read and readdd..but i started to read SB and i just got obsessed there’s no other word to name it! it’s too god, too romantic..to funny..too everything! i love it!
i looove skip beat!! I’ve just read 5 vols in 2 days and I’m addicted to it! it’s really funny! nothing serious has happened yet but I’m really looking forward to it!!
Okay, here’s an update to my previous post above. In addition to reading 1-12, I continued on with volumes 13 and 14. Skip Beat just doesn’t have the BA-BAM that everyone goes on about, at least to me. But Ren watching the Prisoner video in volume 14 is a great moment.
Ash,
I can see how not everyone will like Skip Beat. As NotHayama always says, “You have to meet it halfway on the believability.” Not unlike the mangaka’s other long work, the fantastic Tokyo Crazy Paradise, her premises and worlds are really bizarre, and her storytelling is long-winded and kind of insane. It’s for this reason that I never recommend Skip Beat to someone new to manga, and I also don’t expect everyone to get into it.
However, for those who adapt to the style, it’s unique and funny and much, much more constructive than the average shoujo. Despite being 19+ volumes in Japan and distinctly LACKING IN KISSING, it’s slowly building up a cast of small characters who are trying to improve themselves as people and find working relationships with others. The message of “being in love is a positive thing, but being in a relationship because of it isn’t necessarily positive” is something only about 1 in 10 shoujo actually deal with. “Love conquers all” is much easier to represent, thus that’s what most shoujo titles tackle. LAME.
Yoshiki Nakamura is a revolutionary in her corner of the industry. She straddles genres by adding shounen-esque goals for her heroines and giving them pride and self-esteem. Her boys are just as well-rounded as her girls, which is decidedly feminist. And her art has gotten amazing, pushing her to the top of the Hana to Yume clan (flip through the magazine – most of the other series pale in comparison to Skip Beat, art-wise). The anime starts in a few weeks and I can’t f’ing wait.
And yeah, Ren watching the Prisoner video was great. If you liked that, volumes 15+ have a lot more of Ren freaking out. But if you’re still pretty blah after 14 volumes, the series isn’t going to change significantly. I usually recommend someone stop reading Skip Beat if they don’t like it after, say, Volume 2 or 3.
Thank you for your follow up comment, Lianne. It definitely improved my opinion of the manga. I’m also looking forward to the Skip Beat anime. And I think it would also make a pretty good live-action drama.
In a way, I wish I read your recommendation about reading up to volumes 2 or 3 before hand, but I just had to see what all the hype is about. I felt a need to voice my opinion of the manga especially since I invested in the first 14+ volumes (15 & 16 on preorder). I felt that need even more due to the high reviews for Skip Beat.
But looking back on my experience of this series so far, Skip Beat is revolutionary as it bursts through the teenage girl status quo and builds upon friendships rather than jumping into relationships. And I’m still interested to see how Kyoko fairs on her journey, along with Ren and Sho, and everyone else.
Skip Beat, to me, doesn’t have the emotional gut punch, deeply interconnected bonds, or mysterious past events that take up as much current events. But it does have a lot of heart, laughs, and friendship.
I might keep commenting on what I think of the future volumes. The art is really improving and my favorite cover so far is the upcoming volume 16, along with volume 12. (I guess I just realized which couple I’m rooting for…)
Thanks again for replying to my comments.
I just read volume 15 two days ago. I can safely say that volume deserves an A-. It was really good. And I’m glad everything is picking up. Lol, it took me 15 volumes, but I think I’m now hooked on Skip Beat…:)
I agree that Skip Beat should be given a couple first volumes to spare since I didn’t really get “into” the series until volume 4. After that, I fell in love with the manga.
I love the developing relationships of the characters too yet I find it funny when many people are confused onwhere the “romance” is suppose to be xD I just tell them it’s there but expressed in a different way.
:]
Nice review you got there. I agree that Skip Beat! lacks the kissing and sweet stuff compared to other shojo mangas, but I think it’s rather a good point. I don’t like overly romantic stories. That’s too traditional, ne? Well, simply put, I’m SICK of those. teehee.
Currently, I’m going crazy thinking over how Kyoko will develop feelings for Ren as a man, and not as a sempai. And I love how Ren will become the emperor of the night, then suddenly holds back his emotions!
I just can’t wait for chap 134!
great review!
can’t wait to see how the lovestory will develop between Kyoko and Ren. Actually there could be more chapters devoted to their story…
The cover for volume 16 is my favorite…so revealing. And the story is also going to great places too.
THAT IS THE COOLEST BOOK TO READ EVER IN THE WORLD I HOPE THAT I CAN READ VOL 18 SOON.KEEP WRITING THE BOOKS.
Skip Beat’s pretty freakin awesome
I remember back to the beginning, when Kyoko is acting directly opposite Ren just to prove that bratty actress wrong, and Kyoko’s in SO much pain because of her ankle but she’s still trying so hard. Thinking back to it, she’s changed so much! Same goes for Ren, too, and definitely their relationship. The character development throughout the book is excellent and flawless (well, on the most part). Sometimes, people act totally out of character, but it always eventually makes sense because those are usually the really unusual situations. SO GREAT
Skip Beat is one of the few mangas that I actually reread. The only other manga I reread was Beast Master but that was only about 6 chapters long anyway.
I agree that the beginning wasn’t that great. When I read the summary I was thinking that I would just read this to pass the time.
What really hooked me on this manga was Kyoko’s growth as an actress. Her creativity is amazing too: the acting test, her first commercial, creating Mio and Natsu…
Actually the whole romance between Kyoko and Ren comes secondary to me. I’m glad that the romance is going slow and it’s not the only theme to this manga. There are too many romance mangas where boy meets girl, they have a few problems, they get over each of those problems, and voila! they live happily ever after over a span of a few volumes.
Kyoko’s creativity actually inspired me to make better OCs for fanfics too. lol. Lately I’ve been more aware of their character and personality and background like how Kyoko had to be with Mio.
Before I started reading Skit Beat, I was going through the process of moving on from a unhealthy relationship that admittedly lasted much longer than it should have. My emotions were everywhere and then one random day I went at a bookstore and ended up buying Skit Beat Volume 1 without really bothering to check what it was about. I can say I am SOOOOO glad I did that. Because of my situation, I could relate a lot with what Kyoto went through. I know the feeling of wanting revenge but, come on, who is so nuts as to actually do it…. Well, Kyoto is. It’s so damn refreshing to have a strong, leading female character who ISN’T obsessed with having a man in her life, just magically falls in love with the typical dream boy/badass with a troubles past and everything in life just gets handed to her after a brief struggle. Another thing I like is how the story goes in almost a completely different direction then how it first started out. Kyoto might get dealt a crappy hand but she absolutely refuses to fold.
I’m always looking forward to the next release date.
After reading Skit Beat, I am always on the prowl for manga with strong characters.
I haven’t found another like it.
Maybe Tokyo crazy paradise of the same mangaka?
I’m reading it on onemanga.com, and am obsessed too!! This is actually the first manga series I’ve read and am on chapter 115, page 24! I was just curious about reading manga but never thought I’d get so hooked! It totally makes me laugh in hysterics! I really like the romance too
I started watching it after my boyfriend left me. Its story was so inspiring and funny, and was a part of my healing process ^^
Definitely worth watching!
Skip Beat was the first manga title I picked up and i was absolutely hooked from the get-go. What intrigued me the most was Kyoko’s character. Have you ever had the feeling that you’re not seeing the whole picture with someone? Picked up on that right away and just had to find out what it was Kyoko was hiding. ^^
I was a reading a review for it on some website or the other and the reviewer made the comment to the effect that we know what Ren’s thinking 100% of the time, Sho 50% of the time and Kyoko maybe 25%. That’s what’s got me hooked. You can never guess with her. IMO, she’s right up there with the title character of Whitney, My Love by Judith McNaught.
Adding to the overall awesomeness of the series though, is how amazing Nakamura-sensei has been with developing all the characters, even the bit ones. That’s true talent right there. You definitely have to meet them halfway on the believabilty point though, as Lianne’s stated.
Is this in the actual manga??
I don’t remember reading it.
If it is in the manga wat chapter is it in??
I will simply say; I love Skip Beat! I am so glad that I didn’t put it down when I read the first 2 chapters or so(I didn’t really like the first two chapters) but from then on I was hooked. It is amazing, awesome! I ussaly get reall annoyed when the (would-be love) relationship dosn’t move along. But it does with Skip Beat, with baby steps.Also I’m accutly glad it dosn’t here! Skip Beat is going to get the reader reading hundreds of chapters to figure out will she become famous and get her revenge, and will and how are Kyoko and Ren going to get tegther. Skip Beat is the Number 1 manga that I check first to see if theres a new one. If there is I drop everything and start reading. Again, I love Skip Beat!
For Val, it’s chapters 70/71 for the page above.
I just LOVE Skip Beat!!! Its amazing! The only thing that has kept me from going all cynical over manga and anime is this manga- its so refreshing. Tomorrow, the next chapters coming out in Japan, and I’m so excited, people are worried!! (no, seriously, I’m home alone, screaming my head off in Japanese about “Tsuruga-SAN!!!!!”- what do my poor neighbors think?) Wellll, its just so fun to read; right now its my favorite manga, since I recently finished Kodocha, which no one can deny is an amazing series. And then next to it theres all the other shojo, which are so sappy, I wanna puke….. and the shonen thats incredibly sexist and vulgar (I DO NOT want revoltingly oversized boobs popping out at me every other page!)….. and then there’s Skip Beat…… sigh. Skip Beat foh eveh!
en francais:(to be french)
he, bien ete scene, n’est pas une scene avec un “japan kiss” non il s’agit juste de la fois ou Ren-seimpâi avais de la fièvre ! et c’est evanoie sur Kyoko-sempai et c’est reveiller sur elle regarder apres l’episode quinze en tout as c’est dans les alentour … merci de lire mon comhe,
en anglais: (to be english)
been scene, is not a scene with “japan kiss” it is not just a time or Ren-seimpâi had a fever! and it evanoie of Kyoko-sempai’s wake and look upon it after the episode fifteen in all as it is in the vicinity … thank you for reading my comment!mentaire !
I agree, Skip Beat is the best manga,no, story in the WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am in eternal love with it. I absolutely love everything about it. Kyoko, i have to say is the most amazing girl ever. i love her refreshing and funny personality with a passion. She definitely beats the norm of pathetic anime girl heroines. She is truly my hero.
This manga is so good! I’m an actress myself(only local plays, ect.) and when Kyoko had to develope her character as Mio, I realized how hard it must be for her. I’ve only read to vol.11 chap.67 but am totally hooked and losing sleep thinking about it! And I have to say, the artist did a VERY good job when drawing Ren. *wink wink nudge nudge*