Skip Beat 22

Yoshiki Nakamura – Viz – 2010 – 26+ volumes

This volume forgoes romance, instead focusing on Kyoko’s acting and a rivalry with other girls on the set of her new drama, specifically a girl who really has it out for Kyoko.

Last time, Kyoko has a hard time on the set of her new drama since she isn’t really “feeling” her mean girl character, which causes the other teen girl actresses to snub her and the director to give her a talking to. So she goes to Ren, and comes back with a kick-ass bully persona that I almost think she should hold on to, since for some reason she doesn’t really command respect as she is (though she has it in her to turn that situation around, always, it would be much easier for her if she simply just… exuded power, as this persona does). The grudge gets out to play, and all the actresses that were making fun of her more-or-less grovel at her feet by the end of the day. And then Kyoko makes friends with them and they eat hot udon noodles outside in the cold winter.

She really is one of the best shoujo heroines ever. I love her so much. She’s kind, but also quite mean-spirited and all about promoting herself in a positive way. She’s very serious about what she does, and works hard at it, rather than being innately talented. I forgive her unrealistic rise in fame, since it would be boring to slog through three years of obscurity, but it really does show how she works hard to get what she wants.

One of the actresses really, really hates Kyoko and is insanely jealous of her current popularity. There’s some pretty mean-spirited stuff coming from her, and Kyoko/Bully Kyoko has a harder time fighting back since this girl has a “nice girl” image. It gets downright vicious at the end of the volume, and there’s a nasty cliffhanger, but I have no doubt the two will be friends by the end of the story.

I really, really wish this came out faster, or something. I know we’re mostly caught up with Japan (or were, which is why the releases slowed down, I think), but even if we suddenly got four volumes in a row, something tells me that not much would happen story-wise, and I would still be insanely desperate for the next volume. I don’t know what it is, this series is just a lot of hilarious, spiteful fun. I love it to pieces, and it’s still one of my current favorites.