Welcome back to the appointment dedicated to anime, and their comparison with manga: today we present Skip Beat! by Yoshiki Nakamura
When we talk about Japan we cannot fail to consider another important aspect of their culture: the Idol.
an Idol is a teenage singer / actress who becomes popular in show business, mainly thanks to its external appearance (cute and graceful, in the jargon “kawaii”). Idols can be part of j-pop bands, or act in dorama (TV series inspired by manga and anime) and movies for the cinema, participate in television shows or pose for photo shoots as models.
But all this, what does this have to do with today’s anime? Skip Beat! it all revolves around Kyouko Mogami, an extravagant sixteen year old with a great desire: to become famous. But the road to success will not be easy at all; studded with unexpected events, it will make the young protagonist’s journey a carousel of emotions. Ironic, lively and more tenacious than ever, Kyouko is willing to do anything to achieve her goal.
Skip Beat! is a shōjo manga born from the pen of Yoshiki Nakamura, published in Hana to Yume magazine since 2002. In Italy it is published by Magic Press starting from April 2021. An animated version of the series was broadcast weekly from 2008 to 2009 simultaneously with Singapore in subtitled version.
Trama | Skip Beat! Di Yoshiki Nakamura
Skip Beat! essentially revolves around Kyouko Mogami, a melancholy sixteen year old (but who can be extremely comical) in love with Shotaro, her childhood friend; cruelly betrayed by the latter, she decides to take revenge.
ShotaroNot having the slightest intention of inheriting the family hotel, he decides to move to Tokyo to pursue a musical career and asks Kyouko to leave school and his life to follow and support him. Once in Tokyo, Kyouko begins an extremely frugal life, never spending money on herself and doing anything to help Sho, who in the meantime places seventh in the ranking of the most important characters in the show.
One day, bringing lunch to his friend at work, Kyouko overhears a conversation between Sho and his manager, in which he confesses how much Kyouko is a boring and banal girl and how he is taking advantage of it. Kyouko does not shed a single tear, but will decide to change her appearance to start her path in the world of show business, entering after various ups and downs in the company of Sho’s rival.
Uno shōjo anime diverso | Skip Beat! Di Yoshiki Nakamura
Skip beat! is an absolute must-see anime: it is dynamic, engaging, fun and exciting. What makes this anime special is the way in which it manages to express the situations and thoughts of the protagonists; each has its own specific psychology, its own character, its own way of behaving that is rendered with a truly cut original and fun.
The rhythm of the story is pressing, in twenty-five episodes many things happen that make the plot engaging and allow the viewer to enter deeply into the story of the protagonist. The love story is barely mentioned, therefore not focusing the attention solely on this one. Rather, the protagonist of the story is very different from the typical teenagers of the shōjo manga, demonstrating a stubbornness and perseverance seen in very few other works of the genre.
The anime really transmits a lot of energy and desire to do, it shows you how the world can be, but at the same time it teaches you between a smile and the other. to never give up on your dreams.
Kyouko, Sho e Ren | Skip Beat! Di Yoshiki Nakamura
Kyoko is a very profound character who, starting from the idea of taking her revenge, ends up unconsciously to make a journey that will lead her to discover herself and her acting skills. However, there is no lack of challenges and trials, which for Kyoko will mainly be against herself and against the image she had created since childhood in order to be the perfect woman for Sho.
Even the character of Sho it turns out to be more complex than emerges in the very first episode. Sho ends up turning out to be a guy completely addicted to creating his character as an idol, but it soon becomes clear that it all comes from a strong fear of not really being the best. The boy will soon understand the mistake made against Kyoko, but it will be too late.
The third protagonist, who will eventually form the not so unpredictable triangle, is Ren: actor now established and completely dedicated to his work. The friction that arises immediately between Ren and Kyoko due to the not very honorable reasons that pushed Kyoko into the world of entertainment, underlines even more the growth of the protagonist. Episode after episode we see the protagonist evolve, which thanks to her unwavering determination will pass from a girl devoted to revenge to a true professional capable even of bringing out the more human and romantic side of Ren.
In conclusion: between manga and anime
The anime presents itself to the public with a total of 25 episodes, going to tell a very limited narrative arc, especially regarding the length of the manga (46 volumes in progress). If you are looking for a self-contained story, Skip Beat! it’s not anime for you; if, on the other hand, what you want now is a valid product, well characterized, different in texture and designs, then you are on the right track. Surely, as has happened to anyone who has seen it, after the last episode you will run to buy the manga. I bet!