Yoshiki Nakamura

So I'm not going to write a full review on each manga volume because too much of it would be about the same aspects. I would like to mention some things which I liked about this volume in particular, however. I really love how we get to see so many character's back stories and character development. At this point in the story, Maria is getting a lot more development and I adore the sisterly bond that her and Kyoko have. Not only is this bond making Kyoko stronger, learning to make her own family she can love and depend on, but it is also strengthening Maria. Maria really looks up to Kyoko and Kyoko does her best to make Maria happy and show her a good example.

As of late, Kyoko has really been experiencing familial bonds for the first time. She has never had a father in her life and it appears that her mother has abandoned her so she has always just lived with and kind of for Sho. Now she is able to take her bad experience with Sho and make something good out of it in finding her own life- her own family, friends, career, passions, and identity. Recently Kyoko has found a father figure as well that she can really look up to in her acting career but also just as a person because he is very motivational, passionate, and an all-around good guy. He quickly took Kyoko in and fostered her passions for acting and her need for a parent figure she has never been able to have.

I won't lie that I missed Sho in the past couple of books, but the plots were amazing. I also have such mixed feeling about Sho because of what he has done in the past and I can't be sure whether or not he has truly changed or just changed for the moment or why he felt like he could treat Kyoko like he has in the first place, particularly after all she has done for him. It seems like of all the people in the world, Kyoko and Sho know each other best and it will be interesting to continue seeing the progression of their twisting bond.

Mokooooo though! Her and Kyoko's friendship is the cutest and I love it so much… (mais)

So strangely enough, I feel like Vol. 5 is now my favorite of the series so far, even though I did also really like the first one. The budding friendship between Kyoko and Moko is so heartwarming
I got so excited about the development of the Kyoko and Moko relationship and particularly with their 2nd group audition when they really got put on the spot and had to totally rely on each other...it was such a beautiful moment
Of course the shifting dynamic between Kyoko and Moko was the primary plot of this volume, but there were other parts of this one that also really shined. The girl that kept trying to one-up Moko their whole life basically, really really got on my last nerve. Her expressions and actions were just perfect at showing her character. I feel like when the person that is supposed to be getting on the main character's nerves is getting on my nerves even more, that is just good character portrayal on the creator's part. Which leads into one of my favorite parts of the Skip-Beat! Series: none of the characters seem like just "stock" characters. I figured from the beginning that we would be getting a different impression of Ren across the series, but having characters like Moko, and the LME president's granddaughter, and Ren's agent, all have this deeper development-- I wouldn't be surprised if we learn later that super annoying girl changes her attitude after these experiences.

Once again, Skip-Beat! has delivered a whole spectrum of emotions, from funny, to serious, to sad, to angry, to determined. This series has been a journey of discovery for Kyoko that is just beginning, and while she is on her way to finding out who she is and what she really cares about, I can't wait to see all the other characters that come to change from interacting with this girl that is just so honest, both to others and herself. And though she seems to take "plain" as a bad thing, just being as true to herself as possible and giving everything her best try, while giving others the benefit of the doubt: I'd say, having someone "plain" like that in a celebrity world full of actors, is rather refreshing.

… (mais)

Going into this manga, I had no idea what it was about. I just knew that I had seen it a few times before and that the Goodreads recommendations recommended it to me (which usually I don't think they get my literary tastes, but this time they did pretty good). Skip Beat! is about a girl who moves away to Tokyo with her childhood friend who wants to become a celebrity. Now that he has become famous however, Kyoko is learning some new things about their relationship and soon has a strong motivation to want to join showbiz herself, though everyone believes her to be "too plain" for it.


This first volume of the series was very charming. I laughed out loud several different times at Kyoko's antics and her very expressive character. I love that instead of being the more typical shojo heroine of mangas I have read, she has a dark, bitter side. But it isn't only humor or revenge that drives this plot. We also see how broken Kyoko feels as she tries to put her life back together in the only way she can think of. This is a main character who is funny, dark, sad, determined, and cute all in one. I loved the complexity of emotions and I am very intrigued to see how to the story continues.


I would probably say that this first volume has hooked me more than a lot, if not all, of the the other first volumes of manga I have read. It's pace is perfect, not too slow and not too fast, setting up the motivation of the plot right away. The main character is already going through some character development and I can't wait to see more of it as well as learning more about the other characters that have been introduced. The drawing style is a bit different than what I am used to, particularly for Sho and Ren, but I like it, it almost seems like their characters were particularly drawn different to set them apart in their "celebrity" status. Glad I took this Goodreads recommendation.… (mais)

Endlich geht es mit Band 48 weiter. Ich habe es so lange wie möglich herausgezogen, diesen Band zu lesen, damit die Wartezeit auf Band 49 nicht mehr allzu lange währt. Doch leider dauert sie noch bis Februar 2024 an… *heul*

Und wie ich es mir gewünscht habe, gibt es ein paar sehr schöne Momente zwischen Ren und Kyoko. Und es ist so fies, wie dieser Band endet. Ich will wirklich wissen, wie es weitergeht.

Und dann noch die möglichen Andeutungen für Kyokos und Kotonamis berufliche Zukunft! Wahnsinn. Es ist mittlerweile echt spannend und Kyoko hat sich so gesteigert, dass ich einfach nur begeistert bin.

Mit jedem Band habe ich Angst, dass sich die Geschichte dem Ende nähert und gleichzeitig hoffe ich, dass diese unendliche Geschichte wirklich weitergeht. Aber die Wartezeiten auf den nächsten Band sind mittlerweile wirklich enorm geworden. Ich bin schon sehr gespannt, welche Entwicklungen es im nächsten Band geben wird! Vorfreude pur!!!… (mais)