The casual anime fan (assuming one exists) is likely not to have watched Skip Beat. It’s probably something you’d come across on forums or while browsing Crunchy roll, but I haven’t met too many people who’ve seen it. This is not to say the series doesn’t have fans. In fact, it has enough of a following that, 18 years later, it is still being serialized monthly in Hana To Yume: currently on chapter 282. However, despite its good ratings, the anime never got a second season. It may not have been as popular as Shojou favorites like Fruits Basket or Clannad, but it’s packed with self-discovery and a sense of female empowerment that’s rarely seen in the anime world.

I think it’s safe to say that most avid anime watchers have encountered cringy female leads. They’re pretty common and often dismissed as a product of cultural differences. It’s true: in comparison to Japan, the sexism seen in the States is pretty tame. Things are changing and Japanese society is trying to make room for the independent woman. These changes just…haven’t really reached the animated world yet. So, when I first started watching anime, I developed a single rule: if a male character trips, falls, and accidentally grabs someone’s boobs, I will not watch the show. 

And yes, I’m looking at you Seven Deadly Sins. So unnecessary. 

Featuring a strong female lead that is both discovering her passion and pursuing appreciation for genuine love, Skip Beat is truly a diamond in the rough. Written by Nakamura Yoshiki, the anime and manga follows three characters within the world of show business: Mogami Kyouko, Fuwa Shou, and Tsuruga Ren. Kyouko drops out of high school in order to move to Tokyo with Shou, her childhood friend and first love. When the series begins, she is both emotionally and financially supporting him as he breaks into the music industry. However, she soon finds out that Shou is using her. After overhearing a conversation he has with his manager, where in Shou dismisses Kyouko as being a maid for him while he makes it big, she confronts him and swears her revenge, thereby jumpstarting the storyline. The rest of the series follows Kyouko as she becomes an actress. Along the way, she meets the other male lead, Ren, and he slowly becomes both a mentor-figure as well as (eventually) a love interest. Superficially explained, the anime doesn’t seem game-changing but, the seemingly contrived plot line develops into a compelling story that deals with self-respect, re-birth, and passion for the craft. 

Revenge is a pretty common motivator in anime, however it is usually saved for the action and adventure genres (i.e. Shonen), and is most often sought by male characters. This is why, as a shoujo anime, Skip Beat is unique even in its driving force. Nakamura-sensei seemed to acknowledge this when she wrote it, as when Kyouko first confronts Shou after being insulted, he thinks she’s crying. While that would be a natural and understandable response to have in that situation, it is not the response she gives. Instead, she raises her head in diabolical laughter. It’s a fantastic moment, and just the beginning of Skip Beat’s deviant behavior. 

A physical transformation is often used as a plot device in Shoujo anime. A few examples being: Kiss Him Not Me, The Wall Flower, and even Ouran High School Host Club (to a certain extent). Skip Beat also utilizes this troupe, but in a very different way. It is rare that a female character in anime goes through a physical transformation of her own devising. It is most commonly an outside force that causes the change. After the transformation is complete, it is implied that now this character has more value because of their “enhanced” physical appearance. Suddenly, everyone is noticing them. Skip Beat cuts this troupe off before it even has a chance to develop, because Kyouko and Shou have already cut ties when she has her transformation (therefore eliminating the “ah-ha” moment). In addition to this, Kyouko chooses to dye her hair and buy new clothes, two acts that she had always desired but denied herself. Thus, making her change in appearance not the definition of her worth, but a declaration of her newfound independence. 

Kyouko’s relationship with Ren, is probably the most unique part of the narrative. Though it’s not uncommon for love interests to hate each other at the beginning of an anime, there is usually no reasonable explanation for that hatred. Ren is a dedicated actor who loves his craft. He takes his job very seriously, because he genuinely loves it. Enter Kyouko, in it for revenge, with no prior interest in the field. Honestly, I wouldn’t like her either… Kyouko used to hate Ren for the simple fact that Shou hated him. Realizing she no longer has any reason to hold a grudge against him, she momentarily decides to get along. However, upon their first meeting, Ren makes it very clear what he thinks about her becoming an actress, and her hatred returns. As their paths continue to cross this mutual dislike starts to subside, overridden by glimpses of their true selves. Ren comes to see that though Kyouko’s initial motive may have been foul, she’s developed a genuine love for the craft; using it to re-invent herself—something Ren is very familiar with. Meanwhile, Kyouko begins to see the absolute devotion Ren gives to acting; that it is more than a job to him, more than fame or acknowledgement. She realizes why he initially disliked her, and begins to admire not only his acting ability, but also his selfless desire for others to succeed. It’s an incredible dance of give and take; a slow-burning love based not just in attraction or shallow circumstances, but a build of mutual respect that stems from a shared passion. 

Ren and Kyouko’s relationship is a testament to the core of the series: respect and re-birth. Like many shoujo anime girls, Kyouko spent much of her life trying to please the people around her. Not only does she realize this within the show, she develops enough self-awareness to admit she has absolutely no idea who she is because of it. That kind of introspection is powerful as well as rare. Rather than becoming just another frivolous romance, Skip Beat documents Kyouko’s journey of self-discovery. We get to see her learn how to respect herself, and by doing so, earn the respect of others. She doesn’t jump from loving Shou to loving Ren, but slowly becomes capable of loving him as she learns, through acting, about herself. 

Skip Beat has it all: excitement, heartbreak, humor, and an underlying message of owning who you are. It’s genuinely tragic that it didn’t get a second season. The anime covers the very basics of an intricate and emotional story (not to mention we only get small glimpses of Ren’s depth). Still, I’m grateful for the single season, and if you haven’t watched it before, do. While you’re at it, might as well read the manga too. You will regret nothing.