⚠️ This review of Skip Beat! will be spoiler-free ⚠️
—Story/Characters
While I can perfectly understand why Kyōko would want revenge, it still boggles my mind why someone would drop out of school and get a job to support someone, if they hadn't even bothered to ask that person how they felt about them! It's harder to be sympathetic towards her plight, too, because she's pursuing a showbiz career as a tit for tat towards Shō! That storyline would hypothetically work if the comedy was good enough, but most of the humor consists of Kyōko being painfully awkward or is derived from quintessential romantic hijinks!
If I were to compare the character motivations to the aforementioned "Nana" — Nana Osaki and Ren Honjō come together and fall apart at the behest of their individual needs, to chase after a rotten man would be the last of Nana's priorities! And while media doesn't exist on the precipice of teaching moral rights and wrongs, if a mangaka is going to make such an obnoxious premise, aimed towards teenage girls, there should be more humor and less romance! The story is written as though Kyōko is righteous for getting revenge, instead of doing what's right for herself. It's juvenile, the whole thing is!
Like every shōjo series in existence, Kyōko makes friends and enemies in the entertainment industry, even "frenemies" (ahem, "Kanae Kotonami")! Her self-sufficient and bold approach to acting makes her a fresh commodity to the management team. Though I did like how the series lined up the challenges, in a way that made you wonder "how will she get herself out of this one?" — it was difficult to root for her. Midway through the series, her rivalry with Shō dissolves into the two of them bickering like an old married couple, so it didn't feel like there were many stakes left.
—Technical
Luna's Favorite Works by Each Respective Creator = ✅
Kiyoko Sayama (director), notable works:
* Amanchu! Advance
* Brave 10
* Saber Marionette J Again — Assistant Director
* Shin Shirayuki-hime Densetsu Prétear
* Starry☆Sky
* Tenshi Kinryōku ("Angel's Sanctuary") ✅
* Vampire Knight
* Vampire Knight: Guilty
Commentary: From what I've seen of Ms. Sayama's directing, I'm not the biggest fan. From what I remember of "Prétear" — the directing got a bit sloppy and stilted at times. The "Tenshi Kinryōku" adaptation is the best thing that I've seen of hers, because truth be told, I have only watched the first season of "Amanchu" and the ※original director handed the series off to her. And "Tenshi Kinryōku" isn't exactly what you would call GOOD, but it's enjoyable enough for fans of the manga. The Skip Beat anime looks generic and none of the scenes are framed in a compelling way, the visual renderings use the bare minimum amount of animated "key strokes" and many of the motions are just from the mouth flaps!
※Jun'ichi Satō: known for his chief roles in "Aria: The Animation" and the first two seasons of "Sailor Moon"!
Good Seiyū Work = ✅
Really Enjoyed the Seiyū's Performance = ✅ ✅
One of Luna's Favorite Performances OF ALL TIME = ✅ ✅ ✅
Marina Inōe as Kyōko Mogami, notable roles:
* Kyōko Kōda, 3-Gatsu no Lion ✅
* Tsukasa Kiryu, Akaneiro ni Somaru Saka
* Chloe Morisu, Akanesasu Shōjo
* Valt Aoi, Beyblade Burst
* Momo Yaoyorozu, Boku no Hero Academia ✅
* Yozora Mikazuki, Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai ("I Don't Have Many Friends")
* Narvi Stryze, Break Blade
* Tsubasa, Busō Shinki Moon Angel
* Ibuki, Chaos Dragon: Sekiryū Seneki
* Meguru, Chōjikū Robo Meguru
* Kakeru Todoroki, Chōsoku Henkei Gyrozetter
* Cossette d'Auvergne, Cossette no Shōzō ✅
* Ami Kawamura, Danbell Senki
* Nana, Darling in the FranXX ✅
* Tōka Yatogami, Date A Live ✅ ✅ ✅
* Tagiru Akashi, Digimon Fusion
* Chiffon Fairchild, Freezing
* Mutsuki Uehara, Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight!
* Mina Tsukuda, Getsumen To Heiki Mina
* Asaemon Ikeda, Gintama
* Iba Himuro, Gokujō!! Mecha Mote Iinchō
* Haruka Nanase, Hagure Yūsha no Aesthetica
* Rei Miyamoto, High School of the Dead ✅ ✅
* Kirihime Natsuno, Inu to Hasami wa Tsukaiyō ("Dog & Scissors")
* Laura Bodewig, IS: Infinite Stratos ✅ ✅ ✅
* Natsuru Senō, Kämpfer
* Monaka Noguchi, Kite Liberator
* Inaho Enoki, Kyochū Rettō
* Sakura Mamiya, Kyōkai no Rinne (TV)
* Mio Tsuzuki, Loups=Garous
* Matsurika Shinōji, Maria†Holic ✅ ✅ ✅
* Kana Minami, Minami-ke
* Sodachi Oikura, Monogatari series ✅ ✅ ✅
* Iroha Tsuchiura, Onii-chan no Koto nanka Zenzen Suki ja Nai n da kara ne!! ("Because I Don't Like My Big Brother At All!!")
* Makina Sakamaki, Plastic Nee-san ✅
* Yūta Iridatsu, Punch Line
* Rio Rollins Tachibana, Rio: Rainbow Gate!
* Chiri Kitsu, Sayonara Zetsubō Sensei ✅✅✅
* Rebecca Randall, Seikoku no Dragonar ("Dragonar Academy")
* Tsukiumi, Sekirei
* Alicia Melchiott, Senjō no Valkyria ("Valkyria Chronicles")
* Pheles, Shakugan no Shana
* Armin Arlert, Shingeki no Kyōjin ✅ ✅
* Nao Midorikawa ("Cure March"), Smile PreCure ✅ ✅
* Rakuta Koga, Suteki Tantei Labyrinth ("Fantastic Detective Labyrinth")
* Yōko Littner, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann ✅ ✅
* Iku Kasahara, Toshokan Sensō ✅
* Jessica Ushiromiya, Umineko no Naku Koro ni ✅ ✅ ✅
* Yumiko Miura, Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Comedy wa Machigatteiru. ("My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU") ✅ ✅
* Shigeru Kanmuri, Yakitate!! Japan
Commentary: Though I can't say that I was a big fan of the character Kyōko Mogami, Ms. Inōe made her character the star of the show! Her delivery is the most energetic and fun, even among her more seasoned peers. I would compare her enigmatic performance to her roles as Chiri Kitsu ("Sayonara Zetsubō Sensei") and Nao Midorikawa ("Smile PreCure"). Amazing work, as always!
Katsuyuki Konishi as Ren Tsuruga, notable roles:
* Sakaki, .hack (series)
* Semimaru Asai, 7 Seeds
* Chiaki Hanazono, Ahiru no Sora
* Sakaki, Akagami no Shirayuki-hime ✅
* Bulat, Akame ga Kill ✅
* Jūzō Shima, Ao no Exorcist: Kyoto Fujōō-hen ✅
* Ohika, Arata Kangatari
* Leo, Arte
* Tōya, Ayashi no Ceres ✅✅✅
* Toraji Ishida and Red Blade Braver, Bamboo Blade
* Tatsumi Oga, Beelzebub
* Bem, Bem (2019) ✅✅
* Shūhei Hisagi and Keigo Asano, Bleach ✅
* Haji, Blood+ ✅✅
* Yoshiyuki Terada and Spinel Sun, Cardcaptor Sakura ✅✅
* Ioan Malcal, Code Geass: Akito the Exiled
* Kenji Kazama, D-Frag!
* Kenji Dobashi, Dear Boys
* Kaburagi, Deca-Dance
* Reiji Sakamaki, Diabolik Lovers
* Ataru Chūō, Dorei-ku the Animation
* Ginyu, Dragon Ball Kai and Super
* Tom Tanaka, Durarara!! (series) ✅
* Takeru Noto, Enen no Shōbōtai ("Fire Force")
* Laxus Dreyar and Yury Dreyar, Fairy Tail (series) ✅
* Rock Volcan, Gaist Crusher
* Otonoshin Koito, Golden Kamuy
* Hiroki Kurokawa, Haikyū!! ✅
* Genzō Shibata, Hataage! Kemono Michi
* Kaede Nonohara, Hayate no Gotoku!
* Blood Dupre, Heart no Kuni no Alice: Wonderful Wonder World
* America and Canada, Hetalia Axis Powers
* Masamune Matsumoto, High Score
* Sōsuke Yaotome, IDOLiSH7 ✅✅
* Diavolo, JoJo no Kimyō na Bōken Part 5: Ōgon no Kaze
* Renato Socci, Jormungand ✅
* Ōdanna, Kakuriyo no Yadomeshi
* Kenta Usui, Karin ✅
* Hank, Katsute Kami Datta Kemono-tachi e
* Tsumugu Kinagase, Kill la Kill ✅
* Tengen Uzui, Kimetsu no Yaiba ✅✅
* Ritsu Kisaragi, Kin'iro no Corda: Blue♪Sky
* Shinobu Ōsaki, Kin'iro no Corda: Primo Passo (series)
* Shiori Shibuya, Kyō kara Maō!
* Refuto, Kyōkai no Rinne (series)
* Sōbi Agatsuma, Loveless ✅✅✅
* Ozma Lee, Macross Frontier ✅✅✅
* Louie, Mahō Senshi Louie
* Johann Trinity, Mobile Suit Gundam 00
* Char Aznable, Mobile Suit Gundam-san ✅
* Taiyō Shirahama, Monster Strike
* Dreyfus, Nanatsu no Taizai ✅
* Tanktop Master, One Punch Man ✅
* Thunder ("Zapdos"), Freezer ("Articuno"), and Raikō, Pokémon ✅✅
* Takehito Morokuzu, Prison School
* Hiromitsu Hamawatari ("Hammer"), Pyū to Fuku! Jaguar: Ima, Fuki ni Yukimasu
* Yūji Kenmi, Sacred Seven
* Ikki Phoenix, Saint Seiya: Meiō Hades ✅✅
* Kyō Mibu, Samurai Deeper Kyō
* Masamune Takano, Sekai'ichi Hatsukoi ✅✅
* Kaoru Seo, Sekirei
* Shingen Takeda, Sengoku Night Blood
* Amidamaru, Shaman King ✅✅✅
* Renbart Psyche, Shinkyoku Sōkai Polyphonica
* Full-Time Panda and Adelie Penguin, Shirokuma Cafe ✅
* Tōda, Shōnen Onmyōji
* Lloyd Irving, Tales of Symphonia ✅✅✅
* Largo Lloyd, Tegamibachi ✅
* Nobuyuki Masaki, Tenchi Muyō! Ryōōki (4th and 5th Season) ✅
* Kamina, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann ✅
* Takahisa Kajimoto, Tennis no Ōji-sama
* Kōtarō Amon, Tokyo Ghoul ✅
* Convoy, Transformers Superlink
* Fan Hyulick, Tytania
* Kuin, Ushio to Tora (2015)
* Oswald, Yume Ōkoku to Nemureru 100-nin no Ōji-sama: Short Stories
* VolFogg, Yūsha-Ō GaoGaiGar ✅✅
Commentary: Mr. Konishi performance as Ren Tsuruga portrayed him as a very attractive and compassionate character, despite his initial coldness. Though I am a fan of Mr. Konishi's role was the weakest, but the might have been more on the part of the script, rather than the actual actor. I would compare his character in Skip Beat to his roles as Tōya ("Ayashi no Ceres") and Haji ("Blood+"). I personally prefer Mr. Konishi's calm, blue oni archetype, so I quite enjoyed hearing his voice in this one! Great job!
Mamoru Miyano as Shōtarō Fuwa, notable roles:
* Joe Shimamura, 009 Re: Cyborg
* Kei Nagai, Ajin (series)
* Ryōta Sakuragi, Ame-iro Cocoa
* Gakushū Asano, Ansatsu Kyōshitsu ("Assassination Classroom")
* Kandata, Aoi Bungaku Series ✅
* Prince Dimande, Bishōjo Senshi Sailor Moon Crystal
* Yoshitani, Boku, Otaryman.
* Kei Kaname, Bōkyaku Battery
* Ignis Scientia, Brotherhood: Final Fantasy XV ✅
* Osamu Dazai, Bungō Stray Dogs ✅ ✅ ✅
* Kōji Ibuki, Cardfight!! Vanguard (series)
* Taichi Mashima, Chihayafuru (series) ✅ ✅
* Light Yagami, Death Note ✅ ✅ ✅
* Cinque Izumi, Dog Days (series)
* Asim Jamaru, Dragonaut: The Resonance
* Masaomi Kida, Durarara!! (series) ✅ ✅ ✅
* Benimaru Shinmon, Enen no Shōbōtai ("Fire Force")
* Bedivere, Fate/Grand Order ✅ ✅
* Rin Matsuoka, Free! (series) ✅ ✅ ✅
* Haru Katō, The Millionaire Detective — Balance: UNLIMITED
* Ling Yao, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood ✅
* Shino, Fuse: Teppō Musume no Torimonochō
* Berg Katze, Gatchaman Crowds
* Saburō Suzuki, Gekkan Shōjo Nozaki-kun ✅ ✅
* Reinhard von Lohengramm, Ginga Eiyū Densetsu: Die Neue These ("The Legend of the Galactic Heroes: The New Thesis") ✅ ✅ ✅
* Haruo Sakaki, Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters (series)
* Shinobu Ijūin, Haikara-san ga Tōru Movie 1: Benio, Hana no 17-sai
* Atsumu Miya, Haikyū!! (series) ✅ ✅
* Genji Kamogawa, Hajime no Ippo: Rising
* Hachirō Iba, Hakuōki Shinkai: Kaze no Shō
* Chrollo Lucilfer, HUNTER×HUNTER (2011) ✅ ✅ ✅
* Shirō and Atsuya Fubuki, Inazuma Eleven (series)
* Saruhiko Fushimi, K (series) ✅ ✅
* H-neun, Kakumeiki Valvrave (series)
* Yogi, Karneval ✅
* Sei Amamiya, Kin'iro no Corda: Blue♪Sky
* Aoi Kaji, Kin'iro no Corda: Secondo Passo
* Moondoggie, Kōkyōshihen Eureka Seven ✅
* Rikuson Hakugen, Kōtetsu Sangokushi
* Biba Amatori, Kōtetsujō no Kabaneri ✅ ✅ ✅
* Joker, Kuroshitsuji: Book of Circus ✅ ✅
* Kurō, Kurozuka
* Kurō Sakuragawa, Kyokō Suiri
* Naoto Ōizumi, Love♥Love?
* Takeshi Nanase, Mahō Sensō
* Haruka Kokonose, Mekakucity Actors ✅ ✅
* Setsuna F. Seiei, Mobile Suit Gundam 00 ✅ ✅
* Shams Cōza, Mobile Suit Gundam SEED C.E.73: Stargazer
* Gilthunder, Nanatsu no Taizai ✅
* Takumi Fujiwara, New Initial D Movie (series)
* Saburō, Nobunaga Concerto
* Nobunaga Oda, Nobunaga the Fool
* Tamaki Suō, Ōran Kōkō Host Club ✅ ✅ ✅
* Pandora's Actor, Overlord (series) ✅ ✅
* Ryūji Sakamoto, Persona 5 ✅
* Bishop, Phi Brain: Kami no Puzzle (series)
* Dent, Pokémon Best Wishes (series)
* Hyōga Cygnus, Saint Seiya Omega ✅ ✅
* Reo Niiboshi, Sarazanmai ✅ ✅
* Takuto Kirisawa, Scared Rider Xechs
* Eiji Kanada, Seiyō Kottō Yōgashiten: Antique ("Antique Bakery") ✅ ✅
* Akira, Shin Megami Tensei Devil Children: Light & Dark
* Tategami Yamaarashi and Alpaca, Shirokuma Cafe
* Shū☆Zō, Show By Rock!! (series)
* Ryō Masaoka, Sōkyū no Fafner: Right of Left
* Death the Kid, Soul Eater ✅ ✅
* Cáo Cāo, Sōten Kōro
* Takuto Tsunashi, Star Driver: Kagayaki no Takuto ✅ ✅ ✅
* Roddick Farrence, Star Ocean: Anamnesis
* Shiki Kagurazaka, Starry☆Sky
* Rintarō Okabe, Steins;Gate (series) ✅ ✅ ✅
* Flynn Scifo, Tales of Vesperia ✅ ✅
* Shin Kamiya, Tekken: Blood Vengeance
* Riku Aoba, Tokimeki Memorial: Only Love
* Shū Tsukiyama, Tokyo Ghoul (series) ✅ ✅
* Yoshikage Asakura, Tono to Issho: Ippunkan Gekijō
* Tokiya Ichinose, Uta no☆Prince-sama♪ (series)
* Zero and Ichiru Kiryū, Vampire Knight ✅
* Kiba, Wolf's Rain ✅ ✅
* Wooser, Wooser no Sono Higurashi
* Kyrie Illunis, World Destruction: Sekai Bokumetsu no Rokunin
* Kōga Amagi, Zetman ✅ ✅ ✅
* Kōtarō Tatsumi, Zombieland Saga
Commentary: Mr. Miyano is so talented that he can make an insufferable, rich boy narcissist like Shōtarō Fuwa become someone that is easy to sympathize with. It may also be due to the crux of the terrible shōjo manga clichés, but as the series went on, I felt disgusted because I started to like him. I would compare the role to his parts as Taichi Mashima ("Chihayafuru") and Shū☆Zō ("Show By Rock!!"). Incredible work!
Conclusively, I can see why this series may appeal to some, but it wasn't my thing. Just as I had qualms with the banality of "Kaichō wa Maid-sama!" — though, I think this had more to do with my preference for josei series, rather than run-of-the-mill romances, my all-time favorite "Shōjo Beat!" publications WERE "Nana" and "Honey & Clover", after all. BOTH series revolve around YOUNG ADULT characters! Whereas, Kyōko is a teenager that's in the working world, because she voluntarily dropped out of high school. Based off of the lack of fun and indifference to (or dislike for) most of the characters in the narrative, I rate "Skip Beat" a 2/10.
Rating: ★☆☆☆☆