Nakamura Yoshiki - Skip Beat, vol. 24-31

[oyceter]

Oh man, much as I am sad about not reading a lot of manga in the past few years, it does mean that binge catch ups are very fun!

This reading spree also included a reread of volumes 12-23, all prompted by CB starting to watch the Skip Beat anime. I really wish they would animate more of the manga!

Anyway, the series consistently cracks me up, and it was really fun tearing through so many volumes at once.

Spoilers must regain their precious human emotions!

Ahahaha, of course Kyoko ends up winning over her next big female rival. And now the Love Me section has its third member! I was dying when Kanae met Amamiya and boggled at how she actually volunteered for Love Me.

I still have unformulated thoughts about the Love Me section being formed by a man who thinks a girl doesn't have enough love in her heart and how it replicates sexist dynamics that demand women show only positive emotions, particularly when it comes to romance. You do get a similar pressure on Ren in the Dark Moon arc, but it's much less publicized and he's pressured much less often about it. Add thoughts about shoujo's strong push in general but especially for girls to recognize everyone's good intentions while ignoring their terrible actions.

Unsurprisingly, I was incredibly annoyed by the reappearance of Reino and Sho in the Valentine's Day storyline, though I find it hilarious that Kyoko is blackmailed by Reino having her voodoo doll thing. And OMG Kyoko's reaction to being invited over to her precious Moko's place! To make chocolate!

And though I find Ren's occasional possessiveness and warning Kyoko to not give guys the wrong impression (ARGH) frustrating, I lap up all of the "Ren does something possibly romantic, Kyoko freaks out, Ren backtracks, Yashiro groans" sequences. I'm also curious if the series is drawing to a close: the bit about the last lock on Kyoko's heart falling off when she's lending Princess Rosa's power to Ren and her actually getting a clue about how maybe Ren has been backing out a lot because she freaks out so much seems indicative of some sort of change in relationship status.

Possibly I am mean like Yashiro, because I find all the situations that test Ren's willpower to be kind of hilarious. And I like that Ren realizes it's his problem, not Kyoko's.

Also, I am eating up the Heel siblings thing with a spoon. BWAHAHAHA the fan service!! The multiple genre cliches of barging into a room at the wrong time, only one bed to share, can't sleep unless hugged, etc.! It doesn't hurt that I love the art and clothes. Well, that, and Ren obviously having fun spoiling Kyoko and generally being more casual. Despite the older brother-younger sister cover story, it feels like it levels out the power differential more.

Alas, the inevitable shoujo detour into the Hero's Dark Past has also occurred. I was hoping we got to skip it when the whole Kuu thing went by, but no, it is now here full on! And it has sidelined Kyoko into being supportive instead of having an arc of her own. Oh well, I will endure and shamelessly ship the Heel siblings.

Comments

[gramarye1971]

I still have unformulated thoughts about the Love Me section being formed by a man who thinks a girl doesn't have enough love in her heart and how it replicates sexist dynamics that demand women show only positive emotions, particularly when it comes to romance.

This, I think, is the reason why I couldn't get into the anime after giving it the standard four episodes I usually give for a new series. Considering what I knew about Kyoko's backstory, and her desire to break out of her desperate need for someone's approval and love (since we saw how well that worked out with Sho), it almost seemed unnecessarily cruel to make her replicate her appeals to make people love her on a grander scale. In the context of Japanese cultural gender dynamics and how shoujo series tend to operate, it frankly started to squick me.

That said, I've been meaning to try the Skip Beat! manga to see if it comes across a bit better. I do like Kyoko and the friendships that I know she builds, so the series is still on my to-read list.

[oyceter]

Yeah, I can definitely see that. It's one of those things I try to not think too much about while reading (see also: stalking and "romantic" threats played as funny, guys fighting over Kyoko like she has no will of her own, hints about "leading people on" and etc.).

I do think the Love Me section plotlines decrease as the series goes on, a large part because Kyoko starts to get actual acting roles and it focuses more on acting-fu! The later bits tend to be more pressure on Kyoko to admit romantic love into her heart, which I also find problematic, but at least it backs off the "live your life completely for other people" thing. Frex, in the Valentine's Day arc, the president pops in to ask Kyoko and Kanae what they now think of Valentine's Day, and they recoil in horror and get assigned homework.

I find that the series has a lot of the same problems I see in most shoujo, though Kyoko's grudge demons and general hijinks outweighs that for me... YMMV?

[qem_chibati]

I was utterly, utterly dying with some of the Cain sibling scenes - enough to spazzily upload a ton of scanlations and flail at people to read it with me. XD - I tend to lag with shoujo series to give them a chance to stock up - but this arc is pinging my brb lolling forever buttons.

[oyceter]

Bwahahahaha! Usually I try not reading manga in chapters because I lose track of the plot so easily that way, but I may have to here. At least when there are gothic emo sibling hijinks!

[skygiants]

I think the problem is I find Yashiro's reactions really, really entertaining, so a lot of times even if I am originally side-eyeing Ren for the stuff he pulls, then Yashiro will jump in with his sparkly shipper goggles and I will find everything hilarious! DAMMIT YASHIRO.

(I am so annoyed by the detour into Ren's Dark Past though. I don't caaaaaaaaaaaaare! BACK TO KYOKO AND MOKO AND AMAMIYA PLEASE.)

[oyceter]

OMG Yashiro cracks me up SO MUCH. I love how Ren has now just completely stopped denying he likes Kyoko and is mostly just resigned to all the commentary.

I am so sad about the Ren's Dark Past thing! Because otherwise I would be enjoying the hell out of gothic Ren and Kyoko giving everyone the evil eye while sending off terrible incestuous vibes. I laughed SO HARD when Kyoko revealed how she knew it was Ren in the first place.