Reviewing the Cases
by radiantfire
Context:
For this review, I will be analysing Sket Dance by Shinohara Kenta. I have read 18 chapters at the time of this writing.
Story:
Sket Dance revolves around 'Sket Dan' - a campus support group established to help students and staff with their problems. The chapters are generally episodic, in which they are simply referred to as a "Case." One-off cases are simply that. Some cases, however, span 2 to 3 chapters. These are often my favourite to read.
Art:
The art is decent. It's nothing special but it isn't bad either. I have no qualms about it. In fact, I'm quite impressed by the number of cells which only display the characters - that is, they're not displayed with scenery but with shades, lines or simply white as the background. What this creates is a strong focus on the expressive and emotional context of the characters. This, for me, makes it more enjoyable to read.
Character:
The best part of this series, in my opinion, are the characters. They're all fun and pleasant to follow, particularly the main characters. Through them, Sket Dance offers us moments of laughter and inspiration. Most importantly, they show us that helping others is quite a rewarding experience.
Enjoyment:
Initially I didn't like this series because of the introductory cases. However, I pursued reading it and was finally hooked after experiencing chapters 8 & 9 - which feature a more dramatic aspect of the series. From this point onwards, I started to look forward to reading the next chapter. It is definitely a fun read.
Conclusion:
In all, I recommend it for those who are looking for something light to read and has its basis on mystery, school-life, and comedy genres. The comedy is funny and the dramatic sequences are executed very well. Sket Dance promotes, as one reader has stated, "a breath of fresh air in a cliche magazine such as Shonen Jump."
