スキップ・ビート! 42

スキップ・ビート! [Skip Beat!] #42

by Yoshiki Nakamura, 仲村佳樹

“紅葉"オーディションの空き時間、「泥中の蓮」主演の古賀さんと談笑していると、突然核心を突く一言が…。キョーコの返答は? さらに、オーディションは佳境へ──。森住仁子は手段を選ばずキョーコを追い落としにかかり…?
2018年5月刊。

Chapters: 249-255

Genres: Manga, Romance, Shojo, Contemporary, Graphic Novels, Humor, Drama

192 pages, Paperback

First published May 18, 2018

About the author

Yoshiki Nakamura (仲村佳樹) is a Japanese mangaka. She was born June 17. Nakamura made her manga debut with "Yume de Auyori Suteki" in the manga magazine Hana to Yume in 1993.

Reviews

[Rach · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have so many mixed feelings about this volume. On the one hand, I love seeing Kyoko killing it at her acting and really shining, and I love the interactions with Moko. But I also hate seeing her manipulated, and I hate that she somehow thinks now that Ren is in love with this Kimiko. This is why we need open communication, people! We’ve reached the point where I can’t see it would do any harm for Ren and Kyoko to admit they love each other.

As for Ren, he freaked out less that I expected about that photo of Kyoko and Sho - I’m hoping he realizes it was a weird night, with everything she was feeling with with her mom. If Yashiro is managing both Kyoko and Ren that would put them together more conveniently for sure. Also, Hiromune said Ren was offered the role in the samurai drama first - I don’t suppose there’s any way he could take it back? 😅

I’m so bummed the next volume won’t be out in English until November! I wish the wait wasn’t so long!

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's been over a year since I read one of these, so don't take the three-star rating too seriously. I didn't enjoy this volume as much as usual because I'd forgotten a lot of what was going on. I will need to go back and reread this arc at some point so I can appreciate it to the fullest.

I welcome the return of the grudge sprites, even if they only showed up for a few panels. :)

[keikii Eats Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'M QUICKLY RUNNING OUT CHAPTERS I DON'T LIKE THIS 27:23

[Khari · Rating 5 out of 5]

やっぱり英語版読む時よりも日本語版はわくわくしてニュアンスが分かりやすい。例えば「ニコ」のシーンが全然翻訳されなかった。「仁子」から人偏を捨てて「ニコ」になる。「仁子は人ではない」の意味だ。翻訳版読んでもその意味が全然伝わらなかった。日本語の「仁子」はもっと性格わるいしもっと操作的。

でもこの巻を読んで悔しかった。四か月前、私はインターネットのファンの英語版読んだ。それまでは他の方法がなかった、だって日本語読めなかったし私は六か月も新しい話を待ってられない。でも罪悪感でインターネットを読むのは止めた。日本語もちゃんとできるし作者をサポートしたかったので、全巻買った。買ってから四か月ぐらい全然読めなかった。この巻を超楽しみにしてた。「新しい話が読める！」の感じ。でも実際は絶望感。この話はもう四か月前インターネットに載ったから、新しい話はなかった。新しい話読みたいなら十二月まで待ってなきゃいけない。道徳的な人間である事は難しい！！！

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

2020 review-I am having a hard time reading this director. Does he like lyoko? Cause his expressions are so strange! His comments express dislike yet his response, according to others, is good. Confusing! This is a continuation of the last volume of the auditions. I really liked it and LOVED the character interactions. Kyoko's abilities have grown SO much!! It just felt a bit dragged out after the last volume. Too many detailed moments and not much story progress.

[Sofia Garrod · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kyoko’s acting is perfection 😍 I am so amazed by her all the time!!

[Pflanzis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Das Casting geht weiter und Kyokos Wutdämonen wurden wiederbelebt. Lang ist's her, dass die Kleinen in Aktion getreten sind. Das kann nur lustig werden!
Und damit endet mein Reread. Die Story der folgenden Bände kenne nicht mehr und ich habe gerade ganz aufgeregt den nächsten Band bestellt. Was wohl noch alles passieren wird? Skip Beat ist seit langen Jahren (damals gab es die Daisuki noch als Zeitschrift) einer meiner Lieblingsmangareihen, zu denen ich immer wieder gern zurückkehre. Daher stört es mich auch nicht, dass die Reihe so lang ist. Im Gegenteil freue ich mich über jeden neuen Band.

[Dasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bueno, este tomo lo acabo de leer así que la puntuación a partir de ahora es por tomos, no por la saga en general.
Hay que ver, no sé los años que llevaré leyendo este manga y me sigue gustando como el primer día. Aunque los personajes se me hayan quedado muy jóvenes y la historia de amor sea tan lenta en su desarrollo. Kyoko es un personaje que siempre me enternecerá y lo locuela que está siempre me saca una sonrisa.
Sí, es superexagerada en todos los sentidos pero me encanta 😁

Leído para la premisa #komiktube (manga) del mes de noviembre.

[Michelle Buvoir d'Encre · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARHG.
I hate this Kimiko girl. She. Is. AWFUL.
How dare she insinuate that Ren liked her in any way shape or form. And she doesn't just play dirty, she's cruel. Horrible person. NO REDEMPTION ARC FOR YOU.
I just want to pat Kyoko on the head and tell her it's all lieeees... UGH. It's YOU he likes, woman, it's YOU.
ALSO. REN. What the heck do you think you're doing? You HYPOCRITE. You got so angry when Sho kissed Kyoko and here you are just letting a woman kiss you in a bar? Dude, you're like 15 inches taller than her, you're telling me you couldn't stop her?
I flew through this book so fast, I neeeeed to read the next one.

[Erika Sarutobi · Rating 4 out of 5]

As much as I love watching Kyoko act, her obsession with Ren is getting in the way, and moreover, she jumped to conclusions over something annoying that she drags on for a couple of chapters 😭

[DonutKnow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Damn, I get that feeling, but Kyoko is really hung up on Ren 😰 I don’t want her to end up feeling so invested in a guy, like she did with Sho 😤😭

[Z Mythos · Rating 4 out of 5]

So...let's fuck both Ren & Kyoko up by putting them in situations where they have to suddenly deal with jealousy for one another. Alright, I see you Nakamura.

(Okay, first I gotta start off with the confusing bit on the little strip on the initial cover page where I think we've had a mix-up on Ren's age... Nakamura's now saying he's 19? When the whole source of his conflict like a billion volumes ago was that he was 20 years old, technically considered an adult by Japanese law (if only barely) to Kyoko (at the time) being 16 (therefore a minor), and freaking out over the age difference between them because he was beginning to fall in love with her?? Am I the only one who remembers it being this way??? Or was this a flashback scene to the year previous?? It's really unclear, especially since Nakamura herself admits in a sidenote that she literally forgot the poor boi's age like...omg. XP)

Okay, now that I'm combing back thru the volume, I'm realizing we're not actually given Ren's reaction to the close-call unpublished photo taken of when stupid Shotaro kissed Kyoko *grumble*withoutherfuckingpermissionAGAIN*grumble*. But we already know this boi gets hella green-eyed about that whole nonsense (which I supposed might be appropriate because his real eye color is green? sorry, shoot me for that plz lol). So now...we're left here wondering what the hell could be going through the poor boi's mind. What's he gonna do?? Is he actually gonna muster up the balls to go and reveal the truth to Kyoko like he promised himself when they crossed paths in Guam?? I NEED TO KNOW NAKAMURA OMG WHY U GOTTA ALWAYS CLOWN ME LIKE THIS QUEEN??! T_T

I will say this lil' exchange did give me a giggle tho:

"You've grown up... You were sooo little when we first met."
"I was a zygote when we first met. I have no memories of meeting you when I was still gestating."

I love that boi's snarkety-snark. It's why we'd get along swimmingly. ;D

But now...to the main course conflict of this whole volume... Kyoko getting unwantedly exposed for her love/attraction to Ren and deceitful lil' shit snob girl dropping in to deliberately shake Kyoko up and make her think something had happened between herself and Ren when they previously worked together. AAAAAHHH. Like, it makes me sad, but on the other hand, it was legit a genius way to finally give Kyoko a bite in the butt from the envy mosquito and get serious about her feelings. Kyoko being so gd terrified of love and all it's heartache leaving her unable to realize that the girl Ren had spoken to her (albeit in the chicken suit) about IS LITERALLY HER kinda made for an ingenious setup there. Especially with how inadvertently it made her ability to relate to the character she's playing for the audition even more intense like...I see what you did there.

But okay can we also talk about that moment? The one in which Kyoko flies into legit rage about snobby girl Kimiko only being interested in the same role as her because of trying to get close to some other guy?? Using her acting for selfish purposes and understanding why Ren was so hella disappointed in her when they first met (from her perspective) and she declared her intentions were only about defeating Shotaro??? What's that thing they say about when couples start to resemble each other because I really feel that's what was happening here haha (even if they aren't even a couple yet smh but shh...). >:3

But anyways, since it seems Kyoko's gonna be a shoo-in for the role she auditioned for, I'm just looking forward to Kanae getting the role she auditioned for as well so they can finally be in something together since the soda commercial! Even if we have to deal with snobby girl du jour's tomfuckery for a bit... (Also Ren better have that gd White Day gift for Kyoko the next time they see each other or I'm gonna be yelling.)

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Freaking love Ninja Kyoko

[Kat R · Rating 5 out of 5]

I activate my ultimate attack: fangirl scream of despair that the next vol is not available yet.

[Anastasia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reread July 4th, 2025
Good job, Kyoko! But the chapters keep getting shorter, so do the volumes... Or at least it feels like it.

Rereas June 24th, 2025

Jeez... Harsh.

[Kayt O'Bibliophile · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am in despair. Woe unto me, woe unto all who surround me. I have caught up with Skip Beat and there are no more volumes readily available as I write this. More than a month to the next release, then months upon months after that for more.

What this means in practical terms is that 1) all my social media accounts are currently filled with some version of the first paragraph, and liberal use of capslock, and 2) my review has to talk in detail about what happened in this book, so I can have a reminder when I finally get the next one.

It's long. You've been warned.

First, Ren Tsuruga has apparently gotten younger. I swear--I SWEAR--he was 20 when we first met him, which was...a year or less ago, in-universe, right? But there little throwaway comic in the beginning has him stating he's 19 and thus not old enough to drink (legal age is 20 in Japan). Is this a retroactive de-aging to make the eventual Ren/Kyoko romance less creepy? 16+19, while not great, is admittedly better than 16+20.

Because age does come up again later. New rival Kimiko mentions getting a ring from Ren 2 years ago when she was 15, and that a relationship would be more OK now that she's 17.

A tangent: I find it interesting, considering the series has been running for 17 years, that the in-universe setting has just...adapted. I noticed in the last several volumes the charactesr all have smartphones now instead of flip phones like they used to. It's a weird choice if you want it to have an in-universe reason, but I like it as a reader--I don't have to constantly remind myself "hey, this takes place in 2002." There's tech, but it seems to be positioning itself as somewhat outside the realm of normal time and trying to avoid specifying a year, which I appreciate.

Anyway.

I loved this volume. We get a lot of story here, even if in-universe this all takes place in like, an hour or two.

Ren doesn't feature except for a brief meeting with LME president Lory in the beginning--Lory offers to let Ren have Lory's personal assistant/ninja/butler Ruto as his manager, and to let Kyoko continue having Mr. Yashiro. Ren lets him know he's dealing with his past trauma better, yay. That's it.

The Momiji ninja audition continues. It's interesting that we have a new villain--Kimiko, who isn't happy about not having the audition handed to her on a silver platter--while an older foe who we hadn't seen in dozens of volumes (rich Erika, currently partially paralyzed due to psychosomatic [?]/mental trauma from Kimiko's machinations) looks on. Is Erika being set up to be, if not a Love-Me member, a new friend for Kyoko evenutally, like Chiori?

But for now, we mostly see Kimiko. Where Erika had been spoiled--talented, but also reliant on her family's money--Kimiko is devious. She arranged Erika's injuries, and now is waging psychological attacks on Kyoko. By the end of the book she has withdrawn herself from the audition, ostensibly to "do the right thing" after getting caught breaking the rules to watch Kyoko's auditions, but she's still in the building, and the last page has Erika watching and saying "[Kimiko] will make her move soon."

Kyoko's adaptability (and reading all the books Moko lent her) help her here, as she can improvise during audition scenes, and it was fun to see Kyoko and Moko act together again. Let's hope Moko gets the part, so we can have plenty of adorable fangirl-Kyoko+irritated-Moko bits in the future!

Finally, I hope Mr. Yashiro stays with Kyoko as manager--it looks like it, but he's one of my favorite secondary characters. He presents such a polished, put-together image and is super competent, but he's been inwardly pushing (or hoping something would push) Ren and Kyoko together for a while, and his curiosity is drawn so cutely.

[Luana · Rating 4 out of 5]

La selezione per il ruolo di Momiji è giunta al momento decisivo, visto che sono rimaste solo due candidate. Kyoko si è fatta valere alla grande nella prova coreografica, ma quello è il momento in cui quella serpe della sua avversaria decide di iniziare a giocare sporco. Quando si accorge che nemmeno il suo legame di parentela con lo zio regista (o forse era sceneggiatore 🤔) potrebbe permetterle di ottenere la parte, Kimiko Morizumi si mette ad originare una conversazione tra Kyoko e il protagonista maschile e decide di mettere in piedi una piccola sceneggiata per far credere alla nostra protagonista che tra lei e Tsuruga ci sia una sorta di tresca (con tanto di regalo dell'anello). Questo è un brutto colpo per Kyoko, chiaramente innamorata di Ren, un colpo che mette a nudo diversi sentimenti difficili da gestire come la gelosia. Ovviamente è tutta una balla, ma per poco la vipera non riesce a mettere a segno il colpo grosso, con Kyoko che rischia di farsi eliminare dalla corsa per il ruolo di Momiji, salvata solo dal suo legame con Uffina e dalla scelta del produttore di darle un'ultima possibilità. A questo punto vorrei capire cosa caspita succederà perché l'altra infida si ritira dal provino, ma è evidente che ha tutta l'intenzione di rivalersi in qualche modo sulla protagonista e prendersi la parte - desiderio questo che non ha assolutamente a che vedere con il sincero apprezzamento per l'opera in questione, ma che sembra di più una sorta di mossa promozionale per farsi notare dal nuovo tipo che ha puntato. Insomma, un soggetto inquietante.
Se a questo punto è rimasta solo una candidata per Momiji, la questione non si è ancora risolta per quanto riguarda il ruolo di Chidori. Vedremo se Uffina riuscirà ad ottenere la parte. E poi aspetto con impazienza il faccia a faccia tra Kyoko e Ren, dopo che il poverino si è dovuto beccare la foto del bietolone biondo malefico 😮‍💨

Comunque sia, direi che ormai non ci sono più dubbi sulla natura dei sentimenti di Kyoko. E per quanto faccia la dura, rimane una ragazzina di 16 anni: il senso di gelosia, rabbia e frustrazione che prova a sentire le scemenze di Kimiko è oggettivamente comprensibile. Con il tempo imparerà anche a non farsi sopraffare nel bel mezzo di un provino di lavoro, ma in questo caso non mi sento di fargliene una colpa o di considerarla poco professionale.
Adesso spero che non ci vogliano una vagonata di volumi per risolvere questo malinteso.

[Jennifer]

It was great to get back to Kyoto actually acting for her own roles. Her Momiji was very cool - to be able to pick it up that quickly, she must have an innate athleticism. I do find it really stupid that she doesn’t count as an actress yet - WTH is playing Mio and Natsu if not acting? She’s already an actress, just not very experienced, but they make it sound like she hasn’t had any roles…

I also get annoyed with how stupid Kyoto can be. Spacing out about Ren in the middle of an important audition is beyond unprofessional…and honestly I don’t think fits her character that well. She’s always very diligent and overly conscious of the social hierarchy. Yes, she’s got love brain, but really?? And then to straight out lie about it? Her rival here sounds like a spoiled brat that needs to be punished for the dirty tricks she’s pulled. I find it hard to believe that no one noticed her and all the other actresses auditioning when they were breaking the rules and watching Kyoko perform. Kinda hard to miss a crowd of women on the second floor overlooking the room.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volume continues with the auditions for Momiji and Chidori, with Kyouko fighting it out to be the one in the role of Momiji, and dealing with another (potentially "more powerful") Erika - whilst Erika is stuck there on the sidelines after ending up in a wheelchair thanks to "Erika's" machinations. Definitely a lot of intrigue in this one, and Kyouko got a lot of opportunities to show more of her incredible talent. Brilliant as always! c:

Side note: I am really starting to love Erika's idiotic goons. They're really great for comedic relief and out-of-the-blue reveals XD

Chapter notes below for reference: (spoiler heavy)


Chapter 249. The president wants Yashiro to be Mogami’s manager as well as Ren’s? ;u; <33
--
Oh yeah! That girl was to Erika what Erika was to Moko, right? It’s been a while :|
--
Dun dun dunnnnn… “You like Ren.” Yes, she does c: (...I do wish I remembered who the guy talking to her is though)

Chapter 250. STOP DENYING IT DAMMIT.
--
Huh…. So he (Koga apparently, thanks!) doesn’t like Ren because Ren has always beaten him to the punch in everything…
--
Uh oh. Koga’s the lead actor for the movie that Kyouko is auditioning for. And she just got on his bad side by defending Ren. Oops.
--
Oh good. He’s going to bully the one who gets the role.
--
Oooh… They’re allies now? :o
--
Uh oh. Kyouko thinks that Ren likes this other girl, and that she’s the “high schooler” he said he liked.
--
Uh oh (again). Kyouko was too busy overthinking the Ren thing and missed the instructions 8’D

Chapter 251. Yep. There we go. She used Ren to make Kyouko feel inferior and is trying to make things go badly for Kyouko so that she gets the role. Great.
--
Come on Moko! Please help Kyouko, pleaseeeeee ;u; <33
--
She’s doing welllllll ;u;
--
LMAO. Moko did great and so Kyouko is now fangirling over her XD
--
So she’s not disqualified, but she IS on thin ice...

Chapter 252. LMAO. Poor Yashiro. Kyouko’s not letting you know what’s going on. He’s such a drama addict XD (I mean… me too when it come to Kyouko :|)
--
DAMMIT KYOUKO. ADMIT YOUR FEELINGS.
--
LMAOOOOOOO. This entire chapter I swear XDD Are those Erika’s goons spying on Kyouko and Moko? Whoever they are, it seems like it worked out well that they were doing so, because I think they just inadvertently fixed Kyouko’s problem ;D

Chapter 253. I have really grown to love Erika’s idiotic goons :|
--
Oh yeah, Erika was meant to be incognito… welp. Now the director people know she’s there 8’D
--
DO IT KYOUKO. DON’T LET THAT BITCH GET THE ROLE. HELP OUT ERIKA.

Chapter 254. Ooh yeah. I forgot that that would be the one set to truly set Kyouko off… the fact that this girl is after the role not because she has a connection to the role, or enjoys acting, or anything like that… but because she wants to get a guy. Which, as far as Kyouko is concerned… is unforgivable. Well that, and thinking that the girl that Ren supposedly likes, likes someone else XD
--
Do it Kyouko! Kick ass as a Momiji in this audition! :|

Chapter 255. Impressiveeeeeee. Go Kyouko!
--
Huh, what? What does that mean? I don’t get it! ;u;
--
...what’s Erika doing?

[L. J. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Repeated review.

I am so uninterested in this series, but I want to see it through (at least to the last translated volume; not sure I’ll pick it up again when more comes out). I won’t be making proper reviews for it anymore since my thoughts are just generally the same all the time anyway (lots of annoyance/anger); my rating will tell you if I liked or disliked it. You can safely assume, however, that I still despise Sho and Ren, and everyone else, but Kyo and her bestie (who sometimes isn’t around and sometimes is, much like Sho).

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

La vipera chiamata Morizumi insidia la mente di Kyoko con la sua linguaccia. Ovviamente, dopo tali dichiarazioni, i pensieri della nostra protagonista fanno un triplo salto carpiato, arrivando a conclusioni assolutamente sbagliate. Fortuna che ci sono Uffina e i proseliti di Erika a tirarla fuori dal black out in cui era sprofondata.
Il provino sembra volgere in favore di Kyoko, ma ho paura di quello che potrà fare Morizumi per vendicarsi. Lei e la sua manager sono da internare...

[Ale Bonilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aquí fue donde me quedé años atrás ojala le hicieran una segunda temporada porque merece muchísimo la pena.

También el dorama es muy bueno aunque a mi lo que me engancho fue el anime que me hizo ir corriendo a leer el manga, llorar y no dormir.

Aparte de super enojarme con shoutaro que es un bastado

[Miss Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

kyoko's acting powers ACTIVATE. glad to see she is getting the momiji role as she deserves. i don't know what erica's plotting but i am confident in kyoko's ability to roll with the punches!

4 stars

[Moriah Venable · Rating 4 out of 5]

This isnt my favorite arc though it is interesting to see Kyoko get into character.

I dont like how she is being manipulated into believing that Ren loves someone when its not true. Which will only cause tension between her and Ren. I do want them to finally confess or atleast for Ren to come clean. Feels like this relationship is dragging and its about time that its moves forward.

[Anna Hallahan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Begins with Ren’s burn that losing 200 years off Lori’s life will finally make him normal ^_^ ends with Kyoko still obsessed with who Ren likes and all other candidates for Momiji drop out leaving just Kyoko.

[Pinky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kyoko struggles with her feelings for Ren, she needs to hurry up and decide as others like Kimiko are waiting for their own chance at him. Kyoko just might get the role of Momiji, unless Kimiko gets in the way.

[Kastie Pavlik · Rating 5 out of 5]

I appreciate that this manga provides space for its characters to grow. I miss seeing Ren, but this development is realistically healthy and further develops Kyoko's individuality while also deepening her naive misunderstandings.

[Alejandra Bran (Blue Reader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The whole audition was amazing and that other actress whom I'll not learn her name was conniving af. I disliked that Kyoko didn't want to tell Kanae that she is the one that likes Ren, even though I think that deep down she knows it.

The way the volume left off has me running to the next volume.

[FER · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kyoko is in trouble! It's been a while since she's had a worthy opponent. She's emotionally shaken and has to pull off some of the best acting of her life. Luckily Moko is there to help her through the audition and shake out her doubts. I can't wait to read the next volume.

[Salimbol · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars