スキップ・ビート! 45

スキップ・ビート! [Skip Beat!] #45

by Yoshiki Nakamura, 仲村佳樹

蓮と女優・楠香凪のスキャンダル写真が世間に流出――。
遊び人然ともとれる蓮の言動も相まって、葛藤をつのらせるキョ―コは蓮を避けるように…。
さらにはモー子さんからも「蓮が報道を認めた」と告げられて、疑惑は確信へと変わっていく。
ところが、キョ―コが坊として蓮に遭遇したその時、物語は想いもよらぬ方向へ転がり始めて――!?
2020年5月刊

Chapters 272-279

Genres: Manga, Romance, Shojo, Contemporary, Humor, Young Adult, Graphic Novels

160 pages, Paperback

First published May 20, 2020

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

[e · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just want it on record here on Goodreads that this has been my favorite manga for over a decade and that I've been waiting for this to happen since I was 14. I'm 25 now. Nakamura-sensei is the queen of slow burn.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Is this it? Did we finally (after 45 volumes) get a confession of love? :o

Not a lot happening overall in this volume - a bunch of the usual misunderstandings and then some but that last act more than made up for it. Super super well done <33

Chapter notes below for personal reference: (potentially spoiler heavy)


Act 272. Soooo… they want Kyoko to help teach Moko to speak English?
--
...I didn’t catch that. What’s that about Cedric and Morizumi?
--
Ren’s there! Does this mean they can finally have an open and honest conversation?
--
Well that was both unexpected and ENTIRELY expected. No open and honest conversation here, no. Just Kyoko running off screaming 8’D But maybe Ren and Moko can have a chat instead?

Act 273. Go Moko! Stand up for Kyoko and give Ren a good talking to! Whoooo!
--
What’s this that he’s talking about? What opportunity is Ren to take? Is he going overseas? Is he gonna be on that same show as Moko?
--
“He didn’t deny the tabloid report.”
Yeah, because he’s a COWARD. If you truly love Kyoko you should fight for her! D:

Act 274. Oh hey! Kyoko (as Bo) has run into Ren again! This should be interesting :|
--
The heart-to-hearts between Ren and Bo are MY FAVOURITE THING in this series, I swear. This is when Ren truly lets loose and is honest with himself, and honestly… it can also be damn hilarious, especially with Bo being Kyoko, so she also gets a chance to rage at Ren without being found out :P

Act 275. ....that would explain why Ren says that Kana would never be interested in him, and was just using him. Given that Kana likes women 8’D
--
Does this mean that Kyoko now knows that Ren likes her? Because of what he just said to Bo? :o
--
...and Kyoko’s shut down. Oops.
--
….Nope. Nevermind. She still thinks he likes that Morizumi girl. Kyoko is still just as big an idiot as always 8’D
--
She’s telling him to confess his feelings for the one he loves, thinking that he loves Morizumi rather than her. Good on you Kyoko for pushing down your own feelings in favour of his happiness there ;u;
(Boy are YOU gonna be surprised when you find out it is NOT Morizumi :P)

Act 276. I love how damn DENSE Kyoko is here. Ren is NOT SPEAKING ABOUT MORIZUMI :P :P :P
--
So dense. So. So. SO DENSE.
--
Ren and Kyoko (as Kyoko this time, not Bo) meet again! Dun dun dunnnnn.

Act 277. She’s running, and he’s chasing. GO REN. YOU CAN DO IT. YOU HAVE LONGER LEGS.
--
HE CAUGHT UP TO HER. GO REN. Of course, now it appears they are trapped in the elevator together. This should be good :|

Act 278. After all that, has it finally clicked? Do you know what he means now Kyoko? Do you? ;u;

Act 279. So she’s come to the conclusion that he was talking about her… but now she thinks it’s a joke she doesn’t get. Of course :|
--
He’s also admitted to Kyoko that he was jealous when he saw her with Shou that time! Honesty FTW!
--
“The agony of not knowing how someone feels doesn’t only apply to women. Please let me know how you feel.”
I’m paraphrasing but that was so sweeeeet. Just… that whole damn scene. Very very sweet and genuine and heartfelt and just… <33333

[Brandi (Brandi Janee's Bookshelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really hate that there's basically only one volume of this manga coming out a year. We finally get a straight forward confession after so long that definitely clears up any confusion about who Tsuruga has feelings for. I hate that it cut off where it did because how am I supposed to know what happens next! Anyway, I'll be impatiently waiting for volume 46.

[Kastie Pavlik · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG...( ꈍᴗꈍ) Dances happily “ଘ( ˊᵕˋ )ଓ”
I don't care that it's volume 45. I love that this series has so much more going for it than a simple romance. I want more!!

[Saleha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've waited more than 10 years for this moment. It feels good.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'VE BEEN WAITING 45 VOLUMES FOR THIS!!

Please don't screw it up in volume 46.

[Ashley Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my God it's FINALLY happening!!!! Am I smiling like crazy, yes. I'm so glad I gave this Manga another chance and I can't wait to see what happens next!

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A chase scene!

BO THE CHICKEN!

...and it's time for another few months' wait to see what happens next.

I haven't laughed so hard while reading this series for quite a while. I think I need to reread this whole arc because I've forgotten a lot of details over the last three or four years as volumes came out further and further apart.

We kind of forgot a TV show is happening, but that's fine. What we got is pretty great.

[Anastasia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reread July 4th, 2025

Yes, yes, yes! I'm so glad that in 2021 I've finally lived till this moment. And I'm reliving it now. The best. I can die happily now.

Reread june 24th, 2021

FREAKING FINALLY

[Karen Freese · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did THAT ACTUALLY HAPPEN??!!! After 45 volumes we finally have an out loud confession of love from one of our protagonists to the other. And the looks we get of Ren's face in those final chapters? To DIE for! When Ren just silently GLARES at Kyoko after finally catching up to her in the elevator, I could feel his frustration, hear him panting, and the look just oozes determination. When Ren yells that he's "charging for his girl" I was soooo excited. It's been 45 volumes of will he/she, won't he/she finally confess to each other. I'm so glad that Ren finally, FINALLY made a move. Of course, Kyoko, being Kyoko, tries to misunderstand until the very end. I think she finally gets it by those final scenes, but we won't know until volume 46. I have loved this manga from volume 1 and I love it still to this day how many years later, having read them as they were published. This is the moment where it can all start to change.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

2023- A jealous Ren. And what is going on with Kyoko and Sho??? I wanted to know what that happy moment was about too from the last volume! And the kiss scene too! I want to better understand Kyoko's thoughts on Sho, it does seem to be changing a tiny bit. And how is Ren going to react when he learns whom Bo really is! Interesting. This volume is all over the place about emotions of characters! and I loved the conversation between out main characters.

[Anna Hallahan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starts with Ren’s forced kiss getting published, so everything about Sho is not resolved. Ends with Ren meeting Kyoko dressed as Bo for another impromptu counseling session. Kyoko switches her imagined ship back to the momiji-rival girl and tells Ren TO JUST CONFESS!

[Miss Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

moko! moko! moko!

also FINALLY some plot movement but

moko! moko! moko!

4 stars

[Alexandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH MY MERCIFUL GODS!!!

[Robiok · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have literally been waiting for 12 years…shaking

[Rin · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐
Fucking. Finally. Dear Lord. How long has Skip Beat been running? Like 20 years?

[Dasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

¡¡No me lo puedo creer!!


Después de veinte años, lo menos...
A ver qué hace Nakamura en el siguiente tomo porque me temo que volvamos al statu quo de nuevo, como si nada hubiese pasado. No me lo esperaba pero este tomo es clave en el desenlace de la trama principal. No voy a dar detalles porque es ridículo a estas alturas del manga. Solo un apunte: creo que el arte ha mejorado muchísimo. O esa es mi impresión teniendo en cuenta que he leído bastantes trabajos de esta mangaka, además de Skip Beat!

¡Arggggg! No me lo creo.


Ya, un fuerte aplauso y dejo de fangirlear.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

My reaction at the end was literally “AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!”

[Perla Villa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need the next book ASAP!

[Pflanzis · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG, ist es jetzt wirklich ENDLICH passiert??? Darauf warte ich schon seit 15 Jahren! 😍😍😍

[Maude · Rating 5 out of 5]

I AM ACTUALLY IMPLODING RIGHT NOW OH MY GOD ITS HAPPENING

[Jade✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

MA FINALMENTE DOPO ANNI LETTERALMENTE.
Non ci posso credere! Sono curiosa ma anche un po’ spaventata di vedere come andrà avanti la storia.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

ENDLICH.
ES HAT JA AUCH NUR 45 BÄNDE GEBRAUCHT.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t believe it ended like that 😭😭😭😭 I want to know moreeeeee

[Nathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yay!

[Rach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg. Omg omg omg. How could this volume end right where it does? Finally, what I have waiting for for years has happen: Ren confesses to Kyoko that he loves her. Unequivocally, multiple times, in clear words. He explains his jealousy over Sho, and the truth about Kimiko (Aka she’s a LIAR). Predictably, Kyoko’s brain goes into a bit of a meltdown as she struggles to process everything, and so we don’t actually get a response from her. But eeeeeeee I’m so excited!!

Of course, I’m still not quite sure what’s going on with the acting plot and Moko. She’s training in English to hopefully be cast in a US show? And is this a US show Ren is going to be in? Or the one Sho is traveling out of the country for? I still don’t get/remember what this producer has to do with anything.

Also, how is Ren going to react if/when he finds out Kyoko is Bo the chicken? He’s been confessing to her this whole time, but of course she never knew he was talking about her. But will he feel like his privacy was breached in some way? I’m just really grateful that Kyoko loves Ren enough to want him to be happy and confess his feelings, regardless of who he loves. Excellent advice on her part.

NOTES ON A SECOND READING:
This is it! The one where Ren finally tells Kyoko he loves her, in unambiguous terms. Where he patiently waits while she wraps her mind around what he’s saying and remembers everything he’s said to her as Bo in this new light. Kyoko was so prepared to support Ren being with another woman if it made him happy, but she had to figure out what that means if the woman he loves is her.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kyoko sees photos of Ren being kissed by Kana and assumes the worst. She flees from Ren when he tries to talk to her, so he assumes she's still pissed that he was such a dick to her in the car (I mean, fair). Meanwhile, she can't cope with the idea of Ren marrying someone else, which is obviously what she thinks is going to happen. Fortunately, Ren catches her while dressed as Bo and tells her the whole truth, leading to her putting her own feelings aside and telling him to confess to this girl he still loves who isn't Kana. And she still doesn't realize is her.

[Kat R · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I could rate this 100000/1 I would. For a non-action manga this this probably one of the best shojo manga's that I have ever read. This volume in particular is a star for reaching the top conflict in romantic misunderstandings. The two main characters are both amazing. I really really wish that Tokyo Crazy Paradise was translated into English (officially). One of the top slow-burn shoujo manga romance ever. A must read.

[Rhiannon Lanier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally, finally, finally, Ren confesses his love for Kyoko to Kyoko! I have been waiting for this moment for 45 volumes! Now I just need to know if Kyoko will confess back! I can't wait for Volume 46.

[MaKenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

FINALLY !

My heart strings have been pulled 😭. My soul is ecstatic! If you’ve been reading Skip Beat! this long don’t wait another second! You MUST, and I mean MUST, read this volume TODAY! Don’t wait any longer ! I’m so happy I could cry !!