Skip and Loafer, vol. 9

スキップとローファー [Skip to Loafer] #9

by Misaki Takamatsu, Sílvia Gummà Ros (Translator)

Las vacaciones de verano de segundo de bachillerato solo pasan una vez en la vida y Mitsumi quiere disfrutar del “ahora” con sus queridos amigos. Las vacaciones que pasan todos juntos en casa de la familia Iwakura son unos días en los que la luz ilumina emociones que desconocían y parecen estar a punto de desbordarse.

Genres: Manga, Romance, Slice Of Life, Contemporary, Comics, Seinen, Young Adult

176 pages, Paperback

First published May 21, 2024

About the author

Name (in native Japanese): 高松美咲

Reviews

[Mark]

Summer vacation arrives and Mitsumi is determined to make memories before everybody graduates. That means the ocean and that also means both of Mitsumi’s worlds are about to collide, with varying degrees of success.

You can make such a brilliant meal of so much of Skip & Loafer’s narrative that it’s easier to go on about it forever than to make a summary review. This volume is stuffed with all sorts of delicious plot and character and the arc’s not even over yet.

Obviously the big fallout is from Sousuke and Mitsumi’s very brief relationship that floundered because, well, Mitsumi felt Sousuke didn’t have his heart in it and he agreed. But is taking Mitsumi’s advice in such things a good idea?

This neatly brings Fumi, Mitsumi’s best friend, into the equation, after the gang heads to Mitsumi’s place for summer break. Fumi gets a lot to do this volume, including…

Look. There’s absolutely too much here to hit all the high points. It’s ALL high points. The subtle character work (nice metaphor at the end there), the way it observes and breaks down human nature so well, the small victories and the melancholy of drifting apart.

It even manages to decisively examine middle child syndrome and that’s after a sort-of unrelated first chapter that’s a brilliant assessment of the ‘desperate to get a girlfriend’ archetype and how shallow (and hurtful) that mentality is.

Not enough? Fine, Nao gets her own homecoming out of nowhere and… it’s kind of beautiful. And something else that looked like it was heading in a predictable direction, like they just pound you with the hints, ends up being a lot more fun.

The joy of this story is how it is just blanket fantastic, but, if you want to dig into it, there’s so much to reward a careful and detailed analysis and breakdown. Motivations and changing circumstances are all blended together so skillfully.

Okay, sure, Mitsumi and Sousuke will likely get together again, but they’ve gone through it to reach that point. Sousuke still doesn’t think he’s a nice guy and yet he keeps showing that he actually is. And he cares, he just has to stop looking to other people (yes, even Mitsumi) for validation.

Standard romance is always welcome, but something like this that just kills it in every aspect while also being so wonderfully unique and mature in how it depicts the immaturity of high school (of course the guys are dumb enough to overheat in the bath because they’re talking too long) offers so much more to a wider variety. It’s easy to recommend to pretty much anybody.

5 stars - I don’t rarely think a manga is overstuffed with amazing things, but this thing is a cannoli stuffed in a calzone stuffed in a submarine sandwich. Except it all makes sense. Perfect volume.

[Keiko the manga enthusiast ♒︎]

THE COVER IS SUMMERY. THEY WENT TO MITSUMI'S HOMETOWN FOR SUMMER. AND SOUSUKE'S JUST FIGURED IT OUT.

THIS IS MY FAVORITE VOLUME EVER! It is kinda heart-wrenching in some sense—especially with Sousuke still figuring his real feelings on the course of this volume... nah, he figured it out already. What with that panel when he stared longly at Mitsumi walking away. He's finally figured it out!

But the friendship. Oh, the friendship all throughout, is so heartwarming that you'll move on in an instant and will prefer things to be just like this. Just fun. I also love the closure scene they gave for Nao-chan and her mother. I cried the whole damn time. And I would like to see him with his boyfriend again. I hope their relationship shine in the manga as well. I think I only saw them a time or two. I really love this series so much, I don't get tired of praising it.

And I swear! Student Council VP looks like Baji-san 😭 He was so cute though when I cut off his hair!!

[daph pink ♡]

A pleasant summer read, the cover explains the contents, and the book is generally on level with the earlier volumes.

[Eva]

shima get behind me i’ll protect you 😭

[ivy]

this series might be my hyper-fixation, but even if it wasn’t I’d still think of it as my favorite series <33 there’s so much love written into every one of the characters and the scenery. i wish i could read it for the first time all over again.

[Sanjana Preetham]

You can't end this series....I need it forever

[ren ☆]

can’t believe they created pining and obliviousness <3 !!!!

[☽｡⋆ Naidah ₊˚ෆ]

Update || just as my first rating, nothing has changed. This is still peak!

———

5 ⭐️

This is perfect!!! This vol was so beautiful I want to cryyyy. Page 164 was just ☺️🥹 *chef kisses* He- he’s finally realising!!

Now the sad part is, I have to wait for vol 10 😭😭

The story so far though is very nice. Theres no misunderstandings, no overly jealous gf/bfs (it’s so refreshing), no bullying or like making fun of the main character (something like that). It touches on exploring new love, over coming challenges, adjusting to changes, and at the end of the day, your friends will have your back!!

I home Shima confesses his feelings 🥹

[Knouck]

1 she’s so me
2 IL EST TELLEMENT AMOUREUX RESSAISIS TOI SHIMA
C TROP BIEN MAIS JSUIS BIENTÔT À JOUR JE VEUX PAAAAAAS

[Jaime Dear]

Wow I love character development

[Bailey]

what can i say i love a beach episode!!

[sofs]

la gente no sabe que es lo que se pierde

[Allie]

SHIMMMMMAAAAAAAAA

[maya (is furiously studying!) ☆]

they're going to mitsumi's hometowwnnnn. this is so cute. it's now summer break and they take a roadtrip to mitsumi's hometown and house. and alots of things are untangling in this time.

shima finds himself trying to differenciate platonic and romantic love, while he's being a bit jealous bcs of his wishy-washiness.... but he's learning, alright? i apprecited mukai alot in this volume and all the wisdom the height of his 16 years of age (i assume - he looks older) can provide. there was the addition of shima's thoughts live as he interacted with people which was super interesting.. i rlly liked that. he's taking his time to analyze: how mitsumi's words rlly got to him, how maybe mitsumi is just offering a 'special one-of-a-kind affection'... you know, emotional development.

fumi carried in this volume though, knocking sense into everybody but lowkey i wish she actually hadn't. i would have rather pointed in the right direction and not undo it like 80% for them to do the 20% left.

and while i have always said that skip and loafer is literally incredible, so warm and cozy and weirdly holds this nostalgia for a thing that has never happen, i do have to admit that this is one of the weaker volumes - though it is still incredible. im only putting three bcs i dont think it measures to the usual 4 stars i give it.

[★]

shima is so arospec coded

[Emejota]

I WILL NEVER NOT CRY WITH A SKIP AND LOAFER VOLUME!

[tamxreads]

กรี้ดดดด ตอนจบเล่มนี้คือฉันยังมีลุ้นสินะ

[Hesbell]

Beach episode!! 🍉

This volume felt like it was lacking a little bit of that sauce this series usually has, and I can't put my finger on what it was exactly...I still loved it though!! 4.5/5

[Elena Coorie]

Otro tomo que me ha encantado. 🤍🇯🇵

Esta vez acompañamos a todo el grupo en su visita al pueblo playero de Mitsumi durante las vacaciones de verano del segundo año de bachillerato 🐠🌊🐚🦀🪼.

Por otro lado, sabremos más sobre los sentimientos que Shima tiene por Mitsumi 💕✨

[♡ Alisa Doe ♡]

THIS IS EASILY MY FAVORITE BOOK OF THE SERIES SO FAR!!

[ℂ ✧]

Per fi a la meva cole i relectura feta ^^ Aquest és el volum que m'ha convençut definitivament de fer-me la col·lecció i que m'ha fet adonar de la profunditat i la gran bellesa de la narració ♥ aquesta història va molt més enllà d'un slice of life d'una colla d'estudiants d'institut, ens parla de trauma, d'angoixes, de dubtes sobre el futur... tot plegat amb unes vinyetes precioses, uns detalls exquisits, diàlegs versemblants i emotius... és una passada!!! ♥♥♥

[Luce]

This is the kind of series where I'm genuinely not sure who will end up together, or if they even will. Shima confronts his feelings for Mitsumi, and seems to still be unsure as to what they actually are, leading to an amusing infographic-esque section with Mukai. Maharu (Mitsumi's sister) talks to Fumi and seems to process a bit of her jealousy. A really good volume! Also Yuzu is a cat person confirmed.

[veepa]

THIS VOLUME WAS SOOOO 😭😭😭 i love them so much i’m not ready for this to eventually end

and that scene of sousuke blushing at the end OHHHH I’M SO EXCITED FOR THE NEXT VOLUME!!

just now realizing i totally forgot to record this OOPS LOL ignore the dates they aren’t accurate!!

[Umairah (Sereadipity)]

This manga is perfect. Each chapter feels like a gift that makes my month better.

[Aleister]

No quiero que termine nunca este manga.

La historia me ha logrado refrescar el corazón, y cada cierto tiempo es un gusto reencontrarse con este tipo de obras.

Me da miedo estar acercándome al punto en el que está la obra, porque me ha hecho muy bien leerlo, y agradezco que el trabajo se ha mantenido en tan buen nivel en más de 9 tomos.

[clara ʕ⁠´⁠•⁠ᴥ⁠•⁠`⁠ʔ]

esta hecho desde la ternura absoluta y cada vez que leo se me cae alguna lágrima. la historia romántica me gusta pero lo que de verdad me emociona son las historias del fondo. nao volviendo a su casa, siendo aceptada. vivir por primera vez la realización de que nada es para siempre.

[Anna Quilter]

" Do you have a crush on anyone?"
" Yes..but it didn't work out"

The Summer before the groups third year ...results in a road trip to Mitsumis family....and the friends are going along.

Some sibling angst, truth talk...just might change things.

To be continued..

[Alex2739]

This is why I don't like reading unfinished series because I FORGET EVERYTHING (ಥ﹏ಥ)!!!!

[Anupama Bhaskaran]

Ayo the kids are so cute 🥺

[scarlettraces]

ALL THE STARS