Skip Beat!
| Company type | Manga series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment, Publishing |
| Founded | February 15, 2002 |
| Founder | Yoshiki Nakamura |
| Headquarters | Japan |
| Products | Manga, anime, drama CDs, video game, novelization |
| Parent | Hakusensha |
, commonly referred to as Sukibi, is a Japanese shōjo manga created by Yoshiki Nakamura. The narrative follows , a 16-year-old girl who discovers that her childhood companion and aspiring top pop idol, Shotaro Fuwa, has been exploiting her as a maid to finance his career ambitions. Feeling deceived, she resolves to outshine him within the entertainment world.
Since February 2002, Hakusensha has serialized the series in the shōjo manga magazine Hana to Yume. To date, 51 volumes have been published in Japan, while the U.S. release under Viz Media's Shojo Beat imprint includes 49 volumes. A drama CD adaptation covering the initial volume was produced by Marine Entertainment in 2002. The anime adaptation by Hal Film Maker aired from October 2008 until March 2009, comprising 25 episodes.
Plot
Skip Beat! revolves around Kyoko Mogami, a sixteen-year-old betrayed by her childhood friend Shotaro Fuwa. Having spent much of her youth at Shotaro's family inn, she acquired various hospitality skills. Shotaro, unwilling to take over the family business, persuades Kyoko to drop out of high school in Kyoto Prefecture and relocate to Tokyo to support his pursuit of a music career. Kyoko lives modestly, juggling multiple jobs to back Shotaro, who eventually becomes one of Japan’s leading male celebrities.
Kyoko overhears Shotaro belittling her as merely a doormat and using her solely for domestic duties. Wounded but resolute, she vows revenge. Shotaro ridicules her and dares her to become a bigger star than himself. Fueled by this challenge, Kyoko reinvents her image and enters the entertainment industry, facing numerous obstacles along the way.
The story charts Kyoko’s rise in show business, initially propelled by vengeance but gradually driven by a sincere passion for acting. Along her journey, she meets various friends and competitors, undergoing significant personal and professional growth. Kyoko also regains the empathy lost after her emotional betrayal. She encounters Ren Tsuruga, a well-regarded actor who initially disapproves of her motives but later becomes crucial in her path toward self-realization.
Manga
Skip Beat! is authored by Yoshiki Nakamura and has been serialized in Hakusensha's shōjo magazine Hana to Yume since February 15, 2002. The first collected volume was issued on July 19, 2002, with fifty-one volumes currently available. Licensed for English publication by Viz Media under the Shojo Beat label, the debut English volume was released on July 5, 2006. As of April 2024, forty-nine English volumes have been published.
Since December 1, 2020, Viz Media has also distributed Skip Beat! in 3-in-1 omnibus editions; sixteen such volumes have been released so far, with the latest compiling volumes 46 through 48.
By January 2021, over 14 million copies of the manga had been sold within Japan.
Drama CD
As of April 2021, eight drama CDs related to the series have been issued.
The inaugural release, Skip Beat! Drama CD, produced by Marine Entertainment on September 26, 2002, adapts content from the manga’s first volume (chapters one to five).
The second CD titled BLACK Drama CD, launched August 21, 2012, covers the Dark Breath storyline and features the anime voice cast alongside Yuki Kaida as Jelly Woods.
The third release, KISS×KISS Drama CD Valentine Weapon, issued on January 19, 2013, dramatizes significant Valentine's Day events using the same voice actors from the anime.
The fourth drama CD named DARK BREATH, released in March 2017, adapts chapters 194–196 focusing on Cain and Setsuka Heel.
A fifth drama CD accompanied the limited first edition printing of volume 40 on March 20, 2017; it depicts Kyouko’s reunion with Corn in Guam with Marina Inoue and Katsuyuki Konishi reprising their roles.
On September 20, 2019, two additional drama CDs were made available: one included with the limited edition of volume 44 adapting the "Kitchen Words" story; another came bundled with an issue of Hana to Yume, featuring adaptations of "Otherworld With Love" and "Until You Sleep."
A drama CD released in January 2021 covers manga chapters 274 through 279 and features returning members of the anime cast.
Anime
The anime series, overseen by director Kiyoko Sayama and produced by Hal Film Maker, was broadcast in Japan from October 5, 2008, through March 29, 2009. The opening songs featured "Dream Star" and "Renaissance" performed by the generous; the closing themes included "Namida" by 2BACKKA and "Eien" by Yūsaku Kiyama. Through a collaboration with TV Tokyo, Crunchyroll offers the anime with English subtitles for international viewers.
In North America, Pied Piper acquired licensing rights and successfully executed a Kickstarter campaign to produce DVD and Blu-ray editions featuring an English dub, reaching both its primary funding target and additional stretch goals.
Live-action adaptation
In 2008, a Taiwanese television drama adaptation of Skip Beat! titled 華麗的挑戰 (Extravagant Challenge) was announced, casting Ivy Chen as Kyōko, Choi Siwon as Tsuruga Ren, and Lee Donghae as Shō Fuwa. The series was directed by Niu Cheng Ze and produced under Gala Television (GTV). However, early 2009 saw the project put on indefinite hold due to restructuring within the joint venture and revisions to the script.
Production recommenced in April 2011 with the original principal actors returning. The drama aired from December 18, 2011, until April 1, 2012, comprising 15 episodes each lasting approximately one hour. It adhered closely to the manga’s narrative while incorporating additional comedic content and was broadcast across multiple countries including Japan, China, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Although the ending remained unresolved, discussions about a potential second season continue to circulate, contingent on the manga’s conclusion.
Video game
A Skip Beat! video game was released on May 28, 2009 exclusively for PlayStation 2. The title features the opening track "Blow Wind" by SMILY☆SPIKY and extends Kyoko Mogami’s storyline beyond the anime adaptation, focusing on her career decisions and interpersonal relationships. This game remains untranslated into English and presents a storyline that diverges somewhat from the original manga. It is available only as an import from Japan.
Novelization
Between 2015 and 2016, several original Skip Beat! narratives authored by Ayuna Fujisaki were published in Hana to Yume magazine issues. These stories include:
- Kitchen★Wars – Kyōko appears as a guest on a culinary television program.
- Fairy Tale♥Ride – A job assignment within Love Me at a theme park.
- From the Otherworld With Love – A ghostly possession of Kyōko involving characters Shō, Reino, and Ren.
- Yukihito Yashiro's Illness Diary – Chronicles a day off taken by Ren’s manager due to sickness.
- A tale featuring Kyōko in the role of Bō the Chicken.
On September 20, 2016, these five stories were compiled into a single volume that also included an exclusive new short story accompanied by fresh illustrations created by Yoshiki Nakamura.