Skip Beat! Vol 3
Author: Yoshiki Nakamura
Publisher: Viz Media
American
release date: November 7, 2006
Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Shojo Manga//200 pages
Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★
When the director offers to give Kyoko a tea-making lesson, as he’s doing with Ruriko, she turns him down. She doesn’t need that, having learned how to perform a tea ceremony a long time ago at the inn run by Sho’s parents. But she doesn’t tell him that, of course. She’s trying to put all that behind her. When she learns that Ruriko isn’t really ill, as she thought, merely spoiled and pampered, Kyoko grows angry and more determined to best her. Ren tries to persuade her to drop out of the contest, due to her injury, but he doesn’t know her very well, and she refuses to back out.
Ren runs through the lines with Ruriko, and then it’s Kyoko’s turn, and an amazing thing happens. Ren’s acting changes, as he becomes more serious with her, and his acting provokes an unexpected response from Kyoko which blows everyone away. However, Kyoko is more seriously hurt than she has let on…
Kyoko has scared Ruriko enough that she ceases her previous behavior. When Lory learns that the change in his actress is due to Kyoko, rather than Ren, he is surprised. As a parting gift, the grateful director allows her a photo shoot, complete with make-up, which makes Kyoko very happy.
Back at LME, Kyoko unexpectedly encounters one of the other actresses from the LME auditions, who is surprised to see Kyoko there since she flunked the audition. But Moko can’t afford to be too high and mighty, as Kyoko learns that she is the newest member of the Love Me section! Kyoko is determined that the two of them will get through this together, so thrilled is she to have someone else to share her misery with.
Kyoko wants to attend the LME actor training school, in order to work on her craft, but the cost is rather prohibitive. However, when Lory requests a favor of her regarding his wayward granddaughter, Maria, Kyoko wonders if maybe this is the answer to how she can afford to get into the school.
Much going on in this volume. I think Kyoko is becoming serious about her acting, as opposed to just wanting to become more successful than Sho. It’s not just an ends to a mean, but something she really wants to learn to do well. Also, I think Ren is starting to see her as someone with more talent than he’s given her credit for. Okay, so Kyoko didn’t get the part. No one wins all the time, but she won something more. She was able to make a veteran actress change her horrible ways, and she brought out something in Ren. Or he brought it out in her. Or maybe it’s mutual.
I love Lory’s faith in her. He’s rather unconventional, but a lot of fun, and he sincerely loves his granddaughter, who is just a little girl but is being blamed for the death of her mother. No wonder she acts up! He has a feeling that Ms. Mogami can get through to her. At least he hopes so, as he doesn’t know where else to turn. I love the bonding that takes place between Kyoko and Maria (even if others might find it a little frightening). I love the humor in this series, but it’s also serious and dramatic too.
Looking forward to the next volume.
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