Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Ashita No Ousama Vol. 3
Ohara is still displeased over the fact that everyone fawns over Misore instead of her. She even accused Yuu for taking sides with Misore. Yuu tries to lift her spirits and told her that she is in the middle of writing a new script, Hana, and she has the perfect part for Ohara to play. Meanwhile, Touya is getting busier with his drama work and all the interviews Kina arranged for him. A tired Touya finally told Kina to cancel every interview and rode off in his bike.
After reading the unfinished script, Ohara was happy and felt that the lead character seems perfect for her. However, Yuu announced that she wanted Ohara to play the show-girl spirit, a supporting character. Ohara got angry and told Yuu she refuses to act in a supporting character and be behind Misore all the time. Ohara then went to a bar where she met another director, Hino, of Radium 100 theatre group. She complaint to him about her troubles and told him about Yuu's script. Later on, Ohara threatened to leave Garandou for Radium 100. However, Yuu did not blame her and even decided to go watch a Radium 100 play with her.
Everyone got a shocked when they realized that the play by Radium 100 was actually stolen from Yuu. It turns out that Hino took advantage of his conversations with Ohara who told him the script. A crying Yuu went back to the company and Shougo hugged her, only to be seen by Touya. Although Shougo told Yuu to be confident and show them that they're the real thing, Yuu lost her confidence. A guilty Ohara resigned from Garandou.
Yuu went to look for Touya to "borrow a little fighting spirit" only to be pushed away by him. Later at the TV company building, Shougo punched Hino in front of everyone, and the story spread to Touya. Curious, he went to ask Shougo about it, and found out about everything. Shougo told Yuu that he wants her to stage a one-day play with her script and said that if she didn't, it will forever haunt her. However, they're still lacking an actress for the Dolly (spirit-girl) role.
Touya came looking for Yuu to apologize and she told him about her troubles. Touya, who had already previously read the script, offers to play that role. However, it has to be a secret as Touya is still bonded to his contract. Even the play itself was a secret as they plan to promote another of Garandou's play but stage Hana on the first day. However, Touya slyly revealed to Hino and to those nearby that he will be appearing for the first night stage-play of Garandou. The rumour spreads and everyone was curious. Even Ohara came to watch.
From the start of the play, the audiences realized the similarity of it to Radium 100's play. Hino started to break out in cold sweat and tried to stop the play by accusing them as thieves. However, he was overpowered by the music of the play. Hana was a success and no one recognizes Touya as Dolly. A regretful Ohara came backstage to apologize and was accepted back into Garandou. A snooping reporter caught Touya leaving the building and realizes that he was Dolly. The news broke and suddenly Garandou & Yuu was bombarded by the reporters. An angry Kina slapped Touya for not understanding the work she put in as his manager. Touya warned her that she doesn't understand his needs as well.
An annual stage-play award results were published in a magazine, and Yuu heard about a famous and talented director/scripwriter/actor Kazuma Rin. She received a free ticket from Shougo to watch his play and bumped into Touya who came to watch as well. Both of them were very impressed with Kazuma Rin. After the play, they had dinner together. Yuu commented that this felt like a date, but Touya refuted and said he can't imagine her in a romantic relationship. He further innocently told a dissapointed Yuu that he can't afford the time to be in love and he thinks it's the same with her.
The next day, Kazuma Rin came looking for Shougo for an introduction to Touya, only to find out it is Yuu he should pursue if he wants the introduction. He wants Touya for his next production, and Yuu told him that Touya already saw Kazuma's play and there is no need for Yuu to be the middle person. Before leaving, Kazuma manages to persuade Yuu to restage Hana. It was later on confirm that Touya has accepted Kazuma's production for his comeback to the stage. Meanwhile, Yuu is busy reproducing Hana with Ohara as Dolly and a new actress for Misore's original role. However, troubles arises almost at once when Yuu realizes that Ohara is copying Touya's Dolly. Ohara got angry and slapped her.
Review:
A 300+ page volume! This was crazy to summarize!!! But it is a wonderful volume nonetheless. I really started to enjoy this manga from this volume onwards.
First off, am really really pissed off with the character Ohara. She is truly truly spoilt, and for no reason other than her own vainness that she is a great actress. She thinks she's a diva who does not deserve anything less than the lead role, and when things doesn't go her own way, she threatened and even slap the director.
Honestly, I kind of forgive her when she realizes her mistakes in the middle of the volume, but what the heck is going on with her when she slapped Yuu???? I didn't even feel that angry when Kina slapped Touya. Kina tried her best even though she doesn't realize that it is not what Touya wanted, and for that, I think her actions is justified to some extent. But not with Ohara. Ohara is just one plain B****. I wonder why Yuu even tolerates her.
The play Hana is very interesting - only for the fact that for once, its scenes were shown more extensively compared to the other plays which appear in this manga. Touya makes a very pretty spirit-girl as well =P
As for the romantic development between Touya and Yuu, it is clear that Touya felt jealousy. But he doesn't seem to realize this and has focus his energy towards his acting, hence his innocent comments to Yuu during their dinner date. However, Yuu is clearly in tune with her feelings and cherishes the tickets that he gave her (did not summarized this part).
Labels: Ashita no Ousama
Posted at 12:49 AM
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Kiss Vol. 2
The chapter opened with a flashback to 7 years old Kae going for piano lessons reluctantly for the first time. She met university student Goshima who was to be her piano teacher. Although hating her lessons at first, she grew to like it and listening to Goshima play Canon brought a skip to her heart. At present time, a 16 years old Kae decided to play Canon for the next recital.
A new character - Tamaki appeared at the music school looking for Goshima. Having similar disposition and mannerism, Tamaki turns out to be his cousin. That night, everyone went to watch Goshima's performance at another pub. Tamaki made a surprise sit-in by playing the saxophone which complements perfectly with Goshima's piano. The both of them made a striking pair, and Kae was jealous because she felt like a kid next to Goshima. The next day Tamaki teases Goshima for his feelings and protectiveness over Kae. Unfortunately, Kae walked right into them while they "seemingly kiss". An angry Kae toss her papers at them, crying.
Kae fell sick with the flu, and when Goshima visited her, she kissed him, announcing that he better get sick as well and she will kill him if he passes the flu to Tamaki as well. Kae got better in time for the recital, while Goshima really caught the flu from her. Kae told Tamaki that she envied her and Tamaki just replied by kissing her kiss between girls!!! kyaaa!!! hehehehe saying that she is returning Goshima's kisses. Tamaki really like teasing Kae as she felt envy herself that Goshima managed to find a someone that he cares for whereas Tamaki doesn't.
April 1st arrived and Kae's waiting for Goshima for a date, but he couldn't make it. Instead, he sent his younger brother, Nobu, to inform her. The two ended up spending the whole day chatting about Goshima. Nobu observes that Goshima is very protective of Kae even though she doesn't realize it and that Kae's his main weakness.
Kae's birthday arrived, and Goshima gave her perfume
Estee Lauder's Pleasures! I have that perfume!! it smells wonderful. He caught her dancing alone with his coat, and teases her about it, but still dance with her in the end. They attracted alot of people and Uchida observes that Kae is getting prettier and that many guys are going to fall for her. This observation came true as a couple of guys started approaching her. Goshima had to "exert his influence" to make the guys back off
actually he's not even exerting any influence. he just glared at them!!! Naturally Kae got mad at him as she felt he was acting like her father.heheheeh, Goshima's worried bout her getting caught by another guy, and she's worried that they're not equal because of his maturity.
The final chapter closes of with Goshima getting sick again and Kae visited him. The sick Goshima dreamt about his parent's final days before the plane crash and when he woke up, he started wondering about death. Kae left the house to buy more medicine, and Goshima's inner heart worried non-stop about what if Kae also left him because of an accident. However, Kae's safe return brought him back to reality and he smiled and said that she is his biggest failure in life.
Review:
Unlike Volume 1, here we get to see much of Goshima's own insecurities regarding this relationship with Kae. Although he still acted cool and nonchalant, it is not all that simple. Kae is very attractive, eventhough she doesn't realize it, and always intrepret his protective actions wrongly.
Labels: kiss
Posted at 5:23 PM
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Skip Beat! Vol 19
Summary:Kyouko seems worried about her Kuon and questioned Kuu. She felt that she has split from the Kuon she imagined to a total new character during her impersonation. Kuu told her that there is nothing wrong with it - he merely wanted her to act as his son, not the "real son"....meaning he did not want her to become the original Kuon, but to create a whole new Kuon. The exercise was considered successful. Furthermore, Kuu said that if Kyouko can overcome her weakness of "preference in only certain princess roles", she would be an incredible actress. President Lory called, telling Kuu that a seemingly angry Ren wants to meet with him.
Later on, Kuu & Ren finally met as father and son in the presence of President Lory. Not much details or history is revealed, but it was indicated that Kuu's popularity as an actor have overshadowed his son and because of this, Ren could not stand on his own and escaped with the help President Lory to start over again as a fresh actor in Japan. He has not been in contact with his parents for years. And Julia (Ren's mother) has been yearning for her son. That is the main reason why Kuu came back to Japan - to ask Ren to be Kuon again for a while and film a video message for his mother.
The next day at DM set, Kyouko apologizes for acting in front of Ren and pretending to not know him. They chatted about her character as Kuon, and Ren complimented her, saying that she manage to portray Kuon's feelings for his dad perfectly. This is an indirect reference that Ren loves his father very much, and when Kyouko later told Kuu what Ren said, he was very touched.
However, Kuu has decided to return to US sooner than expected because his mission (the video tape of Kuon) is complete and he wishes to bring it back to Julia asap. During his goodbye party, both Ren & Kyouko attended, and Kyouko announced that she will not run away and willing to take the bully girl role (in the drama Box-R) while Ren said - inside the video he taped - that he will also not run away and take up the challenge to act as a killer in his next role.
Review:It is wonderful to finally see some revealing secrets regarding Ren's past. It is quite certain that Ren must have murdered or tried to murder someone before in US. As with my predictions in volume 17 and also the scene this time where he told Kuu that he will not run away from the role of a murderer, I wonder how this will turn out.
Another interesting part is how the scene manage to show a very nice parallelism between Ren & Kyouko in the final chapter in terms of their acting development. As it is shown from Kuu's POV, who refer to the both of them as his son Kuon - it brought the level of parallelism even higher than just a normal "I will not run away from this role" scene.
Labels: Skip Beat
Posted at 4:39 PM
Yet another apology post
Ah...such a long hiatus.....But Kira-Kira Sekai has risen again!
First off, I just noticed that I missed recapping the final 2 chapters of Skip Beat Vol.18!!!!!! How in the world did i managed to do that, I will never know. But the post has been edited......and next up will be Volume 19!
See you soon!
Posted at 4:08 PM
From the start of the play, the audiences realized the similarity of it to Radium 100's play. Hino started to break out in cold sweat and tried to stop the play by accusing them as thieves. However, he was overpowered by the music of the play. Hana was a success and no one recognizes Touya as Dolly. A regretful Ohara came backstage to apologize and was accepted back into Garandou. A snooping reporter caught Touya leaving the building and realizes that he was Dolly. The news broke and suddenly Garandou & Yuu was bombarded by the reporters. An angry Kina slapped Touya for not understanding the work she put in as his manager. Touya warned her that she doesn't understand his needs as well. 
Kae's birthday arrived, and Goshima gave her perfume Estee Lauder's Pleasures! I have that perfume!! it smells wonderful. He caught her dancing alone with his coat, and teases her about it, but still dance with her in the end. They attracted alot of people and Uchida observes that Kae is getting prettier and that many guys are going to fall for her. This observation came true as a couple of guys started approaching her. Goshima had to "exert his influence" to make the guys back off actually he's not even exerting any influence. he just glared at them!!! Naturally Kae got mad at him as she felt he was acting like her father.heheheeh, Goshima's worried bout her getting caught by another guy, and she's worried that they're not equal because of his maturity.
Summary:
Review: