Soul Eater, an anime I have just recently finished, is a good example of a holiday taken to the extreme. Death City, the main setting of the story, is like one big Halloween town with a school planted at the top of its mountainous structure: Shibusen. Kids [called technitians or meisters] go to this school with one purpose: to get their weapon-partner the chance at becoming a Death Scythe, or Shinigami-sama's weapon.
I was almost instantly taken in by the two main characters, Soul and Maka. Soul is a very laid back guy who wants everything around him to be "cool". Maka, his technitian, has a calm disposition and plenty of smarts, but she's also adventurous and has a big fight in her. Soul's best friend, Black Star, and his partner Tsubaki are also big characters in the show. Black Star has a god-complex and his ultimate goal is to surpass whatever god is out there. His partner is his anchor and she helps keep him sane in his quest. Lastly, there is the partnership of Death the Kid, Liz, and her sister Patty. Kid has insane OCD. He MUST have everything symetrical or he can possibly get physically sick. His partners Liz and Patty are very energetic. Liz is a bit of a scardey-cat and her sister Patty just loves a good laugh [Which always got me laughing too, her laugh I mean.]
In order from left to right: Maka, Soul, Black Star, Death the Kid, Tsubaki, Liz, Patty.
The story, after the first couple of introductory episodes, was very captivating. Whatever plot points were revealed made me want to know more and more. It was an interesting show with good art and a strange sort of music that fit the theme very well of Halloween.
All in all, I'd give it these scores-
Art: 8
Music: 7
Plot: 8
Characters: 9
So, I was reading some manga the other day and I happened to look to see if Skip Beat! had any updates. Low and behold, it did and I was excited.
Usually, I'm not a fan of shojo. I prefer things with a bit more action, but this is my guilty pleasure. It's very much a shojo and I actually enjoy it thoroughly.
A scene from one of the manga pages
Generally speaking, Skip Beat isn't exactly the normal shojo, girl-likes-boy, gossipy kind of manga. Its main character is a bit unorthodox as well. But it has definitely satiated the romantic in me that likes to come out every now and then.
Especially with this latest chapter's development.
I enjoy Skip Beat! Because the characters have a lot of flavor. Kyoko isn't the most normal high shcool girl. She has a rough side, but she also loves to pamper her friends and those she loves (Even if she's sworn against it). Sho is a man-whore. Just sayin'. And Ren is a mysterious guy, but you also get to see a lot of his real personality in his conversations with his manager, Yashiro.
I would reccomend this to those of you who have a romantic side that wants to come out, but needs to stay quiet. And also for those of you who just enjoy shojo.
-Akari-san-