Anime set highschools became an overbearing theme in the late 2010s, just like how isekai shows are these days. Anything trendy like romance, comedy, moe, mystery, sports, everything was tied to highschool. In the end, we stopped caring for it and moved on with the passing of time. There were some great shows like Hyouka, My Little Monster, Daily Lives of High School Boys, and many more with their charms & twists, some others bloated the anime list just for the sake of it. Skip & Loafer is a story set around highschool, working things out and preparing for the future ahead. But it took us back to the simpler times when it was all about enjoying the little things we had.
About Skip & Loafer
It’s a manga series written & illustrated by Misaki Takamatsu and has been serialized since August 2018. It received an anime adaptation by studio P.A. Works in April 2023. The story is about a girl named Mitsumi Iwakura who moved to Tokyo for highschool. She used to live in the countryside, a depopulated area in Hashikko. She has big plans for the future and wants to be in the government to help out her hometown. And she that plan has many steps such as being popular in school, making friends, doing great in exams, and basically the best first impressions. But she gets lost on her way to school, gets late for the entrance ceremony she was looking forward to, and became pretty well known after some incidents. All her plans were ruined. But she makes the most of it. Her simple and honest nature got people to be fond of her. And that’s what we need these days, this lighthearted fun and the warmth to be at ease.
The Appeal of Skip & Loafer
Mitsumi finds herself in an awkward situation after some hilarious events. She tries her best to blend in. Things that she often says sound funny to others. She takes things seriously, school, quizzes, and what club to join, which is rare these days in highschoolers. Some have an aim in life and plan accordingly but most just go whatever, “I’m just trying to make it to Friday” kinda like that. Mitsumi tries her best to be diligent but little things bother her too much. What if she upset someone or said something bad, how can she make for it, how to properly introduce herself in the class, how to make friends; and she literally loses sleep over it. Her simplicity is what makes the show so interesting and heartwarming to watch. She’s a fish out of water and tries to cope with city life. This is something I personally relate to since I myself had to move to a big city for highschool and struggled to keep up.
Mitsumi is not pretty nor very smart, but it feels fun and quite homely to be around her. Her snappy country accent is fun to listen to. Every time she or anyone from her hometown speaks, it touches my heart. The voice actors did a fantastic job in that. I think it’s my newly-found moe and ear candy. I just can’t get enough of their accent. Same thing I felt from Barakamon. The voice has a lasting effect and can tell many things about the character. Tomoyo Kurosawa the voice actor of Mitsumi is just that awesome.
The Main Character
About Mitsumi’s character, she’s hard-working and optimistic. Against all odds, she gives her all and goes beyond. Like when she got lost on the first day, she ran to school even though she’s not athletic. She tries to understand others, considers their feelings, and sees the best in everybody. Her paying attention to little things does pay off. There are times she gets flustered and bursts out words awkwardly, which doesn’t fail to put smiles on everyone’s faces. She puts a clear between her and everyone. While everyone puts on a fake smile just to blend in, she’s honest & upfront. Her choices cause others to change for the better. She is the shine and bright ray of hope in a world we’re so bored of.
Conclusion
This was sort of a midway review. I’m watching this every week and hopefully finish watching this. 7 episodes are out. There are a lot to talk about this show like the other characters, the OP & ED themes, which are pretty cute, but I’ll save them for later. This anime is a must-watch. I know people mostly want to see action, thriller stuff, but a little skipping & loafing wouldn’t hurt. See you next time. This might be the best slice-of-life anime of this year.
Thanks for reading ♡.
