The famous Japanese native turned Hollywood actor, Koo Hizuri, is in town and Kyoko has been assigned to wait on him throughout his stay. He’d originally planned to treat her cruelly in order to elicit a rise from Ren, but can’t fight the temptation to polish the “uncut diamond” of Kyoko’s talent. As a result, he ends up giving her an assignment—create and enact the role of his son, Kuon—and develops a paternal bond with her while helping her to discover her main weakness.
Readers are aware that Kuon is actually Ren, and when Ren runs into Kyoko-as-Kuon, it’s not long before he requests a meeting with the father he hasn’t spoken to in five years to demand an explanation. Ren’s past has been a mystery throughout the series, and it’s a delight to finally get more details. We come to understand Ren better, past and present, and though there’s clearly more yet to be disclosed, what we get here is still satisfying.
Lastly, I appreciate that Koo isn’t portrayed as a self-aggrandizing stereotype but is actually kind and likable. He joins Lory, the president of the talent agency, and Sawara, Kyoko’s manager, in the roster of fun middle-aged men in the cast. That’s just one of the many quirks that make Skip Beat! so unique and worth reading!
Review copy provided by the publisher. Review originally published at Manga Recon.
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