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REVIEW: Skip Beat! GN 25




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yuki_mibu



Joined: 18 Feb 2008
Posts: 2
PostPosted: Fri Nov 11, 2011 11:18 am Reply with quote
That's disappointing. For those who have read further, does it get better?
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Wiesteria



Joined: 25 May 2007
Posts: 141
PostPosted: Fri Nov 11, 2011 3:31 pm Reply with quote
Well, I don't read Skip Beat for the romance, so I cannot answer whether "it gets better." I do, however, think that this is a series that (albeit it drags sometimes) consistently does not disappoint. I never saw the romantic interactions as creepy. They are certainly nowhere near stable relationships, but that's because all the characters are flawed when it comes to love. Sho cannot seem to differentiate between love and possession, Kyoko has locked her heart away, and Ren has a lot of pent-up aggression. The story is about character growth and how all these flawed people come to terms with themselves and each other. Love is part of the of the plot, but hardly the focus.

All that said, the thing that bugs me about this review is that there are a lot of blatant spoilers. For example, the spoiler[kiss scene] was intended to be a huge shock factor for the reader, yet this review mentions and refers to it again and again without qualms. I read the volume before reading the review, but if I had not, this is definitely not something I wanted to know. It ruins the whole effect of the scene.
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Princess_Irene
ANN Associate Editor


Joined: 16 Dec 2008
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Location: The castle beyond the Goblin City
PostPosted: Fri Nov 11, 2011 4:24 pm Reply with quote
Wiesteria wrote:

All that said, the thing that bugs me about this review is that there are a lot of blatant spoilers.


Fair enough, and I do apologize. Unfortunately there wasn't much else to the plot of this volume, at least not in terms of "things I can review intelligently." If it makes you feel any better, I did have qualms about it and almost did not submit the review, but my test audience felt differently than you.
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Sailor S





PostPosted: Fri Nov 11, 2011 5:29 pm Reply with quote
I can't remember the last time I read a review as a means to decide if I want to purchase something, as it pertains to anime and manga. I usually read reviews to see if the reviewer agreed with me or not. If I haven't read or watched something that's being reviewed, but I plan to, then I'll hold off on reading the review, so I can't be spoiled on anything.

Skip Beat is one of those titles that I hope takes its time telling the story. I've enjoyed every single volume to date, and while all things must come to an end, I hope it's not any time soon. As long as the quality remains as it is, which is just fine in my opinion, then I wouldn't mind another 25 or more volumes. Go for the shoujo record! Break 75 or whatever it is Smile
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Alan45
Village Elder



Joined: 25 Aug 2010
Posts: 10038
Location: Virginia
PostPosted: Fri Nov 11, 2011 7:30 pm Reply with quote
@ Princess Irene

I wouldn't worry about it. I think Skip Beat is spoiler proof. The presence of the event mentioned above is less important than the characters reactions to it. This is a title where the journey is much more important than the ending (which I hope will be delayed for many volumes).
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FeralKat



Joined: 06 Jan 2005
Posts: 402
PostPosted: Sat Nov 12, 2011 8:30 pm Reply with quote
I really didn't see either of thespoiler[ kisses] are creepy or possessive. =/ Sho is a spoiled boy who wants Kyoko's attention back...and it backfired. Kyoko made it clear that what he did was not okay.

I was thrilled when Ren gave in and simply spoiler[pecked her on the cheek.] He was trying to think of Kyoko's feelings, but gave in to his own desires for once. I thought it was fairly realistic since Ren has been repressing his emotions throughout of entire series. We all know that man is a ticking time bomb if he continues to bottle his frustrations/anger. spoiler[And really, I dare say Kyoko liked that peck on the cheek, even if she's doesn't know it yet. Anime hyper]
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Princess_Irene
ANN Associate Editor


Joined: 16 Dec 2008
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PostPosted: Sun Nov 13, 2011 7:15 pm Reply with quote
FeralKat wrote:
I thought it was fairly realistic since Ren has been repressing his emotions throughout of entire series. We all know that man is a ticking time bomb if he continues to bottle his frustrations/anger. spoiler[And really, I dare say Kyoko liked that peck on the cheek, even if she's doesn't know it yet. Anime hyper]


Hmm, I guess so. I admit that I have a, shall we say, sensitivity to certain types of aggressive romantic behaviors. *shrug* It was Ren's inner monologue that really read as "creepy" to me, but I suppose that could also be read as more "realistic."

And I think I have to agree with you about spoiler[Ren's kiss] Very Happy
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Sailor S





PostPosted: Sun Nov 13, 2011 9:29 pm Reply with quote
Princess_Irene wrote:

Hmm, I guess so. I admit that I have a, shall we say, sensitivity to certain types of aggressive romantic behaviors.


So would it be fair to say that you're not a fan of Sensual Phrase? Laughing
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Princess_Irene
ANN Associate Editor


Joined: 16 Dec 2008
Posts: 2659
Location: The castle beyond the Goblin City
PostPosted: Mon Nov 14, 2011 9:38 am Reply with quote
Sailor S wrote:

So would it be fair to say that you're not a fan of Sensual Phrase? Laughing


I have a...special relationship with Mayu Shinjo's manga. Laughing I read Love Celeb in Italian and liked parts of it. But hey, Shinjo's better than Osakabe Mashin!
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Ladymage Samiko



Joined: 01 Oct 2007
Posts: 36
PostPosted: Wed Nov 16, 2011 3:29 pm Reply with quote
On the whole, I've never cared for the Valentine's story arc—with the exception of the method 'Beagle' uses to blackmail Kyoko. (Anime smile) Somehow, Beagle's presence in a storyline marks the inclusion of events that in the US would be grounds for sexual harassment/molestation charges. (Or in my family, retaliation involving maiming and/or death.) That the perpetrators are never really held accountable bothers me intensely.

However, I admit that Ren's actions don't squick me as much as they do you. They don't come across to me as objectifying, but trying to bring into balance what his emotions(/hormones) want with what Kyoko wants/needs. And I think that's a struggle made more complicated by the knowledge that in radical situations like this, what Kyoko needs and expects from him is basically ruthless shock treatment. He's drawing from places in his psyche that "Gentleman Ren" had better leave alone.

And considering the revelations in later chapters… Well, he could be doing far worse than he is.
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