SKIP BEAT

Story: Well i thought this was a well thought out and very good original story line.
I loved the humor and the situations the main characters get into.

Art: One word: Superb!!
It's good and detailed when it needs to be and in witty places i nearly wet myself laughing!
I find the art in a manga a major point if i am to like it and i found it very acceptable to my
standards. The facial expressions of the characters are very good.

character: well i'm only at chap 15 but i find the characters are already developing very nicely..
but the author doesn't land you with too much info at one but leaves the mystery background for the reader to understand as the story goes on.... creating a very nice building up effect.


Enjoyment: It is funny gets more and more romantic...it is dramatic dealing with life situations and it is a brilliant shoujo what more do you want?! XD it rocks i really enjoy every chapter craving to know more and laugh A LOT more!
lol

I give it a full 10!

Okay, first I have to say: I hate shoujo manga. Really. I can't stand the stuff. The stories, the styles, the characters .... ew.
But... I have been absolutely shocked by how much I enjoy this particular shoujo manga. And why do I like it? It takes the normal genre of shoujo and takes it so a new level, becoming something original.

First off, I still don't really like the art. Sorry, but I've never been a big fan of the style. It's GOOD, sure, but it's just personal preference that I dislike it. A bit too stereotypical bishie style. But everything else makes up for this.

The story is fantastic. I was so hooked I couldn't stop reading practically! (I nearly put off my homework for a couple days just to read it! ... whoops)
There are a few bits I got frustrated with, like how some characters I like don't appear for chapters on end, but the character interaction is just so interesting that I forgive all my grievances.

The characters are the thing that really did it for me. I am so SICK of the "perfect girl" heroines of both shoujo and shounen manga. The thing I love about Skip Beat's heroin is that she ISN'T perfect. Kyoko is bent on revenge, really dense when it comes to relationships but has a sense of duty to people she's responsible for. She doesn't follow the common cute, clumsy,endearingly stupd "mother theresa" character mold. This is no Tohru of Fruits Basket.

Skip Beat's humor is well-executed, and the romance is very enjoyable to read. I am always so excited for the next chapter to come.

Skip beat is one of the highest-caliber shoujo mangas out there, and it is truly deserving of a read. I VERY highly recommend it to anyone, shoujo-fan or not.

This manga isn't by any means done, that being said my review is based on the first 166 chapters, because at this point no matter how the mangaka decides to go, the ride has been unbelievable (and long)

If you're thinking that, well she looks bubbly and she is scorned so this manga must be a love triangle. All I have to say is HA!

What makes this manga special?
The characters, Kyoko alone was portrayed amazingly. I mean how can one character be so psychotic and innocent at the same time.
Not only does she have multiple personalities (she does, you could even see the difference) she is also one of the nicest people you could ever meet. She's naive and clueless but when she gets angry, watch out. She breaks all the rules and becomes someone so great, she doesn't even recognize herself. Throughout the manga you see her changing as a person and as an actress.

The only thing that bothered me at first about the manga and even the anime, is that the men are drawn so tall (long). Even their face is long, it was weird at first but you start to notice that is the style of the author and the plot is so interesting you just let it pass.

Like all my favorite manga this one has a moral :)
Sometimes you have to change yourself and become someone you don't recognize in order to really find yourself.

When I saw the summary of this manga, I have to admit, I wasn't really that interested in it, but i gave it a try anyway and I'm so glad I did. One of my favorite things about this manga is the characters. Kyoko is a perfect heroine, as she is always entertaining and fun to watch. She is also unlike most cliche shoujo heroines who cry a lot and depend on others to protect them. The other characters are wonderful and lovable too and have their own quirks. There's Ren, the nice hot and popular actor, who may have a deeper connection to Kyoko, I won''t spoil anything though. Yashiro, Ren's manager, who always has me laughing, Moko san, Kyoko's reluctant best friend, and even the director, who is super dramatic and hilarious, oh and of course Sho, the bad boy rockstar player who dumped Kyoko. However, there is other things about this manga that really got me hooked, such as Kyoko's amazing acting abilities, the beautiful artwork, and the plot, which isn't only focused on romance, just to let you know, but has just enough to thouroughly enjoy it. This is definitely a manga worth checking out, trust me you won't be disappointed.

Skip Beat! is one of the greatest mangas in the world. BAM. I picked it up at the library when my "good manga/book sensor" started to tingle. I am SO glad I read this series. I am to the point of nearly obsessing over it, bringing home at least 7 volumes (or more) on a single trip to the library. :3 Anyway, heres my review:
Story:
The story was awesome. I am a shojo fan, but I am rather nit-picky when it comes to a decent story and flawed-yet-funny characters. As any other review will tell you, the blurb does not accurately describe the amazingness of this story. Poor Kyoko, that's what happens when your heart is broken. The arcs are all funny, sweet and exciting, wheather there is a rare moment of romance or a shocking cliffhanger, Skip Beat! will keep you on the edge of your seat. Score; 10/10
Art:
I usually am pretty relaxed about art, mostly because I read older manga series. I LOVE THE CHIBIS, and the art is beautiful ( I wish I could draw that good!!) The expressions are wonderfully drawn, and it's clear what emotion that character is thinking. Score: 10/10
Characters:
Probably the best asset of Skip Beat!, the characters are lovable, funny, flawed and relatable. Kyoko is a lot like me (she is a people-pleaser) and her acting is wonderful! Plus, three stars want her (Although.... One of them is a scary psychic stalker who *SPOILER ALERT* nearly tried to rape her -he didn't succeed- and another is the very boy who broke her heart and started this mess!) Ren's dark past.... *sighs dreamily* I love characters with dark pasts, whether they were orphans, abused, poor, mistreated, etc. Ren fulfills my "dark-past-character need". Also, no matter who they are, everyone is so funny and sort of quirky. Score: 20/10!!!!! Just kidding, 10/10
Enjoyment:
This is a perfect series, with action, intresting characters, an intriguing plot, and a hint of romance leaving you itching for more. This is my fave manga.
Score: 10/10
Overall: amazing manga, perfect score, and totally worth your time! 50/50 points earned!

First thing you need to know before reading this manga is that this is WAY better than the anime. I remember watching Skip Beat years ago and thinking it was decent, but the manga is a totally different story. Secondly, this IS an ongoing manga, and even though there's almost 200 chapters in it(so far) and its super amazing, we still haven't reached the climax- that in itself is exciting to me.

STORY: The story is amazing, but it actually starts out a seemingly very lame story haha. You start reading about this teenage girl who naively gave up everything to move to the city with her childhood friend who's actually a famous popstar. He treats her horribly and she selflessly does everything just for him. It pisses you off just reading it. Then a turn of events and you watch this childish girl start to see reality. I suppose that its a bit slow with the romantic development, but that doesnt mean the romance is lacking. The comedy aspect of this manga is one of the best ive ever read in a rom-com. The dialogue in itself is great, but when coupled with their expressions and personalities, its priceless!

ART: This is a fairly old manga! The first volume was released over ten years ago so of course the art continually got better and better over time. Even starting out though the art was superb! Their 'slightly' exaggerated faces make you laugh super hard, and in the midst of all the gags, the serious scenes are drawn beautifully. This mangaka really has a way of drawing you in.

CHARACTER: By far their personalities are much much better than expected! I suppose saying it that way sounds bad but honestly I really had no idea what kind of characters to look forward to. They have a past and a future goal, and they are constantly looking for ways to improve themselves and reach toward their future. You see the characters grow and mature along the way and it interesting.

ENJOYMENT:
There's no mistake about it, this manga is a gem. You laugh, you smile, you hurt, you get mad, a story that makes you want to keep reading. I've read this through 3 times and each time I read it straight through without more than food breaks. That has to count for a lot.

OVERALL: READ IT!

When I first heard about Skip Beat, I (sadly) wasn't one of the first people who loved it from its summary. In fact, after reading the brief summary I went "Psshhh, what's so great about this? No originality at all! The art isn't even that great either!" and walked away.
The reason I first started to read it was because
1) I had finished my favorite manga at the time
2) I was extremely bored and it was ranked quite high
Horrible reasons I know, and I really didn't think I would enjoy Skip Beat at all. In fact I don't know why there were so many people that love this series.

After the first chapter, I was hooked. The main girl at first was just like any other but the comedy and sarcasm and carefully drawn out eyes got my attention. Plus, the originally "not so original" plot began to seem much more interesting. After that, I read every single chapter up to 139 in about 3 days.

Story: It's not that high on the originality style because I can probably name a couple of stories that revolve around revenge and etc. However, the plot after the beginning, although a bit cliche, is still quite different and makes you crave more. That's the important thing, sure plot is necessary but even if the plot isn't "original" so long as the characters are good, then the story will automatically be good. Which is why this is 9.

Art: Okay, so the bodies are a bit exaggerated and elongated to show how "beautiful" they really are. Even though this a bit of a turnoff for me at first before I read the manga, I grew to be able to ignore the bodies and focus more on the facial expressions and eyes. Her eyes are amazing, it shows you all of the emotions and feelings. Since you can grow to ignore or later like me now, enjoy the exaggeration then art goes to 10. If you can't, it's more 9 since you cannot deny that most shoujo manga art is quite beautiful.

Character: No matter what anyone says, characters are JUST AS or even MORE important than the plot. No matter how unique or original your plot is, if your characters don't match up to it, the book or manga is not going to fare well. What Skip Beat lacks in it's originality department, it shows up in the characters. I won't go into great detail at the people because it would border on spoilers but as you read you can greatly identify each of the character's inner thoughts. Since this is told in Kyoko's perspective, you get to see how crazy she gets and laugh your head off at her "misfortune"! Truly an interesting main character.

Enjoyment: It's great. That's all I can really say. You laugh, you sympathize, you cry and you get angry along with Kyoko. It's amazing when a manga can get you going that much. This manga really is great and I'm sure even the worst critics (like me) can enjoy this.

Overall: 10. Simply (almost) perfect. A great read!

(Man that really was long! But I hoped this helped at least someone!)

I've taken up reading Skip Beat after having watched and immensly enjoyed the anime. I just had to know what happens next in Mogami-san's turbulent life. The manga is good, I'll give it that much, but it's not great. In my opinion there are too many chapters that are nothing more than fillers. To tell you the truth, I thought about giving it up altogether. However, I couldn't. It's all Mogami-san's fault!
Mogami Kyoko is one of the best female characters I've encountered in a shojo manga. She starts out as a passive, innocent-beyond-innocence-itself girl (read: anoying as hell). She looses that trait as she is betrayed and she strives to reinvent herself and to regain the trust in people and in love. She becomes a rising actress, working her way to the top.
It's a rather new experience for me to keep reading a shojo manga because I like the female character so much. Don't get me wrong, I do like the male characters, Tsuruga-san and Fuwa-san, but the motivation behind my sticking like glue to Skip Beat is Mogami. She is fun and smart, and she gets herself in all sort of impossible situations. Once a meek little lamb, she turns into a ferocious, unyielding girl. A worthy cause, which, unfortunately, gets a bit sidetracked as the manga continues on.
However, every once in a while, Mogami-san shines in all her ferocity and all is right with the world. It's actually somewhat easier to digest all the seemingly meaningless chapters, knowing that you'll get what you want.
Tsuruga Ren is, sort of, the main male character. I said sort of, because he gets fewer pages as the manga continues, which is rather irritating. I really like the fact that he is a nice guy, supportive, and ready to help when help is needed.
I believe Skip Beat is a manga worth reading. It's fun and witty, just like it's main character, and although it sometimes wanders off to a place I don't understand or like, I think it's still worth going through that place. I know that the overall grade seems to be rather harsh when taking the review into account, but I just can't forgive all those boring chapters.

Skip beat. One of the best manga EVER. It's my favorite shoujo manga.

Story: The story is soooooo good. This is really original. I don't think that you'll see any shoujo manga this good and this original. It's not your cliché manga where everything resolve around love. Of course there's romance but it's not just about it.

Art: Well the art is ok. I like this kind of art. It's not too much but it's real good. There's better art out there but this style of drawing is alright.

Character: Good god. The character are amazing. The character developpement of every character is so good. You can absolutely relate to them and understand what's going on in their mind. You just want to hug them and give 'em a cookie.

Enjoyment: I enjoyed this manga very much. It's really amazing. It's one of those mangas that keep you hooked and make you unable to wait for the next chapter.

Well just read this manga. READ IT NOW

= Story =
- I have to say, it's rare to find a plot where a girl goes all out to get revenge on some guy she thought she loved (in manga that is). Fuwa betrays Mogami who then does a 180 on him. That's basically it. The story itself has different events, but they all somehow connect to the fact that Mogami is out for revenge by becoming more popular than Fuwa. It's basic enough to understand the characters at least which some times can get out of hand in Shoujo mangas.

HOWEVER, I may love the story, but only certain parts. Skip Beat starts off slow. REALLY, REALLY slow so the point where you literally have to stop reading. I honestly only read the series b/c I wanted to see what Fuwa and Mogami would do next if they were to meet. I don't care much for anything else b/c I feel that the pace is inconsistent and there's absolutely nothing to keep you reading. Mogami and Fuwa have a connection and their actions are what keep me reading. So yeah... the plot itself is rather inconsistent to my discontentment. -

= Art =
- Nakamura Yoshiki has a very unique style. She doesn't tend to... sharpen the chin's of her male characters. So their chins are basically... a parabola. Compared to her previous work 'Tokyo Paradise,' her art has changed significantly. But when you see how she draws their side profiles, it's... different than how you see her characters front and center. Another thing that makes her art style unique if the ratio of torso to legs. When you look at a full scale drawing of someone, you can see that their legs are incredibly long and their torso is literally half the size of their legs. Some times it does look really... out of place, but her art in general in amazing. -

= Character =
- I absolutely love Mogami. In the world of Shoujo manga, the female heroine is almost always useless in some degree or another. Mogami is one of those rare female heroines that don't cry about everything and who actually are able to defend themselves. Plus she has these mini demon Mogami's who defend her. They represent her thoughts.

Skip Beat fans, or the majority of them anyways, LOVE Tsuruga Ren. He's handsome, an actor and a model. It's also been hinted that he's an American with problems. People pair him with Mogami as well b/c a) ___________________ and b) _______________________ (spoilers). But I don't like him. It's not b/c I'm a Fuwa - Mogami fangirl, but b/c he's not my type of ideal character. He's that one well known guy who hides his true feelings (not enough to call him tsundere though) and who is the ideal guy for every girl. I don't like him as a character even after learning about his back story.

People will hate me for saying this, but I like Fuwa a lot more than Tsuruga. He's an arrogant douche who... you can love and hate. Again, the chemistry (if you can call it that) b/n him and Mogami is enticing. It makes you wonder what they'll do next time when they meet. Or how far Mogami will go to surpass Fuwa. But Fuwa doesn't get as much 'screen' time as everyone else... which saddens me. But he is a decent douche and if Mogami isn't as thickheaded as she is then the story would've turned in my favor.

Note: Mogami is a girl motivated by hatred. She literally has common sense, but lack any sort of emotion when it comes to Fuwa. She's naturally naive and ignorant, but not like Misao (Black Bird). Also, she's fairly gullible. -

= Enjoyment/Overall =
- The series is still fairly decent. I am still reading it now, but the past chapters... well.... I had to force myself to read them. The story is really slow at this point. 'Why not drop it?' you may ask. Chapter 199 was just updated and after going through all those chapters, I'm not just going to drop it. This manga is a 'droppable' manga so if you don't like it the first few chapters, I HIGHLY encourage you to force yourself to read it a little more. It starts getting more interesting around chapters 20 and 30. -

This is an awesome story!!! I really liked how much comedy is included in it and how it doesn't focus on the romance part ALL THE TIME. Overall, I like most Kyoko and it's hard not to like her little demons and the way she reacts to everything. It's also nice to see how Ren's feelings develop as the story goes along and wonderfully naive she stays throughout the whole time.

The way Kyoko progresses during the plot and the magnificent way that the whole thing is drawn and what they say makes this manga on my top 5 list and I can't wait till the next chapter comes out. ^.^