Skip to Loafer

I rarely write preliminary reviews but I just have to this time. This anime is freakin perfect. I don't have much to say right now but I will say what I can. The cast is perfect. They all have their own biases towards other students. They act like real high school kids. With their prejudices and emotions swirling around in their head, both raging and calm. The main cast of characters have faults, secrets and depth. Clearly more to see beyond the surface. This is certainly more certain for some than others, but I am sure we will see layers peeled back as the season ... goes on. It is just refreshing to see characters that behave like real kids would, on all sorts of levels. I don't want to go into specific details, I think it is worth the way to find out for yourself. But, most importantly. This show is incredibly, W H O L E S O M E. I can't wait to begin reading it after the season has aired. In short, WATCH IT.

Let’s start with a rather cynical stance (I won’t stay there for long, I promise) – it is perhaps rather silly to expect that the main group of characters in *Skip to Loafer* would end up becoming such good friends. They come from such different worlds, both in terms of their social and geographical qualities. Each one has their own preoccupations and problems that stand in their own way, running the gamut through vanity, listlessness, a lack of recognition, and having cold doses of reality splashed in their faces. With so many obstacles in place, one could say that this confluence of forces would keep ... the characters apart, left to their own devices to be far lonelier in the end.

Yet, through life’s odd ironic twists, it is one such force that gets everything moving. Iwakura Mitsumi is late to her first day of high school, lost in Tokyo and not knowing her left from her right. A girl who is driven to succeed has driven herself into a corner. But coming “to the rescue” is Shima Sousuke, who likewise is late to the first day of school, but doesn’t seem to pay much mind to being late. Within this strange encounter from two people with opposite perspectives, they hoof it to the school, Mitsumi tripping. But in one moment of sheer determination, she takes off her shoes and socks, continuing to run as the pavement pounds her feet. Shima looks on for a moment, seemingly taking in the sight of something both physically goofy and, for him, emotionally foreign. He cannot help but run along as well in her wake, and with a more spirited purpose than before. In just trying to get to school on time, both characters are thrown into new beginnings, complete with sakura blossoms.

“New beginnings” runs throughout *Skip to Loafer’s* threads, and more specifically, new beginnings that are simply unexpected. It may have been pure coincidence that brought Mitsumi and Shima into each other’s lives from opposite ends of the attitude spectrum, but at their core, they could not be more abstractly similar. These two, along with the rest of the anime’s cast, are tied together in them entering high school, yet each has a comfort zone within themselves that they don’t want to, or cannot, quite budge from. It’s a form of boundary that helps shield oneself from disappointments, whether external or internal. They feel it better to try and march to the beat of their own drum. With everyone housing their own insecurities or ways of seeing and experiencing each other, it’s virtually impossible to tell what anyone is thinking.

But as is often the case with entering new social spheres, that comfort zone must be left behind and you step into a new world of possibilities for people, things, and thoughts. It doesn’t have to involve a complete reinvention of who you are, either. There are numerous, tiny ways that the characters in *Skip to Loafer* express that they understand one another, even if they inevitably will leave some things housed within. The result is a fascinating breed of understanding and familiarity through understanding unfamiliarity, the acknowledgement that being able to read the room with just a touch more awareness makes the metaphorical gaps between people disappear. Tiny moments like these accrue throughout, blossoming the friendships into something that, while perhaps starting tenuously, end up feeling as comfy as an old pair of shoes. In that sense, it is a true ensemble show, and though Mitsumi and Shima’s self-actualization may be at the forefront, the others are hardly out of the spotlight for long.

To be sure, the characters are not above their own melodrama. They aren’t always the most saintly, and while it may be a little strange that they are often not letting their emotions run wild like teenagers are sometimes known to do, *Skip to Loafer’s* comedic sense is more subdued than in-your-face. Its occasional bursts of more-explosive humor are kept to a minimum, opting instead for coziness and smiles induced through warmth and the softness of its colors and lines. Its comedy is comfort rather than catharsis. Writer-director Deai Kotomi adopts a quieter ambiance in their approach, letting it pour through the screen by being bright without blare, sometimes hanging on pillow shots to let a tone sink in.

Such was the warmth of its web that any combination of characters, in any setting, at any time, could be put into a room together, and the dialogue that would play feels as natural as a summer’s breeze. By the time the show reaches its final episode, the sense of camaraderie is firmly established, sweet, and lovely. Not all the characters may have undergone life-altering changes, but they didn’t need to. Simply taking their first small steps into new beginnings was all that was needed, and wherever they go from now on, they’ll have someone in their corner with them, helping them along. Their world is a little warmer than it was before.

And that’s what it’s all about.

A slice of life that is more heartwarming than a romance anime (galaxy next door) ? And has better nuanced and realistic characters than an anime posing as a mystery anime (home hero)? Wow sign me the fuck up.

It's no surprise that Skip and loafer is an award winning manga, tho why is the title skip and loafer is still a mystery to me to this day.It has got the best blend of characters most of who are quite faithfully written ordinary highschool kids with no severe and unrealistic quirk for the sake of being interesting. It does this while also balancing ... a good amount of tension and drama but it does not hamper the feel good slice of life feeling from the original setting.

Simply put it is a highschool anime done right and I cannot emphasize enough how much I was missing this , since nowadays you either need an edgelord, monologue heavy hachiman clone or a very quirky character or maybe even a janky af setting in the mix to try to grab a few eyes.
Skip and loafer manages to be just a normal highschool anime with realistic and fun characters with normal lives and normal issues which they try to overcome themselves or with the help of others.

There is not much I can write about the plot or characters without spoiling so I'll try to stray away from any plot points in general.

Plot (7/10)
Being a slice of life it should be no surprise that there is no amazing amount of depth to the story. It is the classic inaka (country) girl goes to tokyo and her life troubles and social discoveries of this newfound setting. It also has the classic cute girls doing cute things as well as romance trope episodes like the beach ep , the karaoke ep , the zoo ep and more of the same. Though I will admit that the amount that this show is able to do with the amount of legroom it has is fascinating and credit to the author for being able to squeeze out a decent narrative out of each episode. Each episode we see a development of significance or at least there is a setup for the same , most of these said developments don't turn out to be some might world altering events, but are realistic real world issues that do make for an interesting watch. There are also some just straight up very cute and chill slice of life episodes with not much substance in terms of plot in them.

characters(9/10)
This is the strongest point of this anime and certainly the one that differentiates it from the loads of slice of life anime that have been churned out by the industry lately. The characters are not one dimensional , there are hidden sides to each of them , some bad traits like we expect kids to have but they wholeheartedly accept each other even the flaws and also work on making themselves better people. This makes watching them slowly grow closer and trust each other with their mistakes and also have a good time together while also being able to remain true to themselves and able to show who they really are (which is a very rare thing in asia) a good and cute depiction of a good highschool friend group who would probably grow up to some amazing people.there are certain characters that come off in a bad light but once you see enough of them you love them even more since they feel human , they are not idealistic and all goody goody like most anime. One of the main characters even has a dedicated character arc where they are able to get over a past mistake and are in great part helped by this new friend group and we are hence left at the last episode with this amazing group of people who can only get closer.

Sound and VA (8/10)
The Voice acting of the aunt of the FMC is what stood out to me , she really does sound like a trap and reverse trap at the same time and does portray the original manga character quite well. The rest of the highschool cast are pretty good too with the VA of Shima being the most prominent of them. The OST is cute and relaxed as a proper slice of life Soundtrack should be. The moments of tension dont have a bs soap opera kinda ost and just a somber atmosphere which was a good touch. The OP and ED are mostly cutesy slice of life stuff with not much playlist value in my opinion, but atleast I didnt mind listening through them the first few times..

Art and animation (7/10)
I had my hopes but if we are being honest it tries the generic slice of life approach of toning the colors to the brightest and lightest tints possible but also unlike do it yourself of last season who did do a similar thing but with a unique character design , the character design of skip and loafer is nothing but basic art for characters which we have seen in many shows. The animation however is a bit more high quality and some of the reaction faces and meme faces are drawn and animated quite well, but the highest budget and point was already reached in the mitsumi running scene in the first episode and the sakuga remained on mostly and above average for slice of life, but quite average for an anime with a manga of this caliber if I being honest. Personally I think the art deserved a bit more love.


This is a great show to kick back and relax and a good watch in general as well , this is one of the few examples of slice of life anime that do have a very relaxed plot and setting but do manage to remain a tad bit interesting throughout the whole ride . A must watch for genre fans , and everyone should give a few episodes a try before coming to a conclusion.


PS :- this is my 100th review on myanimelist! Thanks for sticking by (assuming if I have any regular readers xD). I started this since I wanted to discuss anime and at the time I nearly had no interaction in my profile and my IRL friends have only ever watched popular shounen , so I’d love it if you could drop by and let me know what you think about this review or the others in my profile comments it'll help my motivation in writing and improving them. We can also discuss recommendations or anything about anime in general. Thanks for your time and thanks MAL for leading me to a community where I feel that I belong!

It just keeps getting better with each episode. The characters all have this authentic feel to them which is oh so rare, as a SOL's bread and butter is its characters after all. The show's overall wholesome vibe is not monotonous as it does not shy away from the sides of people that are not as likable, but its tone is that of kindness and optimism that makes it so enriching (I cannot stop smiling as I watch it).
It would be putting it lightly if I said that I was simply hooked, I am enamored (must stop myself from jumping to the manga).
It seems ... to me at this point that maybe romance will not be the primary focus but I am all for it and I look forward to Mitsumi and Co.'s coming of age story.

A very annoyingly common theme in many shoujo anime that have come before this is a lack of communication. Prepare yourselves for an emotionally intelligent/perceptive cast that actually communicates with each other to further their friendships! They quickly acknowledge their prejudices, misunderstandings, and overthinking through introspection and HEALTHY discourse. The characters go beyond their tropes - every episode humanizes them more and more, and the dialogue is truly reminiscent of an overheard conversation between real friends and classmates. There are no characters that are just 'perfect,' neither do any of them seem to have a tragic background that many authors feel necessary to give a ... character depth. They are students growing up and trying to find themselves as people. The wholesome scenes are extremely refreshing and heartwarming. As someone who's been watching shoujo/slice of life for over a decade, Skip to Loafer is the one I wish childhood me could have watched <3

Ever gifted someone a box of chocolates that made them very happy, till they realised it was a box of roulette. That is school life encapsulated within a sentence. Now if a total stranger were to randomly gift you such a box, I need not tell you how much more warned you should be. To sum up, that then will be school life in a big, unknown City. As you open each shiny new wrapper, all of them equally appealing, you can never be sure whether it'll be sweet or something that gives you a crash course on six paths of torment, unless you experience ... them for yourself.

Skip and Loafer, or at least the first three episodes of it, gave off such a vibe that made you anxiously aware of those hilarious moments.

Plot: There is not enough material out at the moment to make any justified comments about the plot in general. So the only thing that I can offer is that Roulette analogy. Having said that, the first three episodes will be able to grab hold of the attention of almost anyone who goes into it with an open mind.

Similiar to many, the protagonist decides to make good of her high school life, away from her home. She has a plan, or rather has a fantasy about what she intends to achieve, which leads her to Tokyo. The great big city with a zillion lights, where every wrapper seems inviting, though what lay within is a mystery.

As she gradually makes her way in this corner of the universe, and as she meets every new encounter with her cheerful simple outlook, we follow her and those she will meet along the way. The story is also garnished with a flavour of sweet and simple humour that will entice your appetite a little bit more.

Character: The characters, for the most part are very likeable. Within only three episodes you can actually feel they are well rounded, and have lot more to offer than what meets the eye. Even such a small business as exchanging phone numbers or going to Karaoke reveals much about them. Subtle details hint at things neatly, tying in the threads one by one.

The neat contrast between the country and the city life also has it's own charm. Much is implied and communicated through very little, and it is always refreshing to see something like this. Which again, makes the roulette analogy a little more prevalent I guess.

Of course, this is merely the beginning, and the hope is a lot more is supposed to come along these lines. When the wrappers are stripped off one by one, the expectation is that most of them would be unique in themselves.

Animation: Although, it is labelled as seinen, the animation has a Shoujo vibe to it. It is clean, frilly, and adequately submerged with bright hues that sort of make this very endearing to watch. Produced by P.A Works, who have a distinct identity when it comes to animation, so it should come as no surprise when it suddenly feels like something is really good.

The movement looks very crisp, especially the barefoot running scene, as well as the lively opening theme. The background art looks very neat and picturesque. The scenes naturally flow into each other. The lighting is also thoughtful and symbolic of the overall tone, suited to the vibe. Much to look forward to.

Music: The soundtrack compliments the atmosphere nicely. The scenes look as good as they do, partly due to the light soundtrack that very delicately balances the tone of what's happening.

Special praise should be allotted for the Opening theme. Both the song by Suda Keina, and the complimenting crisp animation of the main characters dancing to it's beats flow very naturally and gorgeously on the screen.

Voice Acting: The voice cast is brimming with talent, especially the female cast. There are some relative newbies as well who are doing just as good as the more established ones. So far, the characters suit the voices rather well.

Enjoyment: There is adequate enjoyment to be had for almost anyone, as the Anime has a lot to offer. It isn't something new or revolutionary, far from it, but it shines at those ordinary things which if done right can have a magical effect.

The season hasn't even ended but I'm already sad. I'm sad that this anime is a 12 ep. seasonal series that might not come back next year, or at all. After watching all of the anime eps, I binged the manga all the way to Ch 51 in 2 days. This is not usual behavior for me.

I'm sad that the anime will end soon, because I WANT MORE.

To me this story has been as impactful as Steins;Gate and Kimi no na wa.

Why is this anime / manga so good? Because the author is very good at using CATHARSIS. This might not make ... sense at this point in the anime, but it will as the story progresses. This is not a slapstick comedy about a dorky country girl going to school in Tokyo. The story becomes much more than that. Eps 8 to 12 will make that clear. I'm hoping the anime is able to cover up to Ch 24.

As a SoL story the general theme and vibe is light, cute, and all the characters are lovable. But they are still HUMAN. They have struggles, and insecurities. Nobody has a perfect life, and nobody has it all figured out. So the story does have its serious moments. The author doesn't overuse any tropes, nor do they try to get the reader to think or feel a certain way about any character, or ideology. Even though the story is about a 15 year old japanese high school girl, it feels like a universal story of the human predicament.

The reason Mitsumi is the protag in the series, and is loved and respect by all is because she bravely confronts the world, with all its challenges and opportunities. As a redditor/youtuber explain Mitsumi is always her authentic self, and people like her because they know and understand this. Mitsumi doesn't change who she is, or what she does to "fit" in, or to get people to like her. Rather she's the kind of person that people are drawn to because they realize that she is a kind hearted, genuine person and that they'll likely have a genuine relationship with her. One of the pretty and fashionable girls actually recognizes this, and is jealous because of it.

Mitsumi isn't pretty, or popular, or naturally charming and extroverted. She makes horrible first impressions wherever she goes. Nobody looks at Mitsumi and thinks "I want to be her" at first glance. But she is courageous. She will take risks, step out of her comfort zone, and give everybody the benefit of the doubt. She sees the best in everybody and that's why the people around her love her.

This is an incredible story, and I love Mitsumi. I think the mangaka is a genius. I admire that the mangaka is also staying true to themselves and doesn't try to use fan-service to become more popular and "successful".

2023 has been an improvement to 2022 regarding seasonals so far in my opinion. While 2022 does at least bring up a lot of exciting ideas for newer anime, they barely care about using them effectively. With some exceptions I have in mind, they’re nothing worthy to talk about. 2023 does the same thing except, a lot of the anime this year (again, so far) have thought to themselves. Skip and Loafer is no exception. At first, I thought this would be just an alright show judging from the first 5 minutes of it. But as I gravitate towards the series, oh my! This is ... a combination of a refreshing experience and pure excitement.

So what exactly is Skip and Loafer? Skip and Loafer is about a country girl named ‘Mitsumi’ who would show Japan sheer positivity by attending a prestigious school. When she arrives in Tokyo however, she’s not prepared for city life. Thankfully, she runs into Shima and both became quick friends. Together, they made friends and they all follow Mitsumi’s journey. I’m personally not too familiar with this kind of idea but this series so far has done nothing but a great job of presenting such a unique premise. Forget what I said about the first 5 minutes of the show. This has put a lot of soul into its storytelling and directing.

Skip and Loafer is very consistent and on-point with how Mitsumi follows her school journey alongside her friends. It truly shows how passionate you can be to spread the word across a place you want to be in while not being so serious about it. Mitsumi being the passionate country girl in school she truly is and trying her best to give out inspiring wisdom to people. I would hella love to see more shows have something like this. This right here is the kind of slice of life that spreads such a diverse message. The romance parts never feel forced also. The dynamics between Mitsumi and Sousuke aren’t too light but also not too toxic. Although very subjective, the comedy is refreshing as well. The jokes are clever and the scenes of characters giggling around are very fun.

Enough talking about how great the story is. I also want to talk about the bundles of happiness that are the characters. We have Mitsumi, the clueless country girl. We have Sousuke, the chill boy who is Mitsuki’s (possibly) first friend. Anyways, these two are a great pair for how they tone the drama. Mitsumi is very passionate about what she wants to do but doesn’t seem to know how to get herself on the right track while Sousuke bonds with her and talks about how they’re doing on their school trip. Again, the series did a fantastic job at making characters interact with each other before drama comes in. Both seem to convey the pros and cons of seeing/interacting with people very well.

You also got these side characters that are also engaging. There’s Mika, there’s Yuzuki, there’s Makoto, and all of them are a great supporting cast that isn’t just a bunch of surface-level comedic reliefs. My personal favorite episode is the 9th one where in the second half of it, Mitsumi reflects the balance between the positive and the negative while Sousuke is in a very gloomy mood. Despite this situation, Mitsumi is still there for him and will always make sure their dreams come true. Both the main cast and the side cast interact with each other just as wonderfully.

For the superficial aspects, the art style is simple yet conveys human emotion really well. It feels very friendly to look at. Looks like a glorious Japanese children’s entertainment even though it really isn’t. The OST is quite solid. Each soundtrack has more expressions to themselves than just average laidback songs. Both the opening and the ending are equally good. The voice acting is great. The VAs are quite precise with their roles. Glad to see Maaya Uchida and Megumi Han bringing even more great roles.

“If you're more concerned about breaking character than your own feelings, you're gonna snap at some point. It'll take a toll, and they'll notice that you're not being honest and that you're distancing yourself.”

To me, this quote says it all. Skip and Loafer is the epitome of obstacles revolving around human emotion and a presentation of a rather accurate balance between the positives and the negatives. The directing is amazing, the drama is well-paced, the romance aspects never get old, the humor is really fun, and the characters are truly multi-dimensional. This show is truly a comfort zone that has a delightful meaning to it. I don’t know what else I could say here. Skip and Loafer is without a doubt one of the best series this season. That being said, I’m looking forward to what a second season looks like. Might be even more enticing. Who knows? We’ll find out. Thanks for reading!

At some point in everyone's early school life, they experienced the feeling of agony, dread, and uncertainty as well as excitement and anticipation when they first entered this peculiar realm known as high school. A realm within the larger school system that’s often branded with much importance in the eyes of many as it’s the stage in one’s early life that marks many transitions: The transition phase from a teenager to an adult and becoming a part of society, the transition phase of preparation for further education in Universities, and in some cases, it’s a transition phase of life-changing events that define who one can ... be later in life. This emphasis is felt throughout various people’s lives and it’s certainly presented heavily in media such as anime.

Skip to Loafer, to its basic premise is about a bright rural Japanese girl who got into a top high school institution in Tokyo. With such an institution, she wants to use it as a platform for her dreams: Fantasizing about working in the law and governmental sphere as a career with great ambitions, she has already mentally planned out her bigger goals in life of changing her rural side of Japan forever. Brimming with absolute confidence, she steps into the greater Tokyo headstrong but only to get lost on her first day of school.

When inspecting such ambiguous plot synopsis of Skip to Loafer, the ever so easygoing promotional cover for the anime, and even the standard character designs, one can mistakenly simplify Skip to Loafer down to a generic, run-of-the-mill, slice-of-life high-school drama. While there are dramas in the anime, it’s very minuscule as much of the focus is on the characters and social dynamics. And the drama that takes place is never too overbearing that it becomes silly, exaggerated, and unreasonable. Instead, the dramas in the show are there to foster competent writing of its characters and storytelling.

What Skip to Loafer does best is the exploration of its cast at a basic human understanding in the most organic and purest ways. Each of the characters in the show has their own motivations, insecurities, flaws, strengths, and tenacity for themselves and each other. What’s so fascinating to watch is that the anime often put them all together and have authentic interactions that highlight the individual traits that ultimately define them. And this way, they learn not only about themselves but also about each other—just like a small but close group of friends in any typical high school environment. When putting such a focus on this particular group of characters, the anime gets the opportunity to go in-depth on each particular individual too. And because the anime is really just about them, when a character is fully explored, the things that we learn about them have a direct connection to the rest of the cast.

Take Mika Egashira for example, the purpose of her character at the very beginning of the anime was, at first, to be the drama queen of the show. A very confident, manipulative, and very self-aware of social dynamics for a high schooler. Unlike the plain old drama queens of her type, however, she doesn’t just fall into that single category and is strictly confined to it. What the series presents at first is very much a glimpse of her character. An insight into the motivations of her acts and thinking. Rarely does an anime such as this ever give depth to what it’s trying to convey through a character. Skip to Loafer does. What the viewers first see of Mika is not the same at the end of the anime. Through its runtime, the anime understands that to beat outside of its usual set-up, there needs to be more than just a simple flashback for Mika, it needs to first construct and assemble these characters with authentic human emotions and thoughts of high schoolers. The trials and turbulences, and the emotional growth that come with this particular age group. Mika, despite her unlikable attitude at the onset of the anime, she did still have a caring and vulnerable side of her—which is revealed by the time that they all spent together at Karaoke. The point is, the anime took the time to show it to the viewers just enough for us to grasp her thoughts and personality. And when the anime finally did expand on her, we are more inclined to empathize with its presentations.

One particular highlight of the anime that nails it home is the trials of the high school experience in terms of misunderstandings and communication. In those particular situations where one wants to resolve conflicts, teenagers often struggle to find words to express their thoughts, emotions, and conflicting feelings about themselves and others. In fact, it is a common struggle among all people. The anime not only present these situations from the perspective of infuriation for anyone who’s ever gone through it but also pushes the only known concept to confront these misunderstandings is head-on. To talk. To speak one’s mind. One’s better off being understood than being left in a state of limbo where all the anxiety and guilt-driven feelings reside and the breaking of connections, bonds, and friendships occurs. This is particularly important as the anime expresses it is part of experiencing high school life where forming long potential long-term bonds and friendships materialize and transpire.

Skip to Loafer offers more insights into the minds of broader high schoolers. The past, present, and future experiences that the characters form in the anime are often presented with much detail and reflections of an authentic experience. The subject that the series tackles are never to preach to anyone. But merely a presentation with an alluring and charming group cast with plenty of depth to themselves.

Skip to Loafer is an anime I dived into with a fair amount of expectation. I had come from an anime analysis video on character writing that compared its protagonist, Mitsumi, to the likes of Frieren and MaoMao (two universally agreed-upon examples of quality female characters). Comparing any character to these two is already a high bar and sets up a lot of room for disappointment. Yet, Skip to Loafer is wildly entertaining, wonderfully cheeky, and remarkably sincere in its messaging and character development. It comfortably met my expectations and even bagged some points for the voice work and animation.

Mitsumi feels like she should ... be a landmark achievement for the slice-of-life genre. She is one of the most heartfelt, genuine characters I have ever encountered in an anime. Among all the obnoxiously hyperactive female leads, Mitsumi stands out for her presence and relatability. She constantly changes throughout the anime, and the audience can journey along with Mitsumi as she navigates the novel experiences of high school, all the while bettering herself and the others around her. Mitsumi is capable of assessing situations critically and planning an appropriate course of action, even if her quirks cause her to run into problems. As a character, she also comes with believable (but lighthearted) flaws, the most prominent of which is her tendency to space out. In many other shows, this is brushed aside as a comedic eccentricity. However, Skip to Loafer takes the time to develop this aspect of Mitsumi’s personality - reminding the audience that this quirk remains a part of her authentic self. Mitsumi carries herself with an unassailable, naive confidence that draws people toward her as she interacts with her growing world.

While the praise for Skip to Loafer’s protagonist is completely deserved, the supporting cast is remarkably well-developed. Fumi is introduced as Mitsumi’s best friend, but the role she serves is that of a mediator between the audience and her own best friend. Mitsumi can be a lot to take in at once, so Fumi works to slow her down and contextualize Mitsumi’s actions. It’s from this connection that the audience can see the parallel between the two girls who know everything there is to know about each other. Distance does not, and cannot, diminish their friendship. Like most Genki girl protagonists, Mitsumi slowly changes the people around her. Whether it is exceptional character writing, the association with a protagonist who exemplifies realism, or both, the relationships in Skip to Loafer feel rich and natural. The dialogue and events are, of course, dramatized for entertainment, but the core writing remains true to normal human exchanges. There are no over-the-top screaming, incessant healing tears, senseless violence for comedy, or “please feel sad for me” moments in Skip to Loafer. Scenes that feature a lead-in taken from a shoujo trope end up gently subverting it with refreshingly mature and straightforward interaction. It's a testament to the strength of the writing that it can manage to pull off a subversion of the genki girl, a role originally meant to emphasize unrealistic and excessive happiness. Every character in the main cast is revealed to have another side to them, with hidden motivations and individual mannerisms that create comedic tension.

The animation is clean and colorful, perfect for a cheerful, funny anime. The voice work was good, with Mitsumi and Shima standing out for being completely in tune with their respective characters. Mitsumi's voice-acting managed to avoid sounding cloying and annoying, while still conveying her pure personality.

Skip to Loafer does explore a bit of romance, but nothing concrete develops in season 1. Romance fans can still enjoy this (as I did), but should be aware that it is very mild. The episodes follow a day-to-day format, which can make it hard to follow sometimes. Skip to Loafer doesn't have a clear, overarching narrative, but that's just a consequence of it being a slice-of-life. Skip to Loafer's plot is fine, it's not outstanding and honestly very predictable. However, this show, inherently, was never about a massive all-encompassing plot. Rather, the lack of a storyline focuses on the vibrant web of character dynamics that more than makes up for Skip to Loafer's shortcomings. This is an anime that knows how to write a proper Genki girl and her entourage. The free-flowing comedy and cozy atmosphere of this tight-knit gathering of distinct individuals imbue Skip to Loafer with its characteristic warmth. The anime just wants to gently remind its audience that sometimes it's worthwhile to slow down and work through life with your friends.

10/21/24 Edit:
After rewatching a few scenes and reading a couple of mixed feelings/negative reviews, I have toned down my hype and praise for the series. While it’s true that Skip to Loafer gets a lot of things right in terms of characters, the lack of a controlling plot does hurt it. Initially, I brushed it off, but that was more of a reaction to how well the ensemble cast was written that I could minimize a noticeable issue. Slice of Life is not supposed to have a straightforward plot, but generally, it will have a controlling aspect. For example, the show may be focused on music, sports, or a life lesson. Skip to Loafer lacks this, and while we know all about Mitsumi and her dreams, her lofty aspirations are still quite far off, and, for now at least, she’s just living her life.

The first time going through Skip to Loafer, I felt something was missing from the Shima backstory. It was handled fine, with nothing to complain about, but it would have been nice if his background somehow looped back to a central plot point. And so at times, Skip to Loafer can feel very aimless, and each episode can be boiled down to just being filler. I feel like Skip to Loafer could have benefited from having a centralized plot. However, this overarching topic of whether an anime needs a plot to be considered good (especially a genre that emphasizes not having a clear plot direction) is probably one that merits some more discussion.

I like to throw around the phrase “turn off your brain” a lot for slice-of-life anime, and it certainly does apply here, but in a different way. Skip to Loafer is very relaxed and lighthearted and like stated before, each episode isn’t significant unless it has a big lore drop about one of the characters. So while “turning off your brain” to watch this anime is perfectly fine, the character dynamics are intriguing in a way that makes it still possible to appreciate and ponder their motivations and actions.

My original rating for this anime was a 9/10, but as of this edit, I’ll be bumping it down slightly to 8/10.

And if you’ve made it this far, thanks for reading! I have a confession based on what I wrote at the beginning of this review about MaoMao and Frieren being universally good female characters. Recently, I’ve revisited a lot of my top-rated anime to see if my opinion of them was influenced by their popularity or production value. In that process, I discovered a lot of issues with both Frieren and MaoMao as characters. However, this is a weighty topic deserving of a whole other review (or more), so I just wanted to put this out there now.

Final Rating: 8

I'll try to keep it short: this is one of the best new animes I've ever seen.
Seriously though, if you like slice of life, give it a chance. Oh you don't like it as much? Give it a chance still!
Basically, Skip and Loafer has the whole package:
- great plot progression (doesn't linger where it shouldn't)
- deep characters (they are the focus, nobody seems shallow, even secondary characters)
- subversion of tired tropes (nobody is a stereotype without subversion and/or justification)
- diversity (characters come in all shapes and sizes)
- gorgeous animation (fluid and suits the vibe/message of the anime)
- non forced humor (lots of naturally funny occurrences ... and great non exaggerated visual gags)
- no contrived romance (the pairings get to know each other, no random out of the blue crushes)
+ great opening and ending!
It's honestly so refreshing to see such a natural portrayal of high-schoolers/coming of age story that is hard for anyone not to like it, a 10/10 for real. Please give it a try, you won't regret it <3

One of the best anime about friendship. Slice of life high school romance is about as rote and staged for mediocrity as a genre can be, but every now and then, there's something that isn't just a vehicle for cuteness, gags, ecchi nonsense, or the basest impulses of viewers.

Skip to Loafer works. The main character is amazing for this kind of anime in that she's direct but not rude, goofy and silly but realistic, personable and weird but not a social extreme, with a unique background and motivation. The supporting cast fills it in with living, rounded characters who have goals, indecision, and flaws. ... The tone is light even if there's some heavier backstory at points. The opposites attract romance in this is also very likable and charming, even if that's not the emphasis at all thus far. The pacing is pretty fast- a school festival with all the planning and performances in just 2-3 episodes and almost a whole year of school in the bank.

The music and animation are really well done. Unlike a lot of slice of life, there is no corner cutting in this animation; it's absolutely lush and beautiful. ML looks like he belongs in a Studio Ghibli movie, while the editing builds context and space for scenes in a very effective way. Formally, this anime is excellent. If you like slice of life, coming of age, and slow burn romance, this is definitely for you.

Skip to Loafer is making a strong case that it will be the standard for slice-of-life/romance anime in 2023. As long as it maintains its quality, I think it will be among the most recommended within the genre in years to come. Stellar character writing, smooth character movement, detailed backgrounds, and terrific voice acting and scene framing all amount to a distinctive, charming, and worthwhile experience. (~2-3 minute read)

CHARACTER WRITING
The show's most notable feature is its sophisticated character writing. The show rapidly establishes multiple characters who have believable motivations, weaknesses, and moral dilemmas. At its center is ambitious but naive Mitsumi Iwakura and the kind, ... charming, but reserved Shima Sousuke, who superficially are unlikely friends but hit it off early and end up attracting a group of equally unlikely peers. From here, some typical high school romance hijinks proceed, but occur in a fluid manner reminiscent of Horimiya, Toradora, or the recent Tomo-chan is a Girl, as opposed to The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten or The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague (for more recent examples). Consequently, the show likely won't appeal to those who aren't interested in the interpersonal dynamics between potential lovers and their friend groups. It is also set in high school, so those who've seen more than their fair share may be turned off by the setting. However, it does stand out among the near limitless quantity of shows set in high school and those who do enjoy the genre will find many fascinating character dynamics within the show.

ANIMATION AND BACKGROUNDS
A lot of credit needs to be given to the background artists of the show. Painstaking detail goes into many scenes of Mitsuki's hometown, her apartment, the subways in Tokyo, and the streets. Even the school truly seems like a unique school from the copy/pasted settings of most high school anime. Character animation is top quality, generally. Facial expressions are varied and dynamic. Personally, I think Episode 6 will be a contender for episode of the year. Still frames are, in general, maximally utilized, though there is the occasional "still frame of a classroom with laughing and chatting backing track while the camera pans slowly to the left." Overall, nothing is distracting and so far the animation has really been maximized for the genre.

VOICE ACTING AND DIRECTING
I'm not knowledgeable enough about voice acting to really speak sophisticatedly about it, so all I can say is that I think the show is casted well. Mitsumi, being from the country, speaks with a different dialect and even I, as someone who only knows an elementary level of Japanese, can tell she speaks distinctly. The other characters are not distracting or annoying and have fit the intended mood of the scenes they are in. These factors, as well as those listed above, really point towards the overall direction of the series. It has really excelled in production value, camera angles, and maximizing the medium to tell this story.

CONCLUSION
Overall, as of episode 7, it seems likely that this show will maintain its high quality through the end. So long as it does, I foresee it being an anime that I recommend to first time anime watcher or first time slice of life/romance viewers.

There are so many things I want to say about Skip to Loafer, what a gem of an Anime. I very much value adaptations esp manga that do a great job of depicting real human relationships/experiences. The back and forth and personalities between the characters are so vivid, unique, and you can tell that the manga creator took real life experiences and added them into the manga. I loved this anime so much; the first couple episodes I went and ordered all of the volumes that have come out so far. I never do this for most anime I watch, so it says a lot ... about how good this show is. I know this show is not trending #1, but it is def trending in my heart. I plan to def follow the continuation of Misaki Takamatsu's work.

For every one of us, growing up is an unique experience. No one's childhood is exactly the same and as teenagers, we climb the steps to adulthood. For a girl named Mitsumi Iwakura, she has her own unique experience after moving to Tokyo. From the life on the countryside to being part of the high school in a new city, following Mitsumi's story in this how is nothing short but an enjoyable experience.

Adapted by studio PA Works, we can tell right away that they were aiming for a faithful aesthetic with its character designs, visuals, and overall tone of the series. They didn't give this ... show its classic scenery. In other words, don't expect some sort of visual extravaganza that PA Works fans are more familiar with. It's clear they wanted to honor the faithfulness of the manga by adapting simple yet effective designs. Truth to be told, most fans probably wouldn't guess this was adapted by PA Works if they didn't look it up.

Yet, Skip and Loafer is beyond the faithfulness of its artwork. The manga has an appealing effect on crafting the teenage culture. Mitsumi is the new girl in a big city, so she must adapt to survive. This doesn't come easy as she has an old fashioned style of presenting herself. It can easily be seen with the way she dresses in simple clothing or the way she talks. Academically, Mitsumi is gifted among her classmates and although she does face difficulties related to physical activites, she can hold her own. One of the more prominent obstacles she has to overcome is adapting a social life that is far different than one she is used to. Being open minded, Mitsumi initially struggles to fit in but her eager and friendly personality enables her to make a lot of new friends. Among them is Sousuke Shima, a popular good looking boy who becomes an important part of her life.

Watching Skip and Loafer is what I describe as a social experience. Every episode follows life events that can easily be encountered in our own world. As it takes place at school, we can relate to Mitsumi's life as if we live it ourselves. Putting her into a position as the new kid at school also opens up to many opportunities, and this leads to bringing out the best of Mitsumi's personalities. Being a hard worker, Mitsumi can also be inspirational in that anyone can move to a new place and make an enjoyable life for themselves. Luckily, this show has an easy pacing that doesn't distract itself with complex drama or romance angles. It's simple as it's following her school life including physical competition at school, cultural festivals, or seeing her going out with her friends. She and Shima holds a special relationship as the two also gets to know each other, although we shouldn't consider this to be some sort of Cinderella romance tale.

Skip and Loafer consists of a colorful cast of characters, some that contrasts with our main lead Mitsumi. This includes Mika Egashira, a girl who cares about her looks and known for her fashion statement. Yuzuki Murashige is also noticable for being the beautiful girl at school although she has a very friendly and outgoing personality. She is among one of Mitsumi's first friends and despite their character differences, she and Mitsumi share a close relationship throughout the show. As the anime takes place at school, we also have characters who take on responsibilities beyond academics. The most noticable among these is Tokiko Takamine, a member of the Student Council. The anime adapts a degree of realism to protray her duties. Just like in real life, being on the student council means taking charge and displaying leadership skills. Mitsumi is not quite at that level but her determination does show that she is capable of leading too. Nonetheless, characters in this anime are very normal, and presented with realistic features. Don't expect larger than life characters who can perform inhuman feats. That's not what this show is trying to sell.

Ultimately, I believe Skip and Loafer represents a simple yet also elegant adaptation for a school drama mixed with comedy, slice of life elements, and realism. I didn't come into this show with high expectations but it's clear the anime acheived its goals at what it tried to do. Following Mitsumi's everyday life reminds me of my days at high school. So sit back, grab some popcorn, drinks, and treat yourself with a trip down memory lane of youth.

This is the epitome of modern slice of life. It’s a very high standard of grounded, realistic high school drama, that can have you really connected to the characters without any of the developments being particularly forced. One might look at the opening and think this is a romcom, but it’s much more than that. On the surface, it’s just some teenage school drama, and very simple, but I can assure you, this is something quite worth your time if you’re into the slice of life genre.

The story is centred around Mitsumi Iwakura, a lively girl from the countryside that looks to bring change to ... Japan, transferring into a prestigious high school in Tokyo. She’s got her life all mapped out, the first day of school is looking great, but then, she’s late for school, runs into misfortunes, and barfs on a teacher all on that “perfectly planned day”. While this was certainly an unfavourable first impression, Mitsumi met a fellow student in Sousuke Shima, who is a vastly different person compared to her, as he’s a rather laid back individual. Their friendship blossoms, along with many others in the class around her.

The main charm to this show has to be the incredibly fruitful cast, most of which have very meaningful development as they get to know and make friends with each other. There aren’t any real tropes at play either, they’re just teens that each have their flaws, problems, insecurities, and live with them. The highlight of the show has to the main protagonist in Mitsumi, as her energy as both infectious to the people around her, but also to us, the viewers, as her energy just makes me have a big, dumb smile on my face every time I see her antics. Her character design is just perfect with how derpy she looks, combined with her voice actor, Tomoyo Kurosawa (VA for Kumiko from Sound! Euphonium, and Phos from Land of the Lustrous), doing such a great job voicing her, especially with her expressive inner monologues. All of the other cast members are amazing in their own ways, with a variety of personalities that clash in one big friend group. It’s always interesting to see the most unlikely group of people making friends with each other. While it may seem like a very simple, slice of life anime, there’s probably something or someone that you can relate to, rather it’s a social situation, relationships, or a character’s personality.

The animation might not be the most flashy, but the style certainly works well in creating a comfy, friendly atmosphere. It’s a great showing of “finding beauty in the mundane”, both from the characters point of view, or us watching the characters and their daily lives. The director, Kotomi Deai, was the director for Natsume’s Book Of Friends, and you can see the resemblance in the art style, as it feels very “homey” and comfy, if you catch my drift, even there’s some drama going on. The music certainly compliments that comfy vibe very well.

Overall, this is such a grounded, yet extremely compelling slice of life with very realistic high school age kids, with their teenage emotions raging in their heads. Everyone has faults, just like we all do as human beings, and the characters learn and grow through their interactions with one another. There aren’t any annoying misunderstandings, tropes, or any fan-service to distract us from how realistic it all feels. It’s almost like I was truly back in high school again. It’s so very warming, kind, and it always leaves a smile on my face. Definitely one of the best anime this season.

Skip and Loafer is an excellent, down-to-earth story that focuses on a coming-of-age tale with some drama and romantic comedy. It is rare to find a show about high school that plays it straight without resorting to gimmicks or wacky scenarios to try and differentiate itself. Regardless of successful execution, those other shows end up distancing the story from what is plausible in reality. Unlike Skip and Loafer, these fantastical narratives lose much of their ability to explore more mundane themes and experiences that ordinary people face in their own lives. Yet instead of believing it needs to make up for the lack of gimmicks ... with melodrama, the show finds strength in the sincerity of a girl's journey through high school while balancing her ambitions, studies and relationships. It creates a narrative that exudes a sense of lightness and optimism, which makes for a charming story that sincerely covers themes about high school that are true to life.

Like most shows set in the mundane, contemporary world, it focuses on the characters and their circumstances instead of being driven by some dramatic, complex plot. The cast is excellently written, with their lines and voice acting exaggerated ever so slightly to be entertaining while still keeping the behaviour and personalities within the realm of believability for real life. There is ample room left for nuance and subtly in the more dramatic or tense moments, though the framing of the more comedic ones is still a little direct at times. It is an achievement in its own right that Skip and Loafer has characters that could convincingly be a real classmate someone could have encountered in high school. Albeit someone a little quirky and more interesting than the average person. Much of this is achieved by having the characters take the social situations they are in seriously but also having them reflect on them once the heat of the moment has passed. This keeps everything in proportion, avoiding a descent into melodrama as the characters are aware enough to laugh at how emotionally consumed they were when they acted. Yet it also preserves the value of these situations since the drama is maintained as the genuine response of the characters instead of making it appear like it is done for the benefit of entertaining the audience. These elements are essential for any show that wants to play its contemporary setting straight while maintaining the believability of the characters.

Our lead, Iwakura Mitsumi, is an excellent viewpoint to explore the themes that come with high school, being someone who has set lofty goals yet is also an outsider to a big city school with a large student body. She combines just the right amount of earnestness, awkwardness, and neurotic overthinking to make her endearing to the audience. Kurosawa Tomoyo is fantastic at playing characters with this personality and gives an excellent performance, capturing both the anxiety and eagerness in the character. Mistumi's background, coming from the countryside to the city, really accentuates her character with her wonderment at the urban lifestyle. While it is used to play up her more socially inept side, never having dealt with so much social politicking with her peers in a tight-knit country town, it also reinforces one of the show's core themes. There is a constant strain on her time with the fast pace of city life, having to manage her studies, extracurriculars, and her social connections. Most other shows in high school all centre around only one aspect of this, either on the club element if they are covering a particular activity or the social aspect if they are a drama/rom-com. Despite being an almost stereotypical fixture of schooling in Japan and Asia, Skip to Loafer is surprisingly one of the few shows that even deals with academic goals in a genuine manner. While it is an interesting theme to tackle and makes Mitsumi and her peers feel much more like real people who would be concerned about grades, maybe so few shows cover this because it feels a bit too true to life. After all, it strikes a bit close to home to be reminded of studies when watching entertainment. Yet it is essential for the story Skip and Loafer wants to tell and does wonders for being able to relate to the characters since it never feels like the show is glossing over an essential part of the student experience.

Seeing Mitsumi sleep deprived and biting off more than she can chew really drives home what it is like to be a high school student who wants to achieve it all. The show handles this aspect well, always ensuring to keep the problem of managing their studies and time visible even when they take a backseat to relationships for a bit. It creates this sense of a consistent challenge that rears its head and drags Mitsumi back to reality whenever she becomes too consumed in her social or extracurricular pursuits. Being such a core aspect of being a student, the various ways the characters attempt to manage this and their motives for it reflects on them, and by extension, Mitsumi, who tries to find her own solution. The other characters respond to the constant workload by creating intricate schedules that maximise efficiency or by simply resigning themselves to indifference about their performance as long as they pass. Their motives for working hard also vary widely, with some seeing it as their responsibility as students and to themselves for their future, or simply as a means to increase their social standing. Mistumi's consideration and reaction to all of this makes for an interesting exploration of this idea while feeling natural. The path she chooses to take in the end tells us about what she values and how far she can or even should adapt from her life in the country.

The thematic elements to do with the countryside thus far have felt under-explored, even though the show successfully connects much of Mitsumi's personality to her upbringing. Skip and Loafer does avoid the pitfall of having her country girl aspect being nothing but a shallow quirk that is only paid lip service to and quickly forgotten about. While Mitsumi does return to the Noto Peninsula during her summer break, it feels much more like an interlude than anything that really drives her characterisation forward. Part of this is due to the implicit contrast between city and country life, with how much slower-paced and carefree it is, creating this feeling of a purely slice-of-life interlude when she returns owing to how little actually happens. The return and other vignettes/flashbacks to her time in Ishikawa does effectively maintain the idea that her hometown is important to her with their consistency. Yet, with how little has been dug into the theme of rural decline or even the broad strokes of Mitsumi's dream/plans to do with it, it raises the question of if runtime was used as efficiently as it could have been. Still, it is refreshing to have a story where moving to the city is not a way to escape the countryside and forget about it but is seen as an opportunity to improve things at home. While P.A. Works has covered the topic of rural decline in more depth in Sakura Quest, where it was one of the central focuses, it is still poised to be an interesting secondary theme and convincing motivator for Mitsumi in Skip and Loafer.

Supporting Mitsumi, the rest of the cast is just as strongly written and helps to reinforce her characterisation with how their personalities play off and compare to hers. The show here is exceedingly strong in bouncing fluidly between the various characters' perspectives and giving glimpses into their inner thoughts. This is primarily a strength of manga as a medium, but it has been translated well to animation. The internal narration from the supporting cast is appropriate to the moments they are in when we switch to their perspective. It tells us enough for the audience to grasp the depth and nuances of their character and what drives them behind their outward-facing persona. Yet it avoids the pitfall many other shows make by having their character internally monologue their background and deeper motivations even though nothing in the situation would provoke those thoughts. It strikes the right balance to give us meaningful insight about the characters to bring them to life without giving away too much at inappropriate times or being hamfisted in its delivery. Even though they are supporting characters in what is ultimately Mitsumi's story, the cast never feels like they exist in a bubble. Another pitfall that Skip and Loafer deftly avoids is the feeling that the supporting cast exists only in relation to the leads or their school. The inclusion of small moments where characters talk about their past in junior high and still remain connected to their friends from that time really bring Skip to Loafer's world to life. It eliminates the feeling that they exist only to interact with the protagonist and that they have lives of their own that would continue without Mitsumi or even the viewer.

The most interesting supporting cast member is probably Egashira, who occasionally acts as a half-hearted antagonist to Mitsumi. She is a realistic departure from the characters in most anime being designed to have their appearance match their personality, at least in the broad strokes. While Egashira presents herself as agreeable and dainty with her fashion choices, it is very much for a deliberate social effect that goes far beyond self-expression. It reinforces how Skip and Loafer stays true to life in that people have limited control over their appearance and rarely choose to deliberately appear antagonistic. Having everyone behave exactly as their metaphorical tin label suggests may be expedient, but it often comes at the cost of believability in other shows. From this idea of appearances being only a partial reflection of someone, we get plenty of depth from Egashira. She cultivates the image of a sweet and confident person, yet has a scathing, calculating, and ultimately insecure internal dialogue. It gives her a chance to surprise the audience when her actions and inner motivations occasionally match what is supposed to be just a facade, and we see real sweetness as she slowly feels more secure with other characters. Some degree of having a book match its cover is still appropriate in characters like Kurume. Her appearance is one of less effort compared to other characters and reflects her scorn for what she sees as substanceless vanity and how appearances are usually exploited by those blessed with them. On the other hand, it is refreshing not to immediately pigeonhole Murashige, the stereotypical modelesque girl, as the antagonist of the series by making her a shallow love rival simply because she is attractive. It is the interesting other side of the coin for appearances not being indicative of someone's character, with Yuzuki being a friendly and understanding person from the start. All this serves to make the supporting cast both endearing and gives them a convincing level of depth to explore.

Finally, coming to our male lead, while much of the praise received by the rest of the cast also applies to Shima, his background as a former child actor feels far too dramatic at times. Compared to everyone else's fairly ordinary lives, his personal history feels the closest to coming to a gimmick meant to dramatise things. It feels jarring against the initial grounded tone of the show when it is introduced after the first episode. Though to the credit of the series, it never becomes overbearing or compromises the show's other elements. It does descend close to, or even dip into, melodrama at some points, especially regarding Ririka and Shima's past acting days. There are interesting places to go with Shima's character, and his backstory suggests a great deal of depth to his character, yet this season has explored so little of it. And at the moment, the hints about a more dramatically tragic past and the direction the story will take with it feel wrought with potential for going over the top. While that does not preclude Skip and Loafer from handling it well, thus far, the situation of his past coming back to haunt him has felt melodramatic with how little it involves Mitsumi or anyone else in the main cast. It creates the feeling that it is a problem inflicted by a third party in order to "spice things up" instead of having it be a more natural crisis of his internal conflict boiling over. With how much of the show is driven by characters discovering each other while learning to deal with and accept the flaws they find, it feels like a cheap way to direct the problem outside of this dynamic onto a lightning-rod character to serve as the antagonist. While it does create a dramatic climax and break the status quo within Shima to allow for character growth, it feels forced and less organic than what could have been the internal unravelling of his outward persona.

The mystery box that is Shima's character does feel a little out of place in a series where the rest of the cast are largely known quantities. It does explain some things that were slightly off with Shima, like his voice acting lacking that bite that makes for a visceral performance. The only time it breaks from this is during an internal monologue we get late into the season from him, which sounds far more natural and full of emotion. While this could be down to a directing decision, meant to aid in his characterisation as a soft-spoken person and deal with the theme of an actor not being sure where the character ends and his self begins,
it makes his performance feel particularly floaty and even weak at times. It also pushes the show away from its ostensible seinen or josei framing to one closer to shoujo. Shima feels like the stereotypical mild, soft-spoken yet brooding and mysterious love interest and does little to break the mould at the moment. This is not necessarily a problem, but it runs counter to the expectations established by how straightforward the rest of the narrative is and it's very mature emphasis on gradual communication as a way to connect with people. The small snippets we get of Shima's past do make his reluctance to open up, even to Mitsumi, highly convincing. However, it only thematically supports the characterisation and depth of the other cast members instead of interacting more directly with them. While the implicit contrast between Shima and Mitsumi suggests that her earnestness is what he needs for him to grow beyond his past, there is not enough done with that before the situation implodes itself. Again, this is not necessarily a problem, and there is still plenty to explore in a second season. Still, it feels like a more gradual and down-to-earth opening up and discovery of Shima that would have made for fantastic character scenes were sacrificed for a dramatic climax.

As a result of this, while the series has convincingly sold the viewer on a strong friendship between Mistumi and Shima with plenty of chemistry, whether it can convincingly be a romance is still up in the air. Because of how asymmetrical the relationship is with Shima holding all his secrets, the audience still needs to be convinced of his feelings. At the moment, all the romantic tension feels distinctly juvenile since it is mostly a mixture of gestures that could be misinterpreted as being more than they are meant to be, or born out of affection that a more mature person could still reasonably see as intense but platonic. While this heightened sensitivity and overthinking about romantic connotations is fitting for high school, what Skip and Loafer needs to meet its expectations and go beyond most romances is to show how meaningful and intense their connection is. And that requires the characters to open up in a more mature manner and grow into their relationship instead of the typical one-off high school confession. But that can be developed further down the line, and it is unfair to hold against a first season that is meant to establish the scenario. And with Skip and Loafer being the story of Mistumi's experience in school instead of Mitsumi's experience in love, it is reasonable for it to remain only one of the main elements in the show instead of its primary focus.

Overall, Skip and Loafer is an excellent coming-of-age story that deals with high school in a rare genuine and down-to-earth manner. It does not seek to embellish the experience for the sake of drama and entertainment, giving us characters that feel just as real as anyone a viewer might know. While some elements, like Shima's background, feel a bit tropey at times, the series more than makes up for it in other areas. While Skip and Loafer has plenty of merits as a stand-alone season, it seems better poised to be the strong introduction that supports a second season since it has left a lot unexplored, crucially with its male lead. There is some worry that Skip and Loafer will lose traction with audiences like many other more realistic anime since it hinges on investment in the characters instead of some readily marketable trope to keep more juvenile audiences on board. Hopefully, the quality will continue to speak for itself, with Skip to Loafer being a strong 8 out 10 at minimum. It is hard to give it a 9 at this juncture because it has yet to explore Shima's character in depth. While I like the characters and Kurosawa Tomoyo's performance as Mitsumi in particular, I did not make this very personal emotive connection to them. Ultimately that final push is highly subjective, but it is not hard to see how someone who found the characters leaping from their screen would rate this even higher or have this as one of their all-time favourites.

10/10. Enjoyable, Satisfying and Fun Anime.

Loves the MC. She made me fall in love with the anime. Her character and how kind she is.

Watched the all 12 eps in one seating lol.

Story:
10/10. Loves the story/plot of the anime. a great story about a high school girl.

Art:
... 10/10. The animation was amazing and beautiful to me. Perfect with the anime

Sound:
10/10. LOVES the intro where she dance with her friend

Character:
10/10. The MC is the best character in the anime. Combination with her friends made story so enjoyable to watch.

Enjoyment:
10/10. THANK YOU for this Anime.

Overall:
10/10. It was satisfying and enjoyable to watch. Arigatou gozaimasu

Please keep your expectations low and enjoy the anime. I sincerely hope you all have as much fun as I did.

That is a great show right here.

This is the modern standard of the most charming teenage school drama. Incredibly colorful and lively characters with a great pace of development. Remindes me of Tsuki ga Kirei, another example of masterfully crafted high school romance. Great storytelling, proper sound design and unpretentious yet captivating graphics. Amazing voice acting, Tomoyo Kurosawa did a great job as well as others. Skip to Loafer contains everything that modern titles rarely show. A breath of fresh air amidst mediocrity from the headlines. The chemistry between every character feels so real and deep (as deep as a high school anime can ... be), but it isn't forced or overwhelmingly edgy. This show has a nice balance between being sweet and dramatic, but the main thing is that it doesn't cross the line where it becomes annoying.

One can only hope that the tendency of well-made shows will not fall apart because of the shallow commercial spirit that has been around in the industry for the past few years.
A strong ten from your humble servant. Top 1 in the current season, FeelsGoodMan

I haven't written a review for an Anime before, but felt compelled to for this series.

Skip and Loafer is one of those Animes that comes along every so often that really just makes you smile through the whole episode. The first 3 episodes so far have made up for all of the first Manga book. And what a great 3 episodes its has been. The characters animated are exactly how I imagined they would be from reading the first book.

The characters really have portrayed a normal high school setting so far with each of them having their own distinct appearances and connotations about them. Iwukara's ... naivety is what makes this show so fun to watch and with the rest of the classmates starting to form bonds around her it really is pleasant to see.

I'm really excited for where this is going, so much so, that as soon as the first episode was wrapped I pre bought all the manga which I have never done and would usually wait until after an anime has finished airing.

So if like me you are looking for something wholesome and just nice to watch with some great funny parts (I'm looking at your karaoke in episode 2) then give this Anime a chance because you will not be disappointed.