Skip Beat! in Review

You'll definitely want to hang on for a bumpy ride! Skip Beat! is a manga by Yoshiki Nakamura, currently running under Viz's Shojo Beat label here in America, and surely not a title to miss for any fan of shojo (girls') manga! Whether Japan or America, Skip Beat! likes to frequent the top 10 seller charts, and there are definitely reasons why.

The story starts out with a sweet feeling; the main character, Kyoko Mogami, is completely devoted to her childhood friend Shoutarou. He's her first love, and she would do anything for her "Sho-chan," even drop out of school and follow him to Tokyo as he sets out to make a name for himself as a musician! However, all the candies and hearts are gone pretty soon, when she discovers that, despite asking her, he doesn't care for her at all. Kyoko amounts to a maid in his eyes, and always has. The visual of opening Pandora's Box is used, and quite accurate-- the "angelically sweet" Kyoko turns into a vicious love-hater on the spot, and swears revenge!

Sound typical? Maybe. However, Nakamura's writing skills are of a novel's level, and they show through in every page. We've all read through so many "idol" stories, or series with sweet, hardworking heroines that we're tired of it; yet once you hit the transformation moment, Kyoko's character becomes a force to be reckoned with.

Kyoko tends to write off her native kindness and nature as a hardworker as "self satisfaction;" if you told her she did it out of care for someone else, you might traumatize her. It's a laugh-a-minute as she discovers that, yes, you can care for other people without the world coming to an end. She makes her first friend out of a bad-mouthed tsundere-type rival, and her most important influence is the man she used to "hate" the most, as Shotarou considered him a rival. This "rival" initially hated her in return because of how lightly she seemed to take the entertainment business-- Ren Tsuruga takes on the "warm and sweet" personality missing in the heroine, and yet the second the two are together, in comes the heavy atmosphere.

The complex character relations keep your head spinning; there are two "rivals" fighting for Kyoko, and yet the heroine herself is terrified at the concept of falling in love again. There is never any certainty of "Oh, she'll pick him!" to rely on. There are times when the character herself "disappears" because of acting, which brings in a variety of personalities to the situations; will she remain herself, or will a character she has created do her talking for her? The surprise situations that accompany them will keep you delighted or frustrated as you urge her to take new steps in her life.

The best part to look forward to in Nakamura's writing is the little strings. Remember when you read novels and authors present a tickle of an idea, and yet never develop it? Not here. Nakamura's attention to detail steadily ties up every little string as you read; he never leaves you to say "Where did this idea go? I wanted more!" Having read his previous work, Tokyo Crazy Paradise, I can testify that this is something he makes a habit of. With the insane amount of threads he weaves together, not a single one gets lost--definitely a plus for any reader!

Nakamura's art doesn't leave anything to be desired, either. Expressive eyes and attention to detailing are never lost. The emotions come through clearly in the artwork, saying just as much as his script. If you've got a heart for chibis (the little deformed people!), you're going to fall in love; Nakamura uses a sort of half-chibi style at points that can actually make a character look sexy. Never thought a chibi could be sexy? He will prove you wrong.

One of the best shojo titles to hit the shelves, I highly recommend it! Natsuki Takaya's Fruits Basket was always the top-selling shojo manga in America, and Skip Beat! might just take up the title it has laid down. With stunning artwork and a strongly moving story, this is a perfect title to collect and reread over and over again!