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Thursday, January 15, 2009 @ 2:09 pm
Skip Beat!.

I don't usually read shoujo manga so when I do read one, it's got to be one that left quite an impression. Happen to read a chapter on Skip Beat! and just continue to read till the latest chapter. Here's the summary of the story:

Mogami Kyoko is childhood friends with Fuwa Shoutaro whose parents own a tradition japanese inn. Unwilling to take over his parents business, Shoutaro ask Kyoko to help him as he wants to pursue a career in singing in Tokyo. So Kyoko leaves her life in Kyoto and lead a frugal life in Tokyo, taking on many jobs and doing what she can for Shoutaro who is her crush.

Known by his fans as Shou, Shou actually brought Kyoko to Tokyo to be his maid and take care of housekeeping. Kyoko overheard Shou's conversation with his manager and realises his true intentions. Instead of crying and becoming depressed, Kyoko's inner demons got released and swore to get revenge on Shou. However Shou mocked her, saying the only way to get revenge on him was through the entertainment business, which was impossible for a plain and boring girl like her.

Changing her hairstyle, she heads for LME artiste agency to try her luck. There she meets Tsuruga Ren, an actor who is extremely popular and is a rival to Shou. Kyouko was initially rejected but after much pestering of the head of the talent section, she was given a shot for an audition. This marks Kyoko's first step into the entertainment industry.

What makes me notice this manga is the character Kyoko. Unlike most shoujo manga where most of the female leads are damsel-in-distress types, Kyoko can just rely on herself to get out of most situations. Add to the fact that the romance portion in the manga is not overly emphasised, things do not get so predictable (girl loves boy, boy loves girl, they get together, that kind of thing).

I love Kyoko's demons haha, they are always a source of comic relief. I also like characters like Ren's manager Yashiro and director Ogata, they are so cute and funny. Skip Beat! is really hilarious but it is not all laugh and fun. The mystery behind Ren's past and Kyoko's mother makes me think there's more to it than what it seems.

The drawing style is typical of shoujo manga but I'm quite amazed at how many images Kyoko has for different roles. The contrast against her original image is very big, almost like it's another character. The pace of the story is alright, but can be slow before Kyoko's entry to LME and a bit dull whenever Ren or Shou isn't around. Even though Shou is a jerk, I feel his appearance just seems to make things more interesting, much more than Ren.

Skip Beat! is highly recommended for those looking for out-of-the-ordinary shoujo manga, that retains the funny scenes yet isn't overly sappy in the romance parts. Its anime is showing on Okto channel on Friday 11pm.

On a side note, Skip Beat! will be made into a live-action drama starring Ariel Lin as Kyoko and Jerry Yan as Ren. Eh I don't think either of them can capture the essence of Kyoko and Ren. Makes me wonder who will be cast as Shou. Anyway it seems like the drama will be delayed due to changing of script. Not that excited about the drama but maybe will watch a few episodes when it's done.

Tuesday, January 06, 2009 @ 7:39 pm
Mayday Concert & Autograph Session.

Went to Mayday's concert at Stadium Green @ Singapore Indoor Stadium on sun with sc. Even though it's a free-standing concert, I still enjoy it as much as their full-blown concert. I guess it's just the music and atmosphere that makes it rock, no frills, no fireworks or fancy costumes. That being said, I think Ashin have not fully recovered from his flu due to his pitching in 《你不是真正的快乐》。But there was not much problem with the rest of the songs. A pity Guan You can't make it due to the passing of his father-in-law. The stand-in drummer was quite good but I think he was too nervous cos he looked very tensed.

I like how they start the concert, they sang one hit song from every album starting from the 1st up to the current one which is the 7th. It's like a walk down memory lane and how they have changed over the years. Though this concert is a promotion for their new album, there weren't many new songs in the songlist.

Yesterday went to their autograph session at Central. And managed to bring my camera along since I wasn't able to during the concert. Enjoy the photos below!

Lastly anyone interested in their concert on 29th Aug? Going to preorder the tickets, most probably getting $178 or $148. Plus preorder got 10% discount and can choose seats before the official sistic sale. Those interested please tell me before Chinese New Year thanks.